owlsfreedom

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[owlsfreedom]

ive been doing some modern greek god drawings lately, but I wanted to do something a little different… so I did a modern Blodeuwedd, the Welsh Goddess of spring created from flowers (and yes, welsh mythology is a thing… and yes Wales is a place, we have an awesome flag, check it out) cursed to be an owl for eternity after cheating on and conspiring to kill her husband, the man she was made for

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Re-read All The Crooked Saints yesterday (yes, the whole book…I’m a speed reader and I had a need for it with this book yesterday).

You must be in the mood for it, but when you are it is powerful.

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Hey Welsh Polytheists, here is a nice little ditty from Giles Conrad Watson. Oak, Broom and Meadowsweet: A Book of Blodeuwedd. 

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@thewinedarksea‘s mythology meme: goddesses (10/10) - blodeuwedd

Blodeuwedd or Blodeuedd (Welsh pronunciation: [blɔˈdɛɨwɛð]), (Middle Welsh"Flower-Faced", a composite name from blodeu "flowers, blossoms" + gwedd"face, aspect, appearance"), is the wife of Lleu Llaw Gyffes in Welsh mythology. She was made from the flowers of broom, meadowsweet, and oak by the magicians Math and Gwydion, and is a central figure in Math fab Mathonwy, the last of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi.

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Well, hi! Sorry I’ve been late to your morning offerings. Do you think I found the Fool yet? 

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Artist trading cards, all done for Perna Studios’ Classic Mythology III: Goddesses card set. I’ve been super grad-school busy, but I HAD to get in on this set because deity art is legit one of my favorite things to do.

From top to bottom: Artemis and Chthonic Persephone diptych (to note: I used Jei and Razer as my muses for these because let’s be honest I’m pretty obsessed with them right now) Yemaja and Morgan Le Fay Amaterasu Omikami and Benzaiten Elen of the Leys, Blodeuwedd, and Ceridwen Isis and Nut

[owlsfreedom]

06.

I heave a sigh of relief as I rip off calendar sheets and flip the pages of my planner to this new month. July is finally over, and even though the air is still hot and humid, still it feels like a huge weight has lifted off my shoulders.  I’ve made it.

July is heavy and oppressive, and the weather only ever weighs down on my brain until it seems like the only neurotransmitters my body is capable of producing are the ones that drag me down into depression and make me think I’m shaking apart at the seams.

I first felt it a few days ago; the change of the season. I don’t have a name for it yet - Harvest Sighs, maybe. The earth has tilted just enough to curtail the cruelty of the sun, and I can feel the crops ripening, preparing to give their lives to sustain mine.

Strange, that a time of death should feel like I’ve been given new life.  But there it is; the circle of life continues. Maybe that is my personal mythos; I die in July, until the gentler spirits of August bring me back to life. Summer is ending, and I can breathe again.

This is Lleu’s holy day, in my personal calendar. I know You have Issues with Your son, Mama, but I have to admit I’m pretty grateful for Him today. Even if this relief is only an illusion of my own mind, I’m still grateful You and He allowed it.

It’s too early yet to feel the first bite of autumn winds or to smell frost and Death on the air.  The Dog Days are [hopefully] over [please let them be over, Mama; my electricity bill can’t take much more of this strain], but it’s still golden, glorious summer.

But these final golden days of the season of my death and rebirth are more bearable, now that we’re out of July.  I can breathe, now; the chemical reactions that order and define my brain are less chaotic and violent; it is Calan Awst, and life is okay again.

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Blodeuwedd

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are - E. E. Cummings

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I’m making a thing!

Before and my current work in progress for Blodeuwedd. I wanted a poseable figure for my altar and within my Avalonain practice no one encapsulates spring more than Blodeuwedd for me. Getting to know her legends opened me to the many facets of her self which was so relatable considering we are all broken into multiple aspects when we are socialized as children. So excited to go forward with her dress:

I’ve got a bunch of moss and flowers I want to add, she came with fairy wings but I’ve considered laying feathers over them instead.

Originally I saw her as a nameless spring maiden to my practice, I sat down to work on her and it was Blodeuwedd that came forward. I read into her legend s and agreed that it would be her hand that would guide this creation.

