The Order of the White Moon Goddess Gallery Presents

Beira

Queen of Winter

Artwork by Luma Mora

A Level I Final Project for The Sacred Three Goddess School by Initiate Luma Mora

Beira

Clouds whirl in thick curls,

Raging tempest set to strike,

Beira tosses back her head,

Taking in the lovely sight.

Summer faded, autumn fled,

Dark Beira reigns instead.

She sits on a throne of ice,

Ruling stormy winter nights.

Fearsome crone, grinning wide,

Delighted by her frosty might.

Ageless mother, cold and stern,

Here before the earth was formed.

In the distance – she casts lightning,

The sky fades to deep turquoise…

Mountains bend in reverence,

Exalted, the queen stands poised.

Wintry wisps, the snow drifts,

While a keen blue eye looks on.

Poem by Luma Mora

The Story

Ancient Goddess Beira is considered a creator of gods and lands. Beira remains eternal by drinking from a hidden Well of Youth. As soon as she drinks from the well, Beira becomes a beautiful maiden, and spends the days of spring wandering through the flowering fields of Scotland. As the months pass, she ages quickly, and turns into a fierce, old crone. When the first snow falls, she begins her reign as the Queen of Winter.

Beira is associated with the mythology of Scotland, she is also known as Cailleach Bheur, a powerful crone Goddess, who brings snow and cold during winter months. Beira is described as a blue-faced giantess, who builds the mountains and rivers of Scotland by using a magic hammer. She rules boldly during the winter months, and Winter Solstice marks the height of her power. Once her wintry power is spent, she peacefully hands her reign over to the dual deities of spring and summer. Then, she returns to the Well of Youth to drink from its waters.

Fragments of Beira’s story were recorded by folklorist Donald Alexander Mackenzie in his 1917 publication Wonder Tales from Scottish Myth & Legend. In his work, he mentioned the ancient origins of Beira going back hundreds of years. He believed that most of the stories were verbally passed on by traders and merchants. Due to the lack of written documentation, he believed Beira to be a local deity associated strictly with the mythology of Scotland, unlike Cailleach Bheur, a Goddess widely recognized in a variety of Celtic lore.

Artwork by John Duncan (1917) Public Domain

Attributes

Beira is a winter Goddess, therefore she is associated with the symbols of snow and the color blue. Her holidays are the Winter Solstice, which defines the height of her power, and Bride’s Day (the first day of ancient Celtic spring). On Bride’s Day, Beira resigns her rule, and returns to the Well of Youth to regain her strength and beauty. Beira is a Goddess of balance, cycles, and rebirth. Although her beauty and power fluctuate, she remains eternal through the cycle of the seasons. Beira’s winter powers honor the earth during a quiet time of transformation and she is rewarded for her hard work and energy, with the promise of renewal and growth after winter.

Artwork by Luma Mora

Snowflake Ritual

Winter is a time for reflection and inner growth. The snowflake ritual is a beautiful way to become mindful of long-term intentions. This ritual requires six white candles, incense (consider a winter scent such as pine), and a snowflake make of paper.

A paper snowflake can be made before or during the ritual. To make the snowflake, simply start with a square piece of paper. Fold the square diagonally to make a triangle, and then fold it in half again to make a smaller triangle. Fold the triangle into thirds, being careful to line up the left and right edges of the paper. Trim the pointed ends of the triangle. Finally, design the snowflake pattern by cutting different shapes into the folded paper. Just make sure to keep the folded edge intact so that the snowflake doesn’t fall apart. Carefully unfold the paper to reveal a unique snowflake.

Prepare the ritual space by creating a circle with six white candles. Take the snowflake outside, and stand in the cold for a few minutes to experience the chill of winter. Feel the paper snowflake and contemplate the meaning and purpose of winter. It is a time for setting intentions and preparing for the manifestation of spring. Go back inside and feel the warmth and safety of the indoors. Place the snowflake in the center of the candle circle.

Light the wintry incense and purify the ritual space with it. Cast a circle, inviting the Goddess Beira into it. Once the circle is cast, meditate upon long term intentions that need time to grow and manifest. Consider the snowflake. During the creation of the snowflake, it was difficult to tell what the outcome would look like until it was finally unfolded in the end. Likewise, a long-term plan is not easily seen and the results are oftentimes unexpected, but work must still be done in the meantime to accomplish it.

The six candles surrounding the paper snowflake represent the six corners of a snowflake. Six is also the number of balance and harmony. This sacred number indicates a time to find balance between external and internal states of being. Light one candle at a time. Three of the candles are for gratitude; as they are lit, find three things to be grateful for and thank Goddess for her blessings. Three of the candles are for intentions; as they are lit, consider some external and internal needs that can be met through long-term goals and manifestation.

Bless the snowflake, saying: Beira, inspire my potential for growth and renewal. Just as the cold winter months are followed by a bountiful spring, my this quite time of contemplation result in a season of abundance and prosperity.

Once the meditation is complete, give thanks to Goddess Beira for her presence, ground the energy and open the circle. Use the snowflake for decoration around the house during the winter season, and keep it as a reminder of long-term goals.

Ritual and instructional illustration created by Luma Mora.

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References

Wonder Tales from Scottish Myth & Legend by Donald Mackenzie

365 Goddess by Patricia Telesco

The Cailleach Beara or the Hag of Beara by The Irish Place

Beira, Queen of Winter by Wu Mingren, Ancient Origins

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