Hel Norse Goddess of the Underworld Original Oil on Canvas Painting

Goddess Hel, Norse Ruler of the Underworld, comes to us with an energy of duality, of justice, of accepting others for who they really are at a soul level. She is the daughter of Loki, the trickster god known for his cunning and chaos, and Angrboða, a powerful giantess from Jötunheim. Born into a lineage that bridges the world of gods and giants, Hel emerged as a force that would shape the very fabric of Norse cosmology.

From the moment of her birth, alongside her siblings – the great wolf Fenrir and the world serpent Jörmungandr – Hel’s destiny was intertwined with the fate of the cosmos. The Aesir gods, led by Odin the All-Father, looked upon these children with a mixture of fear and foreboding. In their divine wisdom (or perhaps their shortsightedness), they saw not the potential for balance, but a threat to their carefully ordered realm.

Odin, driven by prophecies and his own apprehensions, decided to scatter Loki’s children across the realms. In what might have seemed a harsh sentence, he cast Hel into the misty depths of Niflheim, a primordial realm of cold and shadow. Yet, what was intended as banishment became the seeds of Hel’s true power and purpose.

In Niflheim, Hel did not languish or fade. Instead, she flourished, transforming this realm of mist into Helheim, her own kingdom of the dead. Here, in this place between worlds, Hel came into her full power as the guardian of souls and the keeper of great mysteries.

Helheim, under Hel’s rule, became a realm of rest and reflection for those souls not chosen for Valhalla’s warrior halls. Those who died of illness, old age, or any death not considered “glorious” by the standards of Norse society found their way to Hel’s domain. In her realm, all souls were equal, all stories honored, regardless of how they had lived or died in the world above.

As the ruler of Helheim, Hel embodies the principle of impartial justice. She does not judge the souls in her care based on their earthly deeds or status, but accepts them as they are, seeing to the heart of their true nature. This acceptance reflects Hel’s own dual nature – a goddess who bridges the world of the living and the dead, who understands both light and shadow.

Hel’s role extends beyond mere caretaker of the dead. In Norse prophecies of Ragnarök – the twilight of the gods – it is said that Hel will release her army of the dead to join the final battle. This act places her at the center of the cosmic cycle of destruction and renewal, a key player in the unmaking and remaking of the world.

To connect with Hel is to embrace transformation and the hidden wisdom found in life’s darker moments. She teaches us to look beyond surface appearances, to find value in what others might reject or fear. Hel reminds us that endings are also beginnings, that death is but a transition, and that true power comes from accepting all aspects of ourselves and others.

Visualize Hel not as a fearsome entity, but as a regal queen draped in robes of deepest blue. In her hand, she holds a skull – not as a symbol of fear, but as a reminder of the wisdom inherent in the cycle of life and death. At her feet lie many more skulls, each representing a soul in her care, a story honored, a life transformed.

Hel’s energy calls to those who seek to understand the deeper mysteries of existence. She offers guidance through our personal underworlds, supporting us as we face our shadows and emerge stronger, wiser, and more whole. In Hel, we find a goddess who understands the beauty of imperfection, the strength in vulnerability, and the power of accepting ourselves and others exactly as we are.

As we honor Hel, we open ourselves to profound transformation. We learn to navigate life’s transitions with grace, to find meaning in endings, and to nurture the seeds of new beginnings. Through Hel, we come to understand that even in the darkest of places, wisdom and growth await those with the courage to embrace the fullness of their being.

In the end, Hel’s story is one of empowerment through acceptance, of finding strength in the shadows, and of the transformative power of unconditional love. She stands as a reminder that true divinity encompasses all aspects of existence, and that in accepting our whole selves – light and shadow alike – we step into our full power as embodiments of the sacred.