The Morrigan has three distinct aspects that the majority of people can agree upon. Sovereignty, War / Battle, and Prophecy. In my own practice, these aspects are connected and woven together as one. Aspects that build upon each other and work together. They are concepts that can be found in our day to day lives, our magical practice and growth, and for me, deeper understanding of these aspects in The Morrigan.
So today I wanted to share my thoughts on each of these aspects. Remember each person is going to have their own interpretations, ideas, and practices, these are just mine. Perhaps they will give you something to reflect on or inspire ideas within you and your practice.
Sovereignty
In our modern age the word sovereignty has gotten a little muddied and is used in ways such as personal freedom. Sovereignty is not about freedom, it is about duty, responsibility, and service. It is not the right to rule over something, it is the responsibility to rule over it rightly. Even when talking about sovereignty of self, there is a responsibility to govern yourselves responsibly or you risk losing parts of yourself.
In my practice I also see sovereignty as the learning and life stage of the life- death- rebirth cycle. In order to be in service of something, to be responsible for it, to protect it, we have to understand it, whether within ourselves or outside of us. This stage is where we are gathering knowledge, testing ideas, setting boundaries, building our perspectives of it through experience, understanding relationships/ connections, and duality in all aspects of life. We are coming to our own perspectives through our experiences, and creating our own boundaries, philosophies, and governing rules as we do so.
Respect is a core aspect of understanding sovereignty. Respect gives us the directives, or directions, for the world outside of ourselves and within ourselves. The realization of the duality between ourselves and other living beings. The perspective, that at the core, we are a pattern of energy, other living beings are a pattern of energy, that all patterns of energy hold the same potential of processes, and deserve the same considerations as we would give ourselves. In essence intrinsic dignity. What makes us different is our experiences and knowledge which shape our perspectives and actions.
Respect starts with an inward journey, because if we do not know respect for ourselves, how can we give it to others?
If we talk negatively about ourselves, either in mind or spoken words, we are disrespecting ourselves. You can make mistakes, after all that is how we learn and grow – through mistakes, but by saying things such as “I was so stupid” you have taken that learning experience and created a negative mindset for yourself, convincing yourself that you do not have the potential to achieve success.
As young women and men, we have all these outside sources telling us we have to look and act a certain way in order to be loved. When we start to internalize those thoughts and take ownership of them. By doing this we are giving up our own sovereignty of self view and giving it over to another’s. We are disrespecting and killing our potential to achieve that love.
In the witching community you will see a lot of people talk about specific types of magic such as divination or protection magic for examples. Inevitably someone will call their alignment with that specific type of magic a “gift” and someone else in the conversation will assume that they do not have the potential to achieve the same result. This again is disrespecting yourself and not believing we all have the same potential when it comes to magic. The problem is more with how we view a “gift” but in essence let’s say that the first person was just expressing that this type of magic came more naturally to them, and this is because their energy is more tuned to that particular frequency. The second person may not have that same frequency in their energy so they are going to have to study and work much harder to achieve their goal. Through this work, they are aligning themselves with that energy and its particular vibration so they can work that magic.
Now let’s look at the flip side of this. Let’s say the first person was using the statement of “gift” in a way to make themselves feel above others, special, or that only certain people can achieve this magic. This is an example of outward disrespect. It comes from ego and sometimes even fear. It’s where you see a lot of gatekeeping and abuse of power in our community, because those people are not seeing the same potential of others within themselves. They have taken sovereignty to a place of control and personal gain, instead of protecting and guiding those things which they believe or care for.
We have to know that we have the same potential as anyone else. Some things may naturally come easier to one person because they are more aligned to that energy or vibration, while another may have to consciously work harder to get that alignment. The important thing to remember though, is both have the same potential to achieve that alignment.
Through respect, we achieve the goals of sovereignty, and earn the right to have sovereignty.
