GODS OF THE MONTH: FRIGGA, HER HANDMAIDS, AND THE DISR

 Like every Polytheist, I have Gods from other pantheons that I honor. Early in my polytheism, Frigga came to me and said that She is the Patron of my home and watches over my family. For this reason, I have a separate altar for Her that includes amber and keys. Her Handmaidens also requested prayers.

 

I honor Frigga, the Norse All-Mother (Note 1), Her Twelve Handmaidens (Note 2) and the Disr (Mothers of my ancestral line) on Mothers’ Night (Moraneht). The eve of the Winter Solstice is the traditional beginning of the Germanic New Year. My custom of this Holy Night is to lay out a table for my Anglo-Saxon Ancestors. (Note 3)

 

What I do on this long, dark night is to bloodwalk. I move backwards from the present Mother (my mother) to the past Mother (her mother) at each node in the maternal line. During the bloodwalking, I see how patterns become encoded in my DNA. When I reach a knot, I stop. I ask Frigga how I must untangle it for the future generation. We can only do one knot at a time, therefore the process takes years. I do this to ensure better luck for the next in my line, and to change the luck for my Ancestors.

 

Bloodwalking entails going into a trance, focusing on a particular DNA strand. You move along your maternal DNA. This takes you from yourself to your mother to her mother, going backwards in time. Each Mother is a node that radiates outward. (Bloodwalking on the paternal lines goes from the father to his mother, to her mother. This is more difficult to do.)

 

Hail Frigga : Hail the Disr

The All-Mother : Mothers of mine

Guide Us : Whispering

How we go forward: Of Trials and victories

We thank You : I thank You

 

Notes:

Note 1. Frigga governs Asgard with Her Consort Odin. With Her Twelve Handmaidens, Frigga rules the home and weave frith (peace) amongst people.

Note 2. Saga (seer), Eir (healer), Gefjun (unmarried girls), Fulla (plenty), Sjofn (love), Lofn (forbidden love), Var (oaths), Vor (wisdom), Syn (truth), Hlin (protector), Snorta (diplomacy), Gna (travelers).

Note 3. They requested that I keep an altar to them. Since Mothers’ Night occurs during Saturnalia, the Roman Gods have made room for Them.