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| AVALON Exploring the Mythic Reality By: Chris Maher, Priestess of Avalon The Island of Mist, the Isle of Apples, the Isle of the Maidens, the Island of the Dead, all of these names have been given to the holy Isle of the Mother Goddess that we know as Avalon. But before the coming of Arthur, it was known as Yniswitrin, The Isle of Glass. It was ruled by Avalach, who is called Rex Avalonis, (King of Avalon). He was father of Morgan, who was "The Royal Virgin of Avalon". Avalon is where eternity touches earth, a gateway between worlds, the home of the deepest mysteries of Britain. Some say Avalon does not exist or that it was just made up, like the romances of King Arthur and the deeds of the Knights of the Round Table. However there are many people like myself who have yearned for Avalon. And we have intuitively known it has always existed; but where is it, and why do we feel this? It is not always made clear. We have read every myth and every story we could get our hands on that had King Arthur, Merlin, Morgane, and Morgan Le Feye. Over and over, no matter how many times, we keep reading them. Mary Zimmer Bradley made the biggest impression on us with her �Mist of Avalon� series. This wonderful daughter of the holy isle left us a mystical porthole to Avalon. With these books, like no others, she parted the mist even further. Her images of Avalon had a wonderfully different perspective on the Arthur legend that only increased our appetites to search deeper into the mist, in search of the island of the Mother Goddess. But where did this idea and yearning for Avalon come from? Some have never heard of Avalon, but still feel its pull, but why? Lastly, how do we know where Avalon is hidden? These questions and more are what we will be exploring in this continuing article and research for the book I am currently writing on the subject; " The Gates of Avalon, The Sacred Journey to the Holy Isle. " The way of the traditions of the Celts, is a difficult trail to follow. The Celts and most things that have been written about them, come from many different sources. Because this was an oral tradition, much has been lost. Another problem is Celtic information has been put into one big mish-mash stew - putting Irish, Scottish, Welch, and British myths and Goddesses into one big cauldron as it were. So you may run across Celtic sayings or Celtic lore, but the information of its origins has no definitive lines of separation. There are a few names of the Goddesses in Ancient Celtic and Avalonian Myth. In Ireland She was Domnu, Danu, Anu, Ana, Banba, Eriu, Fotla, Babh, Kessair, Kersair, Kele, Artha, Brigit, Grainme, Macha, Morrigu and Sheila na Gig. In Wales She was Blodeuwedd, Arinrhood, Mona, Rhiannon, Gwenhwyfer, Kerridwen. In Scotland She was the Caillech, Bera, Brigit, Cale, Carline, Scota and Mag Moullach. In England She was the White Lady, Ana, Dana, Amma, Annis, Artha, Alba, Graine, Ker, Madron, Modron, Mab, Morg-Ana, the Great Queen Rigantona (later Epona) Guinevere, Vivienne, the Lady of the Lake, Elaine and Nimue. (List from Kathy Jones� book �Ancient British Goddesses�) Avalon has long been associated with the myth of the Nine maidens, the Nine Morgans, Island of Maidens. It is a common tale that has been pulled from several areas - some are even Roman and Greek sources. In Britain, they are the Nine Witches of Gloucester who provided the weapons training for Peredur. This also parallels the Irish Gaelic tradition by the eponymous goddess of the Isle of Dkye Scathack (ski-ach). She trains the youthful Cuchulainn in arms and challenges him to overcome her. This takes on many thoughts of the Amazons. Then there are the Sisters of the Cauldron, the nine maidens who cool the Cauldron of Annwn with their breath that inspirits the liquid. These are the closest to Britain�s Ladies of the Lake. Caesar also verifies this: "Among the Gaelic people they hold that Minerva instituted the arts and crafts. The Christian sisterhood of St. Bridgit of Kildare, which venerated the saint who had subsumed many of the Goddess Brighid�s attributes. Astonishing enough they are all pretty consistent. There are several points of common threads in the myths. All are on an Island surrounded by rough seas, and inhabited only by women, described as a island paradise, with apple trees and fruits and vegetables of abundance without sign of a plough, and one Lady of the Lake or one High Priestess of Healing. She went by many names: Morgan, Vivian, Nimue, Morgan Le Feye, Bride, just to name a few. This Lady was very learned in the medicinal arts of herbs. She had great knowledge of healing; all the myths concur on this fact.� The works of Geoffrey of Monmouth is one of the earliest sources of the Nine Maidens, and the first mention of Avalon in the King Arthur myths. Geoffrey says, and I quote, in the Vita Merlini; Sisters who dwell on an island in the sea called "The Fortunate Isle, (Isle of Apples).� She who is first of them is more skilled in the healing arts, and excels her sisters in the beauty of her person: Morgan is her name, and she has learned what useful properties of all the herbs contain, so that she can cure sick bodies. She also knows the arts of shapeshifting, and to cleave the air on new wings like a Daedalus. Geoffrey�s description of the island and the Sisterhood of the Nine is accurate in many details of the Celtic Otherworld. Geoffrey's description of Morgan as Goddess of the place, shows her as compassionate and caring. Morgan Le Feye in later writings became an evil archenemy of Arthur. I look at her story and the atrocities she supposedly committed against her half brother, Arthur, were not atrocities at all. By adhering to Celtic Tradition she was considered as a otherworldly being. And in keeping with tradition I feel her atrocities were not understood nor correctly interpreted by Christian writers of the legends. She is expressing the aspect of the Challenger Goddess. It's a common Celtic tale of testing those who have to prove themselves worthy as protectors of the land, in order for the Land Goddess to grant them continued sovereignty. These tests were thrown at Arthur on a continuous basis, throughout his reign. Arthur did however overcome them because he was worthy to be sovereign. However, in the end Arthur turned his back on Avalon, allowing Britain to become more Christianized. He no longer could hold the trust of the tribesmen that followed the Goddess. The battle of Camlan were he was mortally wounded, showed that he knew he had to make the sacrifice to the land which he swore to the Goddess to protect. That was to give his life''s blood to it. When he fell in battle, he requested his men take him to Avalon, to Morgan who received him as Goddess. She told his men that she could heal his wounds and restore him, but he would have to stay with her for a long time, and except her healing. The men left him there in her care. I think she wanted to leave them with the hope he would return even though she knew he was dying. It was never said that Arthur died of his wounds after that battle. So the old Bards� tales say "That when Britain is in its most dire need the High King Arthur shall return to his people and save Britain." Hence "The Once and Future King." This brings us to the close of this part of the story. My next addition of Mythic Reality will be an exploration deeper into the mysteries of the Nine Maidens and the fall of their Avalon. Sources: Kathy Jones, Ancient British Goddess Caitlin and John Mathews, the Ladies of the Lake Geffory of Monmonth, Viti Merlini John Matthew, King Arthur The Dark Ages Warrior of the Celts. Stewart Mcarthy, The Nine Maidens "The wound that needs to be healed is the wound between women. When that wound is healed, then the wound between men and women can be healed. When the wound between men and women is healed, the family will be healed. When the family is healed, the community is healed. When the community is healed, the world will be healed." ~China Galland |
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