Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon, my Darlings. Today’s Femme Fatale Friday blog post is about the Shapeshifting energy of Mermaids!
In Mermaid folklore, it is quite common to find stories of Mermaids who can change shape, not always needing to be in their Mermaid form. Irish Merrows and Cornish Merry Maids are known to be able to change shape and come onto the land. Selkies can remove their Seal Skins and take the form of women, and the same goes for Swan Maidens, who can remove their Swan Feather Cloaks to take the form of women. Often, when a Mermaid, or other closely related Water Fae, changes their shape to come onto the land, they do so with the intention of enjoying song and dance. There is a thread of the enjoyment of life that runs through the choice to come onto land. However, these tales often have sad energy, with the sovereignty of the Mermaid being stripped if she is forced to remain on the land!
Of course, even though there can be danger for the Water Faery who takes on a human form, the ability to change shape is also one that is incredibly powerful. We see this with Faery Queens and Mermaid Goddesses. Morgan le Fay has always been described as a shapeshifter, and we know of her connection to the Mermaids called Mari-Morgens. Melusine is another Faery Queen Goddess who is a Mermaid, and a shape-changer of the highest order. In her legend, Melusine appears as a beautiful woman, as a Mermaid, and as a Dragon!
The ability to shapeshift that we see across all of these stories, and so many more, is intimately linked to the flowing energy of the water. Water can shift and change with ease, taking the shape of the container in which it is housed, then seemlessly flow into a new shape. So, why wouldn’t the Mermaids and other Water Fae, who are so intimately linked to the fluidity of water, flow in a similar way? After all, they are just as liminal and changing as the very element with which they are so entwined!
I believe that those of us who work with Mermaids and their energy can likewise work with this shapeshifting energy. Whether that is through meditation, where we work with changing our shapes and embodying different forms in the Otherworld through Astral Projection, or by visualization when we are immersed in water. There is this sense of limitless potential when it comes to flowing, changing, and growing that we can learn from the Mermaids!
I am so blessed to have a deep relationship with the Water Fae, and with Faery Queen Goddesses who are also Mermaids. These relationships have certainly gone on to form the basis of my work, as I now teach about Melusine in my seven-month-long online class, The Melusine Mysteries, which is currently open for enrollment. Enrollment closes after tomorrow, though, so if you are interested in being in the Class of 2026, you only have through tomorrow night! Beyond that, I am also writing another class, Lessons from Celtic Mermaids, which will be enrolling this Summer. Lessons from Celtic Mermaids will be a seven-week-long online class devoted to learning lessons from the stories of Celtic Mermaids and Water Faeries, and developing relationships with them! So, if you are interested in that, stay tuned.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading this rumination on the Shapeshifting energy of Mermaids and a bit of a reflection on my relationship with them. Do you feel a connection with the energy of the Mermaids? Do you work with them magickally or spiritually? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is a painting titled Mermaid by Elisabeth Baumann. I found the art on https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elisabeth_Jerichau_Baumann_havfruen.jpg.
✨ 🧜♀️ THE MELUSINE MYSTERIES IS OPEN FOR ENROLLMENT!: https://whiteroseofavalon.life/product/the-melusine-mysteries-a-white-rose-of-avalon-online-faery-queen-immersion-class/ ✨ 🧜♀️
LINK TO AVALONIAN ROSE FAERY MYSTERIES PATREON: patreon.com/AvalonianRoseFaeryMysteries
Further Reading
- Mermaid Magic by Lucy Cavendish & Serene Conneeley
- Wisht Waters by Gemma Gary
- The Way of the Water Priestess by Annwyn Avalon
- Water Witchcraft by Annwyn Avalon
- Encounters with Mermaids by William R. Mistele
2 responses to “Mermaids and the Shapeshifting Energy of Water”
Maranda, this was such a nourishing read. I love the way you connected the physical fluidity of water to the spiritual practice of shapeshifting—it makes so much sense that those who are one with the element would embody its very nature. The reminder that shapeshifting is tied to both joy and the potential for vulnerability (especially regarding sovereignty in the Selkie and Swan Maiden tales) adds such an important layer of depth. It’s not just about power, but about the sacredness of choice.
Your work with Melusine and the Water Fae is truly inspiring. The Melusine Mysteries class sounds absolutely incredible for anyone wanting to build a real, grounded relationship with that kind of energy. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for Lessons from Celtic Mermaids this summer—a seven-week deep dive into those stories and relationships sounds like a dream.
Thank you for sharing both your wisdom and your personal connection to these beings. It’s a gift to get to read your reflections. 💙🧜♀️
Thank you so much for your kind words! It is always wonderful to know that my work resonates with people. It is truly a gift to get to share my love for Mermaids, Water Fae, and Goddesses with my readers, clients, and students! As always, thank you for reading and commenting.