Celtic Healing Goddesses
Healing Goddesses Talk
given 2011 at the Seattle Scottish Highland Games
Within the Heritage Speakers Series
Blow Conch, pour water, and throw herbs into the air to call the people and Goddesses and sanctify the area.
Greetings from the Goddesses who surround you in every aspect of nature and welcome to the Scottish Heritage location. Aren’t the sounds of the pipes and drums amazing? I can feel the music resonating right down to my Celtic bones.
My name is Linda Stern, and I am blessed to have Scottish heritage from both sides of my family. Also, my Celtic background runs deep in other veins as I have Welsh, Irish, English and French in my background- and all of these were ancient Celtic sites. So, 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 the pipes.
So, as an introduction, I am an associate minister at Interfaith Community Church in Seattle and one of my areas of expertise is the Divine Feminine face of Creator, as She shows her face all over the world now, as in ages past. So today, I decided to combine 2 of my areas of interest and share about Celtic Goddesses in the area of healing.
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.
And if you look at the gods and goddesses as a whole, they balance each other out, in fact. This is within the gods and within the goddesses and then in relationship with the feminine and masculine as well. Balance was an important factor- then and now. There are goddesses of love and vengeance, birth and death, joy and sorrow, sun, and rain and so on- you get my point- balance.
So - 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 healing.
The Celtic system of healing 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, 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 around you and in you and your relationship with all that is.
So naturally, because the Goddesses are a part of this system it is believed that their healing powers were derived from nature. The usual power places were thermal springs, water, healing wells, fire, herbs, light, lightening, and the fertile earth to name a few.
Isn’t it wonderful that the natural way of healing is now being returned to and honored? Healing using the natural ways of the earth like thermal springs and sunlight and herbs and plants and our own body’s natural currents that is utilized in acupuncture and acupressure. These were all venerated by the Celts. The ancients were much more sophisticated and wiser than the modern world has given them credit for in recent years.
Each of the healing goddesses had 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 healing goddesses and go with it- take a chance! Build a relationship with her not just for today- but also as a guide in your healing path.
Two very important ideas for you to remember in healing are: asking for help and being grateful. You have to step on the path and ask for help and they gladly respond –and then after each connection, it’s important to feel gratitude and say thank you.
So, lets embark on our adventure with these 6 goddesses that I gleaned from over 30 goddesses and then we can do a healing ritual at the end.
Here is a story about Bridget and her healing ritual.
The first Goddess I am going to talk about is Bridget in her healing aspect. She is so fabulous in so many ways so limiting my information to that it may be difficult. She is one of several Triple Goddesses and her areas are that of healing, inspiration, and the Holy flame. But if you break that down it includes healing, fertility, the home, martial arts, water, springs, wells, fire, physicians, agriculture, inspiration, learning, poetry, prophecy, smith craft, and did I say? Healing.
Here is one of the stories about healing and Bridget:
Brigit was at her sacred well at Kildare and 2 lepers appeared and asked to be healed.
"Bathe yourself in my well," said Bridget to the first man. At every place Bridget's waters touched the man's skin turned whole again.
"Now bathe your friend," said Bridget to the first man. Turning to see the second man he was repulsed and backed away from his friend. "I cannot touch him,” he said.
"Then you are not truly healed," said the goddess. And she gave the first man back his leprosy and healed the second man by placing her mantle around his shoulders.
"Return to me with compassion," she said to the first man. "There you will find your healing."
So, here was not only the element of healing in the form of sacred water of a well bubbling up out of the earth, but also wisdom, compassion and a mind set to not put up with foolishness.
Symbolically, water, especially water that rises up from the earth, is seen as a portal to the Otherworld by the Celts and was a source of wisdom and healing.
Bridget is a Celtic Goddess of Healing Waters, Wells and Springs. Many wells are dedicated to Brigit and the waters are believed to be blessed with her healing graces. Because Bridget is a goddess of water and fire, sparkling light that dances on the water’s surface is associated with her and believed to have healing attributes, especially healing for the eyes.
