Kick-Ass Celtic Goddesses

6 Kick-Ass Celtic Goddesses
Seattle Highland Games Heritage Speakers Series 2019
Linda Stern

Welcome!  Welcome everyone! Welcome to a celebration of Celtic Goddesses!  I’m Linda Stern and today I will be speaking about powerful, fierce, intense, intelligent, kick-ass Celtic goddesses and women!

I love speaking about Celtic Goddesses – they are amazing role models for attaining and using strength and power with a balance of wisdom. 

Another reason I love speaking about Goddesses is I believe that Goddesses can inspire us to embrace a strength, or a gift found in ourselves to make a positive difference in our world.

These Goddesses that I speak of are not weak or flowery- they are strong with the vibrancy and power of Life that it takes to birth something on this earth- like an invention or a creative inspiration or a new business or a child, or a revolution. As you can see, I believe the strength of the goddesses has spread to me!

As an introduction- I am a minister at Interfaith Community Sanctuary in Ballard where we honor all the paths that lead to the Divine and one of my areas of expertise…. is the Divine Feminine face of Creator as She shows herself all over the world- now and in ages past, so this of course includes Celtic Goddesses.

Also, I am blessed to have Scottish heritage on both sides of my family- from at least 3 different clans that were in the American colonies as early as 1652 when Henry and Pricilla Mitchell, came to the Virginia colony at the age of 18.  Can you imagine that?  Now that’s courage and strength in the face of uncertainty. 

And besides Scottish heritage, I also have other Celtic ancestors - 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 bagpipes.  I hope you investigate your ancestors: whether they are Scot, Irish, Welsh or like me… a bit of all of them. 

Also, besides the Mitchell and Jarrett Clan in my heritage, there is also Clan Anderson. And today, I am wearing an arisaidt made from the Anderson tartan.  The arisaidt was worn by Scottish women and was usefully for many reasons- to keep warm, to sleep, to get out of the weather, to hold a child, to gather vegetables for dinner or to conceal a weapon for protection! Cum do laimhan leat fhèinsa!  Which means: Don’t mess with me!  (Phonically: Koom do lavin lath hein-sa!)   

So!!!  I want to know, are you having a fantastic time at the Games this year?  Great!  One of the reasons I believe y’all are having a wonderful time at the games is because…. for 1,000s of years, this time of year, has been a time of Celtic celebration. This is the eve of Lughnasadh!  Lughnasadh is a Celtic Festival to celebrate the harvest – usually wheat and corn. It is about giving thanks to Earth for her abundance. 

In Scotland, we have always honored Lughnasadh and the first harvest, by making the best of alcoholic beverages- beer, ale and…. the best single malt whisky on earth- Scotch!  So perhaps later tip back a few to the festivals past and present, to the Goddesses that lived then and now and to celebrate our earth’s harvest with joy and gratitude.   Slante!- good health to you!  

So…. this festival of Lughnasadh - has at its heart, a strong Celtic Queen who became a Goddess.  I am referring to a woman with the strength of a mothers’ love. Her name is Tailtiu, she was the last queen of Fir Bolg, and some say she was a part of the Tuatha de Danu, the ancient goddesses and gods.  Here is Tailtiu’s story.  

Lughnasadh is named in honor of the Celtic Sun God, Lugh, but it is really a celebration of the strength Tailtiu.  For her people’s survival, she, and she alone- cleared large sections of land for planting and then she died.   On her deathbed, she asked her clan, to hold celebrations- like the one you are at today---to celebrate Earth’s abundance with joy and gratitude, 

The celebration, back then, was sometimes called Tailteann Games, after her. And the games included much of what you see today- music, drinks, athletic contests, barter/ trading, ceremonies, dancing, and the sacrifice of a bull.  Take out the bull’s sacrifice and you have much the same celebration that was done 1,000s of years ago. I’m sure you can see that this time of year has a long history of celebration of abundance.

Lughnasadh, Tailtiu and Goddesses were a part of Celtic spirituality, which was a part of everyday life for 1000s of years. 

The Celtic spiritual path is related to nature and is deeply tide to the cycles of the earth the cycles of the year and the cycles of our own body. The Celtic form of spirituality acknowledges that the spiritual world lives both inside of us and outside of us and acknowledges that we were all intimately related to everything in a web of life. All animals, all plants, humans, elements, stars, planets, gods and goddesses- everything. Everything a part of a larger whole like a 3D integrated puzzle- all connected.

