As an eclectic pagan that is moving more and more towards Norse practices, I wanted to share some of what the Norse believed about death and reincarnation. It is important to note that our understanding of Norse beliefs are sparse as they left us no written record until their interaction with and eventual spiritual conquest by Christianity. The scholars that preserved Norse beliefs omitted some details that they found distasteful.
The Norse believed that our souls are made of four parts:
- Hamr - one’s physical appearance which would and could change.
- Hugr - one’s personality or character which is continued on after death.
- Fylgja - one’s totem or familiar spirit which was unique to an individual and mirror their hugr; a shy person might have a deer while a warrior would have a wolf
- Hamingja - one’s inherent success in life, seen as a quality (or protective spirit) which was both caused by a person’s hugr and formed on it; one’s hamingja would be passed down through the family, for good or ill.
The Norse believed that one’s hugr would pass into the body of a newborn relative, one’s hamingja continued on in the family, and one’s fylgja ceased to exist after death. These parts may or may not go to a single destination after death. There was no judgement by the gods involved in the soul’s final destination, it went where it wanted to go.
There are multiple realms of the afterlife to the Norse.
- Valhalla, which we are all familiar with, is the hall of heroes. When a warrior dies in battle, the soul went to Odin’s hall where they would meet old friends, talk and drink, and fight in preparation for Ragnarok. Half of all warriors will go here.
- Folkvangr is presided over by Freyja, the fertility goddess, and is known as “The Field of the People.” There is little mention of Folkvangr but it is believed to be a benevolent, giving, and kind place like its ruler. The other half of the warriors will end here, but also waiting for Ragnarok.
- Hel (Helheim) is ruled by the goddess Hel and where the majority of souls go. Any one who does of illness or old age ends up here.
- Niflhel or Nastrondr: an unpleasant destination for oathbreakers, murderers, and adulterers.