wanderlustspider Answer:

WELL, then. There’s a lot uncover here, so let me see if there’s anything that I can do that might offer you some decent advice.

Feeling like you’re in over your head is actually something that’s very respectable, and it’s actually more common than you think. Most people I’ve spoken to, especially in regards to The Morrigan, mention feelings of being overwhelmed and lost. But She’s also a very overwhelming deity. Fate. Magic. Death. Love, and sex. Personal sovereignty, and personal power. It’s A LOT to take in, especially if we have a history of feeling powerless or out of control of our lives. As a side note, I also am not surprised that you had interest in Odin, Freyja, and Fenrir. I have worked (and still work) with 2 out of 3 of these deities, and in my personal experience they all share a very similar energy to the sort The Morrigan puts out. She is wise, passionate, and can be very savage.

My ultimate advice, if you take nothing else that I say or that my page has to offer in terms of reference, is to try not to think of speaking with The Morrigan as having to throw yourself into witchcraft and paganism. Yes, one of Her pieces is magic - and Fate, which to some people could be interpreted as magic such as divination and the like. HOWEVER, in my personal experience, Mama (The Morrigan) looks for a relationship before anything else. She is someone for you to take. your. time. in getting to know. There is a sh*t ton that you can learn about Her by simply giving Her space in your life - and also just by learning about yourself. Self-reflection is MASSIVE, with Her.

Again, this is all based upon my own experience, and other people might not agree with me. But you asked me, so that’s what I have to say about it.

Mama is… well, She’s essentially a powerful motherly figure. She will push you to learn about yourself, as you work together to find your strengths, your weaknesses, and the boundaries that you need in your life. I say need, because what we need is not always what we want. And Mama does not give us what we want, unless it aligns with what it is that we need in order to become a more powerful and sovereign version of ourselves. She doesn’t coddle. We are Her children, but we are Her battle crows/ravens/wolves. My first few years of working with The Morrigan was mostly about self-reflection, and learning how to divine and discern what I needed to get rid of in order to allow myself to grow into my higher self. Habits that need adding, changing, or removing. People that need adding or subtracting, and the behaviors you tolerate from yourself and others. It is a constant effort, and the work is never over. But it does get easier over time.

The Morrigan chooses Her warriors, because She sees our potential. Sometimes the battle seems impossible, but if we hold true to that knowledge - and have faith in Her guidance - She will not let us hit the ground until it’s our time to do so. You say that it felt right, when you heard Her name. So absorb that feeling, and accept it. Use it, and learn as much as you can about who you are. What do you fight for? WHO do you fight for? What do you need to remove from your life that might be keeping you from becoming the person you want to become? As you learn these things about yourself, She will give you whispers and hints in your everyday life that can help you reach those goals. You just have to be willing listen.

One thing I always say is that Mama only shows us the doors to walk through. It’s up to us to choose to actually take those steps, and conquer the battlefield. Just remember that you don’t have to go through every door all at once. Start small. Go slow. Enjoy the experience, even when it hurts. Because that means you’re growing.

As far as prayers go, the easiest advice I can give is to just be open. The Morrigan isn’t one to yell at you, especially if you don’t have a receiving heart and mind. She whispers, like I said before. But when you hear Her, you just know. So do what you feel drawn to do. Gift Her a stone. Offer Her incense. Give an offering in the form of saying something like “Show me how I can be better today than I was yesterday.” As your relationship grows, you’ll hear more specific requests, and then you can adjust accordingly.

I don’t know if ANY of this is really helpful, but it’s what I felt called to say. Please feel free to look at any of the references/correspondences I have on my page, and you’re always welcome to message me privately if you need help on anything - or better explanation of anything. I’m not always quick to respond these days, but I will. And don’t be scared to check out #caw squad or #the morrigan tags, along with #na morrigna and #na morrigu. Those tags, and the people that use them, are always willing to share their experiences and journeys.

Also, sorry for the ramble! *sweat drop*

eibhlincatha Answer:

the way of a “godphone” or what to do if she asks something I can’t give. I also don’t know if she’d even want me honoring her, I’m anxious that I’m not, idk, worthy enough to ask for her attention. Can you offer any advice? Thank you for your time (2)

Hello Anon! I’m really glad you asked this question. I must apologize in advance, because this response ended up longer than intended–but I think it is a topic that deserves thorough exploration. 