This led me to reasherch ways to repaint dolls and inspired a passion within me that I suppose was her divine guidance all along. Originally I wanted a poseable statue for each Goddess that represented a season within my Avalonian path but what if I gave this gift to others from various path. Connecting to other God/dess’ and creating statues for others and their path.

So for a time my original content will be updates of this loving work for Blodeuwedd. If at any time you are interested in a poseable statue for your path or altar contact me.

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Laughter

Hearing Blodeuwedd laugh has to be one of the most inspiring things I’ve ever heard.

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As I write, its 4:44

When I put Blidewedd’s dress on the pip can last night I noticed the wad a small amount of soda left, I worried that it might spill but ignored my fears, knowing I would be careful. I just finished cleaning up the spilt soda. The moment I saw it on her dress my eyes started to well up, “I’m sorry, ” I said as I held back tears. “It is fine, the mess will clean up.” Her voice was soft and kind. “I know but I shouldn’t have even put it on the can or at least rinsed it out, I knew this was going to happen, I felt it. ” I admired with shame amazing from me. Blodeuwedd nodded, “the shame you have committed to integrating this year had kept you from more than sharing your creative passions. You have been kept from your power, your knowledge.”

I’m humbled, I’ve lost so much by denying aspects of myself but at the same time I’ve learned a lot, about myself and this wonderful Goddess. So I choose to share the parts of me that I once felt shame over to the ones that make me feel safe and to those individuals who dont, their time is numbered. I will no longer be surrounding myself with those I dont feel safe enough to share the whole of me and I think that’s only right.

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Flowers for Blodeuwedd

I work at a pet store that also has live plants and the most beautiful roses came in and since I get a discount it’s super reasonable. So I placed a light pink pot on hold and I’m so excited to bring it home and put it on my altar.

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Blodeuwedd

She was created to be a wife to someone she never knew

I was born to a woman who didn’t know herself let alone a child

I have found a surprising amount of mirroring going on between us and I’ve realised through her that it’s not where you come from as much as where you go. It’s not your shadows but how you love them as a part of you.

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@authentically-avalon So I heard this song today and I immediately thought of you and your Blodeuwedd figure! I have no idea if you’d heard this before, but I figure I’d tag you in it because it is beautiful and I feel like it would be the perfect song to play while you’re working on her <3

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I have a question similar to one you have answered recently, I feel connected to both the god and goddess however I looked into some additional Celtic dieties, such as Cerridwen, Brigit, and Blodeuwedd and I was wondering if you had any tips about how I should go about worshipping them.

Welcome to the Path and I am glad you have found some deities that interest you.

Let’s see if I can help you.

Cerridwen is called the Keeper of the Cauldron and represents the Crone in many Wiccan traditions. She is where we get our modern day idea of the Witch from…that dark robed woman who stirs a great bubbling cauldron. She is a lady of prophecy and is associated with darkness (Note, I did not say evil). Her biggest and most prominent symbol is the Cauldron. Having one on your altar is a big step towards her worship. She is also associate with the full and waning moons, and the ability to transform. Any pictures or items you have that symbolize this would be good to have with you or an your altar. Also any spellwork associated with change is a large part of her domain.

Brigit is a goddess who was born at the exact moment the sun broke into the dawn. Paying homage to this part of the day can attune you to this particular goddess. She owned an apple orchard in the other world and supped from a sacred cow. So offering her milk and apples is a large part of her worship. However, she is MOST famous for teaching people how to harvest and use herbs making her a favorite deity for any aspiring kitchen witch. This often associates her with mothers

Blodeuwedd is the goddess of the temporary and the now…especially beauty. She is a lady of spring who was created from flowers and any flowers that are offered to her or by her are considered sacred. She is the one with whom you will literally stop to smell the roses…and then that flower and then that one and Oh! That one over there too.

What you’ve done here is found a personification of a triple goddess in three forms. Bravo. Incorporate them into your Craft and I wish you the best of luck.

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Offerings

Offerings can be as simple as the food you’re about to eat, assuming the Deity you’re working with is okay with that. Blodeuwedd didn’t seem to mind.