Sif

Sif

Appeal:  Harvest, Farmers, Grocery, Abundance, Generosity

In Norse mythology, Sif is a Goddess associated with Earth. She is the wife of the thunder God Thor and is known for her golden hair.  Sif’s name is translated as "blood relation", kindred, tribe or clan.  Thus while Thor protects and supports society, Sif is responsible for the unity of the families and tribes within that society.

Sif was the Goddess of the harvest, fruitfulness and plenty. Her long golden hair was something she prided herself in and it reminded people of the golden harvest. It was once all cut off by Loki as a cruel prank. She was miserable and crops would not grow until it was replaced. Thor demanded that Loki replace the hair or else he would break every bone in Loki's body.  The dark months while her hair was gone became what was known as winter.

Loki traveled to the land of the dwarves.  They agreed to fabricate hair from gold, as fine as Sif's own hair and with the magical ability to grow on her head.  But Loki could not resist pushing his luck and made a wager with two other dwarves daring them to make better treasures.  Loki was so sure of the outcome that he had let his own head be the prize.

Underestimating the dwarves' skills, he suddenly realized with a shock that the dwarves were winning!  In desperation he changed himself into a horsefly, biting and pestering the dwarves while they worked.  In spite of this they managed to produce several other treasures, the most famous of which was Mjollnir, Thor's Hammer.

The Gods were then called to declare the dwarves the winners.  Loki promptly disappeared.  When Loki was tracked down, he was again given to the dwarf brothers, but this time Loki agreed, yes, they had a right to his head, but the wager had said nothing about his neck.  Frustrated with this logic, the dwarves had to content themselves with sewing Loki's lips shut.  The new head of golden hair was given to Sif, where it magically grew from her head just as if it were natural.

Sif's fate during Ragnarok is not clearly noted.

Sif has inspired the name of a volcano on the planet Venus (Sif Mons).  The Marvel Comics character, Sif, is based on the Sif of Norse myth and is portrayed by Alexander in the Marvel Studios film Thor and its sequel.   

 

Jera is the name of the j-rune ᛃ, meaning harvest, good year or gradual changes.   Jera represents the completion of a cycle, season or year or the eternal contrasts of opposites, which comprise a whole.  The ancient people of the Norse had close ties with the Earth and it’s seasons.

 

 

I call to Sif of the golden hair, bride of Thor,
fairest of maids, finest of great Asgard’s treasures,
brightest of the nine worlds’ lights. Grant to me, goddess,
a nature kind and patient; let me be the heart
of my home. May my household be a haven
of comfort and cheer, may we ever be warm
and well fed, may my family find fortune and joy.
Sif of field and fruited tree, Sif of the rowan,
I thank you for your blessings, I pray for your favor.

 

Divine Tree

Sif

Thor's Hammer