Pagan Portals - Raven Goddess: Going Deeper with the Morrigan

by Morgan Daimler

Pagan Portals - Raven Goddess follows on from the author's earlier book, The Morrigan, to help the reader continue to get to know the Irish Goddess of war, battle, and prophecy with a particular focus on disentangling truth from common misconceptions. As the Morrigan has grown in popularity, understandings of who she was and is have shifted and become even more nebulous. Raven Goddess is intended to clarify some common points of confusion and help people go deeper in their study of the Morrigan and assist in nurturing a devotional relationship to her.

Genres: Spirituality, Witchcraft, Paganism, Nonfiction, Mythology, Religion, Ebooks

104 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2020

About the author

My name is Morgan Daimler. I have had my poetry and prose published in different places including various anthologies, Circle magazine, Witches and Pagans magazine and Pagan Dawn magazine. I am the author of the urban fantasy series Between the Worlds and (through Cosmic Egg Books) the high fantasy novel Into Shadow. I've written more than a dozen non-fiction works through Moon Books including Fairy Witchcraft, Pagan Portals: the Morrigan, Fairies: A Guide to the Celtic Fair Folk, A New Dictionary of Fairies, and Pagan Portals Aos Sidhe

Reviews

[Mellissa Bushby · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable, well-researched and erudite book about the magnificent, mysterious Warrior Queen, the Morrigan. Morgan's book speaks of the history of the period as well as delving into the appearance, her role in Celtic Mythology and discusses her belief regarding the Morrigan, both in history and modern retellings.

[Kaitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and we'll researched book on the Morrigan. The Morrigan is one of those figures from myth that not enough is known to us. Morgan Daimler does a great job of trying to separate past myths from modern retellings. It's an enjoyable read for anyone interested in Celtic Mythology.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Raven Goddess is an excellent deep dive into The Morrigan and all the mysterious misconceptions surrounding her.

The Irish Goddess of war, battle, and prophecy has so many, and often conflicting, tales and common misconceptions surrounding her mythos that Raven Goddess provides many points of clarity. This book is primarily intended to clarify some common points of confusion and aid those wanting a more in-depth study of the Morrigan and all her many faces.

Generally, I am all for a deeper understanding of the lovely and mysterious Morrigan, but I'm not one for deep-diving into translations and the like. I felt like I was back in school writing my doctoral thesis. This book is very much for a niche audience and will be wonderful to help clarify and understand how common misconceptions were, well, conceived. For those just coming into the Morrigan path, this will probably be too much.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.* 

[The Shakti Witch · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this latest offering from the Pagan Portals series, author Morgan Daimler dispels many myths surrounding the Morrigan. Is she really a Goddess? The internet abounds with many falsehoods. Read this book to uncover the truth.

Also included is a list of sites in Ireland connected with the Morrigan and ways to connect with her at home. Readers will find a comprehensive list of resources for further study at the end of the book.

*eArc provided by the publisher and NetGalley

[Katie Robbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched and cited, the author clearly defines the Morrigan for those who have stumbled into misinformation and falsehoods. Written in an easy to understand and straightforward manner, there is no denying the author knows her subject well and closely. This book is perfect for those looking to seek a deeper relationship with the Morrigan or just those interested in Irish Pagan theology and mythology.

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good book from Pagan Portals. Good for those who have an interest in the Morrigan. This can give you another perspective on her. Like other Pagan Portal books, this is on the smaller side since it is an introduction book. Good information overall.

[William Bloomingdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

This book had been announced already when I’d initially read its predecessor, and its everything I hoped for and more. I love the translations included, and place great value on the way Daimler cites their academic findings. I’ll be buying a physical copy as well to add to my shelves soon!
-Kat Bloomingdale

[Melynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little repetitive in parts, but well researched. A great resource.

[Stefania Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Who rules your life? Dare to be your own sovereign, dare to rule over your own flesh, dare to be in control of your own self.”

