When Victor Anderson, the co-founder of the Feri Tradition, was asked which gods Feri witches pray to, he reportedly answered “All of them.”
I hear the echo of his words in a common Feri saying: “All Gods are Feri Gods.”
While this is true — for Feri witches believe the Star Goddess, our primary deity, gave birth to everything — it’s also true that we have our own unique pantheon of deities.
In Feri circles, we often refer to this group of seven divinities as the Infinitum — or in English, the Gods of Infinity.
We see the Infinitum as emanations of the Star Goddess; reflections, if you will, of God Herself.
Today, I’d like to talk about the first of these reflections — the child goddess, Nimue.
God’s first reflection
While there are many versions of the Feri creation myth, in at least one, when the Star Goddess first looks into the curved black mirror of space, she sees Nimue looking back at her.
This is fitting from a Feri perspective since Nimue is a goddess of awakenings and beginnings; she is the goddess of the spring.
It is Nimue that rouses the forces of nature from their deep winter slumber, and causes them to create new life. We see her hand in the profusion of buds, leaves, grasses, and flowers and in the birth of baby animals.
Nimue is also a goddess of what we might call “deep places,” such as wells, lakes, and caves. From this, we can conclude that there is much more to her than just what we see on the surface.
Like many Feri gods and goddesses, Nimue has different aspects, which give us different insights into her nature. For the purpose of this article, I will focus on her White aspect, as this is the one I work with most closely.
White Nimue is traditionally pictured as a young girl, between six and eight years old. She has soft red hair interspersed with green snakes, and wears a six-day old crescent moon on her forehead.
One of Nimue’s epithets is “The Laughing One,” and she often appears to me in this guise — laughing, smiling, chasing butterflies, and dancing in the sunlight.
In this form, Nimue represents the lightness of being, and is the embodiment of joy, play, and mirth. If you need help lightening up, laughing, and enjoying the present moment more, she is a wonderful goddess to work with.
“The Laughing One” certainly isn’t Nimue’s only manifestation, however, and just like any child, her mood can change from one moment to the next without warning. She has something of a reputation for being a trickster, and I have every reason to believe she enjoys a good prank!
Like most children, Nimue is wild, unpredictable — even a little feral — and this powerful energy is key to understanding her. Imagine all the power of the Big Bang in the hands of a six-year old girl, and you will have grasped Nimue’s essence.
She is also considered to be the protectress of children, especially those who have been mistreated or abused. In addition to healing, Nimue can also be petitioned for justice, and her wrath is truly terrible. It is with good reason that she is said to be one of the most dangerous of the gods.
Another important clue about Nimue’s nature comes to us from Victor Anderson, who regarded her as the Black Heart of Innocence incarnate.
What is the Black Heart of Innocence, you ask? It’s a complex concept, but put simply, it’s a more childlike state of being that has to do with being radically grounded in oneself. It is characterized by lack of self-consciousness, shame, guilt, inhibition, and other forms of internal conflict.
The Black Heart of Innocence is also a sexual state of being, for Feri teaches that sexuality is at the core of who we are. To understand what this really means, however, we need to broaden our definition of sexuality.
First of all, in line with psychoanalytic thought, sexuality is not exclusively about the genitals. It has more to do with enjoyment and satisfaction, and as Freud taught us, it can be found in many different areas of the body (commonly called erogenous zones).
Why is it that we suck our thumbs as children, for example? Play with our hair, or stroke our beards as adults? It’s because there is enjoyment, satisfaction, and comfort in these activities. They are all expressions of sexuality, although most people wouldn’t describe them that way.
From a Feri standpoint, sexual energy is connected to life-force energy — the energy of creation. It is precisely for this reason that the Black Heart of Innocence is said to be the source of our ability to work magick.
In Feri, sexuality is also related to permeability and openness to the world. We experience this kind of sexuality, for example, when we hear beautiful music, and find ourselves deeply moved.
So what does it mean when we say that Nimue is the Black Heart of Innocence incarnate?
