Is the Goddess of Sovereignty calling to you? Rhiannon is a Welsh goddess who rules over the self, horses, and the moon. Rhiannon is derived from an older Celtic Goddess, Rigantona whose name literally means ‘Divine Queen’ and is also associated with the Gaulish Goddess Epona. But if you’re new to her energy, how do you work with Rhiannon? Here we discuss who Rhiannon is and how to work with her in your magickal practice.

Who is Rhiannon the Goddess?

Rhiannon has always been present in modern culture, largely thanks to Fleetwood Mac’s ballad ‘Rhiannon.’ It’s interesting to note, that not only is she considered a goddess but also one of the fairy people. Her harrowing story is one of tragedy and triumph to be admired and learned from. Rhiannon Goddess is often depicted riding a white horse in paradox. Though she rides slowly, she is elusive and hard to catch. She was promised in marriage to a noble whom she did not want to marry. Instead, she defied her family and married a mortal King.

One day when riding she came upon Pywell, King of Dyvet. He asked her to stop and she did. She married him and a short while later gave birth to a son. However, after everyone fell asleep, her son went missing. In a panic, and to escape accusation, the nursemaids wiped puppies’ blood on Rhiannon’s face and accused her of murdering her own child. As a result, she was tied and sentenced to 7 years of sitting by the city gates telling her story to all and then carrying them on her back into court. Pywell stood by Rhiannon as Rhiannon carried out her sentence. Years later, her son returned to court and she was exonerated of her crime and reunited with her husband.

Rhiannon is the archetypical wronged woman. Yet she teaches us how to be strong and endure in the face of doubt. This is one goddess who will fill you with a sense of self-empowerment. And you will never be the same. Rhiannon teaches sovereignty, forgiveness, loyalty, and love. She is associated with the moon, dreams, horses, birds, gates, music, fertility, healing, death, rebirth, transformation and the Otherworld.

Rhiannon’s Magical Correspondences

Ways to Work With Rhiannon Goddess of Horses and Sovereignty

Rhiannon can be elusive even now as she sends very subtle messages to practitioners saying, “I’m here, now catch me.” She favors poets, writers, musicians, artists, healers, initiates, those in transition and the wrongly accused. There are many ways to work with this Goddess of inspiration, but here are our favorites:

1. Music

Rhiannon is associated with all birds but, most particularly, songbirds. She even has 3 birds which can wake the dead or lull the living into a comatose state. Rhiannon loves music as an offering. Most people think offerings only extend to physical items. However, singing or playing music to Rhiannon as an offering connects this world to the otherworld through harmony and melody. Even if you can’t carry a tune in a bucket, having music playing during any working with her can raise the vibration and invite her into the space.

2. Dedicate Altar Space to the Goddess Rhiannon

Having an altar space dedicated to Rhiannon gives her a gateway into this world. Things you can add include horseshoes, white flowers, horse figurines or photos, The Moon or The Empress Tarot card, a bird house, or something you have creatively/artistically made in her honor.

3. Altar Offerings for Rhiannon

In addition to keeping space for her, giving offerings is another great way to work with her, as with any deity. I’ve already mentioned music but here are a few more offerings she likes: white flowers (she loves Jasmine and Geranium!), apples, willow, ivy, and evergreens.

4. Horsemanship

Because Rhiannon is a ruler of horses, any form of horsemanship is looked upon with favor. Taking a horseback riding lesson or even going for an hour ride on a trail dedicated to Rhiannon is sure to connect your energy to hers. Horse breeding, showing, or boarding of horses is also favourable. And if you can give of your time in caring for horses, Rhiannon will show favor upon you.

5. Puppy Play

Because her nursemaids killed a puppy to use its blood to falsely accuse her of killing her own son, Rhiannon is associated with dogs, but more specifically puppies. You can volunteer at your local animal shelter, work at a veterinarian’s office, adopt a puppy, or even just engage in dog sitting. Rhiannon looks favourably on those who care for dogs.

6. Feasts for Rhiannon

A fun and traditional way to honor the Goddess of Inspiration and Dreaming is to host a feast on her official feast day. Rhiannon is honoured on March 4^th each year. The feasts began as a sacred day in Ireland and Wales but have spread throughout the modern world. Because she is a Goddess of Earth and a lover of animals, foods eaten on this day heavily centers around vegetables and grains.   