And as powerful as the gods were in Celtic spirituality, the Celtic goddesses were even more powerful, as people saw women as the source of life in themselves, and in plants and animals.  And because the Celts saw the relationship between the goddesses and women- they respected women in their clans. 

Women owned and kept their possessions after marriage, they held political power, they trained warriors, they led those men into battle, they were clan chieftains, healers, and priestesses. Every role you could be, a woman was- including a Goddess.

I also want to mention that in the Celtic way of life….sometimes…. when a woman led a magnificent life, a life to inspire others she was elevated to the status of a Goddess at her death or during her lifetime- similar to what the Catholic Church does with saints. 

So was Tailtiu, who I spoke of…. was she a mortal Celtic queen or a Celtic goddess?  Or both?  Was it myth or History? Who Knows? Stories about goddesses were mostly spoken history, myths, and legends- so perhaps the line between a goddess and a female historical figure gets blurred.  But whether a woman was a strong intelligent mortal or a fierce Goddess - or both- their pluck and intelligence have inspired people for millennium, as they can now. 

As I speak about these Goddesses, see which ones spark your interest and after I finish,  please come on up to the centers of fire, water or earth and wind and connect with them or to ask questions.  So…off we go on our Goddess journey! 

 Let’s start with a saucy enchantress goddess, who’s sacred days are right now. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Her name is Aine. She can connect us to the life-giving light of the sun and the inspiration-giving light of the moon. She is also a goddess of love and the Queen of the Fay.

It was believed that Aine’s life-giving sparks traveled in our blood. In fact, it was thought that if bloodletting, occurred on her sacred days of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday before Lughnasadh…. it was thought that her sacred spark of life would flow out of the body and the person would die. And to remind you again, that time of year is right now so no bloodletting - or donating blood- until after Aug 1!

As a goddess of creative inspiration, she gave gifts of brilliance, but the gift was a double-edged sword because Aine’s inspiration could take them over the edge to madness!

Wild in the light of the moon, enchanted by the goddess, poetry flowed from their hearts and lips. Many choose this creative madness to uninspired regular life. 

Here is a story weaving together creative brilliance, enchantment, love, and madness!

One night, in the long ago, there was a poet, who was describing the beauty of Aine’s favorite tree. 

At the finish of one particular verse, at the base of Aine’s favorite willow tree, the poet saw a woman.  The woman’s hair and body blended in perfectly with the branches and the leaves-- so much so that the poet couldn’t be sure…was it the tree or was it a woman?  

So, the poet watched the woman sway and bend with the wind in the branches and was taken by her beauty— some say enchanted by the light of the moon. 

Of course, little did the poet know this was not a woman; this was a goddess, the Queen of the Fay, Aine.  She and the fairy realm had been listening whilst sitting in the willow tree, by a magical stream.  In fact, multitudes of fairies were sitting in those branches listening to the poet.  

But at one point, the poet stopped…  totally stopped talking and creating and telling the story about the beautiful tree!  All the fairies sighed and begged for more in their language, but the poet thought it was just the sound of the wind in the leaves. 

So, the fairies begged Aine, “Please, please, help the poet create more as we are overjoyed, thrilled, blissful!  Please Aine! This human knows the beauty of the trees, the beauty of nature, the beauty of the earth.”   

As the goddess knew this was true, she walked out of the branches and came towards the poet. The poet was struck by her beauty. In the moonlight, Aine glowed with the light of another world. 

The poet asked her name and Aine responded,  

“I am the spirit of the land and the spirit of the tree.

I am the queen of the Fay. 

I am the spirit of your poems and your dreams and 

I ask you to continue your poetry, as all the creatures and beings of the forest are listening.”  

The poet paused and then replied, “I have been inspired by the beauty of nature all my life and I would continue but…. I am in need of…. inspiration.”  

So Aine came close and said, “Poet, dear, I can offer you inspiration, but the gift may come with a price, a price of madness.  But in that madness will have the creative inspiration you desire.” 

The Poet thought about Aine’s offer and her warning and replied, “Yes, Lady Aine! Yes!  I seek the inspiration you offer so that I may continue praising the beauty of nature.  I fully accept the dangers that come with this gift.”

