Goddess vision in a dream. Who is She?

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[nemesisfirestorm]

My gut instinct says Cailleach Bheur, whom in Scottish tradition is somewhat 'paired' with Brighid as seasonal thing. I can say it doesn't have any likeness to the Mhorrígan I know.

Oddly a Cailleach was one of my gut reactions but I dn't trust my reactions just now.

That feels right to me, too, FWIW.

Erm...  Lightbulbs...

I'd never heard of Cailleach but doing a quick search made my brain go "ding, ding, ding!"

The timing would still be Her time, it was April.  The veil rang true, as did the feeling of Her presence, from what I can work out.  I need to read up a bit more, but I found a couple of pics and it all came back to me even more vividly.

I'm wondering if that was Brighid's first hint, but because it terrified me She tried somewhat more subtlely, lol!

The death aspect is interesting too, though not in the literal physical sense of death, but it was a very transitional period in my life at the time which I would certainly equate with a symbolic death.

Does anyone have any good resources that are reliable?

I'm wondering if the fact that I have been thinking about it a lot of the last couple of weeks has anything to do with the seasons, and the fact that She is associated with winter (which is well on it's way here, already).

Also, would you say She was a Goddess or a spirit?  I've read both, but neither particularly conclusively.

I'm wondering if this would also explain (at least sometimes) the Old Hag hallucinations, using Joshua's theory.  I'm not sure I'm making much sense here and I'm getting an urge to write it up properly, so I'm going to do that today.  Well, start it at least.  There are a few things clicking in to place in my head...

[gayars]

Erm...  Lightbulbs...

I'd never heard of Cailleach but doing a quick search made my brain go "ding, ding, ding!"

The death aspect is interesting too, though not in the literal physical sense of death, but it was a very transitional period in my life at the time which I would certainly equate with a symbolic death.

I'm wondering if this would also explain (at least sometimes) the Old Hag hallucinations, using Joshua's theory.  I'm not sure I'm making much sense here and I'm getting an urge to write it up properly, so I'm going to do that today.  Well, start it at least.  There are a few things clicking in to place in my head...

Hmmmm seems to fit.   I was going to say something along the line of the Fae or a dark Goddess before I read everyone's responses.  Since you are drawn to Celtic, I would say that this is very likely to be what you saw.

One thing, it definitely did NOT feel like the Morrighan to me?

Funny thing is, I was just thinking of doing an autumn equinox spell using winter to freeze away some things so it was one of those "lightbulb" moments for me, making me think I was right to do so LOL

So thank you for the lightbulb

Will pm you later, because it made me think of something...

Gina

[nemesisfirestorm]

Hmmmm seems to fit.   I was going to say something along the line of the Fae or a dark Goddess before I read everyone's responses.  Since you are drawn to Celtic, I would say that this is very likely to be what you saw.

One thing, it definitely did NOT feel like the Morrighan to me?

Funny thing is, I was just thinking of doing an autumn equinox spell using winter to freeze away some things so it was one of those "lightbulb" moments for me, making me think I was right to do so LOL

So thank you for the lightbulb

Will pm you later, because it made me think of something...

Gina

You mean I've become an official TC lightbulb lobber?

Yes, I think the general consensus is that it's not tM.

I've actually written up two pages or so of thoughts on it, but I'm not sure if they even make any sense lol.  Might post it up here later if I feel comfortable with the finished result!

Speak to you later

[Juni]

Does anyone have any good resources that are reliable?

I don't know of any, honestly, but I would ask in the cr_r livejournal if you have an account, or I can post a request for you. The scholars over there have a resource for freaking *everything*.

Also, would you say She was a Goddess or a spirit?  I've read both, but neither particularly conclusively.

She strikes me as Goddess, personally, but ymmv.

[nemesisfirestorm]

I don't know of any, honestly, but I would ask in the cr_r livejournal if you have an account, or I can post a request for you. The scholars over there have a resource for freaking *everything*.

She strikes me as Goddess, personally, but ymmv.

I don't have an account, no, but if you're willing to ask that would be great, thanks.

Yeah, I kinda get the Goddess bit too, especially if that was Her...  At least, out of the two I'd stick with Goddess over spirit any day, I wouldn't want to piss this Lady off!

[Purplewitch]

Yeah, I kinda get the Goddess bit too, especially if that was Her...  At least, out of the two I'd stick with Goddess over spirit any day, I wouldn't want to piss this Lady off!

Err on the side of caution - always wise

[nemesisfirestorm]

Err on the side of caution - always wise

Yeah exactly.  I wouldn't want to feel the wrath and scorn of this Lady, I can tell ya!

[Juni]

I don't have an account, no, but if you're willing to ask that would be great, thanks.

I've posted, and you can read it here; there's already a reply from Caitriona with some resources for you. Hope they help!

[nemesisfirestorm]

I've posted, and you can read it here; there's already a reply from Caitriona with some resources for you. Hope they help!

Thanks Juni, you're a star

[Caroline]

Also, would you say She was a Goddess or a spirit?  I've read both, but neither particularly conclusively.

My take is that "The Cailleach" is a definitely a goddess (or multiple, regionally specific, goddesses; very old, concerned with creation of landscape - and often personified as such - and with sovereignity and fertility) but there are also multiple others which are lesser divinities or spirits (the hags of winter types). Whether some of the latter are reductions of the former is an unanswerable question in my mind.

The otherworldly female (either a Cailleach or a Bean Feasa) is a common figure in many of the seanchas and myths, so you will find a lot of variant (and often contradictory) tales as you go looking. Most of the folklore material we have is Irish, but there are also a number of Scots tales. There are some associations with Brigit (in Ireland the associations are with cows/milk; in Scotland with deer and wild animals, and there's a Scottish tale of Brigit being held captive by the hag of winter) and others scattered about England.

While it might be hard to track down, I'd strongly recommend The Book of the Cailleach: Stories of the Wise-Woman Healer by Gearoid O Crualoaich (Cork University Press).

[nemesisfirestorm]

While it might be hard to track down, I'd strongly recommend The Book of the Cailleach: Stories of the Wise-Woman Healer by Gearoid O Crualoaich (Cork University Press).

Someone just recommended that on the link Juni gave me, so I guess that's one I'm definitely going to have to check out, two recommends in two posts lol!

Thanks for all the info.  I had the distinct impression that this Lady would not appreciate being called anything lower than Goddess.  Whether or not she is one!

I have only seen the Scottish stuff really, but will specifically look for the Irish too, I think that would be more relevant to me, for various reasons.

Thanks again

[Malkin]

So, is there a goddess that fits the bill?  I'm guessing probably a few...  She was really frightening, wild hair, longish, dark, flicking out around her shoulders, not quite matted or dreds, but not far off.  She didn't do anything but I had the impression she was hissing at me like a cat or a goose would.  I couldn't see her face clearly because the moon was bright and she was a sillouhette, but I got the impression she was glaring at me.

When you mentioned that she hissed like a goose, I immediately thought of Frau Holda/Holla/Holle. Like the Cailleach, she's a winter hag (though she's a lovely maiden at other times of year), and one of her holy animals is the goose. There are a number of fairy tales about her. She's known to be an exacting figure who punishes the lazy and rewards the industrious...she's also associated with spinning and weaving. Just a thought.

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