Helheim and Hel

Other names: Halja, Hell, Hella

*It is important to note that sometimes Hel is used in reference to just the world of the dead, but
throughout this article it will be used solely in reference to the Norse goddesses of Death*
Colors: Black/White
Common Offerings: Black bread, black cloth, wine, dark chocolates, coffee beans, black/white
candles, skull symbols, bones, yew, black onyx, etc. (Some people include pictures of their
beloved deceased).
She is usually celebrated and honored around Samhain and Yule.
Hel is the daughter of Loki and the giantess known as Angrbodha. The Gods came together
when trying to figure out what to do with all of Loki's offspring and decided that she would be

given the world/realm farthest away from the World Tree- Helheim ("House of Hel"). Helheim,
being one of the nine worlds, is more commonly that not depicted as mysterious and grim. This
is quite suiting, since it was thought to be a land for the dead. Generally the dead who end up in
Helheim are those who have died of a disease/old age or otherwise have not been killed in
battle. Those who enter Helheim can never return: this includes the Gods. Hel was powerful and
respected, and her decisions were often final. Baldr's story tells the tale of how his brother rode
to Hel to try and convince the Goddesses to return the God to the living, to which Hel says: ""If
all things in the world, alive or dead, weep for him, then he will be allowed to return to the Aesir.
If anyone speaks against him or refuses to cry, then he will remain with Hel."
With Hel in her realm, there are a few others who serve her in guarding Helheim. Garm is a
giant hound who is said to guard the entrance. He is sometimes equated or thought to be a
representation of Fenrir, another wolf from Norse mythology. It depends largely on which texts
you read and the translated versions of them. Garm is usually shown as having multiple eyes,
soaked in the blood of the dead, with vicious white fangs protruding from his mouth. Another
curious inhabitant of Helheim is Modgud- who serves Hel by guarding the bridge that leads
into/out of the underworld. She is usually shown as a giant woman, large in stature and build.

Hel's appearance is one of the more interesting things about her. Some descriptions of her from
the Edda propose that Hel is half black and half white. Other stories portray her as having one
side that is beautiful and the other is rotting or skeletal with bones growing on the outside of her

body (though which side of her is beautiful and which is skeletal has never been made clear).
Most depictions of her show her as being divided straight down the middle. Though there have
been those who would show her as having the top half of a beautiful woman and the bottom half
of a skeleton. Due to her appearance, people associate different spectrums with her. The
peaceful and ugly nature of death. The light and dark side to each individual. The end of
something and the beginning of something else. Etc.
Some Germanic cultures believed that there were multiple places to go in the afterlife and that
Helheim was just one stop. The depictions of it vary, and often it is said to contain subsets within
it as to separate the "good" and the "bad"- some showing village like living arrangements and
peace while others were thought to be icy and cold like death. Hel offers those who died of
natural causes a chance at happiness and rebirth, as it is her job to offer "board and lodging" to
them (Paxson). Interestingly enough, through Seidr (which I will go into later), it was not
uncommon for Norse practitioners (of varying paths, such as Shamanism) to call upon Hel
through astral travel in hopes of communicating with the dead in order to learn from them, or
provide some sort of divination.
People tend to debate on Hel's nature (much like her father, Loki, and the discussion of his own
morality). Hel is often misunderstood, as people tend to lump her under the label "evil" without
consideration. Personally, I think the Gods to be ambiguous, and neither one thing or the other.
Hel had a role that she was made to partake in, partially due to her lineage (her father being
Loki) and because of where she was placed. I associate Hel with death, which I do not
associate with "evil".

