Amber: The Tears of Freyja

"Freyja Wandering"

Amber is an organic gem, which is created over hundreds of thousands of years. Amber itself is actually simply solidified tree sap, which is why one often finds inclusions and organic objects and small creatures such as insects inside. It is the softest gemstone on earth in its solidified state, and if place in fire will eventually melt, releasing a fragrant scent which is common enough that most would recognize it immediately.

For a Vanatru like myself, the gemstone of Amber is also connected to the Goddess Freyja herself. Baltic amber is some of the most sought after amber in the world, often washing up on the Baltic shores, in a myriad of colors such as cherry, green, yellow, and the commonly known traditional buttery copper color we call amber.

Though the etymology is uncertain, both amber and gold are known as Freyja's tears, and many modern day followers of the Goddess Freyja choose to wear this stone in honor of her.

Amber is called Freyja's tears because of a particular anecdote in her lore. The Goddess Freyja was wed to a man named ODR, which some consider a cognate for Odin, though most Vanatru like myself do not. The word ODR actually means fury, or inspiration. There is little known of the Goddesses mysterious husband, and little is left in the Eddas about him except for this particular episode.

The Goddess Freyja was wed to Odr, and she was deeply in love with him. During the course of their relationship, for reasons unknown, Odr would go traveling around the world, the goddess would be left alone to care for herself and their home. It seems that as time passed and Odr did not return, she became more and more despondent. Finally, given who she is, she could not bear to be without him any longer, and was not satisfied simply keeping the hearth burning. She made her mind up to go searching for him.

It is said that Freyja traveled the earth far and wide in search of Odr, which led her to be called the "many-named," for she was called a new name by each tribe of "strange people" she came to be among. As she went, her sorrow grew, and each place she went she cried bitterly for Odr. It is said that when these tears fell to the earth, they were transformed into gold and amber, so that wherever these are found people may know  Freyja traveled there in search of Odr.

Outside of the beauty of it's literal meaning, this story is a powerful spiritual metaphor for those close to the Goddess. For one, we see that unlike most women who were content to dutifully tend the home fires as their husband traveled, Freyja was not content to do so. She instead took action and set off to find that which she was missing. This is a lesson for all women in self sufficiency and taking responsibility for ones own fate.

Also, etymologically, Freyja was searching for Odr, which as stated earlier is furious inspiration, in translation really a sort of inspiring ecstasy. One could argue that Freyja traveled far and wide to find her own passion and inspiration for life, personified by her husband Odr.

Freyja found her husband eventually and they returned home. She gave birth to two daughters of this union, called Hnoss and Gersemi, "jewel" and "treasure." So it seems, this powerful Goddess of sex, love, passion, magic and death, united with inspiration, created an offspring which was nothing short of a treasure, or a precious gem. And even her own sorrow, when united with the earth itself, transformed into precious gold and amber.

These are all powerful spiritual insights, and worth meditation for Vanatru, Asatru, and Pagan alike.

In Frith,
Cena

Created for the Pagan Blog Project by Rowan Pendragon