Seeing as I have used her in my blog name, I feel I should also add some thoughts on Sigyn to this vein.
Sigyn came to me, you could say. I included her in my worship of Loki as a personal note not to ignore the Norse Goddesses due to long-term association of Goddesses with the many parts of Goddess worship I cannot relate to (motherhood and marriage) but I didn’t intend to become her devotee and yet so I have.
To me, on a personal level, Sigyn is patience. She’s calm, caring, gentle and interested in her devotees. I know many of her devotees view her as being sad, as being the Goddess of self-sacrifice and grief, but I suspect due to my own struggles and personal inclinations, I don’t experience that from her even though I know it’s part of her.
There is very little about Sigyn mentioned in the lore. She is known to be Loki’s wife, and to have stayed with him after his binding to protect him, but that’s basically all that’s mentioned of her. From common UPG I somewhat share, she’s known to grieve both her own children and Loki’s. But that’s not all she does: she’s not just the sad Mother, although if you wish that would be a correct interpretation of her.
The Sigyn I know gives me calm. She listens and she cares. She adores her husband and is always close by when he’s home. She adores her children and gives the all the attention they ask for. And she adores her devotees and is always there when they reach out. She’s quiet, but steadfast. She holds the bowl, yes, but she doesn’t break, she doesn’t consider it a burden and it will never consume her. Sigyn is greater than that.
As a Goddess, Sigyn is a companion. She’s not Loki’s other half – Loki does not need another half, Loki is a whole. Sigyn is company. She’s a friend who is sometimes in his bed; she’s a woman who has carried his children; she’s someone he laughs with and relaxes with and comes home to. If I reach out to one, the other is never far away.
I know I haven’t touched on more than a fraction of who Sigyn is to people, but to me, this is what she is. I don’t think I’ve even managed to put enough of it into words. The last paragraph is so powerful to me and yet I can’t add any more words to it without losing the meaning.
Give Sigyn her due. You won’t be disappointed to know her.
beautiful
Tag: paganism
Loki & Sigyn – Gosforth Cross
In the circular design Loki lies bound while his wife Sigyn holds up a bowl to catch the poison of the serpents that torment him.
Question: Can you tell us more about Angrboda and Sigyn?
Anonymous asked grumpylokeanelder:Can you tell us more about Angrboda and Sigyn?Dear Anon,That’s a rather broad question. Since you don’t have a specific focus, I’m just going to ramble some general information. This is your blanket UPG warning, as there’s just not a lot of concrete lore information on either of them.
Narvi and Vali
Today has seemed like a very important day for me to honor Narvi and Vali, so I decided to write about it and share with you all. UPG ahead.
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This morning, I woke up groggy and dragged myself off the couch and upstairs to grab clothes for the day, and upon arriving in my room, I was almost immediately pulled towards my altar. Something was compelling me to go over to it. So I shuffled over, still half-asleep, and asked why I’d been called over. Because I was still so asleep, all I could make out were lots of jumbled voices, not making any sense. But I felt like Loki’s whole family, as they were represented on my altar, was all there, asking me for the same thing. I went over each part of my altar, first Hela’s portion, then Sigyn’s, Angrboda’s, and Loki’s, all getting no specific calls until I realize that something’s missing.
Narvi and Vali. Their portion of the altar felt empty. It was then that I realized at least part of why I’d been called over.
In the past, there have been certain aspects of the topic of Narvi and Vali that Loki has specifically not wanted me to think or know about, but today, I got the feeling like I was very much supposed to do something for Them.
The song “Always Gold” by Radical Face has been in my Loki playlist for a long time. But the first time I tried to listen to it, I got the distinct feeling that Loki didn’t want me to. Since then, I hadn’t touched it, but on my morning commute to school, I played it. This time it felt like I was very much supposed to, and it broke my heart.
“We were tight knit boys
Brothers in more then name
You would kill for me
And knew that I’d do the same
And it cut me sharp
Hearing you’d gone awayBut everything goes away
Yeah everything goes away…”The next thing that I heard from Loki was a request. He wanted me to paint Them. He wanted something done to honor Them and make sure They were not forgotten. Since then, I’ve been planning two pieces for Them. One of Narvi on a sailboat, ready for adventure, and one of Vali in the forest, surrounded by small animals.
I felt Loki around most of the day. To say that He felt full of grief wouldn’t quite explain it. It was the sort of grief that comes with the anniversary of a death that may have happened long ago, but…the pain is still there. Still an ache in the soul where something was crudely torn from you…
And I realized the way to help that feeling was to do what was requested. To paint the boys and make sure They weren’t forgotten.
And that’s why I’m sharing this. I want to make sure that Narvi and Vali are remembered and honored. I want others to carry Them in their hearts. Sing for Them. Make art for Them. Give some time out of your day to do something for the boys that didn’t deserve Their fate.
And don’t forget our own children here. If you have your own children, hug them. Remind them they are loved. Do the same for your young siblings, if you have them. If you can, donate your time, talent, and money to charities for children who are sick and poor. Especially this holiday season. Remember Them.
Because in remembering Them, we do Them honor and make sure Their tragedy was not for nothing.
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Below are some charities to which you might donate your time, talent, and money if you are able to. I’ve especially tried to include charities that don’t require a donation of money, so that those who might not have it to give can still find ways to help.
http://freerice.com/content-group/lovers-loki
A FreeRice group set up for Lokeans. FreeRice is an educational website that donates 10 grains of rice for every quiz question answered correctly.
The Courage Lion Project donates a stuffed lion named Duffy and a storybook about him to children who are critically ill, traumatized, abused, grieving or in crisis. The stories help the children to identify, validate, and communicate their feelings.
http://www.afghansforafghans.org/
From the website:
afghans for Afghans is a humanitarian and educational people-to-people project that sends hand-knit and crocheted blankets and sweaters, vests, hats, mittens, and socks to the beleaguered people of Afghanistan.
Balance
I talk about Loki a lot, and other deities not much at all. But in fact Sigyn is just as important to me as Loki is. They come as a set, most of the time; not always together, but never far from each other.
Beware UPG.
Holding the Bowl 