Battle
Battle is a necessary part of life and growth. It is unavoidable.Humanity has evolved because people challenged set ideas, or through imagination and experimentation found new truths. Battle occurs when old ideas are challenged by new ideas. For some, the old ideas are comforting, they are familiar, they have proven history, and the new ideas present a threat to their perceived truth. If a new idea completely disregards a previously accepted truth, some will fight and cling even harder because not only has it evolved, they have to face the fact that a belief they once held was wrong. For some reason being wrong or making mistakes has become demonized, but in truth it is how we learn and grow. If we are not making mistakes, we are not trying.
At the core of every battle exists Integrity. Integrity gives us the directives to become a state of wholeness. Wholeness between our energy and its frequency. Wholeness between ourselves and the world we live in. To be honest with ourselves and live that honesty with our actions. In order to be fair in our dealings with others, we must first learn to be fair with ourselves. If we expect to be treated with decency, we must also act with decency. In order to show courage, we must feel courage. In order to be consistent in our actions, we must first be consistent with our thoughts.
Within sovereignty and respect we built our personal rules or guidelines of what we choose to be guardians of and how we protect it. Guardianship aligns the thoughts of our inner self with the actions of our outer self. To know we can not own or control another being, we can only guide or influence. To know we can not change someone else, we can only change ourselves. By letting the lessons of sovereignty and respect guide us, it eliminates the ego aspects. It makes us into a protector that is strong enough to fight when needed but also wise enough to know when we should.
In my practice, Battle is the Death aspect. It is the point where we are in reflection of what we built in sovereignty. We are challenging what we think we know, what we believe, the boundaries we set, and why we protect certain things. In the magical community it is often done through shadow work. Turning our eye inward and taking an honest look at the whys. This can apply to something within yourself or something in your outside world. There are times where our perspective has changed because we have new information or a new experience that questions our preconceived one. We are tearing our old perspective down to bone, in order to build it back up. You see, death is the moment before transformation. Destruction has to occur in order to give way for new growth. Thus battle must happen in order for balance to be restored.
When we become unbalanced it is due to either an inner conflict or an outer one. Inner conflict is generally about learning new information that challenges a preconceived truth and the inner battle must happen. This process is good to do often, to ensure we are always moving forward, growing, and keeping an open mind perspective. Sometimes the old will stay true, sometimes it will just be adjusted a little, and sometimes it will be completely replaced. None of these are bad things as long as we are doing the work with Integrity.
Outer conflicts, more often than not, comes from a place of ego. Where a sovereign has allowed their ego to spill in and selfish motives surface. Where the person becomes possessive of what they guard. Where the fear of loss, perceived or real, becomes the driving force of their guardianship. Where they feel they are entitled or more special than another by putting themselves on a pedestal. Guardianship drives itself to battle when we start becoming possessive of what we guard or to control what we do not possess.
I see this more than I would like in our pagan community. Someone dedicates themselves to a certain practice. They have their own connections, experiences, interpretations, and beliefs. These are all really good things until their egos take the guardianship of their personal connection to a place of authority and ownership over others. This thinking has led them away from the concept of respect, the thought that everyone has the potential, and into ego, thinking that if others do not follow their ways, or share their opinions and experiences, then they are unworthy or untruthful.
No matter how we got there, whether by a real threat or a perceived threat, the next stage is battle. Battle emerges from an imbalance, two opposing forces, one fighting for balance and one fighting for dominance.
Personal integrity plays a large role in the way we fight our battles and how we see ourselves when the dust has cleared. If we fight with integrity, in balance with our personal morals and rules for ourselves, in service to our sovereignty and with respect, then no matter how the battle ends, we can walk away whole. If we fight from a place of ego, dominance, or fear, then all of those imbalances will still be there when the battle is done and perpetuate an ongoing war.
Peace is often the most overlooked aspect of batte, yet after every battle there is a perceived victor and loser and both must still co-exist in the world. The problems and emotions do not always disappear with the conclusion of a battle but both sides must find a way to live together in harmony once again, to create peace in order to stop the war. Peace is forged through forgiveness and compromise.
Forgiveness is found in compassion and respect. Through compassion, meaning understanding – not feeling, we can see how the other side may have come to the conclusions or actions they did. Knowing how the opposing side got to this point allows us to forgive them. We all make mistakes, we all have faults, we all have perspectives that are shaped by our personal past experiences. By seeing the whole picture, right or wrong, it helps explain why they took the road they did and how you can make peace. Through respect we can build a space where we accept that each has the same potential, each has a right to follow their own path, and each person’s experience is valid to them.
