The modern-day narratives of Morgan le Fay are based on Christianized versions found in the Medieval Hagiographas of the Vulgate and Malory. She is depicted as an immorality and lustful temptress who tricks her brother. good King Arthur. into an incestuous relationship with her. ensuing in the unnatural birth of their boy. Mordred. She tricks Arthur’s ace. Merlin. into unwraping his charming secrets to her. so disposes of him inside the bole of a tree. or a crystal cave. She sows the seeds of discontent with chitchat against Lancelot and Queen Guinevere. steals the charming blade. Excalibur with it’s mending scabbard. plots the decease of Arthur with her assorted lovers. and finally contributes to the disintegration of the Round Table.
Yet. even in this version. Morgan was one of the three Queenss that retrieved Arthur’s fatally wounded organic structure from the Battle of Camlan on Salisbury Plain. and returned with him to the holy Isle of Avalon to mend him. for he is the Once and Future King. destined to return from the timeless faery island when Britain is in demand of him. Marian Zimmer Bradley deliverances Morgan le Fay from the Medieval beginnings. and tells the narrative from Morgan’s ain point of position. as late seen in the first-class film. The Mists of Avalon. based on her novel. Gaelic Narrative
Morgan was a Gaelic Queen. One of the definitions of the name Morgan is “Great Queen” ( Mohr Righan ) . which may hold been an ancient royal rubric. The early Celts were matriarchal. and during the passage from materfamilias to patriarchy. they went by Druidic tanist jurisprudence. intending the kingship was inherited by the King’s eldest sister’s boy ( harmonizing to Evangeline Walton’s version of the Mabinogian ) . Mordred was the true inheritor to the throne by ancient jurisprudence. non because he was Arthur’s boy. but because he was Arthur’s nephew. ( After all. if Guenevere had given birth. whose kid would it hold been – Arthur’s or Lancelot’s? ) The Christian churchmans. who supported the patriarchal jurisprudence of progenitor ( direct heritage from male parent to eldest boy within the bonds of matrimony ) . changed the facts of the narrative. doing Mordred the merchandise of an unhallowed. incestuous brotherhood between brother and sister in order to annul Mordred’s legitimacy and destruct the leftovers of the one time powerful matriarchal system. Gaelic Triple Goddess
But Morgan is far older than the Medieval Arthurian legends. Her name appears in all Celtic lands – Ireland. Scotland. Wales. England. Mann. Cornwall. and Brittany. As far off as Italy. She is called Fata Morgana which describes the mirages seen near the Straights of Messina. Morgan’s palace is said to be located under the H2O. I believe She is the 1 of the oldest Gaelic Goddesses. who traveled with the Gaelic people across the continent of Europe. There is even a lamia character in Polish folklore called “Morgano” which may be a distant leftover of Her. Morgan is the 3rd facet of the sacred three of the Triple Goddess. the kernel of the powerful Crone. Warrioress. Seductress. Although She is an senior Goddess. she is still brilliant in visual aspect – frequently beautiful but scaring. In many of the narratives. such as Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight. she can alter her visual aspect from an ancient beldam to a beautiful maiden. Irish Goddess of War and Death
In Ireland. She is called Morrighan ( or Morrigu ) . the Goddess of Battles and Death. She is a Queen among the Tuatha de Danaan. She is a shapeshifter who can take the form of a Corvus corax or crow at conflict sites. where She is Chooser of the Slain. In fable. She trained and armed some of Ireland’s greatest warriors. including Chuchulain. She is said to hold mated with the Irish God Dagda while straddling a river. The sensuous Battle Goddess seduced many Irish heroes and Gods. The Morrigan is besides known as the Washer at the Ford or the Washer of Shrouds. She is seen rinsing the armour of warriors in a watercourse. bawling and vaticinating their deceases. ( Many of Her fables take topographic point near H2O ) . She is associated with the bean sidhe ( banshie ) . the lamenting adult females who prophesy decease and sometimes take the form of Corvus coraxs. The Morrigan was besides a Seer. who prophesied the hereafter. She is sometimes called the Triple Goddess – with Her other facets being Badb. Macha. and Nemain. Scots Narratives
The unreliable vortex in the Inner Hebrides. normally known as the Corryveckan. is besides known as “Morrigan’s Cauldron” . Manx TaleIn Manx. there is a fable of a mermaid who lived in a brook on the Isle of Man. A immature boater fell in love with her and brought her an offering of apples. even seting an apple tree near the shore for her. It is said that he finally left. and she wandered the shores looking signifier him in vain. Apples and Mermaids are both signatures of Morgan’s many folk tales. Lady of the Lake
In Breton. France. Morgens are sea-women. H2O liquors or mermaids. The name Morgan has besides been translated as “of the sea” ( muirgen ) and is one of the names for the Lady of the Lake. She is associated with both Vivianne and Nimue. who are besides known as the Lady of the Lake. The western sea ( the Atlantic Ocean ) is where Her island of Avalon ( besides known as Ynys Avallach. the Isle of Apples and the Fortunate Isle ) is located – where She receives the dead and heals them of their earthly strivings. Could the names morgue. mortuary and morte besides be related to this Goddess of Death? Avalon is associated with Glastonbury Tor. which some fables say was one time a charming island surrounded by H2O. Morgan is one of the three Queenss that takes King Arthur’s organic structure to Avalon to mend. As a enchantress and therapist. she is said to cognize the power of both mending and toxicant herbs. In Avalon. She presided over nine priestess’s who were prophetesses and therapists. Avalon is known to hold been an oracular centre.