Personally I think “price” is the wrong word. While I’ve had experience (especially early on) where we had a sort of “this for that” interaction, I felt it was much more a matter of honoring or acknowledging them. Reinforcing my interest and my commitment. Initially I anticipated that the acts would be either ritualistic or complex or somehow inconveniencing, but there were a few days while I was struggling with depression, when it was literally a message of “take your medication.” As we continued, I realized it was less about what the act of devotion was, and more about the intent. 

They tend to be very engaging and active in the lives of their devotees, at least from what I’ve seen, so I think it’s understandable that they expect gestures that demonstrate that you are serious about your interest.

When you are working with the Morrigan more closely, I will also say that sometimes sacrifice comes with the territory, but it is usually a matter of giving up bad habits and cutting poisonous things out of your life. This could be seen as a “price” in that it sometimes means making difficult choices that bring pain and heartache in the immediate. But I’ve never encountered a situation where what they asked of me was selfish or greedy. It’s always been focused on a call to better myself, to prove my commitment to following a difficult path, and strengthen my own sense of confidence. 

I think it’s useful to think of the Morrigan in the context of a general of an army, or a ruler–they are, after all, the “great queens”. Within their lore and in the greater community of modern devotees, they are universally accepted to be intimately linked with personal sovereignty, and honor in warfare. With this in mind, you can see the difference between a deity (or a person) who demands homage in the form of a gift or price or sacrifice that may put you at risk somehow either physically, financially, or emotionally, and a strong leader who expects you to work hard, show your dedication, and be willing to make personal sacrifices in order to become a stronger, better you.

In terms of literal, financial price–the only time I remember encountering this was very early on, when the things I was expected to purchase were a few books about them. While money is often an issue for me, I think this was a reasonable price to pay, and definitely an investment for deepening my understanding of them. 

I’d also like to address the idea of the Godphone. I am fortunate in that my own personal gifts run in the form of divination and communication with my gods. I’ve had this kind of spiritual link for as long as I can remember, and it’s often been easy to differentiate between what’s me, and what’s them. When it wasn’t clear, or I was dealing with skepticism, my request for a “sign” was usually met with something fairly obvious–a crow, someone spontaneously starting up a conversation about the Morrigan, or other uncanny things that were hard to ignore. However, this is not always the case. There have been very long periods of time where that link was severed, and I was unable to access that open line of communication. I worry less about this now than I used to, as I’ve found that the Morrigan commonly will enter into a period of intense conversation, but then back away and let you put your new knowledge and tools to work. 

For someone who doesn’t feel like they have a Godphone, I think it is definitely possible to develop one over time. The most important thing to realize is that communication with gods takes many forms. One person may have dreams, another may literally hear the voices of their gods in their mind, and still another person may find omens in their mundane life, such as birds, or symbols that continue to reappear, or even songs on the radio. There are many ways of communicating with our gods; this is supported by both Celtic lore and traditional practices throughout the world, across many different cultures.

For the time being, if you are feeling drawn to honor the Morrigan, your first goal should be studying. Absorb all the information you can. Talk to devotees in the community, read blogs, watch videos, learn the different interpretations of the myths. When you are ready, think about how you would like to honor them. You could do a traditional offering (apples, alcohol, or milk are good options), start a tumblr devoted to them, recite poetry, or even just take time every day to talk to them. Even if you don’t hear an answer right away, they will listen.

If you are truly ready and committed to starting a devotional practice,  you might not receive any sort of obvious, earth-shattering sign, but you will begin to see change in your life. New challenges, new opportunities, strange coincidences, and–very often–old wounds resurfacing so that you can begin to work through them. For me the period of change was very rapid and a little disorienting, but I was able to tackle some very deep issues and for the first time actually make progress in unraveling the impact they’d had on my life. 

Long story short, there is no “price” that comes with working with the Morrigan, but there are expectations. Sometimes this means giving up things that are no longer serving you well, breaking old habits, or taking chances you wouldn’t normally consider. How you choose to do your day to day devotions is totally up to you–if you have limited means, offering a prayer or pouring libations into a bowl is perfect. There’s no need for grand gestures or buying ritual items that cost a lot of money. Above all, when entering into a relationship with them, they will demand that you live your life honorably, demonstrate your ongoing respect for their guidance, and take care of yourself.

I hope this helps alleviate some of your worries. If you have more questions, feel free to reach out to me or any of the other devotees here on tumblr; we’re happy to help offer suggestions and share our own stories. <3