Female Druids, the Forgotten Priestesses of the Celts

In all my studies I have never heard of Female Druid Priestess. But after reading this article and thinking back over what I have learn about the ancient Celtics spiritual path and the duality of it I than wondered was this information did not come out until now. I am going to look for at least two other article  confirming what this on days and I will post the links to them. I did a thank you ritual to Bridget for pushing to get this information to us. I would like to hear what you think of this especially if you follow a Druid path.

 

In medieval Irish legends they were called Banduri or Bandorai. Their existence was confirmed by ancient Greek and Roman writers. But who were the legendary female Druids?

The Druids were the ancient religious leaders, scientists and researchers of the Celtic society. For centuries, there was a common misconception that Druids were only male. However, numerous historical records attest to the fact that there were in fact women among their ranks.

The Wise Ones of Celtic society

The term ”Druid” comes from the Indo-European word ”deru”, which means ”the truth” or ”true”. This word has evolved into the Greek term ”drus”, meaning ”oak”.

The Druids were the intellectual elite. Being a Druid was a tribal function, but they were also poets, astronomers, magicians, and astrologers. It took them 19 years to gain the necessary knowledge and skills in alchemy, medicine, law, the sciences, and more. They organized intellectual life, judicial processes, had skills to heal people, and were involved in developing strategies for war. They were an oasis of wisdom and highly respected in their society.

Roman Accounts of the Druidesses

Gaius Julius Caesar was fascinated with the Druids. He wrote that they were scientists, theologians, and philosophers, and acquired knowledge that was extraordinary. According to experts in Caesar’s writings, the great Roman leader was well aware of the female Druids. Unfortunately, most of the Roman writers ignored women in general, so it is not easy to find reference to them in historical texts. However, Strabo wrote about a group of religious women who lived on an island near the Loir River. In ‘Historia’, Augusta is a description of Diocletian, Alexander Severus and Aurelian, who discussed their problems with the female Druids.

To read the rest of this interesting article copy and paste this link into your browser:

https://www.ancient-origins.net/history/female-druids-forgotten-priestesses-celts-005910

General Search for the Celtic Healing Goddess Sirona

This is the link for my first general search on google.com keywords “Goddess Sirona” : Sirona – General Seach

On this page, there are other topics you can click on for more information about the Goddess Sirona. To me, she is not only a very interesting diety she is also one of the Goddesses I work with the most often. I have worked with her and/or her through me for so long I consider Sorona a personal friend and one of my patron deities.

I am still looking for pictures that actually represents Sirona the Celtic Goddess instead of how the Romans represented her.

SIRONA Celtic Healer Goddess

Also known as DIRONA Gaulish Fertility Goddess of Hot Springs and Healing

Having fertility trouble? It’s okay, don’t be embarrassed. Just take a hot bath three times a day and you’ll feel much better.

SIRONA is associated with fellow Healing God GRANNUS — although we have yet to see a marriage certificate.

She is also associated with the sky. Her name means ‘star’ and she seems to have an interest in Astronomy too.

To read the rest of the information from this source please click on this link: Sirona

Sirona – Goddess of Healing Springs

{This is a Goddess I have work with and had her work through me for many years now. She has always come when I have called to her to help with healing myself and many other people.}

Goddess worshipped by the Treveri in the Moselle Valley. A healing deity, she was associated with healing springs; her attributes were snakes and eggs. Many of her temples and shrines were constructed around thermal springs or wells.

She was associated with the sky, her name means “star” and she is a goddess of healing, astronomy, and fertility. She was often depicted with a snake drapped over her arm for the sign of rebirth, carrying 3 eggs, and wearing a crown or diadem of stars and sometimes she is depicted with a dog in her lap.

To read more information from this source please click on this link: Sirona

Images Of and More Information on Aine – The Fairy Goddess

UNtil I started doing reseach for this week of Celtic dities I did not know there was a FAiry Goddess. Aine is also known as the Fairy Queen. Here is the link for my general search for Aine: Aine – General Search

To see more image of Aine on bing.com please click on this link: Aine – Images

Áine – Midsummer’s Celtic Faerie Goddess

Áine was both a Celtic Goddess and a Faerie Queen. She has been known by other names, such as the Lady of the Lake, the Goddess of the Earth and Nature, and the Goddess of Luck and Magick. As well, there are some people who actually believe that she might be an aspect of The Morrigan.

