Today I want to share with you all the Goddess Hel. To anyone who isn’t familiar with the Norse mythos, this isn’t as bad as it may seem. Though she is the Goddess of the Dead, she, like Hades, is not actually bad or evil, she just is. 

Hel is the only daughter attributed to Loki in the myths. I’m not saying he has more children than listed in mythology. However, having worked with him more closely in the last few months, he’s not the most… celibate deity…  

Hel is the Goddess of the dead. She is the caretaker of those who die of sickness or old age. Those who don’t die “honorably” enough to go to Valhalla (Odin’s Hall) or Folkvangr (Freya’s Hall) also fall under her care. There’s honestly not much about her in the stories we have today. She’s often described or depicted as being gloomy, half dead looking, and cruel. Many modern-day scholars even think she was a later on personification of the realm with the same name. The main myth she’s a part of involves the attempted resurrection of Baldur. She told Hermod she would release Baldur only if everything in the universe cried for him. It is believed that the Giantess who refused was Loki in disguise, which is possible but not known for certain. Otherwise, there’s nothing concrete to find. She was the sister of the wolf Fenrir. She was also the sister of the world serpent Jormungand. Odin threw her into Niflheim out of fear of what she and her brothers might be used for (Ragnarök). 

Now, what I know of her based off working with her is that she is very misunderstood. She was thrown into a realm she initially wanted nothing to do with. She was given a job that she didn’t know how to do. All of this happened while she was still a child. She was ripped away from her family and there’s a level of depression about her much of the time. She has learned to make the most of her situation, however. She takes pride in how she cares for the souls that come to her. She is quite kind and caring. She tries to be as considerate as possible to anyone she comes into contact with. 

Her appearance is also widely debated. Some say she’s half black, half flesh colored. Some say she’s half blue, half flesh. Others say one half of her is a corpse (or skeleton) and the other half is living. They also can’t decide whether it’s left and right or top and bottom. I’ve seen her right half, which resembles a stereotypical beautiful elf-like being (think Lord of the Rings elves). Her left half is mostly distorted and different somehow. She masks her left side with a glamor or something. She’s very self-conscious about her left side, always afraid of scaring people. Her hair is very long, thick, straight, and she uses it to help cover her left side a bit. 

She has power. She claimed that Odin locked her away because he feared her power. It wasn’t just about her involvement in the prophecy of Ragnarök. I don’t know the full extent of her power. I know she can create and manipulate ice (think Queen Elsa). It’s also believed that she had some power over life and death, sickness, and the like. I don’t know everything about it. However, I feel a cold shiver when she is with me. This happens before I feel her presence. 

There’s little I can share with you all. Most of what I know comes from lived experience working with Hel. She’s very mysterious in the mythology. Many don’t really believe she was ever a relevant figure in the original belief. Some even refuse to call her a Goddess altogether. Her mother was a giantess. Also, Loki is at least half giant himself. Some say he’s half Jotunn, while others say he’s just a small Jotunn. 

Do any of you work with Hel? What’s your experience like? I know there are a few details I left out. Her hellhound Garmr and her supposed three-legged horse Helhest are briefly mentioned. I don’t know anything about them from my workings with her. I’d love to see what you all know and can share!