I have been a worshipper of the Morrigan since she first came to me some years ago. I thought this would be a great book to supplement what I knew. It was a decent book to have around.

Priestess of the Morrigan: Prayers, Rituals, and Devotional Work to the Great Queen Goddess by Stephanie Woodfield

243 Pages
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications, Llewellyn Worldwide
Release Date: January 8, 2021

Nonfiction (Adult), Religion, Spirituality, Goddess

The book is divided into the following parts and chapters.

Part 1: The Nature of the Morrigan
Chapter 1: The Morrigan: Who She Is and Who She Isn’t
Chapter 2: Belly Full of Blood: The Morrigan and War
Chapter 3: Victory and Healing
Chapter 4: Not for a Woman’s Backside: Sex and the Morrigan

Part 2: Vision and Prophecy
Chapter 7: Becoming the Vessel: Visionary Work and the Morrigan
Chapter 8: The Morrigan’s Wolves: A Vision Regarding Community
Chapter 9: Poisonous Hearts: A Vision of Serpents
Chapter 10: UPG and the Morrigan

Part 3: Devotions and Oaths
Chapter 11: Initiations
Chapter 12: Devotional Work
Chapter 13: The Halidom of Macha: Oaths and Vows

Part 4: Sorcery and Ritual Craft
Chapter 14: She Sung Spells of Power; Curse Work and the Morrigan
Chapter 15: Ritual Dynamics
Chapter 16: Group Rituals

It is obvious the author is a devotee of the Morrigan. She has created a lovely yet complex resource for this Goddess. The book is divided in a way that there is a natural progression of information and lore so the reader gains knowledge along the way. This is a book that should be on every shelf for anyone working with Goddess.

Excellent book written on a subject that hasn’t been covered extensively yet. I love how this book takes a very large concept and successfully breaks it down into something that is easy to read and understand, this book is a must have for anyone interested in the Morrigan and how to work with or understand how the Morrigan may or may not appear in their lives. This book would be highly helpful for someone looking into that and is a fascinating and easy read.

Priestess of The Morrigan is a decent overview of the Goddess with whom the book shares its name written with care towards accuracy and awareness of unverified personal gnosis on the matter.

The author’s inclusion personal experience keeps the text relatable while a good FAQ section combined with a thorough overview of the standing mythology helps give the book solid footing in tradition.

Unfortunately the repetitive nature of some of the examples utilized and the hyper focus on the War aspect of the Goddess makes the book feel off balance and hampers the overall reading experience.


I might recommend this book to a practitioner early in their journey with the goddess paired with some academic reading on the culture that shapes her and our perceptions of her.

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I got this book because I want to get to know more about Morrigan and what her place is the universe really is. The book is broken in to four parts as the journey begins as we get to know her. I believe after reading this I have a better understanding of her. There are celebrations, rituals, and more about the Great Queen and Goddess. I think I want to read more like this just to further my knowledge.

Stephanie Woodfield shares her experiences as a priestess leading a group of Morrigan worshippers. Some explanation of the Morrigan is offered but I felt is wasn’t enough for a novice so this book is best suited to those with a good understanding. I found this book to be perfect for anyone with a singular interest in the subject of Morrigan worship. Rituals for the solo practitioner and those hosting a group are clearly provided.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I found the personal anecdotes not very interesting and I take issue with any mortal who claims that they are the embodiment of any God or Goddess. I did chuckle at the comments by the author about the downside of leading a group of war goddess worshipers - they have tendency to fight among themselves.


*eArc provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book. I"ll be recommending it to students and including it in several courses I teach.

Whether you're looking for an in depth look at worship of the Morrigan from either a sociological exploration or for your own practice, Stephanie Woodfield's guide feels both personal and extremely helpful. The book includes Morrigan stories, rituals for both group pagan practices and individuals, and also prayers and areas of focus. The book includes guidelines and good advise for working with the Morrigan, who has oft been maligned. She is definitely worth a second look.

I really liked the mythology that's covered and the author goes over a wide variety of topics. The personal experiences and anecdotes were a great addition. I did find some bits to be repetitive throughout. I do wish there was more about The Morrigan outside of battle and her other aspects.

Overall, I enjoyed it and I liked the layout. I'll be checking out some of the author's other works.

I am not new to The Morrigan but I found this book to be insightful. well researched, and enlightening. There is something in here for everyone. If you are looking to start a relationship or build upon one that already exists this is the book for you!

