Celtic Goddess Meditation LSS
Seeking Guidance from Celtic Goddesses with a Guided Meditations
at the Seattle Scottish Highland Games Speaker Series 2010
Linda Stern
Greetings from Celtic Goddesses who surround you and welcome to the Scottish Heritage location. I am Linda Stern and today we are connecting with Celtic Goddesses to help us move powerfully on our life path to our destiny.
As an introduction, I am an associate minister at Interfaith Community Church in Seattle and one of my areas of interest is the Feminine face of Creator as She shows her face all over the world now, as in ages past which includes Celtic Goddesses. I also am blessed to have Scottish heritage on both sides of my family along with other ancient Celtic linage from Wales, Ireland, England, and France in my background. I’m sort of a Heinz 57 Celtic Mutt. So, when I speak about Celtic matters, I am speaking from my roots, and I feel it in my center- sort of like we feel the drums and the pipes.
I hope you are having a fantastic time at the Seattle Highland Games so far! One of the reasons you maybe having such a wonderful time is that for 1000s of years this time of year has been a Celtic time of celebration- this is the eve of Lughnasadh! Lughnasadh is a Celtic Holy Day timed when the first fruits of the season- traditionally wheat and corn- are harvested.
With Lughnasadh, we give thanks to Mother Earth for her beauty and abundance because it is from these harvests that we eat through the upcoming winter. This is true on a physical level, but it is also true on an emotional and spiritual level as well. I mention Lughnasadh because it is an interesting fact and it’s a perfect time to assess and give thanks for where we are in our lives and then to move forward powerfully with the help of Powerful Celtic Goddesses.
As an aside -in Scotland, we have always honored Lughnasadh and the first harvests……by making the best of alcoholic beverages! The first stalks of corn are called "John Barleycorn" and were used to make the first beer or ale of the fall season and the best Scotch on earth. Many an ode or poem or drinking song has been written to John Barleycorn, then and now. The earliest dated one “John Barleycorn Must Die” is from 1465. Now adays there is a version by Traffic, Joe Walsh, and Steve Wynwood to name a few.
So perhaps later tip a few back to the festivals past and present, to the Goddesses that live now and then and to celebrating our earth’s harvest and our own personal harvests with joy and gratitude.
Lughnasadh is named in honor of Lugh, a Celtic Sun God, but it was really a celebration of a brave woman, his mother Tailtiu, the last Queen of Fir Bolg. For her people’s survival, she single-handedly cleared a field for agricultural use and died from the endeavor. When the people of the area gathered at her deathbed, she told them to hold games in her honor- like the one you are at today. As long as these games were held, she prophesied that the area would never be without song. I think we have heard that prophesy of music and joy come true today.
So, you can see that the Scottish Highland Games are perfectly timed with the Celtic celebration of Lughnasadh and what it can bring into your life.
A word about the Celtic system of spirituality-it is vast and related to elements in nature as the Celtic form of spirituality is deeply tied to the earth, the cycles of the year, and to the cycles of our own body in its infinite wisdom. The Celtic form of spirituality acknowledges beliefs and practices to become aware of the spiritual world outside of us and inside of us and that we are all intimately related in a web of life.
There are so many Celtic goddesses and gods that you can think about them as aspects of a larger whole, or parts of a puzzle. If you look at the gods and goddesses as a whole, they balance each other out. And the goddesses balance each other out too. And the Gods as well. Balance is an important factor in the natural world.
With the Goddesses, for instance there are goddesses of love and vengeance, birth and death, joy and sorrow, sun, and rain and so on- you get my point- balance.
There are so many goddesses including but not limited to wisdom, love, war, fertility, death, birth, the wind, the sun, the rain, birds, animals, the cycles of the earth, the cycles of the universe- the cycles of our bodies- anything you can think of and that aspect will have a god and a goddess. So naturally this includes goddesses of power that assist us in fulfilling our destiny.