Some believe that Avalon was a Druidic college for priestesses of women’s enigmas. Certain mending Wellss are besides sacred to Her in Britain – known as Morgan’s Wellss. In one Arthurian fable. King Uther Pendragon was obsessed with lecherousness for Morgan’s female parent. Ygraine. With Merlin’s aid. Uther tricked her into kiping with him by taking on the form of Ygraine’s hubby. the Duke of Gorlois. after he had already murdered the Duke. Her new stepfather could non stay Morgan since she suspected him of his ignoble title. so Uther sent Morgan to Ygraine’s sister. Viviane – the mother superior at the convent on Avalon. Here. safe among the nuns. Morgan was taught the art of black magic. She furthered her instruction in thaumaturgy as a pupil of Merlin’s when she came to King Arthur’s tribunal. During this passage clip between the old faith and the new. the convent could good hold been a Druidic college for adult females. Goddess of the Holy Well
In Irish folklore. there is a Christian fable of Murgewn ( Sea Born ) or Murgelt ( Mermaid ) . a miss who left a sanctum good uncovered. which flooded the field. She lived under the H2O for 100s of old ages in the form of a salmon. with her Canis familiaris in the form of an otter. Finally. she was caught by the priests and given Christian baptism. She “died a holy virgin and still works admirations of mending in Ireland. ” Fairy Queen
Morgan le Fay besides means “Morgan of the Fairies” . and is one of the names of the Fairy Queen. In Scots folklore there are two fairy tribunals. the Seelie Court ( kindly faeries ) . and the Unseelie Court ( arch faeries ) . I suspect Morgan of being Queen of the Unseelie Court! The Dark fairies are besides known as the Dubh Sithian. Real Estate Goddess
Morgan is said to have three enchanted palaces in Britain – Castle Chariot. Belle Garde. and the Castle of the Valley of No Return. She is besides said to ain palaces under the H2O. such as the one under the Straights of Messina. She besides reigns over Avalon – the Isle of Apples. All her lands are associated with healing. Sexual activity Goddess
In fable. Morgan/Morrigan has many consorts – Dagda. Arthur. Merlin. The Green Knight ( The Green Man? ) . King Uriens. Sir Accolon. Ogier the Dane. and the Fairy King. ( She was. nevertheless. unsuccessful in Her command for the fondnesss of Sir Lancelot and Chuchulain. ) Goddess of Many Names
She has many properties. associations and rubrics – Queen of Fairy. Mermaid. Sea Priestess. Healer. Teacher. Prophetess. Mother Goddess. Moon Goddess. Queen of Witches. Queen of the Otherworld. Shapeshifter. Enchantress. Sorceress. Raven Queen. Seducer. Trickster. Warrior. Destroyer. Chooser of the Slain. Bean Sidhe. Phantom Queen. and Queen of Ghosts. Morgan is similar to many other chthonian Goddesss – Oya. Kali. Hecate. Cailleach. Cerridwen. Hel. Lilith. Baba Yaga. Raganas. Circe. Medea. Erishkigal. and Isis. Alternate Names and Spellings
Morgan. Morgen. Morgana. Morgaine. Morgause. Morrigan. Morrigna. Morven. Morganwg. Morvenna. Morwenna. Mor Riorghain. Muirgen. Murgewn. Murgelt. Modern Role ModelMorgan is a perfect divinity and function theoretical account for adult females ( and work forces ) who wish to “take their power” in this universe. She teaches us how to protect ourselves. mend ourselves and take control of our lives and manifest what we need for a truly joyful life. She leads us into the interior enigmas and thaumaturgy of our Gaelic heritage. Correspondences:
ColorssRed – sexual passion and warGreen – healing and Faerie thaumaturgyBblack – decease. power. enigma and wisdomElementssWater – Lady of the Lake. mermaid facetAir – shapeshifting to raven and gloatEarth – abode in the Isle of ApplesFire – warrior facetPlanetsVenus – seductiveaspectsRed planets – warrior inclinationsSaturn – hag. decease. metempsychosisZodiac SignScorpio – sex. secretiveness. the supernatural. and deceaseMoon stages:Full Moon – healing and fairy thaumaturgyDark Moon – black magic. prophesy and enigma Her energy seems to flux from Full Moon to Dark Moon. during the waning period. although a divinity this powerful can be called upon at any clip. She has no bounds. Numbers:
