Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon, my Darlings. For this week’s Femme Fatale Friday blog post, I will be discussing being held by the energy of Divine Ancestresses of the Land during the darkest months! Now, you may wonder what exactly I mean when I say being held by the Divine Ancestresses of the Land. So, I will begin by clarifying that I mean really deepening into the energy of the Divine Ancestresses, the Goddesses and Faery Queens who are intimately connected to the lands, and feeling their maternal warmth in the coldest and darkest months of the year! With that defined, who are some of the Divine Ancestresses of the Land? Let’s look at three Divine Ancestresses of the Lands in Celtic and Avalonian work!
Melusine
~Of course, the first Faery Queen Goddess I want to discuss as an Ancestress is my beloved Melusine! Melusine’s Ancestress Aspect is the final aspect we study in The Melusine Mysteries, my seven-month-long Online Class devoted to the Magick and Arcane Wisdom of this incredible Faery Queen and Mermaid Goddess of Avalon. Melusine is an Ancestress of the Land and Waters, quite literally, as she is the Builder Faery, who built the town in Lusignan in France, according to medieval legends. Her connection to the Waters goes beyond being a Mermaid, as in legend, Melusine tended the Fountain of Thirst, located in a Forest in Poitou, France, which once again relates to the Ancestress of the Lands’ energy! All of this is on top of the fact that Melusine is the Ancestress of Royal Bloodlines, with many Royals claiming descent from her for centuries. Melusine’s Ancestress Aspect is there to hold those who wish to heed her call into the Mysteries. I find that Melusine is a profoundly loving and supportive Faery Queen, with her energy feeling like a warm blanket of support, as you bathe in the Waters of the Overflowing Chalice! That is why I am so grateful to be a voice for Melusine in the world, and to lead others on a Journey to Learn Melusine’s Mysteries, and aid them in building a relationship with her. If you want to learn more about the Ancestress Melusine (and all seven Aspects of Melusine) and would like me to be your guide to build a relationship with her, The Melusine Mysteries Class of 2026 opens for enrollment on March 13, 2026. I will link the page with all of the class information below.
Rhiannon
~Rhiannon is a Faery Queen and Goddess of Avalon whose story is found in The Mabinogion. She is deeply tied to the Land of Dyfed in Wales, especially the Gorsedd Arberth, a mound where it was said a nobleman would either be beaten by physical blows or witness a wonder! In fact, that is how Rhiannon came into the life of her future husband, Pwyll, as she rode out from the Otherworld while he sat on the Gorsedd Arberth. Rhiannon is known for her perseverance and deep maternal energy. In her story, she took on unfair and unwarranted punishment when falsely accused of murdering her own son. Thankfully, her son, Pryderi, was found alive, and Rhiannon was returned to her rightful place as Queen. However, Rhiannon’s willingness to hold her head high and endure is an inspiration to all who Priestess to her! These lessons of endurance and perseverance found within Rhiannon’s legend serve as a beautiful reminder of how strong we are and serve as a comfort during the darkest months of the year. To me, her energy always feels like a strong golden warmth and solid presence full of maternal care!
Elen of the Ways
~Elen of the Ways is another Avalonian Faery Queen Goddess whose story is originally found in The Mabinogion. However, unlike Rhiannon, Elen’s story is not in the four branches, instead found in the story of The Dream of Emperor Maxen. In the tale, Elen first appears to the Emperor in a dream, where he became so enamoured with her that he could think of nothing else. This led to a full-scale search by his men to find the mysterious Faery Woman of his dreams. Of course, Elen would go on to marry the Emperor in the legend. She is called Elen of the Ways because of the trackways around Britain that bear her name, which, according to legend, were either built as a wedding gift to her or built by Elen herself using magick! Elen is the Antlered Goddess who can guide us in the darkness with her lantern, serving as a Guide into the Shadow. Her connection to the trackways in Britain ties her directly to the land, like all three Avalonian Ancestresses I have discussed in this post. To me, Elen’s energy is a comforting presence in the darkness of Winter, providing a light on the coldest and darkest of nights, which is likely why I feel her so strongly around Winter Solstice each year!
~I hope you have enjoyed this exploration of three Avalonian Faery Queen Goddesses whose aspects as Ancestresses of the Land can inspire us to slow down and be held by their energy. Do you want to build a relationship with any of these Faery Queens? Do you wish to deepen an already built relationship? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is a gorgeous illustration of Rhiannon by Chantal Bennett. I found the art on https://www.chantalbennett.com/tag/rhiannon/.
LINK TO AVALONIAN ROSE FAERY MYSTERIES PATREON: patreon.com/AvalonianRoseFaeryMysteries
Further Reading
- Melusine by Jean d’Arras
- The Mabinogion translated by Sioned Davies
- Avalon Within by Jhenah Telyndru
- Finding Elen: The Quest for Elen of the Ways edited by Caroline Wise
- https://whiteroseofavalon.life/product/the-melusine-mysteries-a-white-rose-of-avalon-online-faery-queen-immersion-class/
2 responses to “Being Held by the Ancestress in the Dark Half of the Year”
What a beautifully written and deeply resonant post! Thank you so much for this nourishing exploration. The concept of being “held” by these Divine Ancestresses during the dark months is exactly the kind of spiritual comfort I’ve been seeking.
Your descriptions of their energies are so vivid and felt so true. The idea of Melusine’s support feeling like a “warm blanket” and the “Waters of the Overflowing Chalice” is incredibly soothing. Rhiannon’s “strong golden warmth” speaks directly to the need for endurance and inner strength, while the image of Elen of the Ways with her lantern is a perfect metaphor for finding our way through personal and seasonal shadows.
This has truly inspired me to deepen my relationship with Rhiannon. I’ve always felt a pull towards her story of perseverance, and your words have given me a new framework for connecting with her maternal, steadfast energy this winter.
Thank you again for sharing your wisdom and for being such a clear and passionate voice for these powerful beings.
I am delighted that the post has inspired you to deepen your relationship with Rhiannon! It is always wonderful to know that what I write holds resonance for my readers.