Gullveig: Thrice burned, thrice reborn - A Viking Phoenix or something more?

Taken from an earlier post on my blog at The Valley (www.ukpagan.com)

I've been spending some time thinking about Gullveig.

For some reason, the Aesir pierce her with spears and burn her three times...

This alone got me thinking of how those actions alone are reminiscent of a shamanic ordeal to reach altered states of consciousness. She is, after all, thought by some to become a great seer, a volva, after this ordeal. Three times reborn could be descriptive of her being reborn to take on another role. Of course, "piercing with spears" can also be a euphemism for something else... ;)

And the name, Gullveig. I am not sure precisely what 'veig' means, but Gull, iirc, means 'gold'.

Now, doesn't the norwegian rune poem contain the line:
"Fee (wealth) is a source of strife among kinsmen..."

Could Gullveig have been attacked precisely because she was (perhaps maliciously) causing strife amongst the Aesir?

I need to meditate upon this a little more, I think. Twenty minutes thought on the tram home last night maybe isn't quite enough to solve this particular mystery... ;)



Despite the further meditation I attempted, no further insights were forthcoming. Alas...

Silence I ask of all the sacred folk,
high and low ones,
Silence of the kin of Heimdall:
At your will, Valföðr,
I shall relate
The songs of men,
the oldest I remember.

This blog is intended to be a source of discussion, news and outright blathering on the subject of neopaganism.  Specifically heathenry as practiced by myself here in the UK.  Despite being a muggle, I will also cover magic and related occult matters, just to help broaden the subject base and to try to ensure that I keep a fairly healthy post count to keep the readership logging on.