Omens of Death and Glory

A shrine to the Morrígu.

[jossujb]

Inktober 2020

[class-struggle-anarchism]

aristocratic heads on spikes

lovely.

[ghostssmoke]

Corvid studies  

[ambermaitrejean]

Ballet of the crows. Photos by Amber Maitrejean

[the-heathen-dragon-deactivated2]

Words from The Morrigan

“There will be blood. 

There will be pain. 

This path is not for the faint of heart. 

But don’t fear, I am here for you.”

[soul8love-deactivated20190602]

[obscuur]

The Boris Karloff Horror Anthology - cover art (1975) artist unknown

[highpriestofmorrigan]

The Battle Poem

Given by the Morrigan during the Second Battle of Mag Tuired

Translated by Isolde Carmody

"Kings arise to [meet] the battle

Cheeks are seized

Faces [honours] are declared

Flesh is decimated,

Faces are flayed

[incomplete word]of battle are seized

Ramparts are sought

Feasts are given

Battles are observed

Poems are recited

Druids are celebrated

Circuits are made

Bodies are recorded

Metals cut

Teeth mark

Necks break

[A hundred] cuts blossom

Screams are heard

Battalions are broken

Hosts give battle

Ships are steered

Weapons protect

Noses are severed

I see all who are born

[in the] blood-zealous vigorous battle,

raging [on the] raven-battlefield [with] blade-scabbards.

They attempt our defeat

over our own great torrents

Against your attack on the full [compliment] of Fomoire

In the mossy margins;

the helpful raven drives

strife to our hardy hosts

mustered, we prepare ourselves to destroy

To me, the full-blooded exploits are like

shaking to-and-fro of hound-kills

goodly decay of muddy war-bands

Your violations are renounced"

[flores-et-dracones]

As the army crossed the plain, the Morrígan - the Nightmare Queen - came in the form of a bird and settled on a standing-stone in Temair Cúailnge, and chanted these words to the Brown Bull: restless does the Dark Bull know death-dealing slaughter secret that the raven wrings from writhing soldiers as the Dark One grazes on the dark green grasses weaving meadows blossoming with necks and flowers lowing cattle of the Badb the groans of battle armies ground to dust the raven struts on corpses war-clouds raging over Cúailnge day and night kith and kin lie down to join the tribes of dead

An Táin Bó Cúailnge (trans. Ciaran Carson)

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T H E  M O R R I G A N

The Morrigan is the term given to Goddess Morrigan, one of the triple Goddesses in Celtic mythology. She represented the circle of life and was associated with both birth and death. Her name translates to “great queen” or “phantom queen”. She was a shape-shifter and looked over the rivers, fresh water and lakes. She is also described as being the patroness of revenge, magic, priestesses, night, prophecy and witches.

[drawingfixx]

nevermore ~ ❤ 

[honor-loyalty-sovereignty]

The Morrígan: Her/Their History & Contemporary Cult

This page is a work of love, devotion, and practicality.  It is for the Morrígan, as herself and themselves, and for any of us who have tasted her names in the blood on our lips.

Introductions & History

Her Cult

Contemporary Reflections on the Morrígan, Sovereignty, War, & Death

Tumblr Resources and E-shrines

Books, Sites, & Organizations

It is a work that will never be finished, I hope, as my own practice deepens and our community continues to grow and publish and evolve as long as there is need of her/them.  I sincerely hope it provides some measure of help for people.

And for fuck’s sake, don’t go making any oaths about patrons or whatever until you’re damn well sure you can handle the consequences.

[x]

[eibhlincatha]

People say that Dark Gods are harsh when crossed or offended –are the other Gods less so? Doesn’t mythology show us that any deity when offended is likely to react badly? People say that Dark Gods are the teachers of hard lessons –but are the other Gods’ lessons any easier? Or isn’t it just that we can feel more comfortable with a Goddess of healing than a Goddess of battle, even though both deserve equal respect?

The Morrigan: Meeting the Great Queens, by Morgan Daimler

[thevictorianwitch]

The Morrígan, Irish Goddess of war, sovereignty, death, and sexuality. Her name means “Phantom Queen”. She incites warriors to battle, carries the souls of the departed to the next life, safeguards justice, and empowers those she favors to pursue their destinies.

Strongly associated with prophecy, she often appears in the old stories to predict or facilitate the hero’s journey, and may be one of the inspirations for our modern image of the banshee, who mourns the dead before they have passed. Often she is depicted not as a singular Goddess but as a trio of sisters, though the names in the triad change depending on the story. They include Badb Catha, Macha, Nemain, Anand, Morrígan, and Fea.

It’s important to note that The Morrígan cannot be considered a “triple goddess” in the Maiden, Mother, Crone sense. Beyond the fact that this is a very modern concept, none of The Morrígan’s aspects is fixed in one guise or theme. Badb appears in some stories as a hag, and at other times as a beautiful woman. While Macha is associated with fertility and in one story dies in childbirth after racing horses, she is also a battle Goddess and psychopomp, rather than a standard mother figure. More than anything, The Morrígan should be seen as a shape shifter, capable of changing her form to that of a beautiful lady or a hideous old woman, as well as a wolf, crow/raven, cow, and eel.

[jxckiekills]

[grainneismygf]

The Morrígan- a triumvirate Irish goddess of war, fate, and death. Appears as one woman or three, sometimes portrayed as sisters, Nemain, Badb, and Macha. They are often represented by crows, and play a large role in the Cattle Raid of Cooley.

Irish deities 3/?

[morrigan-crow-of-war]

Devotional acts for The Morrigan

Listen to a song that reminds you of her

Paint your nails black or red while thinking of her

Dedicate your cigarette smoke to her while you’re smoking

Light some incense for her (for example, dragonblood incense)

Share the meal you’re eating

Pour some red wine for her

Look up some fun facts about crows

Change your phone background in an image of her

Draw or paint her

Do some scrying

Watch a documentary about the Celts

Meditate while focusing on her energy

Cleanse her altar (if you have one for her)

Write down a prayer

Light a black candle

Make a jar for her

Write someting about her in your book of shadows/grimoire

Do a tarot reading to understand her better

Go into the woods and when you’re alone scream at the top of your lungs

Just scream

Keep screaming