Three – She is portion of the Triple Goddess and is sometimes referred to in three facets – the Three Morrigans being Nemainn. Badb and Macha ) Nine – She is the leader of the nine priestesses of Avalon
Feast or Holy DayThe Morrigan is said to hold mated with the Irish God. Dagda on November 1st. which is besides Samhain. It is the lone day of the month I have found in mention to Her. November is the waning clip of twelvemonth. between Samhain and Yule ( the season of Ghosts ) . during the clip of Scorpio. Trees/plants
Apple tree – She resides on the Isle of Apples. and they are a really charming fruit in Gaelic tradition. Yew tree – the tree of deceaseBlackthorn tree – the tree of black magicHerbs – both healing and toxicant herbs would be sacred to Her. FoodApples and herbal flavorer. Her association with apples recalls the narrative of Snow White who was fed a poisoned apple by a wicked queen. Drink:Apple juice. apple vino. sloe gin ( from the blackthorn berries ) Rocks:Quartz crystal – particularly smoky quartz and can be used for scrying. Any dark ruddy or black rocks – obsidian. jet. onyx. black tourmaline. garnet Ritual ToolsWand – apple. sloe or yew ; caldron ( for Her magic brews ) ; howitzer and stamp ( for Her herbal mixtures ) ; Pentacle ( harmonizing to Caitlin and John Matthews. the pentagram was Morgan’s crest ) . athame – ( to direct Her magical will ) ; dark mirror ( She was said to work Her thaumaturgy with a dark mirror ) . dark crystal. arms and armour ( for Her warrior facet ) ; blade and scabbard ( She was the shaper and wielder of Excalibur and it’s scabbard ) ; cup ( She was the keeper of the Holy Grail. harmonizing to Marian Zimmer Bradley. which in earlier times was the Sacred Cauldron ) ; masks – particularly raven and gloat or dark Moon faces. Amulets
Raven images and plumes ; apples ( fruit. seed. wood. flower ) . pentagram. sea shells. illumination palaces. dark Moons and crescents. blade and scabbard ( full sized or as jewellery ) . caldron. cup. dark rocks and crystals. Geography
The sea. islands in the sea ( Avalon ) . lakes. rivers. medicative herb gardens. hayfields. woods and forests where medicative and toxicant herbs grow. sacred Grovess of apple or yew. blackthorn hedges. burial hills and barrows. cemeteries. conflict sites. Formula
Morgan le Fay oil. incense or pulverization: 9 apple seeds ( for Avalon ) . yew ( for Death ) . dragon’s blood ( for Warriors ) . honey ( for seduction ) . willow ( for captivation ) . mugwort ( for prognostication ) . sweet cicely ( for the dark Moon ) . wormwood ( for dark thaumaturgy ) . emerald bit ( for the fairies ) . Should ever be either three or nine ingredients. Rituals
A Priestess or Priest dedicated to Morgan is working in the Morganian or Avalonian tradition. I have written many rites for Morgan. She has so many different facets that no 1 rite could make Her justness. and She invariably inspires me to compose more and more about Her. Here are some that I have written. I have many more rites ( and narratives ) “in progress” . Samhain ( Oct. 31 ) or Morgan’s Feast Day ( Nov. 1 ) Preparation: The perfect site for a Morgan rite is the sea. a lake. a watercourse. a river. or a sacred grove of trees of hayfield. If indoors. maintain either fresh or sea H2O on the communion table. You will necessitate a scythe. caldron. castanetss and skulls. black and white goblets. sloe gin and apple juice. The High Priestess should have on black or dark robes. with a spot of ruddy. Her jewellery should be dark. A raven motive is ever welcome. There are many fantastic raven designs in vesture and jewellery among Gaelic and Native American craftspeople. A dark Moon face or raven mask would be perfect. The High Priest may be robed in wizard’s robes. such as Merlin might have on. The Circle is drawn in Air. Water. Fire and Earth.
