By Goði Anlengðarclan
The Norse religion has a rich yet complex view of death and the afterlife. A Norse priest helps us break down the most important things to know.
The Norse have a very in-depth afterlife belief system. We are encouraged to live with a combination of belief and expectation that our belief is wrong.
What is Valhalla?
Valhalla, also known as, The Hall of Slain, is where the Allfather builds the combat side of his army for Ragnarok with the aid of his Valkyries.
Originally Valhalla was called Valholl, pronounced Wal Hole. The name comes from 'Valr' being ‘The Slain’ and 'Holl' being ‘hall’, so Valholl translates ‘The Hall of the Slain’
What Does Valhalla Look Like?
Valhalla is a giant hall, but it does not look like you would expect. The roof is thatched with interlocking golden shields. Said shields are held aloft by walls made of spears, the benches are layered with the finest chain shirts.
If you keep a keen eye you may meet its animal companions. Eikthyrnir the Stag and Heiðrun the Goat, eating the leaves of Læraðr. Maybe you will visit the golden tree Glasir that marks the entrance.
By day the warriors fight in the fields surrounding the hall, training for their role in Ragnarök, some being given the noble job of tending to Oðin’s steed, Sleipnir. Should night fall upon the training fields of the fallen warriors, the Einherjar, then the feast shall begin.
Endless mead will fill the horns flowing from Heiðrun’s udders. Andhrimnir the Chef will take the mighty Sæhrimnir the Boar and cast it into Eldhrimnir, the cooking pot to prepare a feast. When the Einherjar eat their fill, Sæhrimnir will resurrect ready for tomorrow’s feast.
How Do You Get To Valhalla?
Do you want to take your place in the great hall of Oðin? Well, let me enlighten you as to how you can earn that honor.
As the name would suggest you must be slain in battle. But not everyone who dies in battle is awarded a seat at Oðin’s table.
Before every battle, Oðin and Freyja give the Valkeries, Choosers of the Slain, a list. They then cause people who would have survived to fall and then they will carry them to Valhalla, leaving the Northern Lights in their wake.
Photo by Gioele Fazzeri
What is Folkvangr?
This is the hall of the Goddess Freyja, and the people she chooses to be slain. This is not the place where she lives, but should you find yourself here, then her word is final.
Despite the fact that the names given to the Valkyries by Freyja are for intellectuals, leaders, and medics. In short, Freyja’s hall is full of people running the support class In Battlefield 793.
What little we do know comes from a limited number of sources and lots of hearsay, but what is Norse Paganism, If not a myriad of mixed perspectives and alternative descriptors?
What Does Folkvangr Look Like?
Sometimes Folkvangr is described as a large field where Freyja’s support squads train their skills to be ready for their only mission objective, win Ragnarok.
Others describe it as a great library with bookcases as far as the eye can see. On those shelves is every bit of information needed to help people study their way to being the great support team that Freyja knows they can be.
How Do You Get to Falkvangr?
Just like with Valhalla, you gain your place here by being chosen and falling in battle, but this time as part of the first pick by Freyja.
Now even when you are chosen, you can still be blocked from Valhalla and Folkvangr if upon your death, your weapon is taken from you, or you drop it and your fellow warriors do not place your weapon back in your hand, ultimately burying or burning you with it.
What is Hel?
Due to the Christian nature of many of our educations, the very name of this place can be disconcerting. In Norse tradition, Hel is not a place of suffering.
This is where all those who do not die in battle or are not chosen go, provided their honor is still intact.
Who Rules Over Hel?
This is where it gets a little confusing because the leader of Hel, is also called Hel. The half-living/half-dead, daughter of Loke who was banished to the realm.
She was banished after bringing Angrboða and His’ 3 Jotnar children, Fenris, Jormungandr and Hel back to Åsgarðr in Gylfaginning Saga.
What Does Hel Look Like?
I have a theory that Hel chooses to look as she does. My reason for this being, we know that the Jotnar have shapeshifting capabilities.
Top this off with her likely feeling split between the fact that she is not actually dead, but can not go to the land of the living. So she doesn’t fit in either category truly.
So what does Hel, the realm, look like?
Well unlike how it gets painted today, in original source material it is described as somewhere close to simply being like an extension of life, only your ancestors are now present. Bearing in mind you only get here if you are honorable when you die outside of battle.
Your section of the realm is said to form based on what you think you deserve.
If you think you led a good and happy life, then your Hel will be good and happy. If you feel you led a wasted life, you could find an afterlife that is equally wasted.
Whatever kind you get, as your honor was intact, when Ragnarok comes, you will get released to fight in the war to end all wars on the same side as the Gods.
Painting of Hel, daughter of Loki, from Norse Mythology, as described in Edda. Artist Mkasahara.