So Aine touched the brow and the cheek of the poet with her finger and the poet’s lips with hers and the poet was instantly transformed. In the shimmer of the moonlight, the poet was opened to inspiration and was creating again. Praising the trees and the moon and the stars and the fragrance in the air, and the fireflies and all that dance in the moonlight.  

The realm of the Fay were greatly pleased and most of all, the goddess Aine. 

And when the poet finished creating and speaking about the beauty of the willow, they made love in the silver moonlight under the branches and became one. 

Aine can show us the strength that our creativity can bring to every part of our lives and to not be afraid of the brilliance and love found in moonlight.  Look to Aine to inspire your creative brilliance in whatever form that takes.  And to embrace love in every part of your life to banish fear.   

The next story is about an amazing woman named Triduana, and even though it is a small story, I love telling it.  She is an example of a woman who was elevated into a Goddess was also canonized by the Catholic Church.  Her story is this: 

Triduana was a beautiful and strong woman who was being harassed by a Pict King. 

And rather than submit to his advances, she plucked out her eyes to ruin her beauty and presented her eyes to the King.  Some thought this a bit extreme……but to her people it showed that she would not allow herself to be abused. 

The strength of Tridunna can assists us when we need to reach deep into ourselves to stop abuse and to know that we are as powerful as we need to be to conquer our challenges. 

Our next goddess, Bridget, is a part of the Tuatha de Danu and has been a beloved Celtic Triple Goddess for literally thousands of years.  She is one of the most powerful spiritual figures in Celtic Lands and she brought unity between warring tribes. No matter how different they were, she was the one thing they could agree upon,

She is known by many names in many lands including Bridget, Brigid, Brigit, Breed, Britannia, Bride, Bridie, and Breeshja and many, many others. A rose by any other name....

Bridget’s main titles are Goddess of Healing, Inspiration and Smith craft but she is so much more. Some of those areas include creative inspiration, New Beginnings and Birth, Healing using water, Poetry, divination, home happiness, prophecy, purification by fire- on and on.  

She is one of the main Goddess of Druidry, and she is a Protectoress of the people and the land.  

You see she was like their North Star, 
she was their guiding light for 1,000s of years.

To give you an idea how she came into the world, I’ll tell you the story of her birth that is ignited by fire and praised by water.

A long time ago, at the first crack of a pink dawn,near the waters of a magic well,

The goddess Bridget slipped into the world and into the hands of 9 swaying and crooning sisters who formed a great circle around her.

The waters of a magic well gurgled its joy.

Then up rose a column of fire out of Bridget’s head that burned to the heavens connecting heaven to earth, the above to the below. 

Bridget then reached up her hands and broke away a spiral of fire from and dropped it to the ground where it leaped and danced.

Then Bridget built a hearth around the dancing fire; stone by stone uniting the above with the below, the inner with the outer.  

The nine sisters hummed and crooned and swayed even more while the waters of the magic well started to tremble! 

From this hearth fire, Bridget reached in both hands and drew out a leaping tongue of flame that danced in her hands and swallowed it, and it burned straight to her heart.

There stood the goddess,

fire   crowning         her head,

fire    leaping          from her heart,

and    fire dancing   from her hands.

The Goddess Bridget was born!      

So obviously…. Bridget is connected to Fire!  Her Flame, the element of fire, appears in many forms with Bridget.  

There is the outer fire of the hearth, which symbolizes the heart of a home, the inner fire of life which burns away disease so that healing may happen, and life may continue, the outer fire of the forge which creates metal works and alchemy, and then there is the inner fire of the head, which sparks our creativity, wisdom, and transformation.  Transformation thru sitting in the fire with our true authentic self, burning away what is no longer needed in our life.   

Bridget is teaching us, that sometimes we need to feel the fire, to react to the fire, to be changed and charged by the fire. … into a lioness, into a warrior, into strength that is needed to put one foot in front of the other to walk our path of life.  

 Bridget also shows us that fire is Light that burns brightly in us and in the dark to show the way. Not only for ourselves but for others as well.   

 Sometimes if we get too close to the flames, yes, we’ll get burned --but the courage that it took to jump into that fire of life, can change you, can charge you, can transforms you into something new and stronger. 

 Bridget is also in balance connected to Water- especially water that rises up from the earth like wells or hot springs, which is seen as a source of wisdom and healing.

