Callings of a Welsh Goddess

Ceridwen and her cauldron.

Ever since I started to learn about the old ways I have wondered what God and Goddess would call to me. For awhile I thought a lot about Brigid and her association with fire, one of my prime elements. Despite her power over fire she didn't speak to me in a specific or special way that I assume the correct deity for me should.

Last night a stumbled upon mention of Ceridwen and there has been a power associated with her name that has stuck in my mind since. I don't know if this is the Goddess calling out to me, but I do know that throughout my life specific things have come to me and stuck with me. This was true when I picked my confirmation name, Augustine.

Augustine had not even been on the list of names I was thinking about choosing, but the name came to me in a dream and even at the age of 16 I knew it was MY name. Upon waking I a made a point to learn more about St. Augustine and found that his path in life spoke to me on a personal level. I no longer consider myself Catholic, but I do still consider Augustine to be my name.

Augustine derives from August, which in turn comes from Latin Augustus. The description in the American Heritage Dictionary for 'August' is as follows: inspiring awe or admiration. For this reason I choose to keep Augustine as part of my person nomenclature.

Back to Ceridwen, her name seems to have a similar power over me and I know it is an important name to me. So I've spent the morning learning about her and after reading her legend, I remember discussing  her in my Anthropology class on religion and beliefs. Ceridwen is both the mother and the crone. She is protective and vengeful. Wise and headstrong. She is exactly like me.

In morned Paganism, Ceridwen is considered the patron goddess of witchcraft with her status of crone and association with her cauldron and brew. Even if she turns out to not be my patron goddess, she is a good one to honor and show reverence to. For these reasons I think I will begin to explore and meditate on her further.