Alright! In light of recent events I've decided to start posting about the gods. Any god really. I don't have to but I wanna make sure that people learn the difference between fearing and respecting a deity.
So we're starting with the Morrigan.
Now a disclaimer! I've done research yes but I am not the end all be all so fact-check me.
The Morrigan consists of three sisters who have varying names. It's not clear in many myths who is truly one of the sisters so I'm going to include the ones I've worked with and spoken to through divination.
Macha : pronounced (MAHK- uh) is the Irish goddess of land, sovereignty, battle, and horses. In my experience honestly? Intimidating yes. Should be feared? In my opinion I don't think so. If you fear something or someone how do you form a relationship with them? So respect with her is the key. She will be your battle buddy if you need it at times. Picks you up dusts you off and tells you "You're not done yet" before marching you right back in there.
She belongs to the Tuath de Danann (the de on de has an accent but my keyboard said no). She. Being a goddess of war is in fact vengeful. However. It's only if you cross her boundaries like in the legend of the men of Ulster. Mythology of this states that Macha (one of the many Machas in history) was the wife of a man named Cruinniuc. He went and bragged that his wife could outrun the fastest of horses. His wife Macha had made him promise not to mention her at the festival. The king of Ulster took offense when the husband mentioned what Macha could do and demanded the husband prove it. Macha was pregnant at the time. In order for her husband not to be killed she agreed. Birthed twins at the finish line and cursed the men of Ulster to become weakest at their greatest hour of need. She was wronged betrayed and humiliated- so she took her vengeance.
There is also Badb: pronounced (Bye-ve) her name means battle crow. Associated with war battle and death, she often appears in the form of a crow or raven to foretell warfare etc etc. So technically a goddess of prophecy as well. She's alao known as the washer of the Ford and foretells death by washing the clothes of the person who is to pass.
In my experience she also aids with grief and facing the loss of the ones you love. Because every deity has sides of terror and love to them yes? It's only which ones you can handle that make you decide who to form a relationship with.
There is also Nemain - or (Neh-vaughn) goddess of war and chaos. She represents the havoc and fury of battle, where men and women fight friends and enemies alike. She is the desperate bid for survival that is needed in times of emergency. Or she is the instrument of doom when you lose your mind. Her battle cry is so powerful she could kill a hundred men. And! She also at times appears as the banshee or bean-sidhe.
She helps deal with rage. The chaos inside that so many feel.
Signs and symbols of the Morrigan are: Ravens and crows, weapons of war, water like rivers and lakes, the number three, Shape-shifting animals like wolves and crows and eels (as said in her mythos) along with blood.
So Im gonna talk a little bit about what it was like to work with her. If you want more info about where to go for their myths let me know and ill post a separate post for this.
But, working with her was like working with fire. It's easy to be burned but the warmth and the light is worth it. It can light up the ugliest parts of you, but it also allows you to sweep away the cobwebs, the ick and mud and dirt that's built up over years. It burns it all away until you have all these bare bones and you're cold at first until she wraps that blanket around your shoulders, feeds you the blood of your enemies and gets you whole again. Not strong. But whole. Because to survive this far you're strong already.
Now, for some of y'all who may still be intimidated I get it. So I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. The Morrigan? Like most deities have quite the sense of humor. You have to to deal with death. However she can be. What's the word. Disciplined? Which she can expect from you. It looks different for everyone but what happened with me was that I studied her every day almost. Her myths. Her associations. That was part of my devotion. And I enjoyed it a lot honestly. You don't have to be anything in particular to worship her either. She takes you in, and tears you down. But. BUT. She does build you right back up.
And discipline can look like different things. It can be small things, building up the habit of being there with her. Being present and aware which is hard for me personally because of cognitive issues, but the effort is always appreciated.
She'll love you enough to support you when you feel like you can't go on. And I think I want that to be y'alls main takeaway from here. Yes she is tough and commanding. But she cares. Deeply in fact.
There it is. Theres my Ted Talk
snowghoul
turnnoffyourmind
blakekathryn
titsay
tangentwithtanner
kianamaiart
discoholicmusic
dailybridgerton
prguitarman
theartofmadeline
