The month of April for the 30 Days of Goddess or (365 days of Goddess) we will be covering the Celtic Goddess of Healing Airmid and the theme for the month is Heal. This works well for me as I have recently been diagnosed with endometrial cancer and had a complete hysterectomy of March 18th. So my focus is on healing. Links are below for more information about the 30 Days of Goddess for those interested in a goddess spirituality path or just the goddess in general.
I have always been partial to the goddess Airmid and herbal healing. Several years ago I came upon the wonderful artist, Jane Brideson's painting of Airmid
LEAVES OF BIRCH, ROWAN,
ALDER, WILLOW, ASH, HOLLY, OAK, HAWTHORN & HAZEL AROUND HER NECK
1
YARROW
2
HONEYSUCKLE
3
IVY
4
SPEEDWELL
5
RAMSONS - WILD GARLIC
6
TORMENTIL
7
DOG ROSE
8
MILKWORT
9
AGRIMONY
10
MEADOWSWEET
11
FOXGLOVE
12
MALLOW
13
YELLOW FLAG
14
GOLDEN ROD
15
POPPY
16
SHEPHERD'S PURSE
17
VALERIAN
18
VERVAIN
19
PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE
20
CHARLOCK
21
SOAPWORT
22
CENTAURY
23
DAISY
24
PIMPERNEL
25
ST. JOHN'S WORT
26
BLUEBELL
27
COWSLIP
28
EYEBRIGHT
29
VIOLET
30 WOOD
SORREL
31
PRIMROSE
32
MARSH MARIGOLD
33
CHICKWEED
34
CELANDINE
35
HARTS' TONGUE FERN
36
WATER CRESS
37
MAIDEN HAIR FERN
38
WATER AVENS
39
BOG BEAN
40
NETTLE
41
WORMWOOD
42
LADY'S MANTLE
43
MUGWORT
44
RAGWORT
45
DANDELION
46
SELF HEAL
47
DOCK
48
OATS
49
RUSH
50 ARUM
LILY
51 WILD
SAGE
52
MARJORAM
53
COLTSFOOT
54
GROUNDSEL
55
CLOVER
56 WILD
THYME
57
MINT
58
BEARBERRY
59
BILBERRY
60
BRAMBLE
BUTTERFLIES:
A
COMMON BLUE
B
SMALL TORTOISESHELL
C
SMALL WHITE
D
PAINTED LADY &
ASSORTED BEES
Here is the list of the uses with the Celtic name below each herb and flowers. This is posted for information only on the herbs and uses and not as medical information.
1
YARROW:
Athair
Thalún
Used
to stop nosebleeds and as a cure for coughs, colds and fevers.
Yarrow
was used in love divination when 10 sprigs were plucked and the tenth
thrown over the shoulder at Samhain. The remaining nine sprigs were
placed under the pillow to give dreams of a future spouse. Also nine
leaves were placed in a cloth and tied around the neck to bring good
luck at fairs and on journeys.
2
HONEYSUCKLE:
Féithleann
Powdered
leaves of honeysuckle were thought to prevent fevers and were also
used as a cure for toothache, whooping cough, inflammation of the
mouth and thrush.
Also
known as woodbine it was used to protect against evil spirits and
when drunk would cure effects of the 'evil eye'.
3
IVY:
Eidhneán
Used
to aid the healing of burns and scalds as well as staunching bleeding
and reducing inflammation. Ivy also cured pains, coughs, colds and
bronchitis as well as relieving the pain of corns.
Nine
ivy leaves of ivy placed under the pillow would give dreams of a
future partner.
4
SPEEDWELL:
Lus
Cré
Used
to cure jaundice, colds and earache .
5
RAMSONS:
Creamh
Wild
garlic was taken as a preventative for infections and was thought to
cleanse the blood. It was used to clean wounds of infection as well
as curing coughs and colds.
6
TORMENTIL:
Néalfartach
Used
to ease digestive problems and heart complaints. In conjunction with
St. John's Wort it was used as a sleeping draught.
7
DOG ROSE:
Feirdhris
The
hips of the Dog Rose were used in jam making to provide vitamin C
during the winter. It was believed that if a new born didn't pass
urine a handful of briars was burnt under the child would cure the
problem.
8
MILKWORT:
Lus
an Bhainne
Milkwort,
known as Fairy Soap, was taken in the belief that it encouraged the
flow of milk in new mothers and was a cure for warts.
9
AGRIMONY:
Marbhdhraighean
Used
as a cure for scurvy and a jaundice treatment.
10
MEADOWSWEET:
Airgead
Luachra
Used
to cure fevers and colds was well as to ease pain and kidney
problems.
Meadowsweet,
when placed under the bed of the afflicted, was believed to
have the power to cure wasting sickness which was brought on by the
fairy folk.
The
scent of Meadowsweet was given to the flower by the goddess Aíne.
11
FOXGLOVE:
Lus
Mór
Used
to cure heart problems, colds and fevers as well as being used as a
salve on the skin to ease swellings and burns.
