30 Days of Frigga Day 10 Offerings

Offerings – historical and UPG

I am not certain that I know of any lore that is associated as an offering to Frigga. If you wanted to draw on the lore for ideas however, offering ideas could include a golden necklace/girdle inspired by the gold she stole from Odin to have made into a piece by the dwarves; tears shed in honor of her grief for Baldr and as a promise to weep for him to return; fiber than can be spun such as flax or nettle fibers or wool; a vow of silence regarding divination work...
The following offering suggestions are mostly based on UPG:

Scarlet Flax flowers in altar flower box between 3 birch trees

Flax is a sacred plant to Frigga in her aspect as a Goddess of Spinning. Forms of flax that might be considered for offerings are items made from linen (flax fabric), flax flowers grown in a place designated to Frigga or put on her altar, and flax seeds (alone or in food).

Birch is Frigga's tree. Birch bark can be made into jewelry, leaves and bark can be used as medicinal tea or in cleansing incense, and birch sap or water can be used as a libation. Any of these items or sacred pieces carved from birch wood can be used as offering. Consider a birch offering bowl, cup, or plate for Frigga.
I have commissioned my husband to turn one of the cut trees from our land into a statue of Frigga for me to carve and decorate for her altar (images to come).

I often bake and try and give Frigga the prettiest piece of my work. Slices of gingerbread dusted with snowy confectioner sugar, barley and flax seed pancakes topped with birch syrup, warm yeast roll with real butter, etc.

Fiber items - any fiber arts piece created for the Goddess can be an offering. On my altar I have a small skein of white wool dedicated to her that I will spin (once my skills at the spindle are a little better) and turn into something for the Lady. I am also making a devotional shawl dedicated to Frigga with crocheted squares each depicting a symbol or story that is part of her lore and teachings (more on that to come).

Art as offering

Offerings of course do not have to be "things." Actions or charitable donations given in Frigga's name can also be a form of offering.
Charities honoring mothers and their children are great places to give money, gifts, or time to in her honor.
Helping out women in the community who have lost a child would be very appropriate.
Knitting or crocheting caps and blankets for babies in NICU is a common act of offering among fiber artist devotees.
Learning to spin, weave, or any other fiber work can be done to honor Frigga as this is an act that she presides over. Taking this a step further and participating or starting a spinning group, guild, etc could also be done in Her name.
Writing devotional pieces such as songs, prayers, poems, stories, etc as well as creating art pieces for her is a fantastic act of devotion.

I am sure there are other ideas out there.

What sort of offerings do you give your Gods?

30 Days of Frigga Day 9 Common Mistakes

Common Mistakes Regarding Frigga

1. Frigga is the mother of Thor and Loki

No. No no no no no. Just no.
This misconception is based on the comic and movies Thor and is a mistake that never ceases to irritate me.
As you can read in Day 5's genealogical layout, Frigga's children are Baldr and Hodr (some say that Hermond and Bragi might be there sons too). Thor is her husband's son with Jord. Loki is the son of Frost Giants.
The most irritating part of this is relating Loki to Frigga as her son while he is actually the one who plotted the death of her favorite son Baldr - who wouldn't be offended by that? It would be similar to saying Judas was the son of Mary.

2. Frigga and Freya are the same Goddess

This misconception arises from modern Heathens and scholars studying ancient language and the lore.
The words Frigga and Freya not only sound similar but have similar meanings of Love, Lady-ship, and Beauty. Both are also wives of Odinn (Odr is believed to be an epithet of Woden) and both are seers, work with pregnancy, and are daughters of Earth goddesses according to lore.
There the commonality stops.
When I asked Frigga about her and Freya she said "that elfin creature?"

30 Days of Frigga Day 8 Aspects

Variations on this deity (aspects, regional forms, etc.)

While some might suggest that Frigga and Freya are the same goddess, I don't agree but that is a discussion for another time. 

I do think, however, that Frau Holle/Hulda is another aspect of Queen Frigga. 

Much as the Holly Kind or Father Christmas is another form of Odin, Frau Holle is the wintry, elderly form of Frigga.

Holle, like Frigga, is a hearth Goddess who watches over women, children, and domestic arts such as spinning. Also like Frigga, Holle is kind to those who are diligent and take care while being stern and punishing those that are lazy, negligent, etc.

My association of Frigga with Holle was strengthened when I did a meditation that led to a visitation with Frigga that I talk about on this blog Here.

Resources
Holda's Shrine

30 Days of Frigga Day 7 Epithets

Names & Epithets

Frigga's name means "beloved", and it is cognate to several Indo-European words, variously meaning "to marry", "to love", "wife", and "beloved lady".

