#Morríghan

[blackcrowing]

Let's talk about The Morrígu and Sovereignty

I've noticed a trend over the years among those who work with the Morrígu (especially among Americans, probably because you know 'freedom') where the word sovereignty gets thrown around a lot in some.... odd contexts...

For example "You should never worry about telling her no, she's the goddess of sovereignty she'll respect your decisions EVERYTIME!"

I've always found this very confusing since... She literally brings down her full wrath against Cu Chulainn for rejecting her advances/boons and becoming the high king (and being symbolically married to her)... wasn't a choice... the druids would preform a ceremony and receive divine visions of the future high king and I've NEVER heard of it being turned down.

So lets look at a few definitions;

First for Sovereignty

Sovereignty, though its meanings have varied across history, also has a core meaning, supreme authority within a territory. It is a modern notion of political authority. Historical variants can be understood along three dimensions — the holder of sovereignty, the absoluteness of sovereignty, and the internal and external dimensions of sovereignty. The state is the political institution in which sovereignty is embodied. An assemblage of states forms a sovereign states system.

-from Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

vs. Individual Sovereignty

'sovereignty of the individual, 'individual sovereignty' or self-sovereignty is generally understood to imply one's property rights including self-ownership also called negative sovereignty, but also includes the rejection of or freedom from positive sovereignty where negative sovereignty includes property rights and positive sovereignty includes the right to subjugate people to command obedience or sovereign rule

- from Wikipedia

The concept of Individual Sovereignty (sometimes called self ownership) is primarily a legal and political philosophy that has grown out of other individualist philosophies. So it would be pretty obvious why it resonates with modern peoples (Americans especially).

Now back to The Morrígu. They are not deities of INDIVIDUAL sovereignty, but classical sovereignty. They empower the kings (high kings especially) to rule the land and are the acting forces which remove kings in the event that they don't uphold the divine expectations of their position (such as true judgments).

Don't believe me? Still thinking to yourself "yes but The Morrígu would never expect me to give up my individual sovereignty, they're empowering." In that case I won't even direct you back to the story of Cu Chulainn, instead we'll look at Macha, wife of Cruinniuc. When she is brought to the horse race, obviously pregnant and asks the king not to make her prove her husbands boasts he declines her request. If The Morrígu were interested in individual sovereignty over sovereignty this would have been a perfect moment to show that. Instead Macha does as her king demands and runs the race, but in her divine aspect she curses not just that king (for his mistreatment of those under him, ie. a pregnant woman) but also all his men and their descendents.

The idea of The Morrígu is not some super individualized empowerment allowing you to defy the authority of those around you (including the gods), the core value is one of justice for those who ARE tread on by Sovereign powers. This may feel like splitting hairs but I assure you the distinction is one worth thinking about, and possibly even changing the way you speak about The Morrígu.

photo credit: @purpureaphoto @morpheus-ravenna Cindyruch

[isb-does-stuff]

3 animated artfight attacks

Morríghan owned by @matchahorse

Ruta owned by @amirisqueer

Jellyworm owned by puppyboy_split

[moonarches]

hello!! i'm Lilias (but you can call me Li), and i've opened this sideblog to track myself, learn, and interact on my spiritual and magickal journey !! i also will post my fair share of tips, spells, and other knick knacks on here ^_^ terfs r not allowed !!

i use she/fae pronouns, i'm white and american (est), i am 17 years old, i am mentally and physically disabled (!!!), i'm bisexual, i am an enfp and 4w3, i have libra sun gemini moon gemini rising

i'm polytheistic!! i worship Lady Freyja and Lord Máni from the Norse pantheon, and Lord Cernunnos, Lady Ianuaria, and the Morríghan from the Celtic pantheon

i have been practicing for about 7 years?? since i was like 9/10. i don't really practice a specific craft, but i love kitchen witchery, herbology, and divination bunches!!

my ask box is always open and i love making friends ^3^

[blueorchidist]

I drew this fanart 2 years ago

first picture is mabinogi official art.

second picture is my fanart.

[pagansquare]

The Dagda and The Morrigan Shrines

The word Shrine can bring up various images for people from large buildings to a small niche in a wall.  The physical size and complexity of the Shrine is not so important as its purpose.  A Shrine is a place or structure regarded as holy because it is associated with a divinity, spiritual being or something held sacred.  

Read more...

[bishicat]

@wardans!!

