Norse Goddesses - Boundary 2 - Källa

One of the best things to come from re-doing my Blue Meadow Step is my Norse Goddesses.

The Blue Meadow has a focus on boundaries, which took me forever to get my mind wrapped around. I was finally able to use my boundaries with actual results this winter by using the Norse Goddesses.

One of the things my hubby and I struggle with is my 'back seat driving', although I have always viewed it as 'helping'. It is especially bad in the winters since I am so anxious driving in the bad weather, and where we live, the winter weather is pretty bad! Lots of snow and ice and fog.

I was able to visualize goddesses holding my boundary so that I didn't force my anxiety onto my hubby, and so that I kept his frustration from triggering me. Here, I switched up my Greek goddesses for Norse ones, because I needed Sigyn to be my Hera/married goddess.

I will be using these goddesses to help me with other overwhelming fears as well, not just when I am driving with hubby.

Each boundary has it's own water nymph. This is Källa. In Norse mythology, the Landvaettir (translated from Old Norse as "land spirits"), were guardian spirits believed to inhabit and safeguard specific natural features such as hills, rocks, fields, and even entire regions, ensuring the well-being of the land and its human inhabitants. (Landvættir — Grokipedia)

Källa's name means a spring, a bog or swamp, a source, the water in the hole for icefishing. (kelda - Wiktionary, the free dictionary)

I have placed her nearby - she is now the landvaettir who lives at my favorite lake. She not only lives in the small wetland marsh on the east side of the lake (a rare find so high in the mountains), but the source of the water is located on the west side of the lake. Blueberry Creek begins just before the spot where it flows into the lake, then exits the lake into the marsh that Källa shares with moose, deer and bear (the Grizzly bears come every Spring to feed on vegetation.) The creek eventually flows into the Columbia River. The head of Blueberry Creek is near Sheep Creek and Lamb Creek, and Goat Mountain. The lake even used to be called Sheep Lake at one time. Mountain Goats and Bighorn Sheep still roam the area, although they are rarely seen now.

The small lake, in the forest of pine, spruce, fir and larch, is in the traditional territory of the Ktunaxa and Sinixt. The Ktunaxa are one of the few First Nations that are possibly descended from the original peoples that arrived in the area at the end of the most recent glacial period, and their language is unrelated to any other language in the world. Although the area around the lake was not inhabited, it was an annual stop for huckleberry picking.

My intense fear can be triggered by a few different things, and I used to avoid a lot of situations that were out of my comfort zone. Now, I try to stay present longer and try to self-talk reassurance to myself. Self-talk didn't usually work that well on it's own, but with the goddesses I have a story and friends helping. I'm not alone. Or at least, I don't FEEL like I'm alone with the fear, completely overwhelmed.

While Artemis is trying to control the dogs while fear goes wild, and is floundering desperately in the quagmire of the far reaches of the Yellow Meadow, Persephone is also ambushed by fear, so she can't help Artemis or choose a boundary.

 So Källa steps in. She makes sure that Artemis and Persephone have help recovering by getting Artemis's companions to take them home, where they are fussed over. Then she begins the boundary process.

It goes like this:

1. Källa calls Skadi and her wolves to form the boundary, to keep the dogs contained and safe while Artemis is gone. Skadi takes over Artemis's role, training the dogs and caring for them.

2. Skadi is joined by Hel, who takes on Persephone's role, helping Skadi with the wolves. Skadi is linked with the underworld, and Hel can leave the underworld with her Hellhound and Hellhorse.

3. Next, together we call upon four of Frigg's handmaidens to hold my boundaries. The handmaidens are goddesses who are not bound to a god, but find their place within Frigg's house. 

Snowtra is a goddess of wisdom, she is my Athena - the logical voice of reason. She fills my head with self-talk - 'Stay in the present, everything is fine right now. Focus on the present. Breathe.' 

Var is another goddess of wisdom, specifically the integrity of words and actions, something I learned a lot about last year. She guards my words.

Lofn is a goddess of love, reminding me to lead with love in all things. She also gives permission - in the case of driving, I am permitted to give up control, she reminds me there is nothing I can do because I am not driving. That has always helped me in things like flying on airplanes where I literally have no control. 

And Syn guards my boundary the way she guards Frigg's door, so that I keep quiet and so that I don't let hubby's emotions come in and destroy me.

4. Sigyn, Loki's wife, also joins us. She is often seen as a subservient, devoted wife because she shielded Loki when he was trapped and burned with acid. Some people see her though, as a loving, accepting person for Loki to come home to after he deals with anger and disdain from the other gods all day. I channel this into: I trust my hubby's driving, he is an awesome driver. He loves me so much, he would never do anything to hurt me. He loves his car, he would never do anything to hurt it. 

 5. Nerthus is my Demeter. She is an Earth goddess, and Freja's mother. She helps me with my impulse control. When I am driving, I take some risks at first, like passing without a lot of room. Whether I am trying to follow hubby in his car, or I'm driving on my own, it often takes one risky pass before I remember to slow down and go with the flow. This mother-figure helps me to be mindful of safety. She also brings a deer. Where I live, the deer in town have learned to walk slowly across the road - the ones who run get hit by cars. I tell myself to slow down and take my time.

6. Freyja is my Hestia. Freyja is love and beauty, cats and magic - all things that mean home to me. I hold this feeling to ground myself and remember the important things in life.

I visualize them all riding through the air like Valkyries, fiercely and joyfully surrounding me with protection. Because I don't want to call Sigyn away from her children, I imagine that they all are pulled away when needed, and returned to the same spot, so that they lose no time. Then they can fight with me guilt-free.

The other day I was driving our huge suburban, and I said "Road trip!" when I called to them. I smiled to think of my truck full of happy excited women, blasting music and eating junk food.

My other Norse goddess is not needed for this particular boundary help, but here she is:

Nissa, a selkie, is my Aphrodite. Norse selkies are in many stories. My selkie sheds rules and inhibitions to become a fun and sexy partner, without losing her independence. 'Nissa' means 'friendly, mischievous elf'.