The Valkyries

In the swirling mists of myth and battle-gleam of the ancient North, there ride the Valkyries, those fierce and radiant maidens of Odin who shape fate on the battlefield and beyond. To many, they are war-spirits or shieldmaidens. To others, they are priestesses of death and destiny. But to those of us walking the Tru Path, the Valkyries are sacred agents of wyrd, keepers of honor, soul-guides, and initiators into transformation.

The word Valkyrja means “chooser of the slain.” Their task is to ride forth during battle, guided by Odin’s will, and select those warriors worthy of entering Valhalla or, in some sagas, Fólkvangr, the hall of Freyja. But the Valkyries do much more than only this. The Valkyries are weavers of fate who spin and cut the threads of warriors' lives. They are shieldmaidens, who bear weapons and ride wolves or horses into the thick of war. They are bearers of mead, who serve the Einherjar (the chosen slain) in Odin’s hall. They are spiritual initiators who often appear in dreams or visions to guide, warn, or awaken.

Some Valkyries are divine figures in their own right, named and honored as goddesses. Others seem more like elevated spirits of powerful women, or even priestesses transformed into myth. Their names often carry layers of meaning, connected to weapons, natural forces, or the power to bind and loosen the threads of destiny. You may encounter them in your dreams or trance journeys, especially during times of transition or courage. Moments of deep fate or sacrifice, where a choice must be made with honor, or in times of grief, as they are soul-guides to the halls beyond. They teach the price of courage, the sacredness of death, and the clarity of purpose.

The Valkyries remind us that our path is one of choice, of strength, and of weaving our fate with both hands. Whether you are warrior, seer, healer, or hearth-keeper, may the Valkyries walk beside you, and may your thread be woven with honor.