Arianrhod
('Silver Wheel') Major Welsh Goddess. A star goddess. Her palace was called Caer Arianrhod (Aurora Borealis), Goddess of time and karma. Mother aspect of
Triple Goddess in Wales. Goddess of beauty, Moon, fertility and reincarnation. Mother of Llew Llau Gyffes by her brother Gwydion. Her consort Nwyvre ('Sky, Space, Firmament') has survived in name only. Caer Arianrhod is circumpolar stars, to which souls withdraw between incarnations, she is thus a Goddess of reincarnation. Honoured at Full Moon.
Celtic Moon-Mother Goddess. Called Silver Wheel that Descends into Sea. Daughter of Mother Goddess Don and her consort Beli. She is ruler of Caer Sidi, a magical realm in north. She was worshiped as priestess of moon. The benevolent silver sky-lady came down from her pale white chariot in heavens to watch more closely over tides she ruled. Her Festival is on 2nd December, she is also honoured at Full Moon.
In addition to native variations by locality or over time, there are often several possible transliterations into Roman alphabet used for English, Arianrhod Aranrhod - Arianrod.
A star and moon Goddess, Arianrhod was also called Silver Wheel because dead were carried on her Oar Wheel to Emania (the Moon-land or land of death), which belonged to her as a deity of reincarnation and karma. Her consort Nwyvre 'Sky, Space, Firmament' has survived in name only. Caer Arianrhod is circumpolar stars, to which souls withdraw between incarnations, thus she is identified as a Goddess of reincarnation. The Mother aspect of Triple Goddess in Wales, her palace was Caer Arianrhod (Aurora Borealis), or secret center of each initiate's spiritual being.
The moon is archetypal female symbol, representing Mother Goddess connecting womb, death, rebirth, creation. (Albion, old name of Britain, meant 'White Moon'). The Celts "know well way of seas and stars", and counted time not by days, but by nights, and made their calendars, such as famous Coligny Calendar, not by sun, but by moon. Ancient astrologers took their observations from position of moon and its progress in relation to stars - starry wheel of Arianrhod.
In Celtic Myth Goddess has three major aspects: maiden, mother and crone. These three represent three stages in life of a woman. Blodeuwedd is flower maiden, Arianrhod represents mother and The Morrigu at last is crone. These three aspects of Celtic goddess may have different names in different regions and regional legends. For example, Morrigan also takes mother role at times.
Arianrhod is said to be able to shapeshift into a large Owl, and through great Owl-eyes, sees even into darkness of human subconscious and soul. The Owl symbolizes death and renewal, wisdom, moon magick, and initiations. She is said to move with strength and purpose through night, her wings of comfort and healing spread to give solace to those who seek her.
Arianrhod is daughter of Welsh Goddess Don and sister of Gwydion. Gwydion was counselor to King Math who could only remain alive if his feet lay in lap of a virgin at all times except when he led his armies into battle. During one such battle virgin who had held King Math's feet was raped, and so there was need for a replacement. Gwydion recommended his sister, Arianrhod. King Math put her virginity to test by asking her to step over his magic wand. As she stepped over wand she gave birth to a boy child with yellow hair. The child cried loudly, and Arianrhod, humiliated, ran for door, dropping yet another small object on ground in process. Before anyone could catch a glance at object, Gwydion wrapped it and hid it inside a chest. King Math then performed rites for yellow haired boy child, naming him Dylan. Dylan immediately ran for sea and received sea's nature and was never seen again.
