Cernunnos, Elen of the Ways

Cernunnos



Elen of the Ways

I commissioned a Ukranian craftsman to do a Cernunnos statue for me. He had one that he had done, already, but the face looked to bestial for my liking. I wanted to support him, so I asked if he would design another one with a more human face, and he did. And so I purchased the new Cernunnos, a Triple Goddess statue, and Earth Mother statue, and an Ancestors statue. I give things like this away as gifts, sometimes as initiation gifts. I hope this is a good chunk of cash for him.

He also produces a lovely Elen of the Ways statue (above). This is the patron goddess of the awenydd in the southwest of England . . . Dartmoor, Exmoor, Cornwall areas. -ydd is a plural suffix in modern Welsh, yes? Afon = river, Afonydd = rivers. But, in Old Brythonic, the suffix -ydd meant something like "agent of or dealer with", and that has survived into modern Welsh, too. So, cig = meat, cigydd = butcher, adar = birds, adarydd = ornithologist. So, awen = flowing spirit, awenydd = spirit worker.

Elen of the Ways could easily be assimilated to my bioregion in the Northeast United States. We have white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) here in abundance. I probably would not use the term "Elen," though, which was just a Brythonic version of Greek Helena, meaning "torch" or "shining bright." Here, the Elen statue carries a lantern to symbolize her brightness. Brythonic did have a word "elen" for "maiden," so maybe that is related, to

In my area, which is heavily influenced by First Nation names and spirits, we would probably call her Deer Mother or Grandmother Deer. Cows are also very important to my bioregion. Well, cows were important everywhere. A cow or aurochs was essentially the "Walmart" of ancient peoples -- you could get anything out of it -- meat, milk, clothes, leather, tools, sewing equipment, jewelry, and so on. It is why many alphabets begin with a letter signifying the Ox (Aleph, Alpha, Fehu), and why our A is an upside-down Cow's face.

If you would like to read about the way of the awenydd and Elen and her Ways, check out the books of Elen Sentier, a hereditary awenydd.

I have sometimes thought to myself that, if I ever became a Druid, I would have a capelet made from the pelt of a white deer or a white cow in honor of one of these ancient animals, who have given inestimable benefits to humankind.

*** Blessed be to those who serve the Great Mother and the Horned Father.

* Copyright to Coven Rochester