Raising the Cygnet

A journey of Irish polytheistic parenting

[oldbookillustrations]

The queen threw one of the shirts over each of them, and when the shirts touched their bodies, they were changed into swans.

Warwick goble, from The fairy book, by Dinah Craik, London, 1913.

(Source: archive.org)

[abbygalloway]

[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.

[chthonism]

celtic deities:  macha (ireland) - sovereignty, horses, motherhood, war, domination

macha is identified with several otherworldly figures in irish mythology, most prominently as a sister of the morrighan, who caused mania on the battlefield, and as the mysterious wife of the farmer cruinniuc. after cruinniuc’s arrogance forced macha to outrun the horses of the king of ulster as she gave birth to their twins, macha is known for cursing the men of ulster for nine generations to feel the pain of labor whenever they most needed their strength. macha’s curse is a central feature of the tain bo cuailnge, forcing legendary hero cu chulainn to be the sole warrior of ulster. 

[lpdwillwrite4coffee]

Modern Gods - Brigid

Grab the leaf of the branch from the tree in its ground       Where these roots claim the earth, many toiled To a land that now stands under no one’s command          And her beauty, let no man destroy

{(No More) Paddy’s Lament - Flogging Molly}

[raisingthecygnet]

The First Lughnasadh

Today marks the last day of my flamekeeping for Brigid. It’s been a pretty awesome (in the original sense and the modern) experience. 

It also marks bread day. All the baking. And while Cygnet is a mere 4.5 months old, she’s helpful... in a sense.

Cygnet is wearing sunflowers today, but sadly we do not have a sunflower headband. Something I need to rectify. Normally, I would be doing some sort of physical activity (running, usually) but she’s still a little young for the jogging stroller and we had rain predicted all day. Nevermind that it’s sunny now.

So we decided to bake. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve used the kitchen for cooking (and I don’t need all of those fingers). But despite what my MIL thinks, I can cook/bake. I just hate it and her son likes it. I like laundry so I do that instead.

Today we made two things. First up was Nutella bread. Hazelnut is significant to my iripol practice and bread is what today is about so why not combine them? I’m waiting for the husband to get home to try it but it looks like it worked.

The second thing we made were apple rosettes. Pie crust was easy. Doing everything to the apples wasn’t bad (though slicing them thin enough to properly roll them was a bit difficult with a screaming baby who wanted sleep). Rolling them sucked because of their thickness so I just arranged them inside as prettily as I can. 

The remaining apple pieces that we couldn’t use went outside for nature. Whatever decides to eat them, may they be blessed with honeycrisp deliciousness. I also found out that while it called for six apples, my New York honeycrisps are gigantic and two were far more than I needed. Which leaves me four for myself. Winning.

The rest of the evening I plan to try and get outside for a short run, will play a few games with the husband (most likely video games we can pause), and then light a candle or two. Ritual will come this weekend.

Speaking of candles, I have been using an orange candle for Brigid when I’m home/in the same room, but since July 13th I’ve had the same battery-operated candle on 24/7. When I found it in my Witchy Box, most of the candles were dead. Makes sense; they’re years old. This one lit up very weakly and I tried to remind myself to get new batteries.

 I didn’t need to. For the past 480 hours, this candle has been lit and growing brighter. I officially stop the 20 days this evening and I cannot believe it’s stayed on so strong. Kudos, candle. 

[raisingthecygnet]

False Knees

False Knees is a webcomic written by Joshua Barkman. All silly nonsense is my own.

[raisingthecygnet]

Day Four

And month four for the Cygnet. It’s hard to believe she’s already a third of a year! To celebrate, we gave her rice cereal for the first time.

And took her for her vaccines.

This time, though, she was a completely different baby. At two months she screamed until she turned purple. This time, during my flamekeeping for Brigid, I had asked to make it easy for the little one.

She screamed, of course, but between the shots she calmed down. When it was over, she just shouted angrily a few times then began to smile. Now she’s a giggly little girl.

Of course it could just be that she grew up and realizes more. But I like to think that she had a bit of help.

The rest of the day goes to working on the grimoire I plan on passing down to her. Here’s a few pages...

