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The White Moon Gallery Presents
a project by Rowen Saille
©
All original
material in this site is under copyright protection
and is the
intellectual property of the author.
Rhiannon [RHEE-awn-on] is a Welsh underworld Goddess form. Her story is
told in the Mabinogion ( 1
, translation by Lady Charlotte Guest). Her
origin goes back further still according to Jean Markale ( 2
) who believes
that she might have been the original Mother Goddess of the Celtic people.
She brings sleep, dreams, and sometimes nightmares (3, 4
). She is found in
several ancient cultures, called by several names (3
). Through history
Rhiannon has survived and influenced many cultures and legends. Her name
translates as "divine" or "Great Queen." She may have been sun Goddess
(3). She is Goddess of change, movement, and magic (3, 4).
She comforts in
times of crisis, loss, and illness (5). She gives us gifts of tears,
forgetfulness (to promote healing), and humor to ease our sufferings in
this life (5) and guides us to the next (3, 6).
She is also accompanied by golden birds whose singing can call the dead or grant
peaceful sleep to the living (4, 5, 6).
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Rhiannon was promised
in marriage to Gwawl Ap Clud against her wishes. She chose to defy her
family and chose the mortal Pwyll [POO-ul] as husband. She appeared to Pwyll,
who stood with his companions on the Mound of Wonders. She was dressed all
in gold and was riding a white horse so swiftly that she did not seem to
be touching the ground. The fastest horses in Pwyll's party could not
overtake this beautiful woman. Pwyll's companions were afraid and advised
Pwyll against pursuit. Pwyll called out and asked Her to wait, which She
did. Rhiannon and Pwyll were married and she bore him a son. The child was
kidnapped by the jealous Gwawl. The six handmaids, who were nurses to the
baby, were terrified that they would be punished; so, they planted
evidence to suggest that Rhiannon had eaten her own young. They scattered
bones and poured blood around Rhiannon's bed. The offense of killing one.
s own child was punishable by death, but Pwyll, instead, sentenced
Rhiannon to stand at the gates of the city, telling of Her crime and
offering to carry visitors into the city on Her own back. The child, who
was not dead, was eventually found, and Rhiannon was vindicated by
truth.
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Bubona [BOO-ba-na] - Scottish
Epona [Ey-PONE-ah] - Gaul
Eponae [Ey-PONE-ay] - Roman (especially called upon by Roman
cavalry)
Lady Godiva - English legend
Mare [MAH-ray] - Irish (source of the term nightmare)
Rigatona/Rigantona - Gaul/Italic
Vivienne - Breton (escorted Arthur to Avalon)
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"Wealth" (Rhiannon)
Lisa Hunt
Shapeshifter Tarot
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Horse
Wand
Purpose: To heal grief, loss, or disappointment. To encourage moving
forward.
This ritual should be performed in the waning moon. Wear white or be skyclad.
Need:
Candles: white or gold
Incense: cedar, benzoin, sandalwood
Flowers: Ivy or other evergreen branches for the altar, any white
flowers, white flower petals
Moonstone or clear quartz crystal
Bowl of water
Wand: willow, long-stemmed white flower, or quartz crystal
Outline:
Light candles.
Purify with incense.
Cast circle/Invoke directions - wand
Earth - strength and acceptance
Air - clarity of thought and decisiveness
Fire - feeling, emotion
Water - healing, peace
Spirit - turning away self-doubt
Invoke - "We honor Rhiannon who comforts those in crisis and in times
of grief and loss. Her sweet song eases us and gives us the closure we
need to move on in our lives."
Meditation - Put yourself on the
Mound of Wonders. As you look to the west you see a rider on a pale
horse: Rhiannon. Call to her. Ask her to wait. What does she say to you?
Think of the grief, illness, or disappointment that you carry with you.
Give this to Rhiannon. She carries it away with Her. Watch as Rhiannon
takes your grief/disappointment/illness/guilt and rides back into the
west. Let go of the negative energy. Feel yourself lightened and
protected in Rhiannon's white light.
