Assigning Deities to Times of the Year
Searles

Mon Oct 23 09:56:43 2000
Here's a message I posted in Aonach Ceilteach:*p*In my own practice of the Wheel of the Year, I have found that certain deities and pairs of deities seem to focus the spirit and meaning of the seasons for me. I'm including some of the information here from a book I've written about the ways of the ancients so that we can discuss how the seasons and deities touch us in our lives:*p*ASSIGNING DEITIES TO THE SEASONS*p*(an excerpt from _Ogham Divination, a study in Recreating and Discovering the Ancient Secrets of the Druids_)*p*Samhain - Summer's Ending*p*The Morrigan - The Great Queen of Death and Battle. The Source of Magic and Prophecy.*p*Crom Dubh - The Dagda's Dark Double who returns to the soil each year after facing Lugh at the Harvest.*p*Mid-Winter - Lá Geamradh*p*Bóann - The Invoker of the Well of Segais and Mother to Aonghus. She is the White Cow of the Moon.*p*Aongus Mac n'Og - The young son of The Dagda who is conceived at Sunrise and born before Dusk all in the same day. The God of Love and the Soul.*p*Imbolc - Spring's Beginning*p*Brighid - The Mother to the Irish and the goddess of the hearth. She is always giving.*p*Bres - Husband of Brighid and former king of the Tuatha De. He is the god of the "flowing of milk" and agriculture. He is noted for both his beauty and his lack of hospitality.*p*Spring Equinox - Mean Earrach*p*Scathach - Married to the sword, she is a warrior woman and Druid. She teaches CúChulainn to fight as well as his many battle feats such as the "salmon leap".*p*Ogma - The King's champion and possessor of the talking sword Orna (which once was Tetra's sword). He is the inventor of Ogham.*p*Bealtaine - The Beginning of Summer*p*Bile - The God of the Fire and the Sun as well as the Sacred Center and World Tree. Sometimes a God of the Dead and husband to Danu.*p*Aine - the sister of the Sun as well as a version of Danu. She is the richness of the earth and as Anu Her "paps" are famous.*p*Mid-Summer - Grianstad*p*Nuada - The silverhanded King of the Tuatha Dé and their first leader of battle and feasting.*p*Ériu - The Goddess of Sovereignty over all of Ireland and the goddess for whom Ireland is named. As Sovereignty she is the wife of Nuada and all kings. Among her other names are Medb and Macha.*p*Lughnasadh - The First Harvest*p*Lugh - The bright, shining warrior of many skills who replaces Nuada as leader of the Tuatha Dé. He is foster son of Tailtiu.*p*Tailtiu - The Firbolg Goddess of the Earth. She cleared the great plains and died in the process. Lugh holds her funeral games each year at Lughnasadh.*p*Fall Equinox - Leathach*p*Manannán Mac Lir - The Voyager through the Mists. His "Crane Bag" is like the Undry, the Cauldron of Rebirth and plenty. He can drive, walk or sail the waves with equal ease.*p*The Cailleach - Also known as Bua of the Seven Youthful periods. She is a wife of Lugh and a keep of the Cauldron as well as a Goddess of long life and rebirth.*p*Emcompassing the Wheel*p*The Dagda is the Father of the Gods, as well as the "Good God" because he is good at every art and everything he does. He pervades Druid Magic and he is the excellence within all things. At times He is the Son, Lover, Husband and Father of Danu in Her many forms. He is the Lord of the Hunt and the Master of the Feast as well as the Fire of Life. Each god has a skill of the Dagda.*p*Danu is the Mother of the Gods and all things. She is the Power of birth and rebirth. She is the Beginning and the End. She is the Lover, Mother, Wife and Daughter of The Dagda. He is the Way and She is the Source. She is the Star River and the Well of Segais. She is the Earth and the Moon as well as the Sun. Each goddess has a part of the power of Danu.*p*From Beyond the Boundaries*p*There are some other gods and goddesses, like Balor of the mighty blows and the "evil eye" and Domnu, Mother of Darkness, that I sometimes honor and call upon. They are outside the Wheel and should be cautiously approached as they represent the primordial beginnings of all things and chaos.*p*Searles*p*Ikanuba wrote,*br*: Hello*br*: I have been learning the teachings of Druidry for about a *br*: year now, and have yet to find some clear information on *br*: celebrating the 8 Sabbats in the year. Can anyone give me *br*: some good links or info. on where I might find some good *br*: information. I would really enjoy celebrating Samhuinn in *br*: the authentic Druid fashion this year. I appreciate any help *br*: you may give me.*br*:*br*: *br*: Thank You*br*: Ikan*br*
Celebrating Samhuinn
Ikanuba
658
Sat Oct 21 02:06:30 2000