[birdsofrhiannon]

The Children of Lir by Alexandra Soranescu

[purpleladyaesthetics]

Brigid

[deithe-diaga]

Brighid

Pronunciation - Bree-dj, Bree-ihd, Bree-jet, Brid, Breet

Titles - Bride, Brigit, Brigid,  Breo-saighead meaning fiery arrow God of - spring, fertility, healing, prophecy,  poetry, culture, learning, smithcraft, crafts, fire, home and childbirth. Race -  Tuatha De Danann Family - Parents: Dagda (Father), ? (Mother) Siblings: Cermait, Aengus, Midir and Bodb Derg. Consorts: Bres Sons: Ruadán Symbols - Two oxen, Fe and Men, that graze on a plain named after them, Femen. She also possessed the king of boars, Torc Triath, and Cirb, king of wethers (sheep). She also had an apple orchard in the Otherworld and her bees would bring their magical nectar back to earth. Description -  It is said that wherever she walked, small flowers and shamrocks would appear. She wears a mantle (cape) that is said to have healing properties. Sometimes portrayed with fiery hair. Notable Legends -   The marriage of Brigid to Bres was essentially an alliance to bring peace between two warring factions. She was of the Danu and he of the Fomorians. With the intermarriage, war was hopefully averted. Ruadan, Brigid’s eldest son, used the knowledge of smithing given to him by his maternal kin, the Danu, against them by killing their smith, a sacred position within the tribe. This smith killed Ruadan before dying himself. Brigid’s grief and lamentations were said to be the first heard in Ireland and were not only an expression of mourning for the loss of Her son but also for the enmity between maternal and paternal factions of family

She is also credited with the invention of whistling, which she used to summon her friends to her side. Eventually the love and respect for the goddess Brigid brought unity to the Celts who were spread throughout Europe. Regardless of their differences, they all agreed upon her goodness and compassion. ne of the most popular tales of the goddess Brigid involved two lepers who appeared at her sacred well at Kildare and asked to be healed. She told them that they were to bathe each other until the skin healed.After the first one was healed, he felt only revulsion for the other and would not touch him to bathe him. Angered, Brigid caused his leprosy to return. Then she gently placed her mantle (cloak) around the other leper who was immediately healed.Ireland is full of springs and wells named after the goddess Brigid. Symbolically, water is seen as a portal to the Otherworld and as a source of wisdom and healing.There is a saying that Brigid rewards any offering to her, so offerings of coins were often tossed into her wells…the forerunner of the modern custom of throwing a penny into a fountain while you make a wish. She possesses an unusual status as a Sun Goddess, who hangs Her Cloak upon the rays of the Sun and whose dwelling-place radiates light as if on fire. Brigid took over the Cult of the Ewes formerly held by the Goddess Lassar, who also is a Sun Goddess At her most famous shrine Brigid taught humans how to gather and use herbs for their healing properties, how to care for their livestock, and how to forge iron into tools. As a goddess of childbirth and protector of all children, she is the patroness of midwifery. Sacred Associations - Forge and hearth. the first sprouts of spring, ox, cows, boar, sheep, apple, honey, cockrel, ewe, snakes, Wells Holiday - Imbolc Brighid, Dagda, Lugh, Morrighan

[gogh-save-the-bees]

[raisingthecygnet]

Lighting the Flame

Since I brought Cygnet home (and if I were more conscious/well-slept in the hospital, maybe there), I have felt there is another godly presence hanging around the home. It’s not very surprising; my gods aren’t really known for being involved in childbirth or rearing (with the exception of Manannan) so having another of the Tuatha De (or even anyone else) makes sense to me. 

But my problem has been simple: Who is it?

After some asking, interpreting signs, figuring out what I think is going on, I’ve narrowed it down to two deities (or presences, I suppose) I think it might be: Medb (Queen of Connacht) or Brigid. 

(Funny story with Brigid: I have never felt connected to her, really. I’ve worked with Brig Ambue, the aspect of her that cares for the “cowless warrior.” I feel a connection to that aspect (whom the Morrigan introduced me to). But the whole flame-keeping, smith, poet, “typical” Brigid was always honored and acknowledged by me and no more.)

Now, though, I feel a need to give her a bit more than just an acknowledgment. 

So I’ve decided to do one flamekeeping cycle. A personal cill where I will keep the flame lit from July 13th until August 1st. On August 1st, the 20th day, The Lady will keep the flame. I will be using an LED candle for when I sleep/am at work but when I’m home, I’ll have a candle made for Brigid lit.

