Eir - Goddess of Health & Healing

In the Norse lore, Eir, meaning “the helper,” “mercy,” “peace,” and “clemency” is said to be the goddess of medicine and healing. Listed third in the Gylfaginning in the Prose Edda, Snorri names Eir as an Æsir, a goddess who is “best of physicians.” She is also listed as the only deity among the maidens of Menglöð, herself possibly a goddess of healing among the Jötnar.

In the Þulur, Eir is listed among the valkyries but not the goddesses. Even so, the valkyries have the power to revive the dead and heal wounds so it isn´t a stretch to assume that Eir would have powers of healing.

From the two, brief accounts above, there is some debate about this particular being. Only mentioned a few times in the source texts but never focal to the myths, the debate centers around whether or not Eir was in fact a goddess or, rather, a valkyrie (or if the Eir mentioned in the Gylfaginning and Þulur are even one in the same being).

The question is to what extent should we trust Snorri?

If Eir is, in fact, a deity of the Norse and Germanic pantheon she is likely a minor one from the lack of testimony in the original sources. Perhaps she played a greater role in the past in the oral tradition but, at the end of the day, we really don't have enough information to conclude one way or another.

In any case, whether goddess of health and healing or valkyrie, Eir most certainly is associated with health and healing as attested by the sources and I see no good reason why well-meaning heathens ought not pray to and make offerings to Eir (whether goddess, Valkyrie, or simply archetype for those so inclined) in matters of health. I, for one, most certainly do.