Morgan: We are about to gyrate between the universes to a clip that is non a clip. a topographic point that is non a topographic point and a twenty-four hours that is non a twenty-four hours. Elementss:Air Power of Ravens. bringers of visible radiationWater Power of Mermaids. steer our sightFire Power of Warriors. our will fire brightEarth Power of Herbs. land this rite.Invocation of Morgan:Lady of the Apple TreesKeeper of the Western Breeze.Morgan. come to us now!
Defender of the sacred goodSpeaker of the healing enchantmentMorgan. come to us now!Mistress of the Dark Moon NightOnyx Corvus corax. bold in flightMorgan. come to us now!Teacher of warriors. and of sex.Of enchantments that remedy and enchantments that jinxMorgan. come to us now!Bean Sidhe by the river Ford
Wielder of the Sacred SwordMorgan. come to us now!Lady of the Sacred LakeWhere Excaliber. She did doMorgan. come to us now!Ruler of the faery hillQueen of Fay. She is crowned
Morgan. come to us now!Goddess of life. decease. re-birthAncient One. Oh. Mother EarthMorgan. come to us now! ! !Invocation of the God:Who Is he?He is the air current that gives voice to the trees.He is the Lord of Air.Who Is he?He is the Stag King supporting his does.He is the Horned One.Who Is he?He is the sea doing love to the shore.He is the Selkie.Who Is he?He is the mountain guarding the land.He is the Lord of Earth.Who is he?He is the Forest. the Meadow. the Wild.He is the Green Man.Who Is he?He is a circle of standing rocks.He is the Sentinel of Eternity.Who Is he?He is the fire along the blade of a blade.He is the Lord of Battle.Who Is he?He is the crystal on the Crown of his staff.He is the Mage.Who Is he?He is the vocal in the strings of his harp.He is the Bard.Who Is he?He is All.Morgan holds aloft a crystal ball or dark mirror.
( Faces East ) We turn to the East and open the Gate and inquire the Crone to state us our Destiny. ( Faces South ) We turn to the South and open the Door and inquire the Mage to state us His traditional knowledge. ( Faces West ) We turn to the West and open the Portal and inquire the Seers our hereafter to announce. ( Faces North ) We turn to the North and open the Way and inquire the Old Ones to fall in us this twenty-four hours. Morgan and Merlin hold the scythe above their caputs and sing. Morgan/Merlin: All must go through between us. the Veil of Death awaits. but the rhythm of metempsychosis goes on and on. Participants pass beneath the scythe in silence. When they have gathered on “the other side” . Morgan leads them to a specially prepared topographic point of speculation. Decorate the country with castanetss and skulls ( made of rock or ceramic ) . and dark fabrics and threads. Possibly a little rock barrow could be constructed to stand for the burial hills of our mighty Gaelic ascendants.
Morgan offers them a sip of sloe gin ( from the blackthorn tree ) . The participants are left to contemplate their decease. Music could be quietly played. Before go forthing. Morgan asks them. Morgan: Are you prepared for decease? Did you carry through everything you needed in this life-time? Are at that place any declinations or unfinished concern? Possibly. if you are lucky. I will give you another opportunity. After a suited sum of clip for speculation. Morgan and Merlin hold up an applewood staff or wand above their caputs and sing: Morgan/Merlin: All must go through between us. the Veil of Life awaits. but the rhythm of metempsychosis goes on and on. Rejoicing participants pass beneath the wand to the land of the life. Cakes and wine consist of apples and apples juice ( or apple vino ) – the fruit of immortality. After the meal. Morgan can take the group in scrying. imparting. or the devising of charming potions. all humanistic disciplines that Morgan was historically associated with. The Circle is unfastened. but unbroken. Merry Meet and Merry Part and Merry Meet once more. And May the Gods Preserve the Trade!
