Niflheim

Niflheim

 

Niflheim or Niflheimr (the "Abode of Mist") is one of the Nine Worlds and is a location in Norse mythology which overlaps with the notions of Niflhel and Hel.  Niflheim was primarily a realm of primordial ice and cold, with nine frozen rivers. According to Gylfaginning, it was one of the two primordial realms, the other one being Muspelheim, the realm of fire. Between these two realms of cold and heat, creation began when its waters mixed with the heat of Muspelheim to form a mist or steam.  From the whirling mist and fire came the first being, Ymir.

Ymir is not truly a deity, more of a primal frost giant.  He is said to have spawned the entire race that became known as the Jotuns or giants, without a mate.  He came to an end by Odin, Vili and Ve in the early days of creation.  With his death, the land became a realm for the dishonored dead.

In Ancient times, ice was a constant factor in the day to day lives of the Norse. It threatened their crops, their ships and their livelihoods, almost throughout the entire year. To the people though, it also served as a symbol of creation from which all life eventually springs forth.

Niflheim is the far northern region of icy fogs and mists, darkness and cold. It is situated on the lowest level of the universe. The realm of death, Helheim, shares this part of the vast, cold region.  Also situated on this level is Nastrand, the Shore of Corpses and where the serpent Nidhogg eats corpses and gnaws on the roots of Yggdrasil.

 

Nidhogg is a powerful dragon or serpent who dwells in Niflheim and continually gnaws at the roots of the World Tree Yggrassil, which will eventually cause the tree to collapse.  When he is not chewing on roots or corpses, he trades insults with an eagle that lives at the top of the tree; the messages are carried up and down the tree by a squirrel.

After Ragnarok, there will be a hall here for the punishment of murderers, oath breakers and philanderers.

 

Hail to the Land of Mists, from whence the Giants came,
One of the Two from which all the Worlds began.

 

 

Alfheim

Asgard

Dwarf

Helheim

Jotunheim

Midgard

Muspellheim

Niflheim

Svartalheim

Vanaheim

Yggdrasil



Helheim

Helheim

In Norse mythology, Helheim, the location, shares a name with Hela, a Goddess associated with the location, which is different than the Christian Hell.  To avoid confusion, a number of literary texts often called this underworld Helheim (from Norse heima or heimr, "home" "region" "abode").  The word Hel is found in Norse words and phrases related to death such as Helför ("Hel-journey," a funeral) and Helsótt ("Hel-sickness," a fatal illness).

Helheim is one of the nine worlds of Norse mythology.  It is ruled by Hela or Hel, the daughter of the trickster God Loki.

This cold, dark and icy abode of the dead is located by the world of Niflheim, on the lowest level of the Norse universe.  No one can ever leave this place, because of the impassable river that flows and encircles Helheim.  Once they enter Helheim, not even the Gods can leave.  Those who die of old age or disease, and others not killed in battle, go to Helheim while those who die bravely on the battlefield go to Valhalla or Freya's Field.

The entrance to Helheim is guarded by Garm, a monstrous hound.  Garm guards the gateway into Helheim and keeps souls of the dead from escaping the underworld.  Garm is often equated with the wolf Fenrir.  It can also be compared with Cerberus, the Greek guardian of the underworld.

Once spirits were through the gates, Hela judged them and decided whether their soul was good or bad and to what degree. Then, after Hela had made had her assessment, she gave each soul it's just reward. Depending upon how they had been judged, the souls of the dead were settled into one of the nine levels of Helheim, which ranged from what might be seen as a form of paradise, all the way down to the dark horrors of Nastrand and Nidhogg. Nastrand was the house or level for criminals. Nidhogg was a dragon that devoured the corpses of evil-doers, meaning no Ragnarok or visiting love ones. 

Hela and her army of the dead do play a role at the start Ragnarok.

Hail to Helheim,

Teach us to praise loss and death
And the passing of all things,
For from this flux,
We know your blessings flow.

 

 

 

Alfheim

Asgard

Dwarf

Helheim

Jotunheim

Midgard

Muspellheim

Niflheim

Svartalheim

Vanaheim

Yggdrasil



Vanaheim

Vanaheim

In Norse mythology, Vanaheim or Vanaheimr is one of the Nine Worlds and home of the Vanir; a group of Gods associated with fertility, wisdom and the ability to see the future.  It is located by Asgard, on the highest level of the universal tree Yggdrasil.

In the beginning, the Aesir and Vanir Gods waged war against each other, perhaps reflecting an actual historical conflict between two cultures, tribes or belief systems. Realizing that neither side could win, the two groups of Gods made peace and together fought their common enemy, the giants.  To ensure a lasting peace, some of the Vanir came to Asgard, the home of the Aesir, as hostages.  Among them were Njord, the patron God of the sea and seafaring.  His twin children, Freyr and Freya, were the most important Vanir and represented love, sexuality and fertility.  The giants' desire to capture Freya was one cause of strife between the Gods and the giants.

 

The nine worlds have been mentioned in various works of fiction, including frequent use in Marvel Comics stories, even laid out in a detailed graphic and, and explicit explanation in the eleventh episode of Ultimate Spider-Man.  Vanaheim will be featured as a location in the Marvel Studios film Thor: The Dark World.  Vanaheim also refers to the Tanais, an ancient name for the Don River in western Russia.

 

 

Hail to the Green World of the Vanir!
Hail to the Realm of Growth, of Earth
Sacred and fed with blood, springing forth
Abundance and plenty to feed many worlds!

 

 

 

 

Alfheim

Asgard

Dwarf

Helheim

Jotunheim

Midgard

Muspellheim

Niflheim

Svartalheim

Vanaheim

Yggdrasil



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