 Here is a story about Bridget’s sacred healing waters.

 One day, Bridget was sitting at her sacred well and 2 lepers appeared and asked to be healed. “Bathe yourself in my well," said Bridget to the first man. So, he went to the well and every place that Bridget’s waters touched, he was whole. 

 "Now bathe your friend," said Bridget to this first man. So, the healed man turned and looked at his friend, but he was repulsed and backed away.  “I cannot touch him now,” he said. 

 So, the goddess said to him, “Then you are not healed” and she took away his healing and gave the man back his leprosy.  And then she said to this man, "Return to me with compassion and there you will find your healing."

 She then turned to the second man and dipped her own cloak into her sacred healing waters and placed it around the second man’s shoulders. Wherever her sacred waters touched him, he was instantly healed. 

 The second man turned to Bridget and said, “Thank you for your healing waters and went to the other man and said, “I forgive you.” 

 Bridget’s healing wells still attract 1,000s of people even now with hopes of cures.  

 Another side of Bridget is that she is the Bringer of Light after many long months of winter, and she is celebrated Feb 1 at Imbolc.

  A thousand years ago, it was a battle to survive the winter, so when Bridget brings back the sun, the light, it is no small thing.  It is survival.  It is life and the people knew it. She brought them hope and new beginnings every year.

 The goddess Bridget has been worshipped for 1000s of years.  And then around the 5th century, there was a mortal woman named Bridget-- or a woman renamed Bridget- who led an exceptional life of service to others.  After her death, she was venerated and called Saint Bridget.

The evolution from the Goddess…. to the saint…. linked Celtic traditions and Christian traditions with Bridget acting as the bridge.  

Both the Goddess and the Saint have the same name,

Both the Goddess and the Saint have the same feast day,

Both the Goddess and the Saint have the same legends and customs.

 Some suggest that the woman named Bridget took on the goddess Bridget’s name and attributes to gather followers to Christianity.  Who Knows? What we do know is that, chronologically, Bridget was a Goddess at least 1,000 years before a Saint.

 In the world today, there is place called St. Bridget’s Shrine in Kildare.  

Many believe that this location was taken over by Christians 

and it was an ancient site where priestesses honored the Goddess Bridget. 

At this Shrine, there is a sacred flame that is kept burning 24/7. And I ask to honor which one?   The Woman? The Saint? The Goddess?  I say all 3. 

 Perhaps the saint and goddess and the woman are all one just showing Herself in a different form when the world needs a different form. 

 So, look to Bridget, regardless of her form, for strength in your life to burn away all that is not needed in your life, to become all that you are meant to be. 

 On to the next goddess whose name is Skahthakh. She was afraid of nothing.  In fact, her name means “she who strikes fear in others.  Skahthakh accompanied souls who were slain in battle on their death journey. If they led a good life, she would guide them on their Imrama na Ahnem  or  Journey of the Soul to Tir Nan Og, the Otherworld.  

But she also acted as a judge- when she found a soul who acted poorly in life, she would take them to another island in the Otherworld- one where no one wished to be. One where they learned what they had done wrong in life and…...paid their debts. 

Skahthakh’s warrior school was on the Isle of Skye in the Hebrides where she taught the deadly use of weapons, and in balance the art of making love, healing, and the ways of the seer. The greatest warriors of the land came to Skahthakh’s warrior school and there are many stores of this.

Also, as a Protectoress of the People, her great battle shield, was said to guard the barriers between the Land of the Dead and the Land of the Living. One night a year, on Samhain, she would lower her great shield, to allow the dead to walk amongst the living and for the living to honor the dead.  Life and death in relationship and balance, not fear. She has the power to separate the realms with her shield, to honor and balance and protect each one. 

Some believe that Skahthackh was a mortal woman. She was an important leader, teacher, and warrior.   Remember that in Celtic tribes and culture, women trained warriors and lead them into battles AND that if a woman led a spectacular life she could be elevated to a Goddess.  So it was that the Tuatha de Danna, transformed Skahthakh from an inspiring mortal woman into a goddess. 

In any case, whether mortal or goddess, she was and is an inspiration.  Look to Skahthakh for strength to conquer fear so you can follow your heart to your destiny. 

 The last Goddess I will speak of today is a Goddess who was at the beginning before all the other Goddesses and as she birthed all life to this reality- including them.  Her name is Danu. 