Priestess of The Morrigan was an okay read that provides an overview, but in the long run it was a bit repetitive at times.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw that it was coming out as I really love this author's previous work. I have to admit that by the end I was a little disappointed as I felt that it wasn't as thorough as her previous writing.

Pros:
This book provides a good overview of the mythology of The Morrigan and opens with a great FAQ section that covers a number of wide and interesting topics. The author shared many personal experiences and stories throughout which is perfect for anyone who enjoys personal anecdotes about working with deity and ritual experiences.

Cons:
VERY repetitive throughout. Many of the same stories and examples are repeated too often and written as if it was the first time they were being discussed. There were also frequent contradictions in some of the concepts. One example was stressing for a number of pages that The Morrigan is more than just a war and battle goddess and then following up every one of her aspects in relation to battles or wars. This is a shame as The Morrigan has aspects about the land and sacred oaths; these aspects were overshadowed by a lot of references to "she once fought in a battle" and about personal battles.

Overall:
The author made it clear from the beginning that she had taken a long time to accept that The Morrigan was more than a battle goddess. I felt that if this book had been written in a year or two from now then she would have been able to find a better balance in this book.

I love this author's previous books and feel that The Morrigan and working as a priestess or priest of this goddess was better represented in those books far better than in this one. If I had to recommend any one of her books to better understand The Morrigan and how to work as her priestess or priest then I would recommend Celtic Lore and Spellcraft of the Dark Goddess over this book.

I’ve read Stephanie Wood field’s books before. In true fashion this one did not disappoint. If you’re interested in The Morrigan I highly recommend this and Stephanue’s other books.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the advanced e-reader copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Priestess of the Morrigan: Prayers, Rituals & Devotional Work to the Great Queen by Stephanie Woodfield is divided into four (4) Parts and sixteen (16) chapters, each providing the reader with an in depth introduction to one of the most formidable Goddesses of the path. Beginning each of the chapters is a personal account relating to the topic of focus. This lends a very intimate quality to the book, as is always the case, when the authors share their own experiences in a very relatable way into the information given.

As the author explains in her Introduction, this book was not written as a step-by-step guide towards becoming a devotee of the Morrigan. Rather, it is an exploration of the work and the level of commitment required to walk the path of the Morrigan and claim your power as her priestess.

…Priestess is a word that means many different things to many different people. Across different cultures we can see some threads of similarity, but the expression of this kind of devotion varies wildly. I suspect it is because in each case we find a different god or set of gods, being worshipped…….I belong to the Morrigan. And that devotion, that connection between the Great Queen and myself colors everything else I do as a priestess…(Introduction)

Part 1: The Nature of the Morrigan serves as a starting point in getting to know the energy and lore of this “Great Queen”, as she is called as one of her epithets. I appreciated the format of Chapter 1: The Morrigan: Who She Is and Who She Isn’t and its use of a Q&A format. So often when we read books such as these, some of the smaller details such as pronunciation, the addition of other words surrounding the name as descriptors and discourse on others who play prominently in the lore of the god/goddess are not addressed. This small attention to those particulars supports the intention of the book in providing the reader with clarity of who and how that Deity is perceived.

…Vision and prophecy are perhaps the most defining aspects of my work as a priestess of the Morrigan. Wherever the Morrigan goes there are prophecies spoken over bloody battlefields, there are visions of the future; there are omens and warnings given in prophetic dreams. Prophecy is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of the Morrigan’s nature, yet it is in almost all of her stories… (Part 2)

I especially enjoyed the chapters of Part 2: Vision and Prophecy. This section includes the recounting of Ms. Woodfield’s ritual of agreement that set her on the path as vessel for the visionary work. The experience was presented in such as way as to make it palpable and powerful even as a reader sitting in observation and gave great insight into the nature of a commitment such as this. In support of the nature of prophetic work there is information about the Historic Irish Prophetic Practices, Modern Oracular Work and the tools and exercises required such as trance, engaging triggers and others to step into this mantle.

Part 3: Chapter 12: Devotional Work speaks to what evolves as creative outpouring when one steps into the mantle of deepening their devotion and commitment to the Morrigan. An example of this is expressed in Ms. Woodfield’s personalization of Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (aka. LBRP), that is familiar to ceremonialists and kabbalists. She has made use of basic structure of the LBPR as a template that evolves to become The Morrigan Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. The LBRP is a well-anchored and very powerful magickal practice that many incorporate into their daily practice. Ms. Woodfield has adapted the LBRP to align with the Morrigan’s prophecy from one of her battles of lore and in place of the traditional angelic beings and names of God in Hebrew, replaces these with various names of the Morrigan. The angelic beings associated with the compass directions are replaced by the four treasures of the Irish gods and the gods connected with them. This adaptation was well thought and when executed produced a very different form of energy from that of the original LBPR, and further exemplified the power in taking the foundational work and adapting it to align with your focus of devotion.