Mor is such a sweetie I couldn’t resist okay  ❤ ❤ ❤

(inspired by the Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2014 collection)

[aurelies-illustrations]

The Morrigan - Coloured page by Aurelie-S

Another character featured in my Celtic Colouring Book, here colored with PS. Get your copie of the book for only $9.99 : www.amazon.com/Celtic-Colourin… or contact me to get the artist edition!

[freelancervermont]

Morríghan Síobhan Ryder + Liam Kosta

Crisis Response + PTSD

A/N: Possible PTSD trigger + PTSD Mention

Due to his time in crisis response, Liam has seem some shit. The things he has seen, decisions he’s had to make? They weigh on him more than he lets on. There’s times it keeps him up at night, where all he can do is replay the incident over and over again. He questions what he did wrong, what he could have done better.

Thoughts like this? They snowball, he begins remembering it like he was still there. The smells, the burning, the firefights, the sounds. Like they’re etched into his memory, unable to forget. Lexi keeps telling him to try and focus on the good he did in those moments, the lives he did save. But he can’t help it, he can’t help but think of all those he wasn’t able to get to, those he couldn’t help.

He does what he does because he wants to make up for those lives he couldn’t save, for those souls he lost. He does what he does for them, so no one has to suffer, so no one has to die. It will happen, it is inevitable, but it gives him the drive and determination to keep going. It gives him the push to do what he loves, and he loves helping others. He wants to be there for them.

Morríghan keeps having flashes to Habitat 7, every time she sees a console, every time she interfaces, all she sees is the explosion. Falling from the platform, gasping for air. All she feels is her throat closing, the tightness in her chest. All she can think about is how it felt when her father placed the helmet on her. Unable to scream, her eyes pleaded Why?

It is her job to activate vaults, to activate remnant artifacts, interface with consoles, but she can’t. She’ll approach it slowly, and ever so slightly she hesitates. Her hands tremble, she’s scared but she won’t tell anyone.

What if it happens again? She can’t go through that again. She’s afraid.

It’s her job, she can’t just walk away and go home. That’s never been an option since she arrived in Andromeda. But the hesitation makes her question everything about her position, everything about what she’s doing. Is it all really worth it? Why me?

When Liam jolts awake, when he’s pacing the floor of the Tempest with flashes of trauma, he’s angry and upset. He’s crying and mumbling why he couldn’t save everyone, why did it have to be that way? Did he not do enough?

Morríghan will find him and approach him, placing her hands to his ears covering them. Giving him a moment’s peace, giving him silence. Looking at him, It will be okay. She hugs him, reassures him that he does good work. It will be okay Liam.

When Morríghan hesitates, when Liam sees her hands trembling, he stands next to her. He smiles that beautiful smile. She loves that silent reassurance, that support. She knows she is safe, that someone is there for her to support her. As they climb back in the Nomad, he grabs her hand. You did it, the world is changing because of you. Her hands cease to tremble knowing someone is there and she isn’t alone.

[blackcrowing]

So it has been brought to my attention that it is time for me to transition from primarily following Morríghan, to shifting my major focus into Macha. This may not seem like a big deal to many since they are part of the same triple and very similar with surface looks but for me this is a very big deal.

I have been working with Morríghan as my primary deity for around a decade now and have grown with her during this time into the practioner that I am. So shifting to someone new (no matter how similar) is a monumental move in my practice.

I doubt you guys will notice much to be honest, but I wanted to share my story and experience. Partly because of how big this is for me and partly because I've noticed that as we age it is very common for those of us focusing on deity work to stick with deities we've learned the lessons of for too long and ignore the calls of new deities looking to tutor us in their ways.

There is an idea that once you take a patron you will unquestionably be with them forever but in reality as we grow sometimes we 'out grow' our patrons. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not putting Morríghan away, to never speak with her again. But in the way we out grow our parents or certain partners/friends as we age we will also out grow deities. This is an important aspect of practice that I think is often overlooked or ignored.

