Epona, from Celtic Gaul, was especially worshiped as a protectress of horses, a bringer of fecundity to mares and a giver of well-being to foals. She was the only Celtic goddess to be adopted by the Romans. A lunar goddess, Epona is often depicted with a cornucopia, a symbol of abundance and plenty. Like the symbol of the horse, she is a bringer of fertility, a source of inspiration, and a figure of death—a psychopomp—on the soul’s final journey. As late as the twelfth century, Irish kings underwent a ceremony of symbolic birth from Epona in her form of a white mare as part of claiming their kingship. In ancient days, a king was ritually wedded to the goddess as part of becoming king.
Comfortable in both the realm of life and that of death, Epona is a strong symbol of independence, nurturing, intuitive understanding, instinct, and vitality.
Our beautiful global goddess images are drawn each month from the Goddesses Knowledge Cards, painted by Susan Seddon Boulet with text by Michael Babcock. The deck of 48 cards can be ordered from Pomegrate Communications in Petaluma, California. (We are not affiliated with Pomegranate in any way, we just love these cards!)
[…] Goddess of the month, Epona, Celtic lunar goddess — Daykeeper Journal […]