Also, Brigit is celebrated on Imbolc, usually February 1 or 2, celebrating the return of the light and the coming of the spring.
Thus, she is the Bringer of Light many months of dark winter. So, this is another area of healing that she brings- the energy of HOPE, renewed enthusiasm, renewal, and new beginnings.
Also, as a Fertility Goddess, Brigit’s Green Mantle (cape) is associated with the green fertile earth, reminding us of our own innate ability to grow and regenerate ----which is another form or part of healing.
Brigit is also associated with Fire being the Lady of the Sacred Flame. In her birth story, she is born in a ring of fire with fire flowing up and down on her body. This bright, fiery energy is the energy of the creative power of our consciousness and also that of transformation. The ancients believed in the power of positive thought and of taking command of your health and fate.
In fact, it is known that the mind is a powerful part of healing. Fire also has the power to transform things from one state to another. What do you want to believe in enough to change in your life, to heal in your life?
So, at the end of the talk if you want to do a healing ritual with Bridget, you will step up to the water to wash away your illness or fire to burn away your concerns…. or both and say the appropriate prayer.
Bridget:
For fire you will throw in a bit of herb and say
“May the Flame of the Hearth
Warm and Cheer Me-
May the Flame of the Healer
Burn Away Dis-Ease and Ills-
May the Flame of Inspiration
Teach and Enlighten my Mind-
May Bridget's Sacred Flame
Lead Me Toward Her Light and heal me.
Thank You, Blessed Bridget
Or for water place a stone in the water and say:
“May the healing waters of Bridget
Wash away all dis-ease and ills-
May the sacred waters protect me
and bring hope
May Bridget’s sacred waters help me to
Grow, regenerate, and create inner strength.
Thank You, Blessed Bridget”
Here is some information about Grainne if you want to do a healing ritual with her. Step up to the fire to burn away your concerns….
Grainne is a Scottish Goddess of herbs and sun/fire purification.
This poem can give you an idea of her-
My golden hair is wheat and oats,
My cloak the ever-changing sky will be
The ladybird my finger bears,
My eyes shine forth in lake and sea.
From the depths of earth my inner sun
Glows through the hearts of all.
Stars and planets- creatures that grow,
Know me as Mother yours to call.
My breath inspires every breath:
The healing rays are mine.
Look upwards, roundabout and down,
For I am there to find.”
If you wish to do a ritual with Grainne, step up to the fire, select an herb and say the following:
Dear Grainne, Goddess of the Sun, and herbs,
Grant me life-giving energy from your transformative rays.
Take my sorrows into the sky and change them into bright dreams.
If you want to connect to Grainne, at the end of the talk, drop an herb into the fire and say: Thank you, Grainne.
Here is some information about Hebetrot and a story.
She is a spinning goddess of spells, wheel of the year, and fibers. Of course, back in the day, fibers where totally natural and a part of the web of life. It is thought that those who could get her to weave for them never suffered from illness.
There is a tale in Scotland about a lazy girl who was instructed by her mother to finish spinning seven hanks of yarn. Well this hurt her poor dear fingers so wandered in search of a stream in which to soothe her hands.
There she encountered an old spinning woman who gave her seven lovely soft hanks of yarn already spun by ghostly women with twisted mouths. She left the old woman and went home. And on the way home, the silky thread attracted a handsome lord who wanted to marry the girl for her spinning skills. The girl let the lord believe that she had spun the wool and they married. But the girl didn’t want to spend her life spinning fiber so she brought her husband to Habetrot who showed him the deformed spinners and predicted that his new lady would soon look that way if he made her spin. Shocked, the lord forbade his wife to spin—permitting her to live the idle happy life that she wanted. The fibers that Habetrot made were thought to be magical and protective.
If you want to do a ritual after my talk with Habetrot you can do it in your seat, or you can step up to the fire or water for some extra umph. Regardless of location-this is what you can say:
“Dearest Habetrot, please make my clothes a protection from life’s storms and illnesses. I see my clothes as a protective womb making me safe within. I see ailments and problems taken away by my protective clothing. Thank you Habetrot.