She birthed everything in the universe out of chaos, which of course includes birthing the galaxies and the earth and stars, plants, animals, human and gods and goddesses- everything. She is the ultimate source of All. 

 Here is a story about Danu-Once, long ago, before the stars shined, before the earth breathed, before people were a twinkle in the eye of Creation, there was a divine Mother named Danu. 

 For some reason that we do not understand because we are mere mortals, Danu decided to dream, to create and to manifest a reality. Being the source of inspiration and wisdom, she created a reality of balance that contained light and dark, birth and death, feminine and masculine, chaos and peace, here and there, with all things in balance. 

 Here she created a green and blue earth, and she created a silver moon. She created fire and water. She created trees and animals.  She created woman, and in balance, she created man.  She created goddesses and gods. And so on, and so on. And all was good. 

 She birthed all things on earth from little acorns dropped off Her mighty oak tree. The oak tree that reaches from its roots in the Otherworld to its branches in the heavens, near the constellation of Cygnus. 

 Acorns that embedded themselves in the fertile earth and grew and grew like a forest.  A forest of humans, a forest of plants and animals, a forest of goddesses and gods all from a little acorn of the mighty oak.  

 To the people she created on Earth, she said- “Respect and honor the earth, care for Earth, the way that earth will care for you. Learn lessons of wisdom from the mountains, the growing things, the waters, the elements, and each other.”  The people loved her dearly and followed her guidance.  

In fact, her people and gods and goddesses were called the Tuatha de Danann, who you have heard me speak of today, which means, the folk of the Goddess Danu. 

 But, one day, as it happens in life, there came a group of people who did not honor the Earth or Mother Danu and the crops began to fail, animals began to die, waters became unclean, trees no longer shared their fruits, the seasons no longer flowed with each other.  Life was out of balance.  

 Danu warned these people that were misusing the sacred earth by saying, “Remember to honor Earth as she is one of my living breathing creations, a sister to you in the web of live. Remember, that as abundant as Earth can be Earth can also bring death to those who do not honor her.” 

 People saw that life was out of balance and they were frightened and cried out in fear. They realized they had broken their part of the promise. 

 So, the people went to a sacred place to pray among the water, salmon, and the trees. They asked forgiveness and wisdom to heal earth and to open their hearts for right actions. Danu answered their prayer and said, “My children of earth, remember you are but one part of my family and as one-part lives, so does the other. Honor, respect, love and care for Earth and each other and all will be well.”

In time, the people changed their actions and at long last, the skies cleared, and the oceans were as before, and the trees and the land shared their fruit and sister moon waxed and waned and the animals bred new life.  Danu helped the people to remember to honor Earth and balance was restored and abundance returned. 

Danu is the voice of wisdom, creation, and intellect, and the voice of forgiveness and compassion. But she is also the firm voice of a Parent who reminds us of our responsibilities. She can share new beginnings with you if you live within the promise of the web of life.  

So, let the wisdom of Danu guide you to manifest new actions to heal yourself, your community, your world and to create a reality of beauty. 

These amazing Women and Goddesses I’ve spoken of were blazing stars to guide the Celtic people. Sometimes in history the line gets blurred between a historical mortal woman and a goddess. 

Remarkable Celtic women could be elevated to status of Goddess. 

Remarkable Celtic women could be venerated to Sainthood.  

And then there are women who were both Celtic Goddesses and Saints, enabling the transition from one spiritual path to another.

But whether intense mortal woman, Impassioned Scottish Saint or fierce Scottish Goddess, or all 3…… their pluck and intelligence and strength can inspire us. 

You see, I believe that we all have that strength in us….

the goddess strength in us…. the saint strength in us –

to do GREAT works in our own time.   

So, may you gather strength from the stories that precede you-

and may you use your own strength now -

to share your gifts with the world to do great works-

and then may you inspire others.

I’m going to end with a Gaelic blessing and after the blessing, please come up to the centers of water, fire or herbs to connect with the goddesses and saints. They are waiting.

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 the light shine out of the two eyes of you,

like candles set in the window of a home,

bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm.

And may the blessing of rain be on you

and may it rain upon your Spirit

and wash it fair and clean,

leaving a shining pool where

the blue of Heaven is reflected

and sometimes a star.

My blessings to you all and I thank you.