[Stella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the book, and it has a lot of wonderful resources in it. The author does a wonderful job addressing pre and current modern issues, conflicts, facts vs myths etc. It is a very dense 83 page book, and the writing style fluctuates between lax and professional "in school writing a thesis" style.

I am a person who likes consistency in writing. There were a few jarring grammatical and editing errors in the book, and the writing style fluctuated quite a bit. The author is very knowledgeable, but I couldn't tell if her writing was trying to be a guided spiritual practice, a historical reconstructionist practice, a historical book in general, or a platform for parts she wanted to talk about.

For example there are three very large parts (almost whole pages) that are repeated multiple times, specifically when the author is address the story about the union between the morrigan and the dagda, it is copy and pasted full paragraph(s) stories (at least twice I can think of off hand). I would have preferred her to write it out once and then reference back to the page or the story, especially since this book is only 83 pages long. I might feel differently if it was a longer book but i finished this in one sitting and didnt feel like those paragraphs needed to be copied and pasted in the span of 10 or 15 pages.

Then there were also pages I completely skipped over because the author started to go on large tangets about their personal beliefs or what she found was acceptable or not. That in itself is fine, however the lead in and the switch in the tone of the writing did not ease you into it. It went from talking about a translation and the history of a text and language of a text, and then suddenly in the next sentence you're reading about her thoughts. Again I'm just a person who likes consistency, and I have read books of both nature's, I would just have preferred to have one tone to go with everything.

Overall the content was great, and again if for nothing else buying the book for its bibliography and resources as a reference piece for your library is worth it.