Foxglove
was believed to cure childhood fits if it was collected at Midsummer
then boiled in water from three boundaries and drunk.
A
drink made from the leaves would counteract fairy strokes in adults
whilst a fairy changeling could be detected by placing two drops on
the babies' tongue then three in each ear. The child was then placed
on a shovel which was swung out towards the front door three
times whilst saying "if you are a fairy away with you!"
If
the baby was a changeling it would die, if not it would recover.
12
MALLOW:
Lus
na meall Muire
Used
as a poultice to cure sores, bruises, ulcers and sprains.
Mallow
stems, known as Hocus Fiáin was used to strike people in order to
protect them from illness. The stems were later burnt in bonfire at
Midsummer.
13
YELLOW FLAG:
Feileastram
Yellow
flag was used to cure jaundice and sore lips. In Kerry a cure for
rheumatism was to heat the flags then put them in a hut where water
would be thrown onto them. Those who had rheumatism stood for a few
minutes in the rising vapour then went into a tub of cold water.
It
was believed that a fairy changeling when banished into a river or
lake would become a yellow flag. On Cape Clear bunches of the flowers
were placed in fishing boats to bring good luck and a large catch.
14
GOLDEN ROD:
Slat
Óir
Used
to relieve heart complaints, stomach upsets and kidney problems.
In
folklore it was understood to be used by fairies in a similar way to
Ragwort.
15
POPPY
Cailleach
dhearg
Poppy
was used as pain relief particularly for toothache and neuralgia.
16
SHEPHERD'S PURSE:
Lus
na fola or Lus an sparáin
Used
by women to stop excessive menstrual flow.
17
VALERIAN:
Caorthainn
corraigh
A
sedative used to calm nerves.
18
VERVAIN:
Beirbhéine
Although
not a native plant, vervain was used to protect cattle from the
fairies on May Eve
by
tying a spring to the tail or horn of the livestock.
19
PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE:
Créachtach
Collected
at Midsummer it was used to heal wounds and cure diarrhoea and
dysentery.
20
CHARLOCK:
Praiseach
bhuí
Used
as a spring tonic and to cure jaundice.
21
SOAPWORT:
Garbhán
creagach
Used
as a protection against illness in a similar way to mallow, to treat
lung inflammation
and
in the making of soap used to wash wool.
22
CENTAURY:
Dréimire
Mhuire
Used
to relieve liver complaints and as a tonic.
23
DAISY:
Nóinín
Used
to heal burns, as an eye lotion and a cure for chilblains and
ringworm.
24
PIMPERNEL:
Falcaire
Fiáin
Used
to cure jaundice, kidney inflammation, tooth ache and eye complaints.
Scarlet
pimpernel was understood to possess magical properties giving the
power of second sight
and
the ability to understand the speech of birds and animals.
25
ST. JOHN'S WORT:
Beathnua
Baineann
Used
a a cure for depression and insanity as well as to staunch bleeding.
Provided
protection especially when harvested at noon on a bright day near the
full moon or on Midsummers' day before sunrise. Its effectiveness
could be increased by passing the leaves through the smoke of a
bonfire.
26
BLUEBELL:
Coinnle
Corra
Used
as a cure for coughs and throat ailments.
27
COWSLIP:
Bainne
Bó Bleachtáin
Used
to help insomniacs and as a cure for palsy.
Cowslips
were believed to protect the milk yield of cows from the fairies at
Bealtaine when rubbed
on
the udders.
28
EYEBRIGHT:
Glanrosc
Used
to cure those who had suffered a stroke.
29
VIOLET:
Sailchuach
chorraigh
Used
as a poultice to cure headaches, tumours and boils.
30
SORRELL:
Seamsóg
or Samhadh bó
Used
as cleanser and blood tonic and to heal sores, bruises and boils.
31
PRIMROSE:
Sabhaircín
Used
to aid insomnia and as a cure for burns, jaundice and tuberculosis.
Associated
with Bealtaine when it was gathered by children before dusk and
placed in posies over
doors
and on windowsills to protect against the faeries.
32
MARSH MARIGOLD:
Lus
buí Bealtaine
Flowers
used in an infusion to cure fits and boiled in soup for heart
ailments.
Its
juice which is caustic was used to remove warts. Similarly to
primrose, marigold was linked
to
May Eve when the flowers were used as a protection for the home and
the well.
33
CHICKWEED:
Fliodh
Made
into a poultice to treat sprains, inflammations and mumps.
Chickweed
is one of the healing herbs used in Dían Cécht's 'porridge' which
is the oldest known
Irish
medical remedy which was used to cure sore throats and colds.
34
LESSER CELANDINE:
Grán
arcáin
The
roots of the lesser celandine, known as 'pilewort', was used in the
treatment of haemorrhoids.
It
was also known as 'scurvywort' as its leaves contained vitamin C.
35
HART'S TONGUE FERN:
Creamh
na muice fia
Used
in an ointment on burns, scalds, stings, warts and dog bites.