Each of the goddesses has their own area of expertise. And each of the goddesses I will speak about today has a story and a reason you might be attracted to one more than another. Your attraction to her may have nothing to do with their area of expertise by the way. I really want to get you out of your logical mind today and into your state of “Blink” perceptions. I want you to feel something about one of these goddesses and go with it- take a chance! Build a relationship with her for a moment or a day or a lifetime.
I don’t know about you but for me at this time in our world situation and at this time in my life, it’s awesome to connect to a goddess for help.
Many centuries ago, I know that in my ancestors practiced Celtic spirituality as this was an everyday approach to life. So, it’s no wonder that sometimes when I need guidance– it’s no wonder that I return to my Celtic roots for a little help. At certain times in all our lives, when we need to step powerfully on our path sometimes our path or life is not so easy and it’s nice to have a little help.
So, today, I am going to share process or a ritual to do that with Celtic Goddesses by asking for their assistance.
Just a note- I believe that anything we need is already inside us but with a Goddess connection we may re-awaken it or give it a kick-start. But first- before you set off on your journey, it’s good to assess your situation and yourself to see where you are and to know where you are going. And doing this on the eve of Lughnasadh with the help of a Goddess is perfect!
We will do this process in 2 parts- first, we are going to connect with one Goddess, a Gateway Goddess- to consider our direction. Then once we have a direction, we will connect with another Goddess to affirm an action for our destiny. The first Goddess we will connect with first will be Bridget who is a triple Celtic Goddess of healing, strength, and inspiration. We could do a whole weekend just with Bridget.
Bridget, who is portrayed in this painting, is the Goddess of many realms but for what we are focusing on today she is the Goddess of seers, intuitive and all creative types. She can help you be in touch with your real yearnings, your real path. Many of Her tools are in this painting and are symbolic of her power- for instance the fire and water. People connect to Bride for many reasons but in this instance, we will ask for her protection and guidance and then go on a journey with her to get clearer about your destiny.
So, to help connect with the Goddess Bridget, I’d like to teach you one of her songs. The words are up here.
Bridget’s fire is burning, burning
Bridget’s fire is lighting my way.
Bridget’s fire is burning, burning
Bridget’s fire is lighting my way
I see the light
I feel the light
I know the light
I am the light.
I see the light
I feel the light
I know the light
I am the light.
Also, I want to teach you a Celtic prayer to Bride, which means
“Oh, Bridget, spread above my head your mantle bright to guide me.”
(Phonetically) A Bat Breed, share osh mo keon- Go vrat fion gom ankal
Now that we have met the Goddess Bridget, I am going to guide you on a small journey to ask her just one question that is living in the depth of you. I will be using my voice and a drum doing heart-beat drumming as it has been done for 1000s of years all over the earth. Ask her and yourself what is your next best step on your journey- what is your direction. Know that an answer will come, know that it is already there. This is called a Guided Meditation, which has been used in many cultures all over the Earth.
So now sit quietly, take off your shoes to wiggle your toes in the grass and slip into the frame of spirit and of mind that allows us to be open to possibilities, to be with the triple Goddess, Bride. Let your feet caress the Earth. Get comfortable and take some deep breaths and relax. You can close your eyes, or you can connect with the painting of Bridget. There are a lot of noises around us- just let them go and focus on your journey and the drum. Listen to your own breath, listen to the breath of the earth, listen to the breath of the Goddess, the breath of the drum. Listen to your heartbeat and feel the calm. Listen to the heartbeat of the drum, listen to the heartbeat of the earth, listen to the heartbeat of the Goddess. Like this we can slip safely from this state of being into one where we can gain assistance from a Celtic Goddess.
Follow me, in your mind’s eye- Find yourself in a clearing and feel the calm all around you. You hear the sound of water, and you follow that sound and find yourself at a river suffused with sunlight. Beside the river is a campfire and beside that is a woman tending the flame. You come closer and she turns around and it is Bridget who greets you. You come closer and sit by her fire. The power of fire and water fill you. You look at Bridget and tell Her that you are looking for your next best direction to build upon where you are now to reap your own personal harvests so far in your life or so far this year. You will recognize your direction- maybe as a word or a picture or a feeling or a sound. Don’t discount anything, as it is all a gift. Remember- your destiny is already inside of you- you will know it and you recognize your destiny!
