๐๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
The Welsh Crone, or Goddess of Dark Prophetic powers, is represented by Cerridwen. Her totem animal is the Sow, representing the fecundity of the Underworld, and the terrible strength of the Mother.
Like many Celtic Goddesses, She had two children, representing Dark and Light aspects emerging from one Goddess, Her daughter Crearwy being light and beautiful, and Her son Afagddu being dark and ugly.
In Celtic Welsh mythology, Cerridwen is a powerful Underworld Goddess, and the keeper of the cauldron of knowledge, inspiration and rebirth. She rules the realms of death, fertility, regeneration, inspiration, magic, enchantment and knowledge. Cerridwen is a shape-shifting Goddess, able to take on various forms.
She is known as being a 'White Witch' or Goddess, and is also associated with herbology and astrology.
Most of the knowledge we have on Cerridwen we have gleaned from the Tale of Taliesen. We will delve into the Welsh legend now.
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Cerridwen had two children, a girl named Creidwy who was beautiful and full of light, and an ugly and malevolent son named Afagddu, or Morfran. They represent the dark and light in the universe.
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
Because her son was so repugnant, Cerridwen wanted to help him. She decided to use her magical powers to brew a potion in her cauldron to make him brilliant and wise. The potion had to brew for one year and a day to reach itโs full potency, adding the required herbs at the appropriate astrological times. Once it was ready, the boy would need to drink exactly three drops of the potion.
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
โSo she resolved, according to the arts of the books of the Fferyllt, to boil a cauldron of Inspiration and Science for her son, that his reception might be honourable because of his knowledge of the mysteries of the future state of the world.โ
To keep the potion mixed as needed, Cerridwen had her servant, Gwion Bach, stirring the potion during its brewing time. On the last day, an unfortunate accident occurred. While he was stirring, three drops of the potion splashed out of the cauldron, scalding his thumb. He instinctively stuck his thumb in his mouth to cool it, thus consuming the droplets and gaining the wisdom and talents intended for her son.
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐
Gwion realized that Cerridwen would become very angry with him and would want to kill him. So he used his newly acquired skills to change form into a rabbit to escape her wrath. Thus began an epic chase. Cerridwen changed into a greyhound and took off after him. He then became a fish, and jumped into a river. So she transformed into an otter. He turned into a bird, and she became a hawk.
Finally, he turned into a single grain of corn. She shifted into a hen, and because she was a goddess , she was able to find him and eat him without trouble. But Gwion still had the power of the potion in him, and his life transferred to her womb.
When Ceridwen returned to her normal witchy self she discovered that she was pregnant and she knew that the baby was Gwion. She planned to kill him as soon as he was born, but the baby was far too beautiful so she just put him into a large leather bag and threw him into the sea. The bag was found in the nets of the fishers of the annual salmon catch on the Dovey River, which was presented to a thus far extremely unlucky prince, Prince Elffin.
On opening the bag, Elffin discovered the baby boy โ Gwion, who had been reborn as Taliesin. This foundling was something of a child prodigy, because no sooner had poor Elffin placed the baby in front of him on his saddle than Taliesin, (which means โhow radiant his brow isโ), started first speaking, then reciting, poetry and then making predictions about how Elffin would now defeat all his enemies. How could he do otherwise now he had Taliesinโs help? The child was rescued by the prince Elffin. Elffin and his wife, who were childless, decided to adopt the beautiful baby as their own.
Elffinโs luck changed from that moment and Taliesin, through his poems and his prophecy, became the most famous bard in Britain, inspiring the Celtic warriors against their Saxon invaders.
And towards the end of his life, Taliesin made a prophecy about the fate of the British which still has resonance today.
Loosely translated it goes like this:-
"Their Lord they shall praise,
Their language they shall keep,
Their land they shall lose โ
Except wild Wales."
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
This ritual pursuit of her servant, Gwion Bach, symbolizes the changing of the seasons, natureโs yearly cycle of death and rebirth.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐
Cerridwen represents the need for change; that a transformation is at hand. It is time to examine what circumstances in your life no longer serve you. Something must die so that something new and better can be born. You can tap into Her ceaseless energy to plant seeds of change and pursue their growth with your own power.
Cauldron: A symbol closely associated with the Divine Feminine, it is a vessel for transformation which symbolizes rebirth and renewal. Cerridwenโs cauldron represents the womb of the Great Mother Goddess, from which all life is born, and then born again. Itโs also a cauldron of wisdom, knowledge and inspiration. The Cauldron of Inspiration is symbolic of Awen. Therefore Cerridwen has a close connection the the symbol Awen, being the Keeper of the Cauldron that creates Awen.
