DAUGHTERS of FRYA

Oera Linda Order of Priestesses

Perfection through purity of body, mind and spirit!

All priestesses must:

1. Abstain from meat products, intoxicants, orgasm and sex

2. Bend knees in worship for six hours every day

3. Wear a short, white tunic at all times

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Held bêid tha Frya!

According to the Oera Linda Book, the first duty of a priestess (fâm) is to serve her community – as a seeress, healer and counsellor. After completing seven years she may either decide to leave the order, or become an elder (aldfâm), offering leadership, legal judgments and spiritual guidance. She will also be eligible to be chosen as a high priestess (burchfâm).

1. In order to maintain their bodily purity, priestesses strictly abstain from all drugs, stimulants and sexual activity of any kind, and also follow a natural, and frugal, vegetarian diet.

2. Priestesses spend six hours a day at worship, in two shifts of three hours each. Kneeling before the foddik – a lamp bearing an eternal flame – with their left knees on the ground, and right knees pointing towards the light, they draw the spirits of Wr-alda, the All-father, from the sky, and of Jrtha, the Earth-mother, from the ground, and send both, combined, into the foddik, and from there back out to the land, chanting: “Wr-alda t-Anfang t-Bijin” (‘Wr-alda, the Origin, the Beginning’).

3. The distinctive uniform worn by priestesses of all ranks is a short, sleeveless white tunic known as the tohnekka, plus appropriate accessories. No other clothing is permitted.

In ancient times, the Frisians – whose history is chronicled in the Oera Linda Book – dwelt across Western and Northern Europe. Every Frisian state had a burch (citadel) at the centre of its chief town, governed by a burchfâm (Burgtmaagd, or Borough Maid) and her 28 fâmna (maidens), as priestesses. Seven of these priestesses were at worship, in three-hour shifts, at all times.

Kneeling before the foddik (lamp), the priestesses offered their threefold gratitude to Wr-alda, the All-father – “for what you have received, for what you do receive, and for the hope of aid in time of need.” Pure in body, mind and spirit, as symbolised by their white garment, the tohnekka, they avoided all bodily passions, lest they polluted the light.

Wr-alda (‘most ancient’), the All-father, created time, from which all things sprang, including Jrtha, the Earth-mother, who brought forth the three foremothers of mankind – Lyda, Finda and Frya. Frya, ancestress of the Frisians, lived among her descendants for seven generations before summoning them together and giving them her Tex (laws) in 2194 BC.

The Frisian day was divided into eight watches, each three hours long. Priestesses knelt in worship at their burch for two watches daily, and also worked, learnt and slept. After seven years they became aldfâmna (elder maidens), taking on roles as teachers, guides and judges, and were eligible for appointment as burchfâmna. Chief of the burchfâmna was the folksmoder (Folk Mother), ruling from Fryasburch (Den Burg, Texel) in succession to Frya.

The Frisian calendar was based on the six-spoked jol – Juul, or Yule – wheel. The year had twelve months, alternating between 31 and 30 days (in non-leap years, the third month was reduced from 31 to 30 days): Herdemônath (Hard Month), Sellamônath (Soil Month), Lentemônath (Lenten Month), Gârsamônath (Grass Month), Minnamônath (Merry Month), Sümermônath (Summer Month), Heamônath (Hay Month), Arnemônath (Corn Month), Herfstmônath (Harvest Month), Winnemônath (Wine Month), Slachtmônath (Slaughter Month) and Wolfamônath (Wolf Month). Days within the months were numbered backwards.

A festival was held on the opening day of the six longer months: Jol-fêrste – Juulfeest, or Yule Feast – (21 December), Lente-fêrste (20 February), Minna-fêrste (21 April), Hea-fêrste (21 June), Herfst-fêrste (21 August) and Slacht-fêrste (21 October).

Years were counted from the submergence of Atland, the Frisian homeland in the North Sea, also known as Aldland (‘Old Land’), in the Great Flood of 2194 BC – the ‘year zero’ of the Oera Linda Book.

The Frisians had a seven-day week, dedicated to Lyda, Finda and Frya, and four of the early Folk Mothers, namely Fasta, Mêdêa, Thjanja and Hellênja. On Frya’s day – Friday – the priestesses fasted and served a communal meal to their communities. The six annual festivals were the occasions of much greater celebrations, for which the priestesses fasted a whole week (the festival itself plus three days either side), while organising public feasts, rituals and ceremonies.