Another Morgan rite. for herb doctors. accoucheuses and therapists: Morgan should be sitting on a green fabric on the land in forepart of a tree of wisdom ( or performed near the sea or riverside ) . Before Her are two persons and stamps – one made of black stuff. with a pinch of toxicant herbs. the other made of white stuff. with a pinch of mending herbs. In forepart of Morgan is the traditional caldron full of H2O on a tripod. with a fire underneath. Morgan: I am keeper of Nature’s secrets. I know where to garner the herbs that heal and those that injury. ( She pours the contents from the white bowl into the caldron and splashs with a spoon. ) To follow My ways. you must go the Gray way between Black and White. To work with Me. you must cognize the Dark side of the Moon. every bit good as the bright. The universe of the Necromancer is a dusky universe. ( As Morgan stirs. She sings: ) Mending fire. firing true
Take my ailments away with you.Power rises in your steam.Send to me a mending dream.With flower. herb. root and treeMake me good and put me free.All that need mending may come Forth for a sip of the brew. Note – this ritual should be done by person who is a competent herb doctor. This would be a good clip to learn the participants to acknowledge toxicant and good herbs in the natural state. If the Priestess is non a knowing herb doctor. safe shop bought herbs should be used such as camomile. Mentha piperita. rose hip. etc. Invocations
Invocation to the Arthurian Triple Goddess:Holy Fairy Maiden. Nimue. Nimue.New Moon. come to us!Lake of the Lake. Viviane. Viviane.Full Moon. come to us!Ancient Queen of Witches.Morrigan. Morrigan.Dark Moon. Come to Us
Invocation to Morgan at Dark Moon:Lady of NightIn this dark hrShare with usYour charming powerIn Dark of Moonand nothingness of visible radiationWe celebrateThe Morgan’s Night
In working with a priest. a complimentary supplication is:By Ash Tree’s wellband Merlin’s rocksBy Bladud’s enchantmentsand Shaman’s castanetssIn Dark of Moonand Void of visible radiationwe celebratethe Mage’s dark.
Upon completion of working:May the workwe do this eveningbe complete‘fore Moon’s foremost lightOn this darkof Moon’s metempsychosisMay we portionwith love and hilarity.Morganian Moon CycleWorking with Morgan can be both powerful and unsafe. She works in both the visible radiation and the dark. going a dusky way between. She is both therapist and destroyer. immature and old. compassionate and vengeful. passionate and bloody. beautiful and atrocious. frivolous and cryptic. She demands bravery. dedication. trueness and imaginativeness from Her followings. And what She gives in return. is wisdom. Moon Cycles
The Moon Cycle of Morgan begins at Full Moon and moves throughout the WaningPhase to Dark Moon. Her most powerful facet. so back to Full once more. Full Moon
Morgan is Queen of the timeless Faerie Isle – Avalon. where She is Goddess of Healing and Prophecy. She is besides a Sea Goddess and Her island can be found at the terminal of the silver way the Moon dramatis personaes upon the Western Sea. As the Lade of the Lake. any working near a lake can raise Her presence. As Washer at the Ford. She can be found at rivers every bit good. This is a good clip to inquire for H2O thaumaturgy – love. dreams. young person. healing and prosperity. Use your Cup or Cauldron. filled with H2O. in your ritual tonight. Dedicate nine apples to Her and put them adrift in a organic structure of H2O. Meditate on going the Ag Moon way to the Fortunate Isles and inquire Her approval. Dance near H2O. Swim. Visit a well and give it to Her for the dark. If you have a blade and scabbard dedicated to Her. tonight you work with the mending scabbard. If you have a clear vitreous silica ball. tonight She will uncover Herself to you within the crystal. Waning Moon
Morrigan is a Warrior Goddess. a conflict Corvus corax. a banshie. and Washer of Shrouds. This is a good clip to inquire Her for bravery. fortitude. and strength in your conflicts. and for protection against antagonists. She can be invoked in ostracizing. binding. and cussing rites. Use fire to raise Her during this period. Remember – She armed and trained warriors in Ireland. and in some fables. forged Excalibur to support Britain. Tonight use Her blade. or a blackthorn or yew wand to name Her. Dark Moon