Here is a story about Coventina and her healing ritual.
She is a Celtic River Goddess. She is associated with childbirth, the womb of the Earth, abundance, new beginnings, life cycles, and inspiration. There are shrines to her near wells that represent the earth’s womb. Again, the Celts felt her power could most strongly be felt at wells and springs which bridged the inner and outer Earth.
From Scotland comes her association with the underworld, where she was the Goddess of featherless flying creatures- sounds like dragons to me, which could pass between the 2 worlds giving knowledge, power and healing. Being a river-goddess, she is connected the ebb and flow of time and this is associated with magical powers.
If you wish to do a ritual with Coventina, you will step up to the water bowl and place some water on your forehead. Feel calm and peace and healing come over you. Say the following prayer while thinking of what you wished healed-
Powerful Coventina, Goddess of the River;
I call to you, please assist me to help me heal.
Womb of earth and flying creatures please assist me
and accept my gift of gratitude.
Thank you, Coventina for the gift of healing.
Here is a story about Aine and her healing ritual.
This Celtic Goddess is linked to the 4 elements of earth, air, fire and water.
It was believed that Aine regulated the body’s vital spark of life's fire. It was believed that her sacred life spark was so strong that it if you did bloodletting on her sacred days 3 days before Lughnasadh your life spark would flow out of your body and you would die. So, don’t blood let on July 29,30 and 31st ….this year!
There are two mountains thought to be her breasts. She was worshiped at the Summer Solstice, at which time people lit torches of hay up on her mountains or breasts, carried them around the hill in a counterclockwise direction, and then took the torches home, holding them up and waving the blessed fire over livestock and crops.
If you want to do a ritual with Aine after my talk: You will step up to the fire and think of what you want healed or what you want to refresh with the vital spark of life’s fire! Throw in bits of sage or sweetgrass and say this prayer:
Here is story about Airmid
She was a member of Tuatha De Danaan the most ancient race of deities and just as they did, she had great powers. Airmid was the daughter of the God of Medicine, who was the Chief Physician and Magician of their tribe.
One of the stories told about Airmid, is when her kings’ arm was severed. Her father decided to replace it with an arm made of silver. Airmid did not like this plan and was actually able to regenerate the King’s own arm to perfect working order. Then her brother, using his amazing surgical skills, took the regenerated arm and re-attached it to the King’s body.
Also, Airmid, along with her brother and father, built the Well of Slaine, which was also known as the Well of Health. They then caste spells over it, so that the well’s magical waters could not only restore life to warriors, it could actually return them to perfect health so they could return to battle.
Airmid also knew the secret healing life of herbs. She discovered after her brother died and she would frequently visit his grave. One day, when she arrived at his grave, she was amazed to find 365 healing herbs growing on and around that grave, with one herb for every joint and organ of his body.
Methodically, Airmid began to gather up the herbs. Then, quite amazingly, the herbs began to speak to her, telling her of the full range of their healing powers. Airmid then separated and arranged the herbs, according to the uses or special properties. With the knowledge she gained from the herbs, she proceeded to heal people who needed help.
If you wish to do a healing ritual with Airmid you will step up to the herbs:
Take a bit of one of the herbs and place it between your palms. Ask the herb and Airmid to speak to you and tell you what you need to do to heal. Ask Airmid to heal and bless you. And say, Thank You, dear Airmid.
Or you could say the following:
Hail Aine, Lady of the healing powers of the Sun-
Source of the sacred spark of life in our blood-
Goddess of love, fertility, and fiery creation-
Who blesses the crops
Who protects the cattle and animals
Queen of the wondrous Fey Folk of the sacred hills
Your torch leads the Midsummer Night procession
We come to praise Thee. We come to honor Thee.
Fiery Aine, please take this ailment and burn it away and replace it with sweetness.
Please replenish my vital spark of life.
Thank you Aine.