TL:DR - out growing a parton is normal and a sign of healthy practice and we should talk about it more

[clovermunson]

ever wondered what John Mulaney bits would show you and your friends’ personalities in the weird-as-fuck-yet-totally-makes-sense au that you’ve made together??

well now we have to wonder no more, because here it is, hope y’all enjoy it babes, @kc-needs-coffee @nevilles-top😂❤️💚💙

Morríghan (myself):

Kate (@kc-needs-coffee):

Carmi (@nevilles-top):

[tipsycad147]

The Morrighan

The raven is well-known in Celtic mythology as a symbol of the Morrighan. Nigel Killeen / Getty Images

By Patti Wigington

Updated December 10, 2018

In Celtic mythology, the Morrighan is known as a goddess of battle and war. However, there's a bit more to her than this. Also referred to as Morrígu, Morríghan, or Mor-Ríoghain, she is called the "washer at the ford," because if a warrior saw her washing his armor in the stream, it meant he was to die that day. She is the goddess who determines whether or not you walk off the field of battle, or are carried off upon your shield. In later Irish folklore, this role would be delegated to the bain sidhe, who foresaw the death of members of a specific family or clan.

Did You Know?

The Morrighan is a Celtic goddess associated with war and battle, as well as the sovereignty of the land, and rightful kingship.

In some Neopagan traditions, she is portrayed as a destroyer, representing the Crone aspect of the Maiden/Mother/Crone cycle, but this is a departure from her original Irish history.

The Morrighan often appears in the form of a crow or raven, or is seen accompanied by a group of them.

She appears to date from around the Copper Age, based on archaeological findings. Stone stelae have been discovered in the British Isles, France, and Portugal, that are from approximately 3000 b.c.e.

The Morrighan often appears in the form of a crow or raven, or is seen accompanied by a group of them. In the stories of the Ulster cycle, she is shown as a cow and a wolf as well. The connection with these two animals suggest that in some areas, she may have been connected to fertility and land.

In some legends, the Morrighan is considered a triune, or triple goddess, but there are a lot of inconsistencies to this. She often appears as a sister to the Badb and Macha. In some Neopagan traditions, she is portrayed in her role as destroyer, representing the Crone aspect of the Maiden/Mother/Crone cycle, but this seems to be incorrect when one looks at her original Irish history. Some scholars point out that war specifically is not a primary aspect of the Morrighan, and that her connection to cattle presents her as a goddess of sovereignty. The theory is that she can be seen as a deity who guides or protects a king.

Mary Jones of the Celtic Literature Collective says,

"Morrigan is one of the most complex figures in Irish mythology, not the least due to her genealogy. In the earliest copies of the  Lebor Gabála Érenn, there are listed three sisters, named  Badb,  Macha, and  Anann. In the  Book of Leinster version, Anann is identified with Morrigu, while in the  Book of Fermoy version, Macha is identified with Morrigan... What is most evident is that from the texts, "Morrigan" or "Morrigu" is a title applied to different women who for the most part seem to be sisters or related in some manner, or sometimes it is the same woman with slightly differing names in different manuscripts and redactions. We see that Morrigan is identified with Badb Macha, Anann, and Danann. The first is usually identified with the raven and battle, the second usually identified with the archetypical Celtic horse goddess, the third with the land goddess, and the fo[u]rth with a mother goddess."

In modern literature, there has been some linking of the Morrighan to the character of Morgan Le Fay in the Arthurian legend. It appears, though, that this is more fanciful thinking than anything else. Although Morgan le Fay appears in the Vita Merlini in the twelfth century, a narrative of the life of Merlin by Geoffrey of Monmouth, it's unlikely that there's a connection to the Morrighan. Scholars point out that the name "Morgan" is Welsh, and derived from root words connected to the sea. "Morrighan" is Irish, and is rooted in words that are associated with "terror" or "greatness." In other words, the names sound similar, but the relationship ends there.

Today, many Pagans do work with the Morrighan, although many of them describe their relationship with her as being somewhat reluctant at first. John Beckett over at Patheos describes a ritual in which the Morrighan was invoked, and says,

"She wasn’t threatening but She was very clearly in command – I think She knew the respect we have for Her and that She didn’t have to convince anybody who She is. She seemed pleased that we were honoring Her and attempting to answer Her call... I want to encourage Pagans to listen for the call of Morrigan. She’s a complex goddess. She can be blunt, rough, and violent. She is the Battle Raven and is not to be trifled with. But she has a message I believe is critical for our future as Pagans, as humans, and as creatures of the Earth. A storm is coming. Gather your tribe. Reclaim your sovereignty."

[compatiissante]

If your muse were a mythical goddess, who would they be?

Stolen from dash. Tagging y’all.

You got: The Morríghan, the Celtic goddess of war.

The Morrígan, also known as the “ Phantom queen “, is a warrior goddess who sometimes takes on the form of a crow. Like her, you’re fiercely protective of your loved ones and aren’t afraid to battle for what you believe in.

