One of the most prominent healers among the Norse gods was **Eir**, who was associated with medical skill, healing herbs, and midwifery. She was sometimes considered an Aesir goddess, sometimes a Valkyrie, and sometimes a handmaid of the giantess Menglöð, who ruled over the hill of healing called Lyfjaberg. Eir was revered by women who sought her help in childbirth and other ailments, and she was also invoked by warriors who needed her healing powers on the battlefield. According to some sources, Eir may have been related to the Greek goddess Hygieia, who was also a goddess of health and medicine.
According to some sources, there were a few Norse gods and goddesses who were associated with healing, which could include mental health or long-term ailments. One of them was **Eir**, a goddess of medicine and healing magic, who was often invoked by women in distress. Another was **Hlin**, a goddess of consolation and protection, who was said to comfort those who mourned. A third was **Nanna**, a goddess of joy and peace, who died of grief after her husband Baldr was killed. These deities may have taken care of the mentally ill or stricken in some way, or at least offered them some relief or hope.
However, the concept of mental illness in Norse culture was not very clear or well-defined. Some sources suggest that madness or psychosis was seen as a social and individual reality, caused by various factors such as trauma, infection, poisoning, or supernatural influence. Some terms used to describe mental disorders were **vitvirring** (mental confusion), **vitlauss** (witless), **vitstolinn** (wit-stolen), and **hamstollinn** (shape-stolen). These terms imply a loss of reason, identity, or control over one's own mind or body. There is not much evidence of how the Norse people treated or cared for the mentally ill, but some possible methods include isolation, exorcism, herbal remedies, or magic.
It is also possible that some forms of mental illness were seen as a sign of divine inspiration or connection with the gods. For example, some scholars have argued that the game Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice portrays a realistic depiction of psychosis in a Norse warrior woman, who believes that her visions and voices are messages from the gods and spirits. The game's developers consulted with experts and people who experience psychosis to create an authentic representation of the condition. The game also explores themes such as trauma, grief, and resilience in a Norse mythological setting.
**************************************************************People you may go to for help on Midgard********************************************
The tribe's medicine man who spoke to Eir and the other Norse gods was called a seidr. He was a practitioner of seidr, a form of magic that involved contacting the spirit world and influencing the fate of people and events. The seidr had a special relationship with Eir, the goddess of healing, who taught him the secrets of herbs and medicine. He also communicated with other gods, such as Odin, Freya, and Thor, to seek their guidance and protection for his tribe. The seidr was respected and feared by his people, as he had the power to heal or harm, bless or curse, and reveal or conceal the future.
**************************************************************please be patiant with us it was a title that was braught up*******************************
A Gothi is a term that has different meanings depending on the context. In ancient history, it was a name for a member of the **Goths**, a Germanic tribe that invaded the Roman Empire and contributed to its decline . In medieval Scandinavia, it was a title for a **pagan leader** who was responsible for religious ceremonies and communal feasts, as well as a secular political role in Iceland. In art and architecture, it was a style that emerged in western Europe in the 12th–16th centuries. (These would have been our pagan priest when we are in need of mental, spiritual, or emotional issues.)
Add comment
Comments