The featured image artwork is not mine but can be purchased here
“In the Lebor Gabala Erenn we are told “Delbaeth…has three daughters, the famous war-furies Badb, Macha, and Mórrígu, the latter sometimes called Anand or Danand.” (Macalister, 1941).”
When looking into The Morrigan you will come across a common idea that the name Morrigan depicts one deity, as well as a title for three separate deities – sisters. Badb and Macha seem to be constant and the third is depending on who you ask. Some say Anu, others Nemain, others say Danu, and I have even heard some other variations.
If you trace back Gods and Goddesses in general, you can see patterns where you have two deities that have a high likelihood of starting as one and then split into two (or more) in later generations. Perhaps this happened because the people wanted to be more clear or direct in what aspect they needed. It also may have to do with variations in tribes and what deities they considered as more prominent in their daily lives. As always you also have to include the variations that have come from Christian influence. Since most of the writings we do have were written by people influenced by Christianity, and the original tribe people themselves were influenced by it after invasions and ruler changes.
There are also similarities in deities from different pantheons, with small variations but same core ruling aspects. I am not saying they are the same deity but that they may be a part of the same larger energy pattern. The reason I bring up this theory is because it gives another perspective to what I want to talk about here.
Although my conscious journey with the Morrigan is still in its early phases, I have absolutely no feeling or connection to Badb and Macha as deity. I can see their aspects within The Morrigan, but I don’t see the separate entities. Perhaps that will change over time, but my current feeling is that it will not.
Perhaps I experience Her this way because I am a Source person. Which basically means I am a fan of working with core energies and do not like to break them down into more bite size pieces when I don’t have to. There are some very large and complex concepts and energy patterns that it is useful to break into smaller concepts to fully work through, understand and incorporate, however breaking a deity down, in my mind is different. If I am going to build a relationship with a deity, I want to experience them in their entirety, their wholeness. People are complex with many intricate pieces but we do not break them down into more manageable parts, so why would we do that with a deity we are connecting with on a deep level?
A friend of mine has been talking about building constructs of themselves while working in Chaos magic. Different versions, masks, or aspects of themselves in order to separate their whole self from a specific work and then merge it back into themselves when it is completed. I can see the benefit of this for some people, but for me it just seems like extra steps that don’t need to be there. I can also see some potential complications with this approach in the long term, but again this is due to my perspectives and how I work.
I am sure there will be some in the community who will not agree or perhaps even shun me for these thoughts, but in the end I have to be true to myself and my relationship with The Morrigan. How She appears and interacts with me. The path She wants me to walk. My path isn’t about other people agreeing with me and I am not trying to change anyone else’s beliefs. I am however talking to those who may feel the same as I do. Who may be experiencing The Morrigan in this way. Who may not see these aspects as separate deities. Who may not connect with the idea that she is a trinity in the sense of separate entities that come together as one.
I don’t think it is wrong because what I am talking about is my personal relationship with The Morrigan. Every relationship with deity is going to be different for different people because what we need, where we are, and what we have already been through is going to be different. My experience is no less valid from another’s just because it looks different. My respect for Her and the culture She comes from isn’t less because my experience of Her points me towards non mainstream concepts or different interpretations of the lore.
There is a lot of gatekeeping in many witchy and spiritual communities right now and it’s unnecessary. We shouldn’t be trying to convert people, or expecting them to have the same experiences as us or practice the way we do. We should be sharing with each other, supporting each other, and learning from the experiences of others. Of course that is just my perspective but that perspective will also guide how I personally walk this path.
I love listening to others talk about their experiences. Some I vibe with and understand, others I don’t but I also don’t dismiss them as less than mine. I get inspiration and ability to see with new perspectives by connecting with others. It is what can make social media an incredible tool.
I know I got a little side tracked here, but it is something that bothers me deeply when I see infighting about things of personal experience.
So back to topic… There are several articles and papers that have tackled the various ideas of who The Morrigan was. A Goddess in her own right, a trio of sisters combined, or just one of the three sisters. It seems there are many varied opinions on this. There is also archeological evidence that suggests She predates the Tuatha de Danann.
I find beauty in her mystery. She is such a pivotal Goddess yet shrouded in a fog of unknowns. Truly living up to her name Phantom Queen. I wonder if this is one of her draws and why we have similar, yet unique experiences with her.