Corvus sitting on the tail of the serpent

Corvus, (latin for Raven) is listed in the 48 Constellations listed by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy.

Corvus the Raven was tasked by the Greek god Apollo, to take a chalice and collect the waters of life that Apollo needed for a sacred ceremony he was performing.

Corvus did not attend to his task right away, choosing to spend many days waiting to eat figs about to ripen on a fig tree. When Corvus eventually returned to Apollo with the waters of life, the raven claimed he had been delay by Hydra the water snake.

Angry and annoyed, Apollo cursed Corvus with eternal thirst and threw him into the heaven, beside the chalice or cup CRATER, guarded by the watersnake, HYDRA.

This story about the curse of eternal thirst from the Greek perspective is why Ravens have black feathers and raspy voices.

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Alternate Telling of Corvus

According to Greek myth, ravens originally had white feathers. Corvus (the raven) was the medicine bird of Apollo. Corvus was instructed by Apollo to watch over one of his lovers Coronis, a Thessalian princess and priestess who is also described as one of the seven sisters of the Hyades. She was pregnant with Apollo’s child.

Coronis lost interest in Apollo when she fell in love with a mortal man, Ischys, the son of Elatus (a Lapith chieftain of Larissa, Thessaly) and Hippeia. When the White Raven told Apollo about the affair, Apollo exploded with intense anger and his intense glare was though to have scorched the raven black and that is why all ravens are black.

Apollo’s twin sister Artemis killed Coronis as a punishment, and Apollo saved the unborn child (Asclepius) at the last minute who felt remorse for causing Coronis to die. Ischys was also killed by either Zeus or Apollo. Asclepius was given to Chiron to raise and he grew up to be a famous healer, represented by the constellation Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer.

It is believed the Greek story of Corvus was borrowed from the mythical Babylonian raven, MUL.UGA.MUSHEN, who was usually depicted sitting on the tail of a serpent. Babylonians associated the constellation with Adad, the god of rain and storm, because its stars would rise before the rainy season, in the fall, in the second millennium.

Apollo later made up for his rage by placing the raven Corvus in the sky as a constellation.

Ravens and Oracles
Hellenistic mythic stories suggest Ravens are associated with vision that goes beyond our ordinary reality. This includes an oracular visionary quality often seeing what others can not see. Ravens are often linked with Oracular Priestess Lineages. http://hearthmoonblog.com/germanic-raven-goddesses/

Stay tuned for an update on Corvus, Ravens and Oracles..

Daily Angel Oracle Card: The Raven, from the Wisdom Of Avalon Oracle Card deck, by Colette Baron-Reid

The Raven: “Magic ~ Coincidence ~ Synchronistic Events”

The Animal Guides Of Avalon

“When the Raven appears, it is a sign of magic, where coincidence and Divine synchronicity bring surprising elements together. The Raven reminds you that on the path to wholeness, the magic of Avalon appears and all things become possible.

Ask the Raven to help you be aware of synchronicity in our  life and to see how the God and/or Goddess works anonymously on your path.

If you feel hopeless or lost, you may need reminding that this kind of magic occurs in your life daily. Even if you cannot see it, trust it to bring  joy, understanding and fulfillment to your life no matter what the present circumstances may be.

Remember, the Raven says: “Believe in magic and you cannot help but see it. Magic lives within the belief itself! Expect the unexpected and prepare to be amazed.”

~ by Colette Baron-Reid

Routine and stress can blind us to the magic of our very existence. They can make us feel trapped in a world of obligation and responsibility, one where there is no room for magic and mystery. They can make us feel as if we are victims of circumstance instead of the co-creators of our lives. We can ignore the synchronicity, seeing it as mere coincidence; we can forget that the Universe is in constant communication with us.

Raven is here to remind us that the Universe is very much in communication with us; every moment of every day of our lives. It is up to us to use all of our senses to be aware of this communication. Signs, messages, synchronicity, numbers, words, sounds, colours all weave an intricate pattern of information; we are always being guided. But we must tune in to be able to decipher these messages.

Take some time away from technology; away from artificial light and heat and recirculated air, to reconnect yourself to the natural world. We have so many distractions; we are pulled in so many different directions. Make some time for yourself to breathe fresh air; feel the sunshine on your face or gaze at the moon; watch the birds in flight; smell the flowers; touch the trees and feel the earth beneath your feet. This is where the magic lies, in reconnecting to the Universe through our Great Mother Gaia and the elements.

Take a stick from the ground and draw a picture of your dreams in the earth below your favourite tree; or carve it into the sand and let the ocean sweep it away to the Unmanifest realms for manifestation. Blow your worries and fears out into imaginary balloons and release them to the Cosmos for transmutation. See yourself like Raven, flying free above the treetops, a new perspective on your current circumstances. Finding your inner peace will attune you to the mysteries of the Universe.

Finding your magic will set you free.

Namaste, Dee

~Archangel Oracle

*Wisdom Of Avalon Oracle Card deck, by Colette Baron-Reid