Worshiping HelĀ ššÆļø
I recently received an ask from a follower about how to worship the goddess Hel. Unfortunately, that follower was a white supremacist, so I donāt want to give them visibility (and they have been blocked). But I think their question could also apply to other followers, so I decided to make a separate post about it in case anyone else is curious about worshiping Hel!
Disclaimer: I donāt personally worship Hel on a regular basis, and I am by no means an expert on her. However, these are some ideas I have for honoring her based on her lore and the impression I get from her as a goddess, as well as my other Heathen practice and experience. Please donāt take any of this as law, and feel free to adapt it as you see fit.
Firstly, I would say that thereās really no reason that the basic worship of Hel should be much different from that of any other Norse or Germanic deity. Offerings of food or drink, lighting candles and incense, simple prayer and meditation, creating a shrine, and dedicating actions in her name are all great options. You can easily customize them to any deity you choose, including Hel.Ā
Adapting a practice or ritual to a deity usually involves symbolism and representations of them, as well as things they mightĀ ālike.ā Since Hel is obviously a goddess of death and ruler of one of the Norse afterlives, death-related imagery - bones, soil, coffins and burial, veils, and the like - is very appropriate. Other things one could associate with her include dogs (like Garmr or her brother Fenrir), serpents (like her brother Jormungandr), partial or half things (as she is half-dead, half-alive, or half-corpse, half-woman), and ice (since her realm is located in Niflheim), just to name a few examples. Colors one could use to represent her might include black, grey, blue, and white.Ā
Some potential offerings for her might include:Ā
Plain bread (and other simple, minimalistic foods)Ā
Foods or drinks that are sour, dry, or bitterĀ
Incense (specifically heavy and earthy scents, like sage, patchouli, or musk)
Candles in colors, shapes, or scents that remind you of her
Herbs, especially those associated with death (but be careful with toxic plants!)
It might also be appropriate to do things in your life that make death less scary and negative for yourself and those around you. So, for example, preparing (or helping prepare) a last will or death plan for yourself or a loved one, or educating yourself or others about the realities of death and burial and the options you have in caring for a body and laying it to rest. Death positivity is something that seems very much in the spirit of Hel.
I also think that ancestor veneration can easily go hand-in-hand with worshiping Hel. After all, her realm is home to probably the majority of our relatives who have passed on. Of course, if you donāt feel comfortable honoring some or all of your family members, you can also honor people whose lives had meaning to you for other reasons. Shrines and offerings to them can easily be incorporated with those to Hel, if you choose to do so.
I hope this post is informative for anyone who might be interested in Hel, or is looking for somewhere to start with worshiping her. Feel free to send an ask or start a conversation about any of this (or other gods, or Heathenry in general) if you like! But remember Iām no expert, and these are just my personal opinions. Anyone who is more knowledgeable about Hel, feel free to add!Ā
I hope everyone is enjoying these last few days of autumn.Ā ā