7. The Number 7

Because Rhiannon’s sentence spanned 7 years, the number 7 has become sacredly associated with the Goddess. She waited patiently, served her sentence, kept her loyalty, and never lost hope for 7 long years. Ways to incorporate the number 7 intto your practice include: changing Rhiannon’s offerings every 7 days, tying 7 knots in any magickal workings involving knot magick, and performing a 7 day sacrifice to Rhiannon in honor of her sacrifice so long ago. 

8. Waning Moon Rituals

The most powerful time to invoke Rhiannon in ritual is during a Waning Moon. Healing, transformation, death & rebirth, change, and banishment/removing obstacle work performed during a waning moon to Rhiannon are especially potent. Purification rituals in Rhiannon’s name are that much more powerful during this time.

9. The Liminal Space

Rhiannon is a Goddess of the between. She is associated with fertility, waking the dead, and lulling the living into a permanent comatose state. Any work that involves travelling in the between, the liminal space, is favourable and well received by Rhiannon. This includes meditation, astral travel, dreamwork, and mediumship. You can also visit liminal spaces in the physical such as the beach, the edge of a forest, a hedgerow, etc.

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10. Learn Mediumship

Since Rhiannon wakes the dead and rules the liminal space, she will aid you in honing your mediumship skills. If you’ve ever thought about mediumship and Rhiannon has come into your life, now is the time! Check Amazon for books and resources on mediumship. PLUS Read our articles on spirit work, including:

• Spirit Work Protection: How to Protect Yourself While Working With Spirits
• 15 Signs Your Deceased Loved One Is Contacting You
• How to Connect With Your Ancestors

11. Keep a Dream Journal

Dreaming and manifesting dreams is a big part of who Rhiannon is. In fact, when she came to me, she appeared to me as a horse in my dream. I knew it was a spiritual dream because it felt different from a regular dream. The horse was white but when I got off of the horse, it turned crimson and then into a white so bright it was silvery white. Rhiannon talks a lot to her devotees in dream space. Keeping a journal by the bed to write down your dreams will help to identify when she has brought you a divine message.

12. Magick

One of Rhiannon’s aspects is as a Goddess of magick. She has a small magickal bag that can carry a feast and engulf a man yet can be folded into a pouch. Rhiannon loves magick of all kinds, but she especially loves fertility, sex, shapeshifting, liminal, creativity/inspiratory, self-love, and truth magick.

13. Celebrate Beltane

The man who raised Rhiannon’s son had a foal (baby horse) that was born each year on Beltane eve but disappeared before he could see it. Until, one Beltane eve, he stood guard and saved the foal from a terrible monster that had taken the previous foals as well as find an infant in the stable – Rhiannon’s stolen son. Because of this part of Rhiannon’s mythology, celebrating Beltane is a great way to honor her commitment to her loved ones, death, transformation, and rebirth.

14. Get Creative!

As previously mentioned, Rhiannon is a lover of creative spirits. It doesn’t matter if you’re good at art, writing, or other creative pursuits. The important part is that you are trying, and you are doing it in honor of Rhiannon. I can even feel her now as I write this article about her. Painting, scrapbooking, photography, poetry, music, videography – anything creative is a must for working with Rhiannon. And if you feel like you don’t know how, take a class in creativity or even just attend a paint night at a pub in your town. 

Who is the Wayfaring Witch, Allorah Rayne?

Allorah Rayne is a practitioner of amnestic wayfaring witchcraft and has been part of the online spiritual community since 2012. Her introduction to Tarot was the age of nine and she pursued more intensive learning at fifteen. Allorah is the founder of Wayfaring Witch ©. She is also the co-founder of Spread This, Witches!, a community centered divination organization. Contact her on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and YouTube or by E-mail at allorahrayne@gmail.com

Read About More Goddesses:

• Lilith Goddess of the Night: 13 Ways to Work With Her
• Freya Goddess of Love and War: 13 Ways to Work With Her
• Celtic Goddess of War: 8 Ways to Work With The Morrigan