Tales from the Nine Ladies...
The enchantment of the 9 Crow Ladies began as I painted them; they wove their many tales into my brush strokes and chanted their songs into my paints.
What began as one image soon became countless tales, from spark to love, from life to death and round as the wheel spirals again.
I hope you will enjoy connecting with these Ladies as much as I have, and that you find their wisdom and inspiration flows freely to your hearts.
I am sure you will find your own ways of working with this mandala, however here are a few starting points:
The Nine Morgens of Avalon:
From Arthurian myth we gleam a brief glimpse of these mystical women, the most famous being Morgan Le Fay (pictured on the mandala as the Silver Lunar Lady). They are 9 Sisters of the Sacred Isle of Avalon, skilled in the mystical, magical and healing arts. They are thought to be seen around Glastonbury Tor as 9 Crows circling the land.
Maidens, Mothers & Crones
As you can see there are 3 Silver Ladies, 3 Gold Ladies and 3 Bronze Ladies, out of each triad there is a maiden, a mother and a crone, each representing different aspects and archetypes of womanhood. Each triad holds a connection to the other for example the Bronze Ladies all hold Animals, the Gold Ladies each embody an element: Fire, Water with the Chalice and Earth with the Drum & Bones - Air encompasses them all with Crow wings. The Silver Ladies all connect with inner work, deep emotions and reflections.
I shall walk you once around the wheel and leave you to spiral to your heart’s content…
Let’s start with Morgan Le Fay - or the Silver Seer (Silver Lady with the Crescent Moon), She is the wise Seer, the Goddess of the ‘Inbetween’ who sits at the gateways between the worlds, welcoming your weary body after your journey and awakening you to a new dawn.
Clockwise we travel to the Spark, the Gold Maiden of Fire, the light in the dark, the first flame of inspiration. She is innocence, laughter, truth and fire; she awakens us to our life’s path, our unique and beautiful gifts. This Goddess is linked to Brighid, the Morgen Thitis, and the festival of Imbolc.
The next lady we meet is the Child of Spring, with her open heart and strong will, she is innocence and blossoming. She nurtures a Hare on her lap, which is the totem of regeneration, transformation, sensitivity and mystery. She is the promise of spring and new beginnings. This Bronze Goddess is linked to Eostre, the Morgen Cliton and the festival of Ostara.
Onwards we travel to the Silver Lover/Warrior, the last in our trio of maidens. The child’s love has turned into a more adult passion, desire and fierceness. Love is our biggest teacher, and desire can bring out all our power and weakness. This is the Lady of a fierce love and protection, She takes us further into our journey of loving ourselves. She holds the spear, but she also holds the mirror, showing us our true selves. This Goddess is linked to the Morrigan, Brigantia, the Morgen Thetis and the festival of Beltane.
To the trio of Mothers/Queens we circle, firstly reaching the Water Mother of Freedom. This Gold lady is the orgasmic bliss when you let go of expectations and the need to protect. She surfs the waves of desire and loves without boundaries or reason. The Chalice is the never ending source of love, nourishment and healing. She is the flow of life, the kiss of sun on your skin, the joy of love without fear. She is linked to Sulis, Oshun, Aphrodite the Morgen Gliten and the Summer Solstice.
Into the forest we walk to meet the antlered Lady of the Woods. This bronze Goddess is Mother to all the wild creatures. Her antlers protect her loved ones, yet she seeks no fight. She holds a sleeping Fox in her lap; Fox is the totem of wisdom, shape shifting and magic. This Lady connects to Elen of the Ways, the Morgen Glitonea, and the festival of Lughnasadh.
The last of our Mother/Queens is the Goddess of Harvest, the Lady of Ripe Berries and shows us the fruits of our labour. She is rediscovering Her true essence after years of taking care of others. She is the Silver Queen of Sovereignty and her energy spirals deep into the earth as she prepares for the turning of the seasons and tides. She is linked to Persephone as Queen of the Underworld, the Morgen Moronoe and the Autumn Equinox.
As the tides turn we face the Wise Crones. Firstly we encounter the Lady of Old Age & Death. She appears wild and fierce, but if we sit down by the fire and listen to Her wisdom, we will feel soothed beyond knowing. She sings to us and gently plays her drum, smiling a big toothy grin. This Crone is the Gold Lady of Bones and She is linked to the Ancestral Grandmothers, the Cailleach, Cerridwen, Badb, the Morgen Mazoe and the festival of Samhain.
And to our last Lady we turn; our journey rich and full, our fears acknowledged and our love still burning bonfire strong in our hearts. I call this Bronze Goddess the Faery Godmother, and She puts up with that because She is kind! She is the Star Mother, the Old Wise Lady of the Darkest Nights. She is Kindness and She has seen and felt it all! Her Star Staff will shine a light into your darkest nights, as she holds you when you are afraid, listens to your deepest wishes and grounds them deep into the heart of a Star. Badger rests on her lap, showing the wisdom of the earth, the night and the medicine of strength and tenacity. She is linked to Goddesses of Frost and Star Fire, the Morgen Tyronoe and the Winter Solstice.
Rest here in the stillness for a while before you return to the Silver Seer and take the next steps on your ever deepening path.
