#hela devotee

Here’s my next part in the series - this time featuring Hel! 

Hel is the feeling of peace prior to natural death. She grants those with a good heart and mind the peace of passing away in one’s sleep, a smile on their face as their pain eases and they are taken to her realm. 

Hel protects the souls of those young spirits that die before having the chance to live. She guards them with the fierceness of a mother, keeping them from suffering the loneliness she herself suffers from. 

Hel is the cloaked figure that lays flowers upon the graves of the forgotten. She appears in the comforting form any living being perceives her as before vanishing the moment they look away. 

Hel works in hospices, comforting those who are marked for her realm with the kindness and fairness she does with those who already reside there. When not appearing herself, she looks after hospice workers who do, giving them the strength to endure the constant exposure to one of life’s harshest realities. 

Hel has a great respect for those who reach out to the outcasts of society: the homeless, the mentally ill, orphans, those suffering from other diseases, abused and neglected animals. As someone who felt the sting of others’ disgust at her appearance, she looks favorably upon those who step up and make the effort to help those who everyone else refuses to. 

Hel relishes celebrations like el Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, in which families come together to honor those loved ones who have passed on. It’s a day of celebration in her own realm as the residents of her realm feast and celebrate their memories of their loved ones. 

She is the comforting touch on the shoulder when you grieve over lost loved ones

She loves animals, especially dogs. Being a goddess of death does not preclude her enjoying life

In a similar vein, she is all about enjoying the moment. Life is short and instead of ruminating on the bad, it’s important to be grateful for what you do have. 

Guides lost spirits to her realm when they are ready to pass on

Seeing the various depictions and stories of death in various cultures fascinates her

I associate butterflies with her, namely the black ones like in Bleach. Moths as well

Loves skull and other bone imagery

She is the slow tendrils of incense swirling about a room

She is the cool kiss of a winter’s wind

Much like with hospice workers, she stands by the sides of funeral workers, grave diggers, doctors, and nurses. Each of them faces death on a regular basis, even if it’s in radically different ways

I think she’d find stories like Another interesting - at least for their takes on death and accepting it

Patron goddess of morticians

Gets along with other death deities like Hades or Osiris. They gather together sometimes to discuss their work and followers

Psychological horror comes to mind when I think of her

She is the realization and embracing of one’s own mortality

Finds games like God of War and Jotunn entertaining, for various reasons

Gets on with Skadi, in part due to their associations with winter. You can find the pair sharing a warm drink on a cold winter’s night in companionable silence

She is the comforting voice of a suicide hotline operatorShe is the urge that fights back against dying just yet, of winning another day’s battle against one’s inner demons

She is the soft whisper of encouragement in the ears of teens crying their eyes out whilst in the throes of depression

She is the ache in your chest and the smile on your face when you think of a lost loved one

She watches over those grieving, doing her best to calm their spirits and bring brighter memories to mind

Snowflake obsidian, obsidian, smoky quartz, and black tourmaline are crystals that come to mind for her

Considers knowing when to move on just as important as grieving properly. Your life can’t stay on pause because you’ve been touched by death

Appreciates those who take the time to remember loved ones and do things in honor of them, from giving offerings to doing some of their favorite things

Discovering one’s ancestry can be a devotional act for her

A silent protector of those on the frontlines - facing death on a daily basis

Archaeology and anthropology are interests of hers - learning about the past through mementos left behind