The Queen of Witches regulations the darkest dark of the month. This is a clip of passion. secrets and black magic – a clip to allow your dark side free. Dark Moon is like Samhain – it is a clip for fascinating. divination. pass oning with the dead. This is the one dark of the month when liquors are free to roll – shades. banshies. barrow creatures. devils. and apparitions. Morgan regulations them all this dark. This would be a good dark to see barrows. hills. caves. or graveyards. Tonight you invoke Her with Earth. She is a shapeshifter – a adult female and Corvus corax. hag and seductress – so if you want to experiment with transmutation. tonight is the dark! Morgan le Fay worked her thaumaturgy with a dark mirror. Find one. and name Her image into it. She is besides associated with the Grail. which in antediluvian times. was the Celtic Cauldron of Rebirth. Tonight. brew up charming with your ain caldron. Waxing Moon
Morgan’s lighter side emerges as the Moon waxes. and one time once more. She moves into her Faerie facet. This is a clip for enchantments of young person. beauty and phantasy. Look for Her in apple groves. or near fairy trees such as senior and hawthorn. Read fairy tales. re-read Alice in Wonderland. travel into a hayfield or wood and happen the door to the faery kingdom and turn immature once more! This is a clip of reclamation. Work with an apple wand. raven plumes. air current and air. Morgan Meditation
Wearing dark robes. have participants seated comfortably around a steaming caldron filled with simmering mugwort. The exhausts will assist heighten this speculation. Imagine yourself walking though a dusky forests. Around you are ancient and powerful trees. This forests contains all your favourite trees – apple. oak. willow. birch. European mountain ash. Pomaderris apetala. ash. hawthorn. sloe. alder. senior. There is a soft zephyr. and the trees seem to be whispering to you in their ancient lingua. As the forests grow darker. you hurry down the writhing way to an unknown finish. Suddenly from the subdivision of a brilliant alder tree. a immense black Corvus corax takes flight and flies before you. down the way. and disappears. You follow the bird down the way between the trees. There is a freshness in the darkness. The way opens up to a little grove in the center of the trees. And in the centre of the glen is a caldron. set on a tripod. with a crepitating fire underneath. You are hungry. but the olfactory property is an unfamiliar. ferine. woodsy odor. Your hungriness slices.
You notice the Corvus corax on a tree subdivision near the way at the boundary line of the glen. gazing at you with glittering light-green eyes. You look around to see who tends the fire. and looking back toward the Corvus corax. you find alternatively. a figure shrouded in dark robes. walking easy toward you. The face beneath the goon is unseeable. merely the glow of white custodies shows within the creases of the arms. The figure is keeping a big ladle. and walks past you to the caldron. From a pouch at her waist. the figure pours what looks like herbs into the caldron. so stirs with the ladle. You hear a low sultry female voice mutter in a linguistic communication you have ne’er heard. She turns to you and throws back her goon. uncovering her face. She is beautiful. with long jet black hair with a intimation of ruddy bordering her pale face. She wears a black crescent shaped treasure on a circlet on her forehead above big emerald green eyes. reflecting the fire beneath the caldron. She smiles at you. a bewitching smiling. and you find yourself smiling back. “I am Morgana. In fables I am called Morgan le Fay. ”
She introduces herself to you. “And what are you called? ” You stammer your name. awed by Her beauty and the power in Her deep. rich voice. which seems to resound through the forests. The air seems to twirl around Her. fondling Her. raising Her hair gently around Her face. Her green eyes dance in amusement as She watches you. She turns and scoops up a ladleful of the pungent brew from the steaming caldron. and offers some to you. Her agaze eyes reminds you of the Corvus corax. and you are compelled to take the ladle and drink. You are all of a sudden nauseated. dizzy. and disoriented. your legs give out beneath you. and you crash to the land. panting for breath. Poisoned! Diing! Dark! But no. you are still witting. You try to shout. but merely pull off a rough croak. You stretch out your weaponries. and happen yourself surrounded on both sides by immense black plumes beckoning in the air.