Ahhh- there’s your destiny shining as a part of you! Receive your gift from Bridget and your Higher Self and say, “thank You”. Bridget sits down and you leave the fire and walk towards the clearing where we started the journey. Now it’s time to come back to the tent with your direction or the start of a direction – take a deep cleansing breath, open your eyes and feel yourself in your chair.
Now hopefully you have a direction for your next best step in life– or at least you’ve had a lovely moment with Bridget. And maybe that’s your message- to Enjoy the moment!
Now that you have a direction- I am going to introduce you to a group of Celtic Goddesses that can assist you with power to fulfill your destiny.
This is just an introduction to some of the many powerful Celtic Goddesses. It was so difficult to select just a few. Remember- each of the aspects of these Goddesses already resides within you, whether you are male or female, young or old, Scottish, or not, Celtic or not. It is not an outside aspect that you are acquiring. You have the aspect already and just need to awaken it. Awaken it to help you step into your path with power.
These Goddesses are not weak or flowery- they are strong with the vibrancy of the Cycle of Life and the power it takes to birth something on this earth in this life. Feel the essence of each one of these Goddesses through her name, thru the words that describe her, thru the stories and thru the Sacred Portals of her energy that accompany her. These Sacred Portals represent them so you can get an idea of their energy.
After a brief introduction to these Goddesses, you can decide which one of them calls to you to establish a relationship to help you on your personal journey now or in the future in the next part of our Guided Meditation.
So here they are:
1.Anu: The Original Mother Earth Goddess of fertility, prosperity, comfort. In the beginning it was Anu who watered the first Oak tree from the heavens and granted life to the earth. From the oak tree fell two acorns which Anu nurtured as her own and in turn they became the God Dagda and the Goddess Bridget. Anu has been known to appear in the form of a swan, representing the purity of the female and gracefulness in motherhood. Anu is considered to be the ancestor of all the Gods. She still looks down on us from the night’s sky where she appears as the constellation Cassiopeia.
2. Arianrhod: Goddess of the moon and stars, karma, the Wheel of Life, and the web of fate. In fact, her name has been translated as silver-wheel, a symbol that represents the ever-turning wheel of life, time, and karma. The wheel may also refer to the oar wheel upon which she carried the dead back to her heavenly northern land of Corona Borealis. Here according to some traditions, the dead souls waited for the Goddess to decide their fate before being reincarnated.
3.Badb: A shape shifting warrior Goddess who symbolizes the cycle of life and death, wisdom and inspiration, and enlightenment.
During battle Badb—along with her sisters, using their magic, would incite fear and confusion among the enemy army, conjuring "clouds of mist and a furious rain of fire" "allowing no rest for three days and nights” so her favored side would win. She would often take the form of a screaming raven or crow, striking more fear into those who heard her, and could also be heard as a voice among the corpses on a battlefield.
4.Cailleach Bheur: a Scottish Goddess- The Veiled One- The destroyer Goddess who rules over disease, death, wisdom, the weather and winter.
In Scotland, she is credited with making large mountains to use as her stepping-stones which is formed with a hammer. The Cailleach rules Winter- by herding animals, and her staff freezes the ground. In partnership with the goddess Bridget -the Cailleach is seen as a seasonal deity ruling the winter while Bridget rules the summer months.
5.Ceridwen: Goddess of herbs, nature, science, inspiration, intelligence, and knowledge. She embodies all three lunar aspects of the Goddess- Maiden, Mother and Crone but is primarily worshipped in her Wise Crone aspect. She is associated with the Cauldron of Wisdom, Inspiration, Rebirth and Transformation. The cauldron has an intimate association with femininity, justice, wisdom and intelligence and goes back to ancient times.
And of course, there is Bridget the Triple Goddess who represents healing, strength, and inspiration that we worked with earlier.