Áine was one of the most beautiful, feminine, and powerful Celtic goddesses and was one of the many goddesses that the Christian monks sought to do away with, mostly because of her many relations with men. Because of this Aine is not heard much of in the bardic literature, but she is still very prominent in the folk-lore of the neighborhood. She is known in some parts of Ireland as the Fairy Queen of Munster. Also, in the Irish legends we find in her son Earl an archetype of Lancelot in the later Arthurian legends, while Aine Herself is the Lady of the Lake.

In Celtic mythology, Áine (“awnya”) is a goddess of summer, wealth, sovereignty, love, growth and cattle. She is a Sun Goddess and the feast of Midsummer Night was held in her honor, for at midsummer, farmers would walk through their fields and wave their torches, in the hope that Áine and her sacred fire might grant them an abundant harvest. They also burnt flowers and straw, as another way of honoring Áine, in the hope that she might grant them freedom from illness and evil throughout another turn of the Wheel of the Year. She is sometimes represented by a red mare.

Áine is symbolized by brightness, glow, joy, radiance, splendor, glory, magic, popularity and even fame. She is sometimes mistakenly equaled to Danu, because her name is somewhat similar to Anu. However, these are not the same Goddess.

To read the rest of this article please click on the following link: Áine – Midsummer’s Celtic Faerie Goddess

Áine, the Faery Goddess

Áine of Knockainy, Ain Cliach, Ain of the Light, Áine N’Chliar, Ain Cliar the Bright

• Áine (ON-ya) is an Irish Goddess of summer, love, protection, fertility, wealth and sovereignty.
• In her role of Moon Goddess, she guards livestock, crops, and cattle.
• In her role as Sun Goddess, she could take the form of ‘Lair Derg’, a red mare that no one could outrun, in order to walk among her people.
• Also known as a Faery Queen and Love Goddess, she has been known by other names such as the Lady of the Lake, the Goddess of the Earth and Nature, the Goddess of Luck and Magick, and Leanan Sidhe (“Sweetheart of the Sidhe”)
• Áine is thought to mean “brightness, glow, joy, radiance, splendour, glory, fame”.
• She is associated with Midsummer (Litha, Summer Solstice), however also has sacred days following Lughnasadh.
• She is associated with the Sun and Moon, the element Air, the direction South West, and one of the sacred herbs of Druids, Meadowsweet.
• Her sacred animals are the red mare, rabbit, and swan.
• She is associated with the Irish Province of Munster, specifically County Limerick, where the hill of Knockainy (Cnoc Áine) is found.

To read the rest of this article please click on this link: Aine – Fairy Goddess

Images Of and More Information on The Dagda

The Dagda is known in different ways to the different tribes of Celtic people. I only scratched the surface when reading about him. So if he interests you I would definitely click on the general search link to find out more because he is an interesting god capable of many things.

Here is the link for the general search I used for information on this God: The Dagda – General Search

Here is the link to bing.com to see more Images of The Dagda: The Dagda – Images

The Dagda, Father of All

• The Dagda is a powerful Irish god, also known as Eochaid Ollathair (“All Father”), Ruad Rofhessa(“Lord of Great Knowledge”), or Lord of the Heavens.
• His name means “good”, and is known as the god of protection, warriors, knowledge, the arts, magic, music, initiation, prophecy, weather, reincarnation, death, fire, the sun, healing, regeneration, prosperity and plenty.
• Sources vary in terms of his family members.  In some sources, his father is Elatha and his mother is Ethniu/ Eithne.  Also Danu is either seen as his mother or his daughter, probably due to his association with Brigid.
• The Dagda is thought to be the father of Bodb Dearg, Aed Minbhrec/Aed Cáem, Cermait Milbél, Midir, and daughters Áine, and Brigid.  He was also the father or brother of Oghma.
• Through his affair with Bóand/ Bóann, he fathered a daughter Breg and son Óengus/Aengus /Angus Óg.

To read the rest of this article please click on this link: The Dagda, Father of All

The Dagda, Father God of Ireland

In Irish legend, the Dagda is an important father figure deity. He is a powerful figure who wields a giant club that can both kill and resurrect men. The Dagda was the leader of the Tuatha de Danaan, and a god of fertility and knowledge. His name means “the good god.”

In addition to his mighty club, the Dagda also possessed a large cauldron. The cauldron was magical in that it had an endless supply of food in it — the ladle itself was said to be so large that two men could lie in it. The Dagda is typically portrayed as a plump man with a large phallus, representative of his status as a god of abundance.

The Dagda held a position as a god of knowledge as well. He was revered by many Druid priests, because he bestowed wisdom upon those who wished to learn. He had an affair…

To read the rest of this article please click on this link: The Dagda, Father God of Ireland