Compromise can be found in Integrity. It is the governance of ourselves and our actions. Being consistent in those, and treating others in the same manner as we expect to receive. Integrity means we act in the same way we think. Our inner selves are mirrored in our outward actions. Through integrity we build boundaries and set rules between the opposing sides.
Not all battles are bad. Some must be had, especially internally to get to the point of peace, of balance within ourselves. It is how we come to that battle and how we fight it that will determine the outcome for ourselves. Whether we fight an endless war or broker peace and restore balance.
The Battle aspect for The Morrigan is probably the most widely known and thought of. I have seen many that look at it in the sense of aggression and love of carnage. In a way I suppose that is true, especially of the inward battles, because we are in a moment of deep growth, tearing down the old and rebuilding ourself, preparing for the next transformation. This seems to be true in the aspect that most will say She demands shadow work, growth, and certain inner work from us. I do not however see her bloodlust in the sense of fighting to be fighting or go against Her aspects of Sovereignty and respect. I do not see Her as this evil bloodthirsty deity who is out for blood. I feel there is purpose for everything she does and She is playing the long game.
Prophecy
Prophecy means prediction. The scientific view of prediction involves understanding and seeing patterns. Using data to make assumptions of predictable or most likely behavior. Using history and knowledge of the subject to create the data. The data gives us knowledge and the pattern gives us blueprints, together they allow us to make plausible predictions or theories. The more data we have and the more recurrent the patterns we find, the better the prediction.
Prophecy as we see it in the magical or spiritual sense is a combination of the science and connection to an energy beyond ourselves. Whether you see that energy as a universal consciousness, a deity, divine energy, or any number of constructs, those who are involved in magical prophecy are connected to it or tapping into it. We understand that nature and energy have patterns. Those patterns can interact, and act upon, each other. Those patterns generally follow certain rules that repeat. Thus we can make certain predictions or assumptions as to what the outcome would be if this pattern met or merged with that one.
We also believe we can tap into the greater energy to give us knowledge and clues. When we start consciously looking for those patterns in our life or environment, we start to see clues to those patterns. If we are observant and reflective we can piece together the data being given to us and create a theory as to where it is headed. This is most effective when we are in balance with ourselves and at peace within ourselves. In the same sense, if we are not in balance, if we are not whole, our mind and ego can twist what we experience and give us wrong information.
Prophecy also means transformation. It is the transformation that happens after battle. It is the peace and rebirth of ourselves from going through the previous processes. As we become sovereign through respect and meet battle with integrity, we come to the power of prophecy through authenticity. Authenticity is where we are completely balanced in thought and action. Where we are living our outward life the same as we think in our inward one. Staying true to your own self, values, and spirit regardless of outside pressure. Creating and living in the best version of ourselves.
Yes, there are some who naturally resonate or vibrate at the right frequency to tap into the larger energy so they can still be imbalanced and access certain information. The imbalance hinders them though and only gives them pieces. The more in- balance they become, the greater their power in this area becomes. If you have no real skill in this area yet, by becoming more balanced inward and outward, the connection and skill will manifest. The deeper the connection the more you will be able to see, the easier you can make the connections, and the more accurate your prediction or sight will become.
This also applies to connecting with deity. I have noticed a trend with people I have talked to when it comes to them first connecting with a deity, including my own experiences, is that no matter which one it is… the draw or requirement of doing shadow work is consistent. I think this is because during shadow work we are required to face all of those imbalances within us, to analyze them, to work through them, and bring ourselves to a more balanced state. As we go through this work and make progress we notice that connection to the deity gets stronger. The stronger the connection the better and more information we are able to receive and understand.
These are core aspects in my practice and the work I have been doing with The Morrigan. As I said some may disagree with me and that is fine. For some this will resonate with you and hopefully help you further your spiritual or magical goals. My hope is that if nothing else, this has given you something to reflect on both within your life and within your craft.
Until next time, keep walking your own path.