To read some of her better known names and epithets, please read my post:
35 Adorations to Frigga

30 Days of Frigga: Day 6

Day 6: Other Related Deities and Entities Associated with this Deity
Yesterday we discussed deities that were directly related to by blood or marriage to Frigga. Today I write about deities that are associated with Frigga through friendship or service.

Frigga has 12 (or 13 depending on source) Handmaidens

Handmaidens could also be called Ladies in Waiting or simply Companions to Frigga.
I believe Lofn's Bard explains it best:
"A Lady-in-Waiting is not a maid or servant, rather a companion and confidante, chosen by the princess or queen from the upper nobility (such as a duchess) or from close childhood friends (usually a sister or cousin). They go where the Queen goes, having freedom of visit to the Queen’s bedchamber, help in choosing clothing for events, receive and answer messages on behalf of their mistress, keep her informed of events and gossip, supervise servants, and discreetly relay messages. They are typically proficient in etiquette, languages, dance, music making, horse riding, painting, embroidery and other queenly pastimes. In Britain, the highest titles they bear are Lady of the Bedchamber and Mistress of the Robes."
So these goddesses should not be considered servants of Frigga but merely lower ranking goddesses that she has in her court as companions.

In my personal experience at Fensalir, I have come across her Handmaidens (note, I spell this capitalized when referring to the Goddess Handmaidens but do not do so when I refer to earthly handmaidens like myself) and usually see them about their work. When I have spoken to them it is at Frigga's bidding - she has made it clear to me that she wishes me to become very well acquainted with each of them and venerate them as I do her.

These Handmaidens usually number 12 and are associated with the zodiac and hours of the day. I have also seen them number 13 and associated with the 13 moons of the year though most refer to 12. That being said I believe that there are more than 13 but understand the desire to number 12 for association and correspondences purposes. Those named in her retinue include:

• Fulla (Frigga's right hand woman and often referred to as a "sister" or as a lover and I believe her to be the latter)
• Gna (the messenger of the gods who I often witness in a hurry with boyish short hair, often wearing reds browns and blacks in almost industrial or militant look and carrying a messenger bag)
• Eir (The healer of the gods)
• Gefion (Goddess of hardworking, independent women)
• Hlin (the protector and source of refuge)
• Hulda (this is not a traditionally named Handmaiden and could be a reference to Frau Holle who I see as a mask of Frigga)
• Lofn (Protectress of forbidden love)
• Saga (the historian and story teller)
• Sjofin (companion of children and young maidens)
• Snotra (Lady of hospitality and learning, a listener)
• Syn (gate keeper, goddess of the doorway and boundaries)
• Var ("Vower" Oath-keeper)
• Vor (the seer)

Resources:

Northern Pagan Tradition Handmaidens Shrine
Lofn's Bard is a great blog that has stories inspired by what lore we have of the handmaidens as well as the author's personal experiences.

30 Days of Frigga Day 5 Genealogy

Members of the family – genealogical connections

The following is what I was able to figure up from the Lore

Frigga is the daughter of Fjorgynn which, according to some, is an epithet for the goddess Jord who, like Nerthus, is considered an Earth Goddess. (If Jord is her mother, then she is also half sister to Odin's son Thor.)
Wife of Odin who she had 2 sons with - Baldr and Hodr.
Baldr married Nanna and bore no children before they died.
Some lore mentions Fulla as Frigga's sister, however, from my own experiences *UPG warning* Fulla is Frigga's companion and lover.

30 Days of Frigga Day 4 Favorite Myths

A favorite myth or myths of this deity

I believe my favorite stories of Frigga are those that show her relationship with Odin as they often portray her as a partner equal to him especially when it comes to wits and sneakiness.

Frigga and the Long-beards

When the warring tribes - the Lombards and the Vandals - were fighting over new land, Odin favored the Vandals and Frigga favored the Lombards. From the beginning this sounds like a game of chess with the wits of the gods evenly matched on the battlefield.
Frigga tried to persuade Odin to her side and he, thinking he was being clever and could avoid fighting with his wife and still grant victory to his favorite tribe, declared that he would use all his powers to grant the victory to the first tribe that he saw upon awakening, and slept secure in the knowledge that his bed was facing the Vandals and he was sure to see them first.
While he slept, however, Frigga concocted a plan to outwit her husband. She gathered up the women of the Lombards and carefully combed their hair over their faces to give them the illusion of being men with beards, and placed them outside Odin's window; when he awoke and saw them, he mistook them for their men and was forced to cede the victory to the Lombards after all.

I suppose I enjoy this myth because it reminds me of my own relationship with my husband and how much I enjoy turning the tables on him when he thinks he's being so clever.

Resources
Marriage Prayer for Frigg