Body - Take few white petals. Think
about the issue (loss, grief, disappointment, illness) that you wish to
let go. Focus any negative energies on the white petals. You might have
one petal for each issue if you have more than one. Place the petals in
the bowl of water and chant:
"Rhiannon comforts me in my time of
grief/crisis/illness and gives me the strength to let go and move on. I
now let go of _____________."
Self-blessing.
Raise the cone of power - imagine white light surrounding and filling.
Ground.
Open circle and hugs.
After the ritual is complete, the water from the
bowl should be poured into the earth to be accepted and converted into
growth and new life as all life returns and is reborn. Back to menu
White Horse of Uffington, UK
Ride A Cockhorse
Ride a cockhorse to Banbury Cross
to see a
fine lady upon a white horse,
With rings on her fingers and bells on
her toes
she shall have music wherever she goes.
~ Anglo-Celtic Nusery Rhyme
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Rhiannon
written by Stevie Nicks
Rhiannon rings like a bell thru the night
And wouldn't you love to
love her
She rules her life like a bird in flight
And who will be
her lover...
All your life you've never seen
A woman--taken by the
wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven
Will you ever
win...
She is like a cat in the dark
And then she is the darkness
She
rules her life like a fine skylark--
And when the sky is
starless--
All your life you've never seen--
A woman--taken by the
wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven
Will you ever
win...
Dreams unwind.
Love's a state of mind.
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Rhiannon
Susan Seddon Boulet
Goddesses Knowledge Cards
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Rhiannon
Amy Sophia Maranshinsky from The Goddess Oracle
I wasn't certain
Afterall, my face had blood on it
All fingers pointed to me
Could I have killed him
My infant son
My own
In my sleep
I was accused
And found guilty
And I doubted myself
For seven long years
I played horse to my lord husband Pwyll's guests
Carrying them into court
Carrying them out again
And the times were many when I doubted myself
That because I was from the Other World
Anything was possible
Song to Rhiannon
Rowen Saille
Sing golden birds
bring ease to troubled souls.
Sing of Rhiannon
Great Queen of old.
Carry my burden.
Ease my woes.
Heal me with laughter.
Bring crisis to close.
A cycle in yourself
You guide my life steps.
Mother of fertility and death
You bring peace.
Sweet song of Rhiannon
comfort my soul.
Ease grief and self-doubt
make my heart whole.
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Colors: white, silver, gold
Moon phase: waning
Animals: horse, bird
Herbs/Flowers: Jasmine, evergreens, any white flower
Stones: moonstone, quartz crystal
Aspects: leadership, movement, change, death, fertility, crisis, magic for women,
protection, strength and truth in adversity, dreams
Wheel of the Year:
Willow moon (Saille): April 15 - May 12
Ivy moon (Gort): September 30 - October 27
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-
Mabinogion. Guest, Lady Charlotte E.
(trans.). 1997. Dover Publications, Inc.
- Pwyll Prince of Dyfed (link no longer active)
- Pwyll Encounters Rhiannon - http://www.crosslink.net/~rhiannon/pwyrhi.html
- Rhiannon's Misfortune - http://www.crosslink.net/~Rhiannon/rhimisf.html
-
Markale, J. (1986).
Women of the Celts
. Inner Traditions
International.
- McCoy, E. (1995).
Celtic Myth & Magick
. St. Paul: Llewellyn
Publications.
- Telesco, P. (1998).
365 Goddess
. NY: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.
- Matthews, C. (1999).
The Celtic Spirit
. NY: HarperCollins
Publishers, Inc.
- Babcock, M. Goddesses: Knowledge cards
(illus.: Susan Seddon Boulet). Hong Kong: Pomegranate.
- Marashinsky, Amy Sophia. (1997).
The Goddess Oracle: A Way to
Wholeness Through the Goddess and Ritual
(illus.: Hrana Janto). Boston: Element.
- Paterson, H. (1994). (Ed.) Carol Squires,
The Handbook of
Celtic Astrology
. St. Paul:
Llewellyn Publications.
- The Mystical Mother: Guardians of the Sacred Isle of Avalon (link no longer active)
- The Goddess Rhiannon (link no longer active)
- Deities of Wales (link no longer active)
Interesting story about Rhiannon
Rhiannon: Goddess of the Isle - http://www.crosslink.net/~rhiannon/rhigodes.html
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