MORRIGAN

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The Battle Raven.

Morrigan is a Celtic warrioress/death Goddess. The translation of her name according to the Sisterhood of Avalon is "Great Queen" or "Phantom Queen." She appears as a single Goddess and a trio of Goddesses. The trio is Badb, Macha and Nemain. She is also called the Battle Raven.

Angelique Gulermovich Epstein's Dissertation on Morrigan shows the origins of Morrigan reaching directly back to the megalithic cult of the Mothers: Matrones, Idises, and Disir. It was expressed through battle ecstasy and regenerative ecstasy. She also states that "influence in warfare was more magickal than physical strength". Before war, the Celts would call upon Morrigan and recite poetry. It set the mood and got everyone riled up. In those times, war usually meant cattle raids. Morrigan would also steal cows to bring about war.

Here is an example from Fraser. "The red Badb will be grateful to them, for the battle-encounters I see. Their perforated bodies will be many in the east after their expedition to Mag Tuired." Here is a Morrigan prophecy, according to Gray, "I shall not see a world which will be dear to me: summer without blossoms, cattle will be without milk, women without modesty, men without valor. Conquests without a king...Woods without a mast, sea without produce... False judements of old men, false precedents of lawyers, every man a betrayer, every son a reaver. The son will go to the bed of his father, the father to the bed of his son. Each his brother's brother-in-law. he will not seek any women outside his house... An evil time, sin will deceive his father, daughter will deceive..."

"For sacred places, she is said to have a hall in Brugh na Boyne, the Dagda's hill," states Angelique Gulermovich Epstein. She also has her own mound nearby, the Mur na Morrigna. There is the Bed of the Couple on the River Unius, a field in Co. Louth called Gort na Morrigna, and a place called Morrigan's Hearth, Fulacht na Morrigna, in Co. Tipperary. There is a whirlpool in the Inner Hebrides, called Corryveckan, that is also called the Morrigan's Cauldron. Morrigan is drawn to caves and also leads the Faery procession at Samhain. (Estara)

Morrigan and Cu Chulainn(Koo Kulan)

Morrigan's Chariot from Sacred Source

The Tain Bo Cuailnge is the text in which the Morrigan and the Hound of Ulster, Cu Chulainn, meet. Angelique Gulermovich Epstein shows that in the Tain, Morrigan's first appearance is giving a phrophetic warning via a poem about war in Ulster. Morrigan's first meeting with Cu Chulaiin is in the form of a crow and she insults him.

Their next meeting, she appears in the form of a beautiful woman to seduce him, and he rejects her. Morrigan then shapeshifts into a cow and he shatters one of her eyes. So she appears as an eel, and then as a wolf. After his injuring Morrigan three times, she heals. She condems him by forcing him to violate one of his geasa (taboos). Cu Chulainn is forbidden to eat the flesh of a dog and also to pass a hearth fire where food is offered without having some. He is trapped by a hag, who is Morrigan in desguise cooking over a fire. Angelique Gulermovich Epstein states, " At one point, Morrigan aides him in a battle. She does not want him to go to a battle in which he won't return." On the surface, Morrigan is antagonistic towards Cu Chulainn and yet helps him to seek victory in battle for Ulster. He is eventually wounded in battle and dies. Morrigan in crow form rests on his shoulder to guard his death.

Symbolism.

The colors that correspond with Morrigan are red and black. The crow is the animal that represents her although cows and eels do also. Her season is winter. She takes us through the wheel of life to grow. Death is a part of life and you can not have rebirth without it. For wombyn, menstral blood is symbolic to Morrigan for it is a wombyn's primal power that she draws from. The Crone is the Great White Goddess. The Mother aspect is the Moon Goddess and Queen of the faeries. Her dark aspect deals with war and death.

Trees that correspond to Morrigan are the thorns, hawthorn and blackthorn. Herbs that correspond to her are the thorns, apple, meadowsweet, mullein, vervain, red clover, yew, heather, thyme, dragon's blood, rue, and rosemary. Stones for her are white marble, quartz, carnelian, moonstone, and obsidian. (These correspondences are the original work of Estara)

A Ritual for Morrigan

Items needed: Red candle, black candle, stone and herbs appropriate for her, a black feather (preferably Crow or Raven). Optional: a small amount of menstral blood, elemental candles and anything else you use to cast a circle with.

Ground and center
cast circle with feather
light red and black candles
light incense
consecrate stone to Morrigan
call Morrigan to give you strength
"Morrigan, I call upon your inspiration
I call upon your strength
Come from the dark cave
into this circle of light
I call upon you Morrigan
to come into my heart
Be here now!"
hold the stone while meditating
feel her strength in you
raise cone of power
ground and center
release Morrigan "Morrigan
I thank you, release you and bid you farewell
you are in my heart always
Blessed be!"
release circle

from Sacred Source

Poem
by Burning Snow

Hear my soul cry out in rage
feel my rage
the trees are torn from my body
my waters are poisioned
humans encaging animals in feces
no room to turn around
slave to the dollar 
humans are
why I ask
gauking at circus animals
no pride just greed
look into animals eyes
look I say
feel their fear
does no one care
they ask why
what do I tell them
they are not souls to you
oppress the poor
so you can get rich
slave to the dollar
illusion of freedom
all of the isms
classims
sexismm
racism
and more
all symptoms of your poison
angry am I
feel my anger
I am dying
does anyone care
this earth a dustbowl will be
and yet I love you
I, Goddess, love unconditionally
rise up against the poison
let me know someone hears 
the earth and I are one
I am the animals
I am the trees
I am the ocean
I am the air
I am you
free yourself as a slave
break the chains
hear my screams of pleas
wake up before its too late
hear the pleas of nature
calling to you
you are one with them
you do this to yourself
cry with me
then say no more
start anew
build this earth with Goddess love
take my hand
Morrigan I am
end of this filth of man
rebirth comes from destruction
the time of the phoenix is here
silence
dawn is here
feel Her warmth
see her warmth
do Her warmth

Resources.

Links:

The Morrigan's Blessing by Estara http://home.earthlink.net/~estara2/index.html

WAR GODDESS: The Morrígan and her Germano-Celtic Counterparts A dissertation by Angelique Gulermovich Epstein http://www.loop.com/~musofire/diss/

Sisterhood of Avalon http://www.sisterhoodofavalon.org

Books:

Fraser, J. 1916 Ed., trans. “The First Battle of Moytura.” Ériu 8: 1-63.

Gray, Elizabeth A. 1982 Ed., trans. Cath Maige Tuired. Irish Texts Society 52. Naas: Irish Texts Society.

Gray, Elizabeth A. 1982-83 “Cath Maige Tuired: Myth and Structure (84-93, 120-67).” Éigse 19: 230-62.

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