Reddit Reddit reviews The Book of The Great Queen: The Many Faces of the Morrigan from Ancient Legends to Modern Devotions

We found 4 Reddit comments about The Book of The Great Queen: The Many Faces of the Morrigan from Ancient Legends to Modern Devotions. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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The Book of The Great Queen: The Many Faces of the Morrigan from Ancient Legends to Modern Devotions
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4 Reddit comments about The Book of The Great Queen: The Many Faces of the Morrigan from Ancient Legends to Modern Devotions:

u/Farwater · 16 pointsr/pagan

Thanks for this post. We do kind of need a Morrigan thread to end all Morrigan threads.

I think there are problems with the Morrigan's treatment on both ends of the spectrum. On one hand, we have the casual mall goths who find a dark and brutal goddess that seems specially crafted to hit every bullet on their edge cred, stick-it-to-the-man checklist. These people run the risk of approaching a powerful force for the wrong reason and in the wrong way. And they understandably catch flak from the buttoned-up adults in the room.

Then you have people who are so earnest about authenticity and their respect for the Morrigan's power, that they essentially try to scare off her would-be devotees (or, in some cases, just relentlessly mock them). The friends-don't-let-friends-worship-the-Morrigan crowd.

First of all, if the Morrigan actually wants you and you turn away from her, that is literally the textbook way to incur her wrath. Advising someone to ignore what they think might be her calling because you want them to play it safe strikes me as tragically ironic.

My other problem with these folk is that their "respect for her power" is so fearful is that they are effectively demonizing her. People need to stop treating her like a spooky demon. The conclusion of Mary Jones' Encyclopedia entry about the Morrigan really distills how we should think of our relationship to her, in my opinion:

> To refuse Morrigan is to reject the land and the gods.

For the simplest advice: I would just say that as long as you are on her side, she is on yours. Perhaps she will make a major demand of you, and you must be prepared to fulfill it if she does. But honestly I don't see that as likely. For the most part, I would say to just praise her and sacrifice to her and she will favor you.

Theologically, though, I think our entire concept of the Morrigan is fraught with complications. For starters, what can our relationship with her really be if we have no tribe and no true link to the land? Also, why do we keep talking about "her" as a singular, global goddess? Is the Morrigan you know really the Morrigan from Old Irish Mythology? Would every region have its own "Morrigan(s)"?

These are weighty, even existential questions that I think we need to discuss. I wouldn't say that you should refrain from making offerings and praise to her before they're answered (perhaps they will never be answered), but these are the real things that I think should give us pause when approaching her rather than the demonizing scaremongering.

> How do you tell? What do you think the signs of being called by the Morrigan look like?

I've never felt "called" by her, so I can't speak to that. She has been told to reveal her identity by taking the form of a crow, so trite as that may be, that is a legitimate sign to consider. Keep in mind, though, that the crow is associated with multiple Celtic deities. She does not have a monopoly on it. And of course, most of the time a crow is just a damned crow. They have their own lives too, you know.

> What do you think the signs of wishful thinking look like?

If you start feeling her call as soon as you learn about her. If you just saw a crow (or other blackbird) with no other clear indications. If you want to be her devotee, maybe you're committing confirmation bias. If the signs and signals are not at all like the lore or other people's experiences. If the signs and signals are a little bit too like the lore or others' experiences (seems a little pat, or on-the-nose). After all, the Morrigan is not really known for being singular or being quite the same way twice.

I think that's about all I have to say on the topic. I'm not a Morrigan expert, but that's my impression of the various issues that come up when newbs make Morrigan threads here. I would like to get Morpheus Ravenna's The Book of the Great Queen, as I've heard good things about it including that it pulls together some otherwise hard-to-find source material.

u/Seed_Eater · 8 pointsr/pagan

I'm sure the OP has a more defined answer but if I had to guess given the Celtic design on their wings it's probably in reference to The Morrigan, a trio of/triple-goddess in Celtic paganism. She is sometimes likened akin to Odin in that they are both war gods and deal with conflict and the battlefield slain, and there is some overlap in worship in Celtic-Germanic syncretism. Unlike Odin, who is typically symbolized with his 2 ravens, the Morrigan is symbolized with 3 crows. I'm not well read on her but her devotees have quite a bit to say if you want to know more.

u/Oak_Shaman · 7 pointsr/Paganacht

I recommend to get the following book and read it: The Book of The Great Queen: The Many Faces of the Morrigan from Ancient Legends to Modern Devotions https://www.amazon.com/dp/0990392716/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_W8ZtDbHEJK9PY

u/Selgowiros · 6 pointsr/pagan

Again, I don't necessarily think it's one of them. Corvids are fairly common symbols of different divine beings. Cathubodua, Eponá, Cath Badb (which is Cathubodua's interpretatio Hibernia), Bran, Odin, Woden, Lugus etc.

Shapeshifting too honestly.

HOWEVER, sure I can be wrong so I'll give you a few things to help you out.

The Great Queen by Morpheus Ravena has really good research done on the Morrigna (or Morrigan if you believe they are one entity).

There is this site by many priests of "The Morrigan", Coru Cathubodua, which includes Morpheus.

A few things to maybe help.