Meet the Celtic Mother Goddess!

Summer Solstice newsletter

Happy Midsummer! This is a busy one for me as I’m both in the middle of moving house and facing an uptick in health challenges and appointments. As a result I’ll be posting less over the summer months, but hopefully be back to full capacity in September. My latest post went out two days ago for my regular Wednesday Wheel and was all about finding the dark amidst the light. Check it out here if you missed it!

Below is my latest news, including some exciting news for me - my first book ‘Modron; Meeting the Celtic Mother Goddess’ is out for pre-order!

Published by Moon Books, it will be out Imbolc 2025 and can be pre-ordered here. Below is the blurb and a lovely endorsement from the bestselling author of Welsh Witchcraft, Mhara Starling.

In the flow of healing waters and the urgent cry of the Earth, we hear the voice of the Celtic mother goddess Modron, also known as Matrona. A goddess of fertility, abundance and healing, but also of grief and loss and ancestral wisdom, she is still present, although hidden, in today's world. We find her myths in the tales of the Mabinogi, the Welsh Triads and modern tales of Avalon, and her image and veneration in the ancient religions of Celtic Gaul, where she first emerged as a river goddess. We can trace echoes of her in ancient Indo-European texts and possibly even further back to the agricultural myths of the Neolithic. She is even present in the stars. Modron - Meeting the Celtic Mother Goddess takes a deep dive into this often overlooked goddess who has inspired our modern myths, combining solid academic research with suggestions for personal practice and ritual, from a modern day dedicant and scholar of Goddess veneration. Modron is emerging from the depths. Will you answer her Call?

Pre-order here

Modron is a Goddess whom, for reasons unbeknownst to me, has scarcely been given the attention she deserves among Celtic polytheists today. Perhaps one reason for this is because she is somewhat elusive. In this book, BanDea takes us on a journey to meet the mother Goddess. Uncovering her lore, her worship, and her splendour. From the stories of the Mabinogi, to her connection with wells and water, and even with the Otherworld, this book offers a leaping board for any who hear the call of Modron. More than just a textbook on Modron's legend and lore, this book also offers insights on how to develop a working relationship with this Goddess, written by someone who quite clearly holds a deep, passionate, and profound reverence for Her. A deeply personal and thoughtful book indeed. Endorsement by Mhara Starling, bestselling author of ‘Welsh Witchcraft.’

What I’m Writing

I’m also currently writing a series for Feminism and Religion looking at the women of Brythonic mythology and feminist retellings of their stories. The latest, on Rhiannon as a midlife matriarch, can be found at this link. The next is on Cerridwen and psychedelics and will be published this autumn. The series focuses on looking at Branwen, Rhiannon, Cerridwen, Arianrhod, Modron and Bloduwedd through the lens of feminist theology.

A related project that is still in the planning stages is a series of fictional myth retellings based on the Mabinogi. Watch this space!

This month’s article for the thealogy journal Return to Mago is on the attempt to think about theodicy within the context of Goddess spirituality. You can subscribe to my monthly column here. In July I will be writing about the idea of the Divine as Becoming rather than Being.

What I’m Reading

The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields. A perfect book for Pride month, it’s a Sapphic, cottagecore, Regency witchlit. What’s not to love?

After that I want to read the Madonna Secret by Sophie Strand, a retelling of the story of Mary Magdalene. Other fiction books I have on my list include feminist myth retellings such as Lilith, Clytemnestra, and next month’s release Babylonia, and witch-lit such as Weyward, The Mercies, Threadneedle, Mortal Follies (another Sapphic Regency) and The Familiar.

For non-fiction I’m reading Sacred Feminine through the Ages by Paula Marvelly and I’ll hopefully be posting a review of this next week.

I’m also eagerly awaiting the release of The Shrinking Goddess by Mineke Schepper. I’ll be writing a review of this next month.

Solstice Blessings!