“A hermit is simply a person to whom civilization has failed to adjust itself.” - Will Cuppy
Cerridwen is a Welsh Goddess (Celt) who had a monster son and a beautiful daughter. She is another underworld Goddess of knowledge, rebirth, regeneration, inspiration, herbs, astrology, enchantment and is known as a White Goddess. She is a Hermit Goddess.
Her devotion to her malformed son led her to experiment with potions to help him be knowledgeable and wise. She spent one whole year and a day trying to make a certain potion and had added herbs at certain astrological times. She gave her son three drops, also on the proper days and hour. It was working, so she made more and more and had a mail servant helping her keep the mixture prepared. But something happened, and some of the potion bubbled out of the pot on to his thumb and he stuck his thumb in his mouth to cool it, as anyone of us would. Immediately, he gained all the wisdom and talents the son should have had. The servant knew, if Cerridwen found out, she would kill him.
Quickly, he used one of his borrowed powers and turned himself into a hare. And Cerridwen changed herself into a hound and the chase was on. He changed himself into a fish and Cerridwen changed herself into an otter. He thought he was quite smart when he turned himself into a tiny bird. Cerridwen changed herself into a hawk. Yes, the chase was on. He finally thought of his best idea. He changed himself into a kernel of corn. But Cerridwen had no trouble finding him and gobbling him up. Well, this started a whole new problem.
You see, the potion was very long lasting. And he was able to travel into her womb. Well, when Cerridwen figured out she was pregnant, she knew exactly what had happened. When he was born, she wrapped him in swaddling and threw him into the ocean because he was so beautiful, she could not bear to kill him. She left her family and chose to live alone.
Well, now, see, the boy was still empowered. Fairy man found him and brought him home to his wife. They were childless, as it happens, and so they took him as their son. They raised him and he became the greatest Welsh Poet that was ever born. And everyone lived happily ever after.
Part of this ancient story speaks to the change of seasons, they way we change through the cycles of life. The need that we must constantly change. The Goddess reminds us that we must not be who does not serve the world. We must let things go; some things that must die must go. It is the way it is and we will change to meet that change. You see, the ultimate lesson is that, when we let one thing go, something better comes along.
Sometimes we need to ‘go live in a forest’. Alone. We all need moments of solitude. Grief is a solitude. Losing things leaves us with a type of solitude. Some chose to stay there after a change. Maybe something horrible caused us to withdraw for a time. Some guard their privacy very deeply. For some, emotions overwhelm us. It is best for us to withdraw for a time. It is comfortable, for small times of being alone. Sometimes we do not want to contribute to anything outside of our own little world, for a time. Some withdraw from others because of feelings of inadequacy, and withdrawing helps them to maintain this belief. “For a time” is the important phrase. For more than ‘a time’ can lead to serious problems.
When we feel a need to just be alone, do it. It is your whole body saying that you need to change and that change can only come about by being alone and dealing with the things you need to let go of. Maybe we get tired of pleasing everyone else but ourselves and we simply want to please ourselves for a time. During some alone time, really look at what you really need (not want and desire) want. We need to stay in a position, though, that, if others need us, we can be there, if it is really important or they are important to us. You still have to care about the world around you. We still need a tribe. We still need a gathering once in a while.
Cerridwen is reminding us to go within, to take some alone time to know, with innate intuitive ways, what needs to change about you, about how you should go on from letting things go. It can be done. There are a lot of widows and widowers out there who have learned to be alone, but have never realized that they have needed a hug, some conversation, some company. Some will transfer this longing on to different activities. Some will choose relationships, but that alone time that comes, like a tsunami, reminds them what truly alone feels like.
©Carol Desjarlais 10.29.21
No comments:
Post a Comment