Traveling to Helheim:
Hel is a Goddess often seen as one who thins the veil between realms. Likewise, there is quite
a bit to be learned from her, as well as the many dead who inhabit her realm. It was not
uncommon through seidr ,or other varying shamanistic techniques, for those wishing to learn
from either the Goddess herself or the many ancestors that were with her, to call upon her
through astral travel and meditation.
-Helkappe
I have seen one or two practicioners use a helkappe: which is essentially a mask (though
sometimes in the form of a helmet or cap) that is said to make the wearer invisible when
crossing into Helheim.(It is not unlike other magickal Norse helmets: Grimhelm, Hildgrim and
Hade's Helm of Invisibility in Greek tradition) While some fully support the making and wearing
of a helkappe, for easy travel, others would say it is unwise to use it as it could be seen as
deceitful. Personally, I've never put much thought into it. Hel is known as a Goddess to whom
"all is seen", so I would find no use for it.
-Sleipnir
Sleipnir is the magickal horse of Odin, which is said to have glided between realms upon the
web known as Wyrd. This is fitting, considering Sleipnir is often depicted as having eight legs,
like a spider. In shamanistic practices, the rhytm of the drum is the Sleipnir: "Sleipnir is like the
galloping of the shaman in his journey, the constant sound of his hooves is like the rhythm of the
shaman drum, in which he journeys to the other side searching for protection and knowledge,
from the spirits and ancestors, sleipnir alludes to move fast, and to everything that escapes the
fiscal control, like climbing the world tree of Yggdrasil into other realms, other worlds, the great
journey, riding in a altered consciousness." This beating of the drum is used often to help the
shamans go into their trances.
Helheim's Gates:
There are supposedly many gates, bridges, doors into and out of Helheim for various reasons.
However, from what I've read most of them are not commonly known. Here's a list of the gates
in Helheim and the guardians of said gates.

Drop-To-Destruction- This is usually seen as the stone door that leads into Helheim

Gnipahellir- A cave within Helheim. Garm, the giant hound, lives here. Considering that
he is Jotun, he is strong and helps Mordgud as one of the main guards.

Helgrind- The Main Gate, said to be approached after crossing the bridge covering
Gjoll.

Mordgud's Tower- As the name implies, this would be where Mordgud guards. She is
one of the main guardians, who keeps a watchful eye to ensure that the dead remain
where they are.

Inner Gates- I've heard suggestion of Bigvoer and Listvoer (two women) who guard the
inner gates of Helheim. (R. Kaldera wrote something on this once, I believe, but it is
vague to me.) Another guardian of the inner gates would be Hraesvelg or Ari, a Jotun
who takes the form of an eagle.

Calling Upon Hel:

Alter/Offering
A Service Offering: It is not uncommon for people to ask Hel to alleviate someone of sickness in
old age or a disease/illness they possess, as she is the guardian of the dea who die from these
things.
Alter Items: (These vary and do not have to be used) Bones, black cloths and other dark
materials, wormwood, dried flowers, yew, runes.
Foods/Drinks: (It is not uncommon for food to be left on the alter until it blackens) Wine, breads,
apples, coffee beans, blood, raw meats, chocolates, etc.

Invocation/Prayer
Here is a short prayer to invoke Hel, as suggested by Diana Paxson:
"Queen of Darkness, Loki's daughter, Hella, when we seek thy hallows,
Bless us with thy bright face, Lady, Show a pathway through the shadows.
Where the ancestors are biding, Where all memories are hiding,
To thy mercy now confiding, Hella, we hail thee now".
And a small chant to do, whenever working with Hel:
"Lady of the Darkness- ruler of the night, We sleep within thy shadows to wake into thy light".

Sources:

Essential Asatru by Diana L. Paxson

Quoted: http://whispersofyggdrasil.blogspot.com/2011/09/sleipnir-shamanic-riding.html
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/259835/Hel
http://www.goddess-guide.com/hella.html
http://www.paganspace.net/group/norsegoddesshel
http://loveofthegoddess.blogspot.com/2011/12/hel-norse-queen-of-underworld.html
http://orderwhitemoon.org/goddess/Hel.html
http://www.northernshamanism.org/nine/helheim.html
http://www.goddess-guide.com/hella.html