Rhiannon, Dduwies Cymraeg y Lleuad, Faeries, ac Ysbrydoliaeth

Or, Rhiannon, Welsh Goddess of the Moon, Faeries, and Inspiration.

OK, so I can only read a few odd words and street signs in Welsh. Google Translate is my friend. But it is the one place that I actually feel like it's home, and I plan on going there in the lifetime that life and funds allow. That's just it, isn't it? Life. I have dreams, plans, and goals, and every time I think that I'm getting close to actually accomplishing something that will give me a step higher, life gets in the way and kicks me down. It happens to a lot of us. Some people just wallow in self pity, and fall further down, never trying to fix what could be an opportunity for a different path.  Some of us can pick up, dust off, and just carry on.

I try to be one of these people, as difficult as it can be, that dusts off and carries on.  I've had failed relationships and marriages, one of the marriages ended in a very ugly way with my boys deciding to live with him and not speak to me. I've been classed as homeless a couple of times, including sleeping in a car in a car park on a North Sea beach at the beginning of winter.  Each time something happens, I push through the biggest part of my broken heart, because if I don't carry on, who will do it for me?  Especially now that it's just me and the Imp, my 3 1/2 year old daughter.

I draw my biggest inspiration from my patron goddess, Rhiannon. I was drawn to her from the beginning of my path as a Pagan, and she has steadfastly remained by my side as my strength and comfort. I was called to her before I even knew that Wales was a country-principality in its own right (I emigrated from Indiana to England over a decade ago. I've been a declared Pagan for longer than that).  She was supposed to marry an immortal like herself, but instead she chose to marry a mortal prince, and in joining him, the faery world was closed to her. After the birth of her son, the servants that were supposed to be watching over him after the birth, in order to allow the new mother to heal. One evening they all fell asleep and woke to find the baby gone. So they wouldn't be punished, they killed a puppy and spread its blood on Rhiannon and scattered the bones, to make it seem like she had eaten her own child. In his grief and anger, Rhiannon's husband sentenced her to wear a heavy horse collar at the castle gate, to great visitors, tell them of her criminal story, and carry them on her back to the castle. Because of respect for her humility and grace, very few took up her offer to be carried.  A few years later, a farmer and his wife arrived. In the middle of a storm, he found an infant crying in the middle of a field. He and his wife took in the child, and when the story of Rhiannon reached them, they realised that the child belonged to her and sought to return him. Her husband, Pwyll, returned her to her place of honour at his side, and Rhiannon, in seeing that her husband and the people were ashamed, forgave them, understanding why their beliefs had been misplaced.

When anything goes dramatically wrong in my own life, I think to the story of Rhiannon. She held fast through her burdens, and when things got better she didn't continue to weigh down her heart.  It is a very difficult thing, at times, especially when people persist in reminding me of the worst that has happened, when they think that I should remain bitter and grieving. I personally can't carry on for too long in a constant state of grief. Too long of that carrying on makes my physical health decline. That's not good for me, and not good for the Imp. I've found that the best thing for us is for me to get up and carry on. I do find it difficult to not hold a grudge, and I fully admit that there's two that I still strongly hold. But I have yet to be given a reason to forgive  those two people because I'm still tormented on a regular basis by the consequences of their actions.

Stevie Nicks, in 1976, performed my most thought-provoking song for the first time:



Yes, she was singing about a Welsh witch, and the lyrics are quite simple, but it regularly brings the images of my Goddess to me, with the metaphorical use of some of her symbolism, of songbirds (she's also represented regularly by horses and dragons) and birds in flight. Though the wings of a bird is a very delicate system, there is great strength that allows them to fly in even the strongest of winds. A bird does everything with their whole heart, as Rhiannon survived everything by the strength and courage of her heart. And I will carry on doing the same, and teach my daughter to do the same.

Mel
Topsy-Turvy of the Mischievous Heathen

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References:
http://www.goddessgift.com/goddess-myths/celtic_goddess_rhiannon.htm
http://www.lyricsdepot.com/stevie-nicks/rhiannon.html
"Celtic Myth and Magick" by Edain McCoy, Llewellyn Publications (1995)


This was originally posted on 12/07/11 over at The Pagan Mom Blog

Terpsichore, Goddess of Dance

OK, I can be rather pathetic. My guilty pleasure is watching television talent shows. Dancing On Ice, Strictly Come Dancing, American Idol, X-Factor...If it's remotely got music (even the worse singers...it gives me something to do by being a sofa critic), I'm likely to be watching it. This week, it's Britain's Got Talent every evening. Fantastic, but OMG! at some of the 'talent' on offer. Such a wide range of skills, skill levels, and bravery.  It made me think about who and what inspires people to develop their talents.

I figure that the best way to introduce today's goddess, Terpsichore, is with this video:

Ok, yes, I know, how retro cheesy. Nothing like the fantastic Olivia Newton-John and ELO to brighten your day. Oops, forgot to say that "Xanadu" is another guilty pleasure. When I was young, I was fascinated with Olivia, and I watched this a lot. I still watch it a lot.  The reason that I've chosen it is because of who her character, Kira, is supposed to be portraying. She is one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology, Terpsichore.

Terpsichore and her sisters were daughters of Zeus, who slept with Mnemosyne for nine consecutive nights to give birth to the nine Muses. They were then given to the God, Apollo, to raise and teach his arts. Each grew to show their individual talents. Terpsichore's talent was dance and choral music, and was known to enjoy dancing the most. She is mentioned by philosophers and poets, such as Plato, her name is given to dances and dancers, and also the name of a British Naval destroyer in WWII. It is believed that Terpsichore was the mother of the Sirens, Pisinoe, Aglaope, Thelxiope.

Ok, as kitsch as "Xanadu" may be, they did a fairly reasonable job of introducing and adding a current story of how the goddesses still influence mankind, and that the gods and goddesses are fallible, as well, with Kira falling in love with Sonny when she shouldn't have. And that she had inspired previous generations, like Gene Kelly's character, Danny.

We just have to excuse the mixed cultural references...Greek Goddesses mixed in with the name of Kublai Khan's city of pleasure in China, Xanadu. But, that can be a blog for another day.

No matter who your God or Goddess of choice is, there's always somebody or something that inspires people. And it's not just inspiration for dancing, music, or writing. If you enjoy your job, spending time with your family, or any other activity, be thankful that your inspiration is strong and eye-opening.

Mel