On the lip of the caldron dances the Corvus corax with glittering green eyes. You realize that you. holding rummy from the stock of the Corvus corax. have become a Corvus corax. The other bird flies off. set downing on the subdivision of a tree. and delaies for you. You try your wings. Awkwardly. you flap what was one time your weaponries. Then strongly. quickly. you move your wings and take flight. Unsteady at first. you bit by bit learn to equilibrate. to counterbalance. equalise. to direct your flight. and you follow whom you now know to be Morgan the Raven. into the dark. Listen to the dark. to the sound of the air current through the trees. to the sound of your wings as you move through the eventide sky. to your bosom as it beats in beat with the existence. See the huge wood of trees below you. environing the town you came from. and the mountains beyond the forest surrounded in mist. Look up and see the distant stars supra you as they move in a slow stately coiling. organizing the tremendous Universal Maze. Hidden someplace in that labyrinth is the secret of the Dark Moon. Slowly you spiral about and around inside the turning labyrinth.
Your journey has brought you to the centre of the labyrinth. and now I will uncover Her secret to you. The Dark Side of the Moon is the Cauldron of Morrigan. It is the Black Hole in infinite that takes in everything and gives nil. All visible radiation and life are sucked deeper and deeper. heavier and heavier into that caldron of darkness. In that huge uterus. life and visible radiation are gathered until She explodes. giving pulsating. radiating birth. funneling new life into the nothingness. She is the First Mother. the Mother of All Things. Weaver of the Great Web on whose togss all the gyrating galaxies. nebulas. Suns. stars. universes and Moons are caught.
Through the eons. Morgan has poured out the contents of Her caldron and planed the universe anew. merely to reap and garner it one time once more. in a ne’er stoping form of birth. decease and reclamation. You are lying on the land. in the centre of the grove. The caldron is empty and cold. and the Corvus corax is nowhere to be seen. But on the land next to you is a brilliant reflecting black raven’s plume. That is Morgan’s gift to you. a reminder of your journey. for you are one of the Wise Ones now. one of the Elders. and a Priest or Priestess of the Great Morrigan.
Bibliography
Books
Daughter of Tintagel. Fay Sampson. Headline. London. 1992Palaces. David Day. Alan Lee. Bantam Books. N. Y. . 1984Crystal Cave. The Hollow Hills and The Last Enchantment. Mary Stewart. Fawcett Crest. N. Y. . 1973. 1979 Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend. Miranda J. Green. Thames and Hudson. London. 1992 Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft. Rosemary Ellen Guiley. Facts on File Publishers. N. Y. . 1989 Hallowquest. Tarot Magic and the Arthurian Mysteries. Caitlin and John Matthews. Aquarian Press. Northhamptonshire. 1990 King Arthur Companion. Phyllis Ann Kar. Pendragon. 1983
Ladies of the Lake. Caitlin and John Matthews. Aquarian Press. London. 1992 Charming Name. Ted Andrews. Llewelyn. St. Paul. MN 1991Merlin Tarot. R. J. Stewart. Aquarian Press. Northamptonshire. 1988 Mists of Avalon. Marion Zimmer Bradley. Alfred A Knopf Publishers. N. Y. . 1983 Myth. Legend and Romance. An Encyclopedia of the Irish Folk Tradition. Dr. Daihi O. Hogan. Prentice Hall Press. N. Y. 1991 Mythology of the British Isles. Georffey Ashe. Trafalgar Square Publishing. Vermont. 1990 Sea Priestess. Mistress of Magic. Dion Fortune. Star Books. London. 1976 Secret Tradition in Arthurian Legend. Gareth Knight. Aquarian Press. Northamptonshire. 1983 Ancient Sources ( I have found mention to these plants in modern beginnings )History of the Kings of Britain. Geoffrey Monmouth. 12th Century Morte d’Arthur. Malory
VulgateProphetic Vision of Merlin’s Prophesies. Anon. 1135Gesture PicturesExcalibur. Produced by John Boorman. Orion Pictures. 1981. Helen Mirren plays Morgana Sir Gawain and the Green Knight ( stats unknown. but Sean Connery plays the Green Knight! ) Mists of Avalon by Marian Zimmer Bradley
ArtArthurian Tarol Cards. Caitlin and John Mathews ( text ) and Miranda Gray ( art ) . Aquarian Press. Northamptonshire. 1990 Lady of the Lake. Goddesses Calendar. Susan Seddon Boulet. Pomegranate Calendars and Books. 1991 Merline Tarot Cards. R. J. Stewart ( text ) . Miranda Gray ( art ) . Aquarian Press. Northamptonshire. 1988 Morgan and Urien. Will Bradley. 1902 ( repreinted in the Witch’s Almanac. 1994 ) Morgan le Fay. The Goddess Calendar. Hanra Janto. Llewelyn Publications. 1992