[moonythejedi394]

The Witch & The Wolf: A @stuckyaubang fic

Rating: Mature Archive Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage Category: M/M Fandoms: Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe Relationship: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers

Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Bruce Banner, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Clint Barton, Pietro Maximoff, Wanda Maximoff, T'Challa (Marvel), Okoye (Marvel), Erik Killmonger, M'Baku (Marvel), Peter Quill, Nebula (Marvel), Groot (Marvel), Rocket Raccoon, Yondu Udonta, Stephen Strange, Morríghan (Irish Mythology), The Horned God (Irish Mythology), Odin, Thor, Loki, Thanos, Red Skull, Peter Parker, Tony Stark

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Magic, Witch Steve Rogers, Werewolf Bucky Barnes, Fae & Fairies, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Celtic Mythology & Folklore, Mythology References, nordic mythology & folklore, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha Bucky Barnes, Omega Steve Rogers, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, Non-Serum Steve Rogers/Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes | Shrinkyclinks, War, Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, Religious Fanaticism, fairytale, Supernatural Elements, Vampires, Werewolves, Werecats, Witch Curses, Dragons, No Smut, Romance, Magic Belt

summary: Once upon a time, there was a boy named Bucky. This boy was like others you might know. He liked to fight wolves, pretend he was a knight, and wage magnificent wars against the most villainous of villains. He played knights and vanquished all the villains he and his friends could imagine. But then he grew up, and the villains vanquished him. And there was another boy; Steve. He was not much like other boys you’d know, or maybe he is, depending on the sort of boys you know. Wars were not his ideal session of make-believe. He liked to befriend wolves rather than fight them. He was a boy, but he grew up long before he should have. Adventures always start with kids like that. Bucky was the boy who took too long to start the process of growing up and then grew up all in one night. Steve was the boy who grew up much too quickly to have been a boy in the first place. This story might sound like it’s about just one of these boys, but that’s not really true. It’s not really about either of them, because to say that it’s about one of them would be disingenuous. Candidly, this story is about what they grew up to be. The wolf and the witch that befriended him.

Art by @chaosdraws/Neutralchaos1

Art from chapter 6: THE FIGHT

Art from chapter 7: THE HEART OF THE WOLF

[arcanesoldier]

Anu as one of the Three

(I don’t by any means consider myself an expert in this area, this is just how I see the Three in my craft.) 

There is much debate as to the identities of the three Morríghan sisters. Personally, the Three were always Macha, Badb, and Anu/Anand. Some argue that Nemain is the third, or even that the third is just known as Morrigu herself. This post is just to explain why I feel Anu is one of the Three. Verse 62 of the Lebor Gabála Érenn clearly states Anu as the sister of Badb and Macha: “Badb and Macha and Anand, of whom are the Paps of Anu in Luachar, were the three daughters of Ernmas the she-farmer.” And a few stanzas later (verse 64), it says: “Ernmas had other daughters, Badb and Macha and Morrigu, whose name was Anand.” In this line, Morrigu’s and Anu’s names are used interchangeably, though, personally, I always just use “Anu/Anand” as the name of the third (maybe just because it always felt more right to me for some reason? I don’t know.) Anyway, as for the goddess Nemain, her only association with the Three (that I am personally aware of) comes from the Táin, where it says that Nemain and Badb are the same goddess. It’s for those reasons why, for me, the Three have always been Macha, Badb, and Anu. 

[heinoushangar]

tagged by: @billrick -- thank you so much! this has been so nice to fill out since I’ve pretty much been dead for rps [ thanks sickness ] but still wanna write. ;v;

 tagging: yooooooou.