In
general fern seeds were considered to be lucky if carried.
36
WATER CRESS:
Biolar
Used
as a remedy for coughs and colds, to cure rheumatism and to ease
labour pains.
It
was also known as the "hair of the well or stream".
37
MAIDEN HAIR FERN:
Dúchosach
Used
as a tea but not as a cure.
38
WATER AVENS:
Machall
Uisce
Used
as a cure for diarrhoea and stomach ache.
39
BOG BEAN:
Báchrán
Used
as a tonic to cleanse the blood and as a poultice to reduce swellings
and inflammation.
Also
used to ease symptoms of a cold.
40
NETTLE:
Neantóg
Used
as a tea to cleanse the blood. Nettle stings were thought to to
relieve rheumatism and poor circulation.
It
was believed that taking three meals of nettles in May and drinking
the juice of nettles gathered at Bealtaine would guard against
illness for a year.
41
WORMWOOD:
Mormónta
Used
as a cure for an upset stomach.
42
LADY'S MANTLE:
Dearna
Mhuire
Used
for kidney problems and to treat burns and scalds but also known to
aid women who wanted to
conceive
a child.
43
MUGWORT:
Mongach
meisce
Known
as the 'mother of herbs' it was used as a cure for epilepsy, to
restore menstrual flow and
ease
delivery in childbirth. The beliefs attached to mugwort were
similar to those of St. John's wort
as
it was also used as protection at Bealtaine.
44
RAGWORT:
Buachalán
buí
Used
as a poultice to ease cuts, sores and burns as well as placing the
head of the plant over an ulcer
to
heal it. Known as the 'fairy steed' because it was believed that
fairies rode upon ragwort especially
at
Samhain.
45
DANDELION:
Caisearbhán
Used
as a diuretic and a cure for liver problems, jaundice,
diabetes, tuberculosis and consumption.
Dandelion
was also known as Bearnán Bhríde, 'indented one of Bride'
because it was the first flower
to
appear after Imbolg. It was believed that the juice of a dandelion
would remove warts if rubbed
on
them for nine days.
46
SELF HEAL:
Duán
ceannchosach
Used
to cure sore throats, fevers, tuberculosis and the effects of a
stroke.
47
DOCK:
Copóg
Used
as a cure for nettle stings, liver complaints, coughs and colds.
48
OATS:
Coirce
Oats
were a component of Dían Cécht's porridge used to cure colds and
sore throats.
49
RUSHES:
Luachra
Rushes
had many everyday uses including thatching and were used all over
Ireland to make Brigid's Crosses
at
Imbolg. The ashes of burnt rushes were used to cure ringworm and when
mixed with lard and applied
as
an ointment they also cured shingles.
It
was believed that the only cure for the effects of standing upon féar
gorta, hungry grass,
was
drink the juice from nine rushes which had grown by a holy well.
50
ARUM LILY:
Clus
chaoin
Known
also a Lords and Ladies, the plant is poisonous but its roots were
used as a cure for worms.
51
WOOD SAGE:
Iúr
sléibhe
Used
to ease rheumatism.
52
MARJORAM:
Máirtín
fiáin
Used
to calm coughs and ease aches and strains.
53
COLTSFOOT:
Sponc
Drunk
as a tea to cure asthma, sore throats and to soothe a dry cough.
54
GROUNDSEL:
Grúnlas
Used
as a cure for headaches as a hot poultice to ease toothache and to
heal wounds caused by iron.
55
CLOVER:
Seamair
Lochlannach
White
clover was a cure for coughs and liver ailments whilst red clover
cured coughs, bee stings and
an
infusion of its flowers was thought to cure cancer.
Finding
a four-leafed clover was believed to be lucky and was associated with
obtaining the second sight. Rubbing a mixture of clover and whiskey
over the eyes cured 'fairy blindness'.
56
WILD THYME:
Tím
chreige
Used
to ease respiratory ailments and as protection against infection.
57
MINT:
Mismín
arbhair
Used
as a remedy for measles, indigestion, stomach ache and colds.
Mint
was used in love charms and as protection against bad luck.
58
BEARBERRY:
Lus
na Stalóg
Used
as a cure for bladder ailments.
59
BILBERRY:
Fraochán
Used
as a diuretic, a cure for jaundice and as a pain reliever.
Bilberries
were gathered at the start of August and associated with the festival
of Lughnasadh.
On
Knochfeerina Co. They were laid, together with flowers upon the stone
which was believed to be the entrance to the palace of Donn in the
Otherworld.
60
BRAMBLE:
Dris
Used
to cure diarrhea, swellings and sore feet.
Standing
under an arch of brambles gave the power to curse another.
For more information of the 30 Days of Goddess Practice you can follow this link https://www.30daysofgoddess.com/
Molly Remer provides free resources each month for the practice and has a wonderful Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/brigidsgrovecreativespiritcircle
While I recover from surgery and wait my 1st post op appointment I continue to stitch my little goddess and work on completing the winter goddess.
My word of the year for 2025