The gods of the Norse were very human in their behavior. When you work with Norse gods, you ask that they channel their powers through you. Practitioners of Aasatru make use of the Norse gods in their rituals. This list is far from comprehensive.
- Balder – The epitome of radiance, beauty, kindness, and fairness, and was the god of light and purity. He was believed to be immortal but had a nightmare that foretold his death. He was killed by a mistletoe branch.
- Bragi – The bard of Valhalla, Runes are carved on his tongue to show his mastery of the written word.
- Forseti – Master of meditation who was associated with justice, truth, and law.
- Freya – One of the most sensual and passionate goddesses in Norse mythology. She was associated with the qualities of love, fertility, and beauty. She also practiced Seidr, a form of magic that was associated with control, manipulation, fate, and destiny.
- Freyr – God of fertility. Freyr was a symbol of prosperity and pleasant weather conditions.
- Frigg – Odin’s wife, a paragon of beauty, love, and fertility. Queen of Asgard, and Norse goddess of the sky, she was gifted with the power of divination.
- Heimdall – Guardian of Bifrost, the rainbow bridge that connects Asgard, the realm of the gods, to Midguard, the earth.
- Hel – Goddess and ruler of the Norse underworld also called Hel. She nurtured and housed any who entered her realm, within which her power had no equal.
- Hermod – Fastest of all the gods and goddesses in Asgard, and was, therefore, their chosen messenger.
- Hod – The god of Darkness
- Idunn – The goddess of youth, spring, and rejuvenation, Idunn distributed golden apples to the other gods that prolonged their longevity.
- Loki – The god of mischief, Loki is a shapeshifter and father of Fenris, the wolf who will swallow the moon during Ragnorok, and the serpent Jörmungandr, which chews on the roots of the world tree Yggdrasil.
- Njord – The god of the wind, seafarers, coasts, inland waters, and wealth.
- Odin – The god of war, poetry, and magic. He sacrificed one of his eyes in order to be able to see the cosmos. His thirst for wisdom saw him hang from the World Tree, Yggdrasil, for nine days and nights until he was blessed with the knowledge of the runic alphabet.
- Thor – Protector of humanity and the god of thunder, who wielded a dwarf-forged hammer named Mjöllnir. He was known for his bravery, strength, healing powers, and righteousness. He is perhaps the most well-known of the Norse Gods.
- Tyr – Bravest of all the gods, the god of justice. He lost his hand to Fenris so that the other gods could bind the great wolf.
This page is a brief overview of some of the most popular gods and goddesses of this pantheon. If you are drawn to a particular pantheon, you should do further study of that culture and mythology. Every culture has a different view of how powerful their gods are, whether they can die, and how the gods are to be approached. You should always try to approach a god or goddess in a way similar to the culture which worships that being.