We’re saying that she doesn’t have the conditioning that older children, teens, or adults do, and doesn’t feel self-consciousness, guilt, or shame. She doesn’t feel conflicted about what she wants, and is largely at peace with herself.
It also means that Nimue is a sexual goddess, in the sense that she enjoys her body and the sensations it gives her. She innocent, free, and completely open to the beauty and wonder of her body and the world.
We also say that Nimue is a sexual goddess because she is connected to the life-force energy that created the universe. She can use this energy create and shape the world (and teach us how to do the same).
Calling on Nimue
If, after reading about Nimue, you feel pulled to call on her, I’d like to give you several ideas for how to do so.
First of all, consider when you plan to invoke her. We can obviously call on any deity at any time (especially at a time of need), but Nimue is traditionally associated with the six-day old crescent moon, and this is a powerful time to call on her.
Nimue is also considered to be especially active during the springtime, and I feel her presence powerfully at this time of the year.
Once you’ve decided when you plan to invoke Nimue, consider building an altar for her. You can do this on your permanent altar (if you have one) or create one specifically for this purpose.
At a bare minimum, I would suggest using a white or pink candle for Nimue, and rose incense or essential oil to scent your working space. Tradition calls for a silver chalice with water to be placed on the altar, but you could also use a glass or bowl.
If you’d like to go all out, you could use spring colors on your altar, and set out some fresh flowers. Roses, especially white and pink ones, are traditionally associated with Nimue, but I have also used other white flowers like jasmine and gardenia.
Offerings are always an important part of our interactions with deities, but even more so when they involve a child goddess! Think of how much children enjoy receiving gifts; Nimue is no different.
In my experience, Nimue has a fondness for soft, homemade chocolate chip cookies, but in general, anything sweet will do. If you have goodies stashed somewhere in your house, be prepared for her to ask for them!
One piece of Feri lore says that Nimue’s traditional offering was four white pigs, four red pigs, and one black pig. These colors correspond to her three aspects (White, Red, and Black).
While I would not recommend making an offering of live pigs, I have made her origami pigs in these colors as an act of devotion. If you choose to do the same, you could either keep them on her altar as a little flock, or ritually offer them in some way (such as burning or burying them).
Once your chosen time has come, you’ve prepared your altar, and your offering is ready, it’s now time to prepare yourself to stand in Nimue’s presence.
In traditional Feri practice, you would ground and align your souls before making an invocation. I highly recommend this, but you may also follow your own tradition’s protocols for preparing to call on a deity.
When you are ready, light the incense and the candle. A sense of anticipation begins to build around you, and your working space starts to crackle with energy.
Recite the invocation below a minimum of three times (alternatively, you may chant Nimue’s name until you feel she is present).
Nimue,
Firstborn of the coal black mirror,
Nimue,
Bringer of spring,
Nimue,
Laughing one, frolicking in the sun,
Nimue,
Be here now!
Feel Nimue’s presence as she enters your working space. How do you perceive her? Do you see her with your third eye, perhaps, or hear the sound of her laughter?
Take some time to feel into her presence, whatever that’s like for you. Notice anything she does or says. Is there anything you would like to tell her?
If you struggle to see or feel anything, that’s completely alright. Most spiritual experiences are subtle. Earth-shattering experiences don’t happen all the time — nor are they always desirable!
Imagine, instead, what it might feel like if Nimue were with you right now. What would she look like, and how would she behave based on what you know about her?
What is your reason for calling on Nimue? Tell her, in your own words. What do you imagine she would say back to you? Give yourself some time.
When you start to feel your time with Nimue is coming to a close, make your offering to her. How does it feel to give it to her? How does she receive it?
To close, send Nimue a sense of love and gratitude, and release your connection to her. She may stay in your working space, or she may go. Simply notice whatever she does.
Gently, return yourself to your waking consciousness, bringing back all of your memories of this encounter with you. Write them down somewhere safe and reflect on what you’ve experienced.