The healing goddesses I have spoken about today are willing to be a partner in your healing. Start today to have a relationship with one of them and build for a while.
Feel free to come up to one or all the healing alters and do a healing with the Goddesses. See what each one feels like and take it from there. The prayers I read are at each altar so please feel free to take a copy with you for your use at a later date.
I’d like to end with a traditional Scottish Blessing-
May the blessing of light be on you –
light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine on you like a great peat fire, so that stranger and friend 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.
And may the blessing of the earth be on you,
soft under your feet as you pass along the roads,
soft under you as you lie out on it, tired at the end of day; and may it rest easy over you when, at last, you lie under it
May it rest so lightly over you that your soul may be out from under it quickly and on its way Home.
Thank you and now may you be Blessed.
Healing Prayers and Actions for these Goddesses:
Bridget: Fire
For fire you will throw in a bit of herb and say.
May the Flame of the Hearth
Warm and Cheer Me-
May the Flame of Inspiration
Teach and Enlighten my Mind-
May the Flame of the Healer
Burn Away Dis-Ease and Ills-
May Bridget's Sacred Flame
Lead Me Toward Her Light and heal me.
Thank You, Blessed Bridget
Bridget: Water
For water place a stone in the water and say:
May the healing waters of Bridget
Wash away all dis-ease and ills-
May the sacred waters protect me
and bring hope
May Bridget’s sacred waters help me to
Grow, regenerate and create inner strength.
Thank You, Blessed Bridget
Grainne:
If you wish to do a ritual with Grainne, step up to the fire, select an herb and say the following:
Dear Grainne, Goddess of the Sun and herbs,
Grant me life-giving energy from your transformative rays.
Take my sorrows into the sky and change them into bright dreams.
Then you will drop an herb into the fire and say thank you, Granne.
Habetrot:
If you want to do a ritual with Habetrot you can do it in your seat, or you can step up to the fire or water for some extra umph. Say this prayer:
Dearest Habetrot, please make my clothes a protection from life’s storms and illnesses.
I see my clothing as a protective womb making me safe within.
See any ailment or problems as being taken away by the protective clothing.
And say, thank you Habetrot.
Coventina:
If you wish to do a ritual with Coventina, you will step up to the water bowl and place some water on your forehead. Feel calm and peace and healing come over you. Say the following prayer while thinking of what you wished healed-
Powerful Coventina, Goddess of the River;
I call to you, please assist me to help me heal.
Womb of earth, flying creatures please assist me and accept this gift of gratitude.
Thank you, Coventina for the gift of healing.
Airmid:
If you wish to do a healing ritual with Airmid step up to the herbs:
Take a bit of one of the herbs and place it between your palms.
Ask the herb and Airmid to speak to you and tell you what you need to do to heal.
Ask Airmid to heal and bless you.
And say, Thank You, dear Airmid.
Aine:
If you want to do a ritual with Aine: You will step up to the fire and think of what you would like to heal or what part, you want to refresh with the vital spark of life’s fire! Throw in bits of sage or sweetgrass and say this prayer:
Hail Aine, Lady of the healing
powers of the Sun-
Source of the sacred spark of life in our blood-
Goddess of love, fertility, and fiery creation-
Who blesses the crops
Who protects the cattle and animals
Queen of the wondrous Fey Folk
of the sacred hills
Your torch leads the
Midsummer Night procession
We come to praise Thee. We come to honor Thee. Fiery Aine, please take this ailment and burn it away and replace it with sweetness.
Please replenish my vital spark of life.
Thank you Aine.
Herbs for the Healing Goddesses Rituals
Sweetgrass- Cleanser
Sage- Cleanser and purifier
Nettle- Pain, allergy, wounds,
Diuretic, stop bleeding, spleen
Mistletoe- Fertility
Goats Rue- Infections, reduce blood sugar,
fever, bites
Moonwort- Spleen, Kidney, liver and Dreaming
Blackberry- Diarrhea, stomach, sore throat
Fennel- Diuretic, stomach, gums, cough