I’ve updated my “About Me” page to include a section on the many facets of Freya. Here is the material that I’ve added (and a good writeup it is, if I do say so myself):
The Many Facets of Freya
As with many pre-Christian deities, Freya is very complex and rules over many aspects of life. For me, she is a goddess of Beauty, Love, Power, Gold, boundaries, and the sensitive open heart of a lover. Others experience her darker side as the Chooser of the Slain–walking the battlefield and taking first choice of those dead warriors up to Her hall, Sessrumnir, in Vanaheim. Yet others see her as the Gythia, priestess and seeress, wild and wise in the magic of seidh that Odin coveted. She can also be seen in the embodiment of the green and gold fruitful earth, working with Her brother Freyr to keep the animals fertile and as He keeps the land fruitful. She is also the wife of the lost one, Odr; as She searches for him, she weeps; her tears turning to gold when they reach the earth. Those who connect with this side of her understand the loss of love, whatever form it takes, and know that She mourns with them.
She is the wild, sweet lust of a summer night; the raucous, passionate, unexpected fling; the rush of falling headlong into love; all love and relationships that are forbidden or taboo. She is the Goddess of unabashed New Relationship Energy (NRE). She will help you start a relationship, but not necessarily make it last; look to Her ecstasy, but not necessarily commitment. (If you are looking for contentment within a long-term relationship, you will be better served in appealing to Odin’s wife, Frigga.)
To me, She is also The Queen; separated from her beloved husband Odr, She rules her Hall and her body completely, and does what She pleases, when she pleases, and with whom she pleases. She is not beholden to anyone–not a husband, not her tribe, not the Aesir or jotuns. In this facet, she can be seen as the Strife-Stirrer (as opposed to Frigga’s and Freyr’s roles as community frithweavers). She is the most beautiful of the Norse goddesses, coveted by Gods, jotuns, and humans alike, and fights are often waged for Her hand in marriage–but She never lets Herself be tied down against Her will. Thor Himself dressed as Freya to trick a jotun rather than to try to force her to be married against Her will.
As with many complex deities, Freya has both a light and the dark side of Her nature; which side you experience depends quite a bit on what lens you have to look through. She can be dangerous in that She can (though not necessarily “will”) bring out the negative aspects of power and goldlust in those people who work closely with Her. Her energy, if filtered through your own issues in these areas, can inspire power struggles, selfishness, greed, jealousy, obsession, stinginess, and materialism. As with any other powerful goddess, people who work with her can be drawn to that darkness and obsession rather than try to share her light with others. The choice is yours; but know that the Norse gods are very present, and, in my opinion, not very subtle in letting you know Their opinion.