[KatsCauldron R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will start out that this, as well as the books before it by Morgan are a must read if you are into Celtic Deities as she ferrets out details from translations where modern casual Gaelic reading man has not gone before & by doing so truly meshes out the stories from originally transposed or rewritten. Her translations & thought have added depth & insight to known tales of Sidhe which only encompass a fraction of what they were & are either then or now. So we begin: well finally I have gotten a book by Morgan on Celtic literature & deities to review & one about one of my favorite Goddesses! Morrigan is, I believe, as Morgan pointed out, probably one of three sisters with Badb & Macha. They make a trilogy as they work together tightly [& along with another probable cousin & Fae N] That is different than an actual triple Goddess but who's to say that is not true of all.
Now we are coming to why this is going to be shoddy: review book downloads don't allow copy/pastes of lines or anything else & there were many I wanted to touch on here. Mogan's ability to deep dive into translations is phenomenal as well as thought process & observations. While I might not agree with some of them I will take the stance she did on issues like this and feel her other insights more than make up for anything petty. With colors ascribed to Morrigan: white is the color of shrouds & death, red & black given, but see different color schemes, jewel colors into black with reds, purples, blues[cobalt to indigo], greens & grays. She also brought up the Fae special of shapeshifting which should always be looked at as insubstantial on how the Fae actually usually look most the time & their momentary disguises used for a reason. I see Morrigan as redhaired fair skinned with intense blue to shifting colors eyes. Badb of the red mouth as having raven hair & white skin with piercing blue eyes & Macha light skinned, dark tawny haired blue to green eyes. There's so much excellent content in observations & translations that I will be getting this book & the ones before it when I can. Decided to try & power point this as there are so many things to touch on & step by step she fleshes out things I believed without her meticulous back up:
The Sidhe existed before man & weren't created by man imo & pretty much same with all entities & Deities so this newer view taken from eastern Buddhist thought of I am God, God is me & especially the way that is used & abused is not a good fit & can really come back to bite the person hard depending on how far they take it or who they piss off. Yes, we all have a spark of divine inside of us depending upon person to person, their personality, experiences & past lives over how in touch with or strong. However the way modern paganism has at times tried to mold the old into their own now perception is a phenomena & further mold it into their excuses or worse something else. Especially with the Morrigan, they aren't your sex kittens or toys. As female they are sexual but not to be fetishized. Celts & Sidhe did go into battle naked, it was meant to strike terror into their enemies not entice as their next actions would have proven. If someone cuts off you head for a trophy & pulls out your guts to weave it isn't because they thought you'd be a hot date. It was meant to create the level of fear to paralyze others & right trauma people should feel. Nor are they motherly any more than the sense they are female in projection. This was personally touched on in one of many instances with another Deity & a woman who had high priestessed for some time. After a guided ceremony she took me aside & asked me if I believed in the Deities or what people were saying they had gotten out of these quests. I could tell she was going through some existential crisis over this & my thoughts were plain: Yes I believe in the Deities & as far as what people perceive, that is from their limited standpoint combined with their subconscious & immediate desires [someone had put another heavy hitter as a mother figure that was nurturing him] I know any major actually Deity presence in front of me has always been a terrifying, awesome experience that was permanently ingrained in my psyche, actually took my breath away & made me realize how very punkish I & humans truly are. They have also [the Morrigans in particular] been around when truly I needed them, pushing me to go on when it would have been physically impossible for others to do so & fight, I did & survived because of it. They are shown to humans as war Deities though they can be more to their own & selves.
Let us now go into a biggy that was reinforced by the egos of male translators that didn't translate whole passages. Morgan managed to unravel what I feel was a great insult to the Morrigan: Cu Chulainn: with all his daring do, he was an insufferable prat & arrogant fool never meant to hold the title of King [which considering some that did was even sadder], if not grasped already, the point dawned on most with his king size temper tantrum when the stone refused to name him King & he broke it. The stone knew he was unfit & so did the Sidhe especially Morrigan [will use the the in front if all three sisters are involved] She wasn't ever trying to seduce him imo, she was bent on tripping him up & showing him for what he was if he didn't change, which he was given three times to do so. Keep that three in mind because with the Celts it is major.
Now let us touch on a Welsh legend I feel based on fact: a ruler in Wales/Briton was murdered by a probable Roman general who had already devised, like those before him, to use Christianity as a ploy to destroy matriarchal rights & instill patriarchal rule [old stories penned by original monks & nuns in Ireland in the 100s reinforce this from how they lived & practiced before the new structure instilled by Roman Catholic church under Constantine created as norm model] he married the rulers wife & bred a son. The young daughter of real king was put in nunnery. By original rule she was next in line for throne but by new she was demonized & reviled even to have whatever heir she bore the false ruler claimed as his until he could kill him. Whoever/whatever she was she was not any of the Morrigan though can understand her worshipping them if such were the case. I feel like Aradia, she was a mortal deified by people to the point of giving her entity energy, but that's my take & it's solid, no she was no part of the actual Morrigan other than being pagan, maybe a witch & worshipper.
Rather than write a whole paper on this book I will just wholeheartedly suggest that you get it & can say I truly enjoyed it & it should be on any shelf of serious Celtic Deity translations. I am sure I might have been redundant here but just needed too get it done with emphasis on how much care was put into translations & ideas by Morgan

[Alan D.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una exploración completa, interesante y fácil de entender sobre quién es y qué representa la Morrigan. Desde sus asociaciones básicas y aspecto, hasta los mitos más sonados sobre su figura y su rol en la mitología celta, Morgan Daimler ofrece una mirada profunda y crítica en esta diosa con un lenguaje directo pero a la vez sencillo de entender.

A complete, interesting and easy to understand exploration of who the Morrigan is and what she represents. From her basic associations and appearance, to the most famous myths about her figure and her role in Celtic mythology, Morgan Daimler offers a deep and critical look at this goddess with a direct but at the same time easy to understand language.

