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Introduction: The Call of the Morrigan
The Morrigan flies through the pages of history and myth like an uncontainable whirlwind. Upon ancient battlefields she appeared as a raven, her wild shrieks and battle cry killing men where they stood. She could be a beautiful lusty maiden one minute and a fearsome hag the next. To some she appeared as a phantom, washing the blood-stained clothes of those destined to die along lonely river banks; to others she brought unparalleled victory and protection. The Morrigan is full of mystery, magick, and contradictions. She is powerful and wise but not always benevolent, her nature not always apparent at first glance, her wisdom not easily earned. Is she a tutelary goddess, or a goddess of war? Is she a friend to the Irish hero Cúchulain, or his greatest enemy? Is she loving or spiteful? In Irish mythology, the Morrigan refuses to be boxed into just one role. Just when you think you've figured her out, she changes shape and becomes something else (as a shape-shifter, this seems only fitting). Although she is commonly labeled as a goddess of battle, this is an oversimplification of a very dynamic deity. Like many goddesses of the Celtic pantheon, the Morrigan fills multiple roles: she is a goddess of war, of fertility, of sovereignty, and of magick, all at once.
It isn't surprising that the Morrigan is perhaps one of the most popular Celtic goddesses in modern Paganism. She exudes an air of confidence, power, and magick. She survives in various incarnations within the Celtic tradition, as a goddess, faery woman, ghostly phantom, and mortal queen. Today she remains a popular protagonist in fiction, such as in Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon and Pat O'Shea's The Hounds of the Morrigan.
Yet despite this, her myths and importance in the Celtic pantheon are often misunderstood. For many, her reputation as a goddess of death and war makes the Morrigan an intimidating figure to work with. Although nineteenth-century scholars interpreted her as a goddess of war, this is not precisely correct. At times she does bring about death, participate in battle, and protect warriors; but she is more accurately called a goddess of sovereignty. She is the patroness of those who wield power, whether it is the power of kingship, prowess on the battlefield, the power over life and death, or personal power.
My own experiences with the Morrigan began a few years after my initiation into Witchcraft. At the time, my life had been very chaotic and a goddess personifying victory over life's battles and inner strength was quite appealing. But even when the Morrigan began to make her presence known in my life, I hesitated to call upon her. Never one to be ignored, the Morrigan then began getting my attention in dramatic ways. Crows, one of her totem animals, began taking an unusual interest in my home, my office, and even my car. When I left for work in the morning, there was always at least one crow perched on top of my car; sometimes it seemed like an entire flock! At first I thought they were attracted to the garbage cans we kept near my usual parking spot, but after moving the cans to the other side of the house and even attempting to park my car elsewhere, my mornings continued to begin with the harsh cries of some very curious birds. At work my boss asked me if I was feeding the crows, since there was almost always one perched on the window ledge next to my desk several times a day. Several people "coincidently" (but we know there are no mere coincidences in a magickal life) lent me books that mentioned the Morrigan or Morgan le Fay, or fantasy novels featuring goddesses that bore a strong resemblance to her. I had remarkably vivid dreams where the Morrigan appeared in both human and animal form.