Chapter 13: The Halidom of Macha: Oaths and Vows spends an appropriate amount of time explaining the extended responsibilities that accompany any oath given. I appreciated the succinct details and inferences of what it actually means to offer oaths to the Divine. I am a firm believer that any practitioner of any path should be clear and informed about the “what and why’s” of their actions and engagement. And, especially when one is giving oaths to formidable Deities, who will most certainly call you to task. Topics such as “Who are you offering It (oaths) To?”; “Negotiate” and “When Oaths Are Broken” are all a call to be reflective about what you offer and walk with an abundance of caution.

Part 4: Sorcery and Ritual Craft ties everything together. Having gone through the necessary information and soul searching regarding your choice to form a more intimate relationship with The Morrigan, now the focus becomes one of using magick as a means of devotion and ritual as a tool of manifesting the work of the Morrigan. Chapters on the art of Curse Work and the Morrigan (Chapter 14) and the Dynamics of Ritual (Chapter 15) provide the foundations for the suggested rituals that follow in Chapter 16: Group Rituals. These include one of Keening, A Ritual to the Goddess of Battle, A Ritual of Dream Prophesy and others crafted to bring the practitioner into direct experience with the Morrigan and those who stand with her.

The Appendix provides the reader with snapshots of the myths and lore associated with the Morrigan and the Bibliography shows the depth and scholarly approach given by Ms. Woodfield in writing Priestess of the Morrigan: Prayers, Rituals & Devotional Work to the Great Queen.

Would I Recommend:

Priestess of the Morrigan: Prayers, Rituals & Devotional Work to the Great Queen by Stephanie Woodfield is clearly a work of loving devotion. From the beginning of the book, through its end, the emotion, energy and dedication as a Priestess of the Morrigan flows through the words and writings. And, although this book is written specifically about the nature of the Morrigan, I would say that the topics and offerings shared within this title give example of methodical and scrupulous approach that should be given in stepping into the mantle of devotee and priestess to any Deity. I also believe that we are in changing times that require fiercer and more assertive Deities that will stir us to action. The Morrigan is one such goddess and having access to valuable and personal accounts and resources such as Priestess of the Morrigan: Prayers, Rituals & Devotional Work to the Great Queen by Stephanie Woodfield to light the fires of our path is much needed know.

Reviewed by Robin Fennelly of PaganPagesOrg
https://paganpages.org/emagazine/2020/12/01/book-review-priestess-of-the-morrigan-by-stephanie-woodfield/

I am thankful that I had the opportunity to read this book. There is so much information in this book, for someone truly set on dedicating themselves to The Morrigan this would be an invaluable resource. It covers history, lore, prayers, initiations, and rituals. I particularly enjoyed the second part on visions and prophecies. Overall, It's well written, with good pacing and engaging content. I'm going to have to keep an eye out for more books by Stephanie Woodfield in the future.

Thank you to Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this novel, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm interested in the Morrigan and I'm happy I read this book because I learn a lot about rituals and worship.
It's well written, informative and kept my attention.
Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

It is a really good book for those to add to their library if this goddess is your matron deity. Good points to grow and develop your connection.

Rituals and devotions to deepen your connection with The Morrigan. There was a Question and Answer format in the beginning which helped sort the information so you can skim the information you already know. I like that you are shown the different sides of The Morrigan. The information wasn't the same that I had read, but these stories come from the surrounding areas. There were so many stories of the author's personal experience. I do not feel like this book is for beginners. There is a lot of information to process.

I loved this book so much! I enjoyed all of Stephanie Woodfield's books. This builds up from her previous book. I am always trying to find more books about The Morrigan and her books are amazing. It's great that she goes into what she is and isn't as there a lot of misconceptions. She goes into all the aspects and gives details that explain. I am so happy that I was given an ARC. I have purchased my own physical copy.

Although I do not work exclusively with The Morrigan, I will come back to this book if I am ever called or feel called to do so. Woodfield gives a comprehensive overview of The Morrigan and how to best connect and serve her. I would highly recommend this book to those ready to dive into that relationship. Thank you NetGalley for the book in exchange for an honest review.