▌FACE CLAIM: If she had to have one, it’d probably be Fairuza Balk. ▌NAME: Claudia “Rosemary” Ó Faoláin-Phantomhive. ▌AGE: 18 - 36. Timeline dependent. ▌HEIGHT: 5′6′’. ▌ SPECIES: Human [ witch ]. ▌ GENDER: Female. ▌NATIONALITY: English. ▌BIRTHDAY: April 5th, 1830. ▌SUN SIGN: Aries. ▌RESIDENCE: Phantomhive Manor, in the misty outskirts of London. Past location was the Ó Faoláin cottage in uncharted forest territory of Winchester. ▌MARITAL STATUS: Married either publicly or secretly to Cedric K. Ros. Regardless, it was a secret pagan wedding through Handfasting in Winchester. ▌ALIGNMENT: Chaotic-Lawful Neutral/Evil. ▌DRINK: Rosemary tea with a splash of milk and three spoonfuls of sugar. Absinthe is fun in terms of alcohol, but only rarely - during those truly insomnic nights. ▌FOOD:  Rice pudding with roasted strawberries and light honey drizzle. Apple Barley Pudding. Leg of Lamb with rosemary and garlic. She has a softspot for sweet oatmeals, ok. Ciel got that sweet tooth from somewhere.   ▌DAY OR NIGHT: Daytime. She loves being in the sun. ▌SNACKS: Primarily strawberries, but she enjoys just having general berry bowls to snack from. Unfortunately due to the juice of some of them, she has to take breaks between paperwork so she doesn’t smudge up a letter to the Queen. Lemon Clovers is also among them as a nice snack. Claudia just loves edible plants.  ▌PET: Seven black borzois [ Fio, Chops, Silky, Athena, Ranger, Grove, Woodrow and Sicily - or ‘Sissy’ for short ] and a hefty yukon wolf [ Morríghan ]. All reared by her and faithful, although the wolf of course is not entirely domesticated seeing as it is a wolf and she knows this very well. Still, she keeps her under masterful control and she obeys, not striking out - especially when in the important presence of royalty. ▌COLOR: Forest green and Sapphire blue. ▌FLOWER: She loves pansies and honeysuckles! Honeysuckles a little more, tho. They have a nice, sweet taste. She even had a place for them near the house so she could walk outside and immediately pluck a bulb! Unfortunately, that went down with the fire.  ▌SEXUALITY: Bisexual, no preference. It’s honestly surprising she managed to connect to someone long enough to actually fall in love. Love takes time to build, and special circumstances in the friendship to ignite! But it came. ▌BODY TYPE: Slender and fit, defined muscle in stomach and arms when she flexes. Wide hips and a modest bust that ends up presentable through the daring corsets she wears, being pushed upwards! Due to her anemia, she has often quite the cool touch ---- especially during winter and cold autumns. She’s practically a walking, talking icicle that it’s actually a bit uncomfortable to be exposed to for so long without some warmth.  ▌EYE COLOR: Deep blue. ▌HAIR COLOR: Bluish-black, very silky. 

[alynecastro]

Morrígan (também sendo grafado como Mórrígan, Morrígu, Mórríghean, Mór–Ríogain), é uma Deusa dos povos celtas da Irlanda que muitas vezes é tida como patrona das sacerdotisas e das bruxas. Seu nome significa “Grande Rainha”, mas também pode significar “Rainha Fantasma” ou apenas “Terror”. Morrígan, como todas as deidades celtas, está associada as forças da natureza, ao poder sagrado da terra, o Grande Útero de onde toda a vida nasce e retorna depois da morte, para que a fecundidade e a criação da terra possam se renova. Por esse motivo, também é vista como uma Deusa da Morte e da Guerra, invocada antes das batalhas como a Deusa do Destino humano.

Associada com a vingança, a guerra e a morte no campo de batalha, algumas vezes é anunciada com corvos ou lobos entre as carcaças, ou em alguns casos até mesmo com o gado (embora sua associação com bovinos esteja ligada à fertilidade e o campo). Possui também, associações com os rios, pois durante a batalha de Moytura, é encontrada por Dagda às margens de um riacho, lavando as armaduras daqueles que ainda iriam morrer.

Dentro da mitologia, a Deusa possui o domínio da guerra, da vingança, da fertilidade, das premonições, da destruição, da morte em batalha, e da magia.

Suas qualidades possuem correlações, a guerra destrói, abrindo caminho para algo novo renascer. Para os celtas, a morte era um recomeço em um Outro Mundo, o início de um novo ciclo.

Vemos abaixo a etimologia de Morríghan:

“Mor” pode derivar de uma raizindo-europeia que significa “terror” ou “monstruosidade”, cognada com o inglês antigo “maere“(que sobrevive na palavra inglesa moderna “nightmare” ou “pesadelo”)e a palavra escandinava e eslavo "mara”com o mesmo significado e “pesadelo”; enquanto “Rígan” se traduz como “rainha”.

Consequentemente, Morrígan é traduzido frequentemente como “rainha fantasma”.

No Irlandês antigo "Mór-rígan" pode significar “Grande Rainha”, já que “mór” significa “grande”.