The Mórrígan: One Goddess or Many Faces?

A student recently asked:
"We all experience our gods differently, to some degree. Some of us experience Her as Many and some of us as One with multiple faces. Do you think one is more accurate than the other or, more importantly, is either perception more respectful than the other? To what extent do you think it matters?"

That’s a really good question. We explore this in depth through the coursework, but here's my view…

The Mórrígan as a Distinct Entity

I personally deal with the Mórrígan almost every single day, and for me, she is a very distinct and autonomous entity. I mean distinct as in separate from Macha, Nemain, or the Badb - who seem more like sisters rather than different aspects of the same being.

That said, I completely agree that we all experience our Gods differently.

And I also feel that the Gods themselves can do whatever the fuck they like and appear however they like.

There is a certain amount of human relational shaping that has gone into the Mórrígan through what I believe to be a symbiotic relationship, over centuries or even millenia, with the people on this island.

So she has a particular form, or rather formlessness, shaped by interactions with humanity over time.

Archetypes and the Nature of Deities

My theory on Gods is tied to my background in psychology - particularly Jungian psychology, which every feckin’ amateur psychologist Pagan has dipped into at some point.

Jung had a surprisingly tuned-in attitude for his time, and many of his ideas have become so ingrained in common understanding that people don’t even realise where they came from.

I work a lot with archetypes, and I was once called a blasphemer for it - on a panel at a Pagan festival, no less. I was furious at the time, but later I realised that the accusation came from an American cultural perspective that interprets archetypes differently than I would.

To me, an archetype is vast and complex, something that can’t be fully pinned down in just a few sentences. At its core, I believe that archetypes stem from the collective unconscious - the part of the unconscious mind shared by all humanity.

Deities, in some way, emerge from these archetypal roots. But like plants growing in different conditions - different cultures, different languages, different human interactions - they take on unique forms.

The Mórrígan, for example, can be compared to other ‘dark goddesses’ like Cerridwen, Kali, or Hekate... to a certain extent. They may be cousins, distantly descended from the same root stock.

How, while they may share this common root, they have grown into very different deities. shaped by their distinct cultures.

Gender and Formlessness

When it comes to gender and form, my experience of the Mórrígan is that she’s only nominally female.

Her form is formlessness, and she can take any shape. I think I coined the phrase ‘gender irrelevant’ in relation to Her - she can and does appear in any form she chooses, so of course that extends to any gender she chooses.

Modern depictions often give her black hair, but the only detailed physical description of her in the lore paints a different picture.

In the Táin Bó Regamna, she appears as a red-haired warrior woman, carrying two spears, wearing a red cloak, and riding a chariot pulled by a strange horse. That, as far as I can tell, is her base aspect.

When she appears to me personally, she is usually hooded and formless when she is human-shaped, and sometimes she shows up as a crow.

Respecting the Mórrígan’s Identity

So, I experience her as one being, one entity, the Great Queen. That doesn’t mean this is the only way to understand her.

I don’t believe my experience is inherently more accurate than someone else’s, as long as both experiences are based on a genuine relationship with her, and have a foundation in what we do know of her nature from the original lore.

Honestly, if someone comes to me claiming their 'Great Mother Goddess' showed up to them personally for cuddles and head pats wearing a fluffy pink robe... they're getting serious side-eye.

However, if someone has deeply studied the history, lore, and culture this Goddess was born from, and has spent the same amount of time and effort building a practical experiential relationship with her as I have (or similar to be fair, as I've not met anyone who's put this amount of time and effort in, anywhere in the world, to date)... and their perception or interpretation differs from mine, I won’t say they’re wrong.

Ultimately, our experiences will differ because we are different. And given that gods don’t have fixed, corporeal forms in this world, we are experiencing them through our own subconscious, our own unconscious, and through the collective unconscious.

But while different perspectives are valid, I do think there are some basic foundations which will always remain the same.

Does It Matter?

I think it’s disrespectful to swap her out, if that makes sense. If you’re going to be dealing with the Mórrígan, then deal with her.

When I say the Mórrígan, I don’t mean Macha, or the Badb, or Nemain. Those are separate beings.

If she’s working with you, you’ll know whether it’s the Great Queen Morrigu, or Macha or the Badb or Nemain - or Fea, or Anu for that matter.

They are each different, autonomous, and absolutely their own beings. If you have a sibling or a close friend/colleague, would you be ok with being treated as interchangeable?

So what I don’t think is okay is taking the Mórrígan and swapping her out for another figure just because it suits at the time.

This happens a lot in New Age spiritual practices - where deities are slotted in and out like interchangeable pieces. But respect means working with her as she presents herself, not forcing her into a framework that’s convenient for us.

 Build your own Right Relationship, and you’ll see how much it matters. Because if you disrespect her… [laughter].

This is a big topic, and there’s a lot more to explore. We go into it in the most detail through our annual 6 month Mórrígan Intensive Programme. [Current Waiting List is Below]

🐦‍⬛ If you’re interested in working more closely with the Mórrígan, see the Available Courses for in-depth guidance. ✨