It was from her cauldron that three drops of Awen fell. Cerridwen is a Welsh Goddess, who had a beautiful, full of light, daughter and a malevolent son who represent the light and dark in the Universe.
Cerridwen, as a mother, was so concerned about her son, she wanted to help him with her herbal knowledge and make him a drink that would help[ him be light and wise. It took her one year to perfect it… oh, a year and one day… When she had it ready, she needed him only to take three drops. It was a potent herbal brew that had to be stirred constantly for that year and a day. She had her servant helping her and that servant got tired and was not careful and he splashed three out of the heavy pot. It scaled his hand and thumb so he stuck his thumb in his mouth to cool it. Well, you guessed it… he got the gifts of the medicine meant for her son.
The servant knew Cerridwen would be evert mad at him and she might even slay him for his lack of attention and with his newfound gift of wisdom came the gift of transforming into a rabbit, he changed and sped off to keep away from her. It was an epic chase.
Cerridwen could transform at will as it was part of her own gifts to do so. She changed into a greyhound to try to catch him. He changed into a fish and jumped into a river. She changed into an otter to try and catch him. She nearly did so but he changed himself into a bird but he changed into a small bird so Cerridwen changed into a hawk. Finally, exhausted he changed himself into the smallest kernel of corn. She turned herself into a chicken and found him and gulped him down whole. Ahhh, she had him. But wait...
See, he still had the three drops of medicine inside him and now he was going to change again, but his ability to do so was limited. Yes, he wound his way to her womb and she was pregnant.
Cerridwen was not a fool. She knew it was him and she vowed to kill him as soon as he was born. But, ever a mother’s desire, when he was born, he was so beautiful she could not do it. But, she decided to let fate deal with him so she made a bag, put him in, tied the top and chucked him off the banks of an ocean. Well, see, some things never die and sure enough he was rescued by a childless Elfin couple and they thought he was such a gift, a beautiful boy, and they loved him and comforted him and nurtured him in the woods. They taught him the beauty and ways of Mother Nature and when he grew up, he became a famous Welsh poet.
I love this story. It symbolizes the changing of the seasons and nature’s way of dying through Fall and resurrecting each spring.
Cerridwen symbolizes the need to change, to transform and examine what does not suit you anymore. Realize that Creation had a certain amount of energy and that energy is always in balance. When one thing dies another will be born. We might say we are refusing to change, but change will come whether we think we are in control of it or not. This moon, and Cerridwen is asking that we follow divine plans and be willing to change, be willing to live a kinder, gentler way of living.
Be the best story of continuing creation.
©Carol Desjarlais 11.13.22
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