The Entrance of Hel
The entrance is just outside the giant locked gate of hell. The whole realm is protected by the violent but greatest of all hounds, Garmr, bane of Tyr.
He wanders freely between the main gate of Hel and Niflheimr, keeping a watchful eye for intruders. Only Sleipneer has the speed to outrun him.
As for landmarks in the area, a river is said to flow from Hvelgermir, the bubbling boiling spring of Niflheimr, right past Hel’s main gate. This is called the River Gjölll, and the bridge that spans it is called Gjallarbrú which is in turn guarded by a lonely but honorable being called Moðguðr.
Has Anyone Living Entered Hel?
In all of Hel's existence only twice have the living penetrated her outer fortifications. The first is by Oðin when he seeks out the Vølva and he sees the tables set for a feast, finding out that they are preparing for his son Baldr's arrival. The second time, when Hermoðr petitions Hel for Baldr’s release.
What is Nastronð?
The final of the confirmed afterlives is a place called Nastronð or in the modern tongue, the curse shores. Located at the edge of an icy sea in Nifleheim.
This is where those whose Hugr abandoned them for their dishonor will end up.
People who earn a place here, engage in 1 of the following 3 activities:
> Bring deliberate harm, psychologically or physically, to a child.
> Break an Oath.
> Commit Murder. (This is killing unjustifiably which does create many grey areas)
What Does Nastrond Look Like?
The first is the mighty dragon Niðhöggr who will pop by to nibble at you and remind you that you are at best his plaything.
The second, the inhabitants have their eyes burnt shut as to never see the sun, their mouths sewn closed so they may not enjoy mead, their noses cut off as to not smell the fresh bloom.
All that remains is their ears so they can hear Niðhoggr stalking them and the feeling in their skin so they never forget the bit of the icy winds of Niflheim.
Thirdly, this is a gathering ground for the dishonorable who at Ragnarok will be collected by Nágalfaari and taken to fight at Loke's side against the Gods.
A modern day dragon. Photo by David Clode
As such other ways to end up here are to make deals with the trickster as he languishes in his rocky prison at Fjánang’s Falls. It is prophesized that the cursed souls will meet Niðhoggr upon the field of battle and he will swallow them whole.
Earlier I mentioned Nágalfaari. This ship of Loke is made of toe and fingernails. It is said that some of those who serve Loke, rob the nails from graves to make the boat larger. To combat this a common tradition of the Norrøn, was to remove/cut peoples’ nails before they were buried so that Loke had less to work with.
Death of a Viking Warrior, Painting by British artist Charles Ernst Butler 1909
Do Norse Followers Have Different Views of the Afterlife?
Yes.
You may or may not have heard of Rán, the Jotnar wife to Ægir.
Some traditionalists believe that should you fall and pass in the water then Ran and her minions see you back to the shores so that you can receive a proper burial.
Other traditionalists follow a rarer view that Ran takes you into her hall where you spend your afterlife. It is highly likely that this is based upon the tale of Davey Jones’ Locker, and was adapted to Norrøn culture at some unknown point in history.
Are Norse (Norrøn) Funerals a Sad Event?
As a Norron Priest, I have had the honor of organizing and carrying out a number of funeral rights. Most recently just a few weeks ago, in Basingstoke, England.
Funeral Rites
The Funeral consists of multiple sections. The first section is the rites.
We call out to the Gods to look after our loved ones and light the ritual fire. In the UK full corpse pyres are illegal, we have found a workaround by placing the ashes of our loved ones upon a pyre.
Attendees will make offerings to the Gods relevant to the ancestor who is ascending. They place the offerings into the fire. We may also pour out some of our drinks in sacrifice.
The most emotive for the family is the story stage. This is when those who knew the deceased tell stories of their loved ones to ensure that their name does not burn with their body.
We drink, eat marshmallows, and gather round the fire for stories of the Gods. By honoring them we hope that they will honor our Kin upon arrival in their hallowed halls.
“The Norse believe that we have two deaths, that is first when our body dies, and then second when our name is no longer spoken by the living.”
In the story stage, it is not uncommon for even the hardiest of Vikings to break and shed tears. Just because we see funerals as celebrations, it doesn’t mean that crying is a criminal act. However, a person's need to express their love is perfectly ok.
Take Away
I hope I have given you a broader understanding of the Norse (Norrøn) afterlife, or at least what we think it contains.
The reality is that we do not know for certain and therefore we aim to make the most of this precious gift called life, and I encourage you to do the same.
Ask that person out, go for that promotion, visit that far-off place because you never know what comes next!
Guest Author, Goði Anlengðarclan. , a devoted Norrøn pagan for over ten years, and dedicated teacher of the traditionalist ways of the Ancient Scandinavian Religion.