My First Steps Towards The Morrigan

(David)

This is my promised follow-up to my post The Morrigan, dated 26 November 2023.

I first knew consciously of the goddess known as the Morrigan, or Great Queen, in
my early 30s, maybe 35 years ago, when I borrowed a library book of Irish
mythology. She doesn’t feature as strongly in my memories of those tales as my
impression at the time that the famous hero Cu Chulainn was a right dick, and I’m
not surprised that was my impression of him because at the time I was in my final
years of a Royal Navy career during which I’d encountered a fair number of
braggarts and had fought bullying wherever I found it.

In my 30 years of paganism following my medical retirement from the navy, living in
our lovely little wooded valley in Devon, I’ve formed good relationships with several
animal guides, most prominently Lion, She-Wolf, Bear, and in recent years Crow,
and with some nature spirits. The spirit of place in this valley, Lady, has been a
growing presence in my life here.

So, a month or so ago, when I wanted to petition someone with the power and
authority to grant me a big thing I want, I asked Lady to introduce me to an
appropriate person. That day I received a powerful visitation from Crow, with the
vocal message that my wish was granted. Hours later, led I believe by Crow, I found
Lora O’Brien’s YouTube channel, where I started devouring trustworthy academic
knowledge, and quickly thereafter I enrolled in Lora’s Irish Pagan School

https://irishpaganschool.com , taking introductory courses that focus upon the
Morrigan in lore and experience.

But I wasn’t sure at first that it was actually the Morrigan answering my request.
Someone was, or so I believed, but I didn’t know for sure that it was Herself. I was
very cautious about this new-for-me exploration of working with a deity.

I understood the message from Crow to be that the introduction had been made, not
that my petition was granted, and I decided the right way for me to proceed was to
learn about Herself and not be pushy about the petition.

The Morrigan is a shapeshifter who appears in several known forms. One of them is
a She-Wolf, but I don’t know if the She-Wolf who came into my life 30 years ago is
Herself. Crow is another known shape, but I don’t know if the Crow who came
vigorously into my life two years ago is Herself. I honestly don’t know, and I’m forever
conscious that novelist me is capable of inventing good believable shit.

Then, last week during one Lora’s guided journeys to the Irish Otherworld, the
Morrigan stood watching me from the side of my path. She didn’t speak, and I didn’t
feel invited to, but I knew as strongly as I could know that the woman with red hair
and red eyebrows wearing a red cloak was the Great Queen.

Next day, while preparing in ritual for a long road trip I was about to make from
Devon to see my frail elderly Mum on the Wirral, I asked the Morrigan to protect me
and my daughter during our trip, and I was thrilled that we were accompanied from

start to finish, all the way there and back, by crows. Especially and very heavily in
one place in the Midlands of England where many crows build their nests in tall trees on
either side of the M6. My best guess was somewhere in Worcestershire, and from my
poorly-person bed made up in the back of a car I saw many big crows’ nests in the
tallest bare-branched trees. Scores, possibly hundreds, of big black nests. Yes, I was
acutely aware of them, even more than I would have been otherwise, but as well as
their physical presence in numbers I felt the powerful impact of them guiding us.

This is where I am now. I’m still cautious, even more than I was at first because of
what I’ve learned about The Morrigan. I know she is not someone to mess around.
That a contract made with her is a serious affair. That if I decide to work with her it
depends first if she wants to work with me, and then that I must be in a right
relationship with her. It will be challenging. Difficult. Possibly a very hard road.

I don’t yet know if this is in my future. What I do believe now is that I’ve been brought
into the Great Queen’s presence and to her attention. What will happen next, I don’t
know. I intend to continue learning, taking things step-by-step and remaining
cautious. And we shall see.