Bridget is a goddess of healing, strength, and inspiration and divination. She was born in a circle of 9 crooning sisters with fire blazing brightly in a column from her head, that burned to the heaven connecting heaven and earth, bringing divine creativity with earthly action. Bride reached up her two hands and broke away the flaming column from her crown of fire and dropped it on the ground bringing inspiration to earth. It is said that this plume charred a branch of an oak tree or apple tree. She took the charred branch and made marks on a flat piece of bark. "These are the talking marks- "They are the way to remember what you don't want to forget." In this story she also invented the Gaelic Ogham alphabet.
So, which one of the Goddesses does your intuition tell you to work with? All of these Goddesses are strong and true and can assist you on your life path. Choose one with purity and joy, and a sense of adventure and gratitude- and let’s head off!
At this point starts the Goddess Meditation. I’m going to guide you again so let’s set up- get comfy, put your feet on the earth, take some deep cleansing breaths and relax. You can close your eyes, or you can focus on the Sacred Portals that represent your Goddess. Slip into the frame of spirit and of mind that allows you to be open. There are going to be many noises around you –that’s ok- let these go and let them flow around you and remain calm and centered.
Listen to your heartbeat and breath and center in your perfection. Listen to your own breath, listen to the breath of the drum, listen to the breath of the earth, listen to the breath of the Goddess. Listen to your heartbeat. Listen to the heartbeat of the drum, listen to the heartbeat of the earth, listen to the heartbeat of the Goddess. Like this we can slip from this state of being into one where we can gain assistance.
Again, I will guide you - You find yourself walking in a glen that has a stand of great oak trees that are in a circle. Walk into the circle of trees and you look around at each tree. The circle of oaks is suffused with sunlight, light is dappling onto the leaves, onto the ground and the air is a twinkle with anticipation. There is a slight breeze that moves the leaves and makes a delightful sound. You can hear birds calling to each other. Walk into the middle of the stand of oaks and admire their strength, their beauty. You find yourself being filled with the sunlight when ----do your eyes deceive you? Are the oak trees transforming into new shapes?
That’s right, the trees are transforming into 6 Goddesses. You turn and acknowledge all of them, but you feel your direction, as sure as you are standing there or sitting here. One of the Goddesses steps towards you as you step towards her. You greet her and make a connection in your own special way. It may be a look, a touch, a word, or a knowing. You state your direction that you have reawakened minutes ago with Bridget and you ask in your own way for a powerful step onto that path towards your destiny. Now just Be with The Goddess. Be with Her in spirit, in joy, and in gratitude for this precious moment. Connect with Her and ask Her to guide you now in the next best step for you to reach your potential that you were born to Be- powerfully. Ask Her for a step to fulfill your destiny. Or just grant yourself the possibility that this will happen. You can remember this ritual and do it again in private and deepen the connection and ask for guidance again and again. If nothing has come know that this too is just right for timing is always important. Just accept the possibility – that it is a possibility.
Be grateful for your guidance and connection to the Goddess and express your gratitude. They wait to be asked for assistance and they appreciate being thanked, as we all do. Say good-bye for now as She returns to the circle around you where all the Goddesses are standing. And then all the Goddesses return to the shape of giant oak trees.
You say thank you to the trees, to the Goddesses and thank you to Mother Earth and Father Sky and walk out of the circle of trees into the glen. It is time to return here so slowly take some deep breaths and return to this reality. Feel your feet on the ground and open your eyes or perhaps wiggle your hands and feet.
Celtic Goddesses can help us to step into our power to walk our path towards our destiny. Coupling that with this time of year, Lughnasa, that is meant to celebrate our bounty, assess our deeds, and look at options for our future… well…. it’s a formula for success. And I wish you success on your road.
And as an ending for today, I’d like to share a traditional Scottish Blessing-
May the blessing of light be on you.
Light from within and light from without.
May the blessed sunlight shine on you
like a great peat fire, so that stranger and friend alike
may come and be warmed by you.
And may light shine out of the two eyes of you, like a candle set in the window of a house, bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm.
And may the blessing of rain be on you,
may it beat upon your Spirit and wash it fair and clean,
and leave there a shining pool where the blue of Heaven shines, and sometimes a star.
Blessings of the Goddesses upon you and thank you for being here.