Hopefully I’ll learn more about her, her knowledge, and her mysteries while I’m tending her flame.

As for Medb... That’ll come later.

[sunyma]

Caer Ibormeith was the Celtic goddess of sleep and dreams. In Irish mythology, Caer Ibormeith was a daughter of Prince Ethal Anbuail of Sid Uamuin in Connacht. Every alternate Samhain she would change into a swan, in which form she would remain for a year before becoming human again the following Samhain. She eventually married Aengus of the Tuatha de Dannan, but first he had to pick her out, in swan form, from a group of one hundred and fifty other swans at Loch Bel Dragon (Now Lough Muskry in the Galtees.) Having chosen correctly, he turned into a swan himself and they flew away, to the fortress of the River Boyne at Drogheda, singing beautiful music that put all its listeners asleep for three days and nights. With Aengus, Caer was the foster-mother of Diarmuid.

The story of Fionnuala and the other children of Lir shares the motif of transformation into swans.

[simonalkenmayer]

B U M B L E B O T T O M S

[raisingthecygnet]

I ordered a box from @magickandmacabreco for the Cygnet. Asked them for a box revolving around new babies and child blessings. Someone there must be psychic because they included a bath bomb to Rhiannon (my MIL’s main goddess) and white oak which is associated with one of my gods. Four thumbs way up for them.

Now to order one for Mama Swan...

[raisingthecygnet]

Midsumer with Cygnet

The Cygnet was born on March 16th this year. Five days before my own birthday, which was nice because everyone forgot my birthday and thinks I'm a year younger than I am. I haven't corrected them yet. For the first three months, most of my religious work involved saying small prayers to the gods when I put her down to sleep, just asking them to make sure she 1) sleeps as long as she can and 2) wakes up again healthy and happy. That mostly happened (that first one... babies need a lot of sleep, just not in one stretch unfortunately). When we started coming around to the three month mark, I realized Midsummer was right around the corner. Her 100th day of life was Sunday, June 24th. So we celebrated then.

I should pause and mention that Midsummer is important to me. I honor and work with Manannan mac Lir, who I always venerate on that day. I pay him his rent, pour out some whiskey, and thank him. Funnily enough, last MIdsummer, I had mentioned during my ritual that I would be very appreciative if I happened to get pregnant sooner rather than later, because we had been trying for a few months and I didn't want to have to put the attempts on pause because of work obligations (I work with some biohazardous material). Two weeks later, pregnant. I blame/thank him.

But back to this year, I decided to have Midsummer with the baby. So the first thing I did was dress her up. Yellow flowers in her crown for the "rent" and a fun, gauzy dress that was a gift. Wasn't sure when else I would use it.

Then we went outside in the high, Midsummer sun and enjoyed the little droplets of water falling through the trees from that morning's rain shower. The local artisan coffee and tea house makes iced tea lemonade and the one for the day happened to be named "Summer Gold." So that became part of the offerings.

After that, we set up the makeshift workspace on the floor in the living room. I used the blanket that was handed down to me from my great-grandmother (as well as my/Cygnet's middle name. My great-grandmother was Anne, my grandmother was Anne, my mother's middle name is Anne, my middle name is Anne and Cygnet's middle name is Anne. I am hoping I can convince her to name her firstborn daughter likewise). Cygnet laid in the middle as I lit candles around and welcomed the gods. I properly introduced Cygnet, who was too busy playing with the stuffed swans and staring at the candles.  We have two swan stuffed animals - one large one (Mommy Eala) and one small one (Baby Eala) - which I am trying to use as a comforting mechanism for her as she gets older.  

I asked them to bless the house, family and friends. I thanked them for a healthy child, a relatively-easy childbirth, and all the blessings I had received since last Midsummer. And then I asked to help create a bond between Cygnet and myself that is strong, healthy, respectful and loving. I didn't have that much with my mother when I was younger and I don't want that to happen to her. Lastly, "we" have been working on a grimoire of sorts. It's really just more of a book of beliefs, rituals and the like for when she gets older. She helps by picking between two watercolor pencils (with attempts to eat them) and giggling to make me happy. I put that in the center to just sort of ask for help with inspiration and motivation to finish it.

Then we closed the circle, put out Manannan's jar of salt water to collect some sunlight, and played for the rest of the day. Successful day one of Mama-Baby polytheism, I think.