Reigning over the underworld
A dream brought me into my subconscious mythic landscape
Most of you know about Persephone and her descent as queen of the underworld during winter and her ascent as flower maiden and daughter of Demeter, Mother Nature in summer. But have you heard of Creiddylad (pronounced cray or cree-thil-ahd), Gwythyr ap Greidawl (gwetheer ap greydawl) and faery king Gwynn ap Nudd (gwin ap nith)?
Heralds of summer are abound in the northern hemisphere, whereas the southern prepares itself for the descent, and truly within us we are always able to move between the seasons as in the conscious and subconscious realms. Get cosy for a spicy dream and a story as old as time.
Last night I dreamed unusually. Despite the many breastfeeding breaks I would return to the same dream story, in different scenes.
I absolutely love dreamwork and each night I take a mugwort tincture, blue lotus infusion or sip my left over ceremonial cacao - all great allies for the deep dive into the world of the subconscious. But I am not able to fully explore lucid dreams as I am co-sleeping with my child.
Last night, however, I noticed a difference in intensity, feeling, characters and details of the dream.
I remember smoothly transitioning from a previous dream, landing on a sandy shore on a hot summers day, playing naked in the ocean with my beautiful friends Carolina and
, both of them holding a mirror, in which we could see ourselves goofing and dancing around.I was a step further behind the two as suddenly a man - of which I knew almost instantly was the god of the underworld (!) - emerged from the deep dark waters and touched my breast whilst swimming up, igniting an intense passion, love and destiny between us. We sat at the beach in tender embrace and arousing feelings when he declared his love for me and the invitation - or command - to visit him in the underworld.
Which - in scene 2 (after a breastfeeding intermission) - I did. Only to find him preparing for a wedding with another woman, clearly one belonging to his realm. I felt ridiculed and embarrassed, thinking he had set me up to be imprisoned, but also unleashing an inner power within me, as if I had to prove myself as the leader of my realm. It was as if a rivalry started, one fuelled by mutual attraction and awareness of each other´s power position. We found each other intimately again in a scene alone, confirming the fateful relationship and that I was being challenged. In the next scene - after another breastfeeding intermission - I was gathering my people, using clever tricks to not be trapped by the underworld king´s magic and in turn show him how we, the people were able to create our destiny and influence his. It felt as if a teasing “war” between his underworld realm and my (middle world?) realm began until another more loving scene - in which I sneakily stole a gun from his belt whilst he was genuinely embracing me - presented the outcome of us being clearly meant to rule together, as if to bring peace to the separated worlds.
I woke up. Able to remember faces, colours, elements, feelings, thoughts and stories of the dream, knowing it stretched over half the night into the morning (again, very rare as dreams usually seem long yet only take up short amounts of conscious time). Knowing this was noteworthy and trusting that something will be revealed to me soon about its meaning.
I went on about my day, bank and grocery run with my dad and my son, cooking pasta, baking quiche, writing on next weeks special *surprise* collaboration newsletter, putting Fynn River down for his midday nap, which - success - after a long week was more than an hour again (without me attached to him). And finally sitting down to create and upload new content for my yearlong Avalon Training. We are currently exploring the season of transition between the Realm of the Sea into the Realm of the Land and from winter year to summer year through the portal of the Spring Equinox leading towards Beltane, mayday. Well, I decided yesterday to research further into the early arthurian character (from the Mabinogi) of Creiddylad and as I read a german article on her, it suddenly clicked:
Creiddylad was the most beautiful of all women and desired by two men, Gwythyr ap Greidawl who was promised her hand in marriage and Gwynn ap Nudd who stole her away in the night before the wedding. In other versions of the story, Gwythyr was the one who abducted Creiddylad and stole her away from her fathers realm and Gwynn acts as her brother, bringing her back.
I hardly know anything about Gwythyr, to my knowledge he only appears in this tale and is representing of a sun deity or knight of summer - Gwynn though I know from many stories, for example as the psychopomp who leads the wild hunt at Samhain (31st October). I have lived on his land for the past 4 years, as he is the faery king who dwells under the Glastonbury Tor - known as the ancient isle of Avalon, formerly surrounded by water. Gwynn is considered the king of the underworld. Goosebumps.
I immediately knew it was him, or my perception of him. It would explain the vague marriage scene in my dream, although it was him having another woman instead of me having another candidate. And it would make sense why the obscure other relationship wasn´t a real thread nor was it meaningful to our relationship. As they both exist parallel and equally are important aspects.