Dark Moon: In modern worship, Cerridwen is sometimes called โDark Goddess of Transformationโ and associated with the dark moon. Her connection with the dark side of Magic and Witchcraft has to do with her role in the poem of Taliesin, where She is not a goddess but rather a sorceress or witch with destructive powers. Also, Cerid- can be translated as โbentโ or โcrookedโ, but it could also mean โpoetryโ or โsong.โ Also, the Dark Moon is associated with The Crone energies, as is Cerridwen.
Moon: The moon undergoes different phases and expressions, similar to the Goddessโs shapeshifting and transformation abilities. As a Moon Goddess, Cerridwen may be represented by the lunar cycle (New Moon to Full Moon and back) as a symbol of eternal transformation and renewal.
White sow: Among the Celts, Cerridwen was also known as the sow goddess. The pig was associated with the moon and with fertility and perceived as a gift from the otherworld. Some people believe her name means โWhite Sowโ (although the exact meaning of the name is unknown).
Grain: In Cerridwenโs myth, Gwion shapeshifts into a grain of wheat.
As a Goddess of fertility and harvest, different types of grain are associated to Her.
Titles and Epithets of Cerridwen:
โขWhite Lady of Inspiration
โขLady of the Cauldron
โขLady of the Lake
โขThe Ruler Of Bards
โขSow Mother
Other Mythology:
Elsewhere in the legends of the Celtic world, cauldrons of inspiration are highly common, making Ceridwenโs cauldron one of the most archetypal symbols of power. The cauldron is also a symbol of the Underworld, which appears prominently in many Welsh and other Celtic myths. The cauldronโs knowledge-granting powers are also similar to the Salmon of Truth in Irish legend, found in the story of Finn MacCool. The story of Ceridwen and her son Morfran appears adjacent and later as a part of larger Arthurian legend. Morfran comes to serve in the court of King Arthur, and Ceridwenโs cauldron may be an inspiration or manifestation of the Holy Grail.
Cerridwen is similar to a number of witches across the world, namely the witch goddess Circe in Greece and Baba Yaga in Slavic mythology.
๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
As Keeper of the Cauldron, Cerridwen brings inspiration, wisdom and the gifts of prophecy to those that work with Her. The best way to work with Cerridwen or other Celtic goddesses is to read the poems and tales that showcase her skills and abilities.
Cerridwenโs areas of influence:
Magic, fertility, wisdom, poetry, creativity, herbalism, and the harvest. There are modern Pagans who consider Her the Queen of Witches. She pursues her prey with unfailing energy. If Cerridwen is calling you, itโs best that you pursue your goals with equal energy.
Cerridwen Inspired Divination Ritual:
* Dress a white candle in Cerridwenโs name.
* Fill your cauldron with water. You will perform a wax reading divination with the candle.
* Ask Cerridwen for guidance and interpret what your cauldron tells you.
*You may receive her message in the form of symbols or images in the water. Keep a dream journal in case she happens to contact you tonight.
Correspondences & Associations of Cerridwen:
Associations: Magic, fertility, wisdom, poetry, creativity, herbalism, and the harvest
Role: Cerridwen is the Keeper of the Cauldron, the mother of transformation and change. She brings inspiration, wisdom and the gifts of prophecy to those that work with her. She is seen in Welsh legend as being a crone Goddess, creating a triad with Blodeuwedd and Arianrhod
Colors: Green, gold, yellow
Animals: Crow, hen, white sow, pigs, hare
Genealogy: Wife of Tegid Voel. Mother of Morfran, Creirwy and Afagddu
Cerridwen Offerings:
Offerings to Cerridwen (Goddess of poetry and creativity) may include your own original poems, any art or inspired works, prayers, and songs.
Set up an altar for the Goddess using her symbols and correspondences. You can prepare a meal of pork and wheat as an offering to Cerridwen.
Alternatively, you may wish to forego pork and wheat for a period of time(Fasting) to show reverence to her sacred symbols.
Approach Her with respect and transparency, as any honest seeker would do with any deity.
The best way to connect with Cerridwen is through her mythology. You are encouraged to read her myth and invocation, write poetry or prose for her, or make an offering on an altar with white and green candles dedicated to her.
Offerings to Cerridwen: Grain-based products, wheat, barley, rice, peanuts, acorns, poppy or sunflower seeds, vervain, pork, candles, moonstone.
A Cerridwen Invocation
" Dark Mother, Light Mother
You who keep the cauldron
You who are the cauldron
Of storms and tides
Relentless and sure
Where mystery abides
And in abiding Is born and dies
By the sharp and merciful blade
Which severs the shade
By the burning drink
The food of Gods
And damned mortals alike
One word
One world
One spell
One dream unfolding
Each to the end
And there to begin again
Cerridwen
Hear us sweet Mother
Answer our call
(Insert your message/needs/desires/praise to her. When finished give thanks. Tell her how you will call to her next time (ex: ringing a bell, singing a song, playing an instrument, etc., ask her to come when she hears that call.)"