[Alicia Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book by Morgan Daimler on The Morrigan that I have read, and once again it was an absolute pleasure. I have been reading a lot of non-fiction lately, which I normally find daunting because I use reading as my primary means of escape from this planet we live on. Occasionally though, as I have found to be the case with all of Daimler's books I have read, I am able to submerge myself in a non-fiction that is captivating, enlightening, and enjoyable.
My favorite part about picking up a book by this author is knowing that what I read has been thoroughly and carefully researched by a knowledgeable and well-respected expert on the topic. Daimler has built quite the repertoire of books on the topics of Irish folklore and mythology and is one of my go-to authors for accurate information for researching the Fair Folk and various Irish Gods, Goddesses, and un-gods for the book I am writing.
As stated above, this is the second of Daimler's books that focuses on The Morrigan, and what I love about this book in particular is the way it explores people's modern views and beliefs about this ancient Goddess. Daimler points out, validly, that while each individual will relate to the Goddess in their own unique way, it is important to understand and be familiar with the historical (myth or otherwise) context surrounding the Morrigan to fully grasp who The Morrigan was and is in Irish beliefs.
Daimler's writing style flows in a way that makes reading about the history of these Irish beliefs easy to follow and understand, and for the skeptic, perhaps even believable. I can't speak highly enough about this author and their credibility. If you love history or are interested in Irish Mythology and Folklore, and want an accurate source of information, it would be a mistake to not include Daimler's books.

[Sas UrbaneHexe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morgan Daimlers books are great. They are very well researched and informative, So if you are looking for fact based information about the Morrigan I highly recommend this book, together with her other book “The Morrigan: Meeting the Great Queens”. These two little books will give you a strong foundation to start from or to strengthen your path with the Morrigan.
There are only very few pagan authors who give such serious and reliable information about historical and mythical backgrounds. After reading the two books, and I highly recommend reading both, you have a very good foundation with lots of information and theoretical basics about the Morrigan.
Even though Daimler gives us some practical advice, too, this is just a very tiny part of the book, so don't be disappointed when you don't find rituals, spells etc. The book is sometimes a little try, but it's definitly worth reading. It will be a book that I will come back to.
“The Morrigan” and “Raven Goddess” together are a great resource when you walk with the Morrigan. They are just small books with just about 100 pages, but they are profound, well-grounded and well researched.

[Andrew Pixton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great and interesting continuation on the Morrigan. My opinion on her (them?) is that it's an amalgamation of various myths and folktales of different dark or warlike women. The Christian storytellers, and those scribes who eventually wrote them down, wanted more consistency and so used their trinitarian worldview to create the Morrigan. If I had one complaint about this book is that it didn't give enough attention to that likelihood but regardless, the point was a closer spiritual connection and not so much a historical understanding. I do think though that a better background on the history can inform our spiritual approach. Perhaps it was that, or perhaps it's just not for me, that I still don't feel as connected to or drawn to them. That's nothing on this book really, it's well written, and I felt similarly after reading some of the tales themselves. Just maybe it's taking me more time or just not meant to be even if intellectually she appeals to me greatly.

[Jenna Deaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

*review based on an e-arc received through net galley


What I liked

-research and citation is clearly shown

- the Morrigan as the author understands them is explained in detail for those who may have Encountered conflicting information elsewhere.

-The written in an easy to digest tone and format.


What I disliked

- This book did not feel as though it added much to the author’s previous work.

-The work almost feels like a teaser for a larger and more in-depth look at the Goddess it covers.

This book is a good fit for the pagan wanting to form a working understanding of The Morrigan but is also a fun read for those just interested in Irish Pagan theology and mythology.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

My expectation for this book was that it would be every bit as good as the first one by this author, The Morrigan: Meeting the Great Queens. However, this was not the case with Raven Goddess: Going Deeper with the Morrigan. Instead, it felt like a shallow, often repetitive follow up that spends too much time apologizing for reflecting the personal views (along with the scholarship) of the author. It was repetitive to the point of being annoying, and it suffered from a serious lack of proofreading. Commas were mostly absent, some sentences lacked periods at the end, verb tenses bounced back and forth, and some sentences simply didn’t make sense. Aside from all of its faults, however, it is still an interesting and fast read about The Morrigan.

[Marc Rhodes-Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a very good book indeed i have just finished it. morgan daimler has done her homework, she is very familiar with the classical texts and presents some strong arguments which she easily manages to back up. sometimes she questions other people's conceptions and beliefs about the morrigan, which might be challenging to those who possess particular beliefs which have a less than form basis. morgan daimler is fairly honest although not hostile here, she does concede that different people may have their own views and beliefs and allows for this.

[Heidi Hanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This follow up book on The Morrigan by Morgan Daimler is as well written and as helpful in understanding The Morrigan, as the first one was. Most importantly, this provide accurate scholarship on this deity, while still being an enjoyable read. But the fact that Daimler also offers personal insight and cautionary advice is useful to someone who is trying to grasp both historical facts and a contemporary way of integrating this deity in a personal, spiritual path. I am grateful for the Resources section for additional learning and ritual practice.

[Ulvhud · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come quasi tutti i pagan portals, anche Raven Goddess si colloca come una lettura interessante e da fare per approfondire la Morrigan. Purtroppo, o per fortuna, in queste poche pagine (va ricordato che non superano mai le 100 pagine) l'autore si concentra maggiormente sui falsi miti legati alla Morrigan e alla sua personale visione della divinità, lasciando scoperti altri aspetti che non sarebbe stato male approfondire - ma a quanto pare questo libro si configura come la puntualizzazione e il proseguimento di un altro libro che non avevo acquistato.
Se interessati, merita darci un'occhiata

[Ai-lan · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone with some basic knowledge about the Morrigan this is a great addition! Morgan Daimler goes through the Associations and Correspondences of the Morrigan sisters, gives brief summaries of their stories and provides detailed translations of the Old Irish originals. Then she also discusses common misconceptions and why some of them are problematic. Finally she provides inspiration for connecting to Her.

[Ashe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd expected more from this as a follow-up to the previous book by Daimler on the Morrigan. Still has the same strengths to it, it's decently distinguishable what is theory and what is personal views/experience, and Daimler is able to express all that in an easy to understand way. Maybe I was expecting more than was realistically possible, it just didn't feel as that much of a deeper dive than the previous book.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

She has obviously done a great deal of research on The Great Queen and it shows with the information she shares and her opinions are explained using that research if you're looking for a detailed guide to connecting to The Morrigan this isn't it but if you want to learn more about her or find out how to learn more about her this is the book for you

[Indigo Crow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the book before it, this book is actually quite short and you can read it in one or two sittings if you've got the time. But it is well written and gives an honest description of the Morrigan that I very much appreciate. I think anyone that feels called by the Morrigan or is interested in her/them should read this book and the one before it.

[Chris Hippe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely book. It is more intimate than Morgan Daimler's previous works on the Morrigan. It's like having tea and deep discussions about the goddess with your friend. It is appropriate for those just starting with the Great Queens or those who have walked this path for a while. If you are new to the Morrigan, I highly recommend starting with Daimler's Meeting the Great Queens.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book felt like a personal talk with the author about the Morrigan. It's very short but does give some helpful insight into the author's perspective and leads you in such a way as to help you find your own path in your devotion.

[Emily Donnelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking for a more in depth exploration of the stories the Morrigan appears in go for this book. If you are seeking specific prayers etc… check out Morgan Daimler’s other Pagan Portals the Morrigan book. Both together form a great primer on jumping into working with her and her myths.

[Breanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good information

Now I need to go read back onto the previous guide about the Morrigan. Though a good stand alone for information, it makes me want to learn more for our great queen. A good read, sometimes repetitive, but a good quick read.

[Jade]

This very much went deeper and I'm not sure I was 100% invested as I should have been, really. Fascinating if you're looking at it from an academic POV

[Auralite Ravenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great, short, easy read on the Morrigan.