For those unaware of Celtic Mythology and the meaning of the famous “love triangles”: They represent the fight over the goddess of the land, she who bestows sovereign rulership to the worthy king.
The battle for Creiddylad happens every year exactly on May 1st - the date that in earlier times separated the "night of the year" from the "day of the year", i.e. winter from summer - is symbolic of the different forces of nature in the course of the year.
In one half she was the wife of Gwythyr, in the other half the wife of Gwynn.
This means that the battle for Creiddylad probably symbolises the battle of summer against winter. It is characterised by the wish that the beautiful Queen of May, with all her warmth, splendour, blossoms and fertility, may finally make her appearance. This is reminiscent of the story of the Greek goddess Persephone, who lived one half of the year in the underworld with Hades and the other half in the upper world with her mother, the fertility goddess Demeter.
The goddess gives both male heroes or gods their power at any time of year. They must therefore also fight for her. Each is only granted a six-month reign. The goddess is always present - in summer and winter at all times.
I can only assume that my dream offered me an entry way into my personal underworld, e.g. unconscious, after many years of trying to access and intentionally work with it through my dreams. I have yet to decipher the meaning of Gwynn´s other bride, instead of another groom. But all of the characters are ultimately projections of my own psyche, and therefor parts of myself. It is as if my own nature challenged my being to prove my worth to myself and not anyone else, a way to internally process the Great Rite of Sovereignty. Beltane season, I am ready.
Fun Fact: Creiddylad´s name is obscure but could mean something along the lines of “The Heat/ The Heart of Summer”, my birthday is on 21st of June, the longest day of the year, summer solstice, the pinnacle of summer and my work is all heart alchemy and medicine, take cacao for instance. I may have found a new guide, a lady of the lake (through her father being connected to the moon and waters) and bridge from otherworld to human realms. As well as a spirit brother or inner divine masculine in form of Gwynn ap Nudd, restoring my to wholeness and reminding me to integrate all parts of my being and psyche.
Gwynn´s Lullaby in which Gwynn calls to Creiddylad:
Close your eyes, Creiddylad,
Dreams will come, Creiddylad,
Crowned by rains, maiden fair,
Golden dawn, silver days.
Don’t you fret, Creiddylad,
I’ll be here, Creiddylad,
Holding fast, Holding true,
Weaving dreams all anew.
Be at peace, Creiddylad,
Night will end, Creiddylad,
Light will shine, strong and clear,
I won’t leave, don’t you fear.
Found on https://aneurinstree.home.blog/2020/12/23/nothwenn-gwyn-gwyns-lullaby/
On Samhain, the time of the year when Gwynn claims Creiddylad back to his realm, I will gather those of you who are as exciting as me to dive deep into their internal waters and physically into the sacred springs of the ancient isle of Avalon - exciting times for shadow work, internal transformation and magic, not without reason known as the season of the witch!
Who is called by Gwynn ap Nudd, the faery king, his goddess queen and the nymphs of healing and restoration?
It is my honour and great privilege to welcome you at Healing Waters, a stunning retreat sanctuary with Tor view, home of winter faery king and exclusive location on the priestess hill, home of the summer faery queen (how did I not connect the dots to Creiddylad earlier?).
I have trained as a Priestess of Avalon since 2019, and woven my work humbly throughout my ceremonies and courses, but now it is time to claim my heart work as it is less woo woo than you might assume: think psychology, trauma & inner child work, psychosomatics, mythopoetics and rituals inspired by the alchemy of western mystery tradition.
In the Heart of Avalon
Glastonbury Retreat, October 27th-31st 2024
Price on Sliding Scale from £880-1700 for five days including accommodation, food, daily ceremonial cacao, her and entries to sacred sites. Leave a comment or reply to this email to learn more or visit my website https://lauradurban.com/avalon-retreat/
If you want to truly dedicate to the Mysteries of Avalon and the mythical magic you get to bring to your daily life as a modern priest/ess or devotee to unveiling the spiritual path behind arthurian legends and their christian distortions (plus the rediscovering of the Magdalene Path and its intersection with Druidry and the Celtic Church), I invite you to take a look at my yearlong training which leads you through the seasonal celebrations, their original meanings (as far as we know) and their recent reclaiming: https://lauradurban.com/lp-courses/avalon/ - The Retreat is included as initiation on your path
What a splendid adventure Laura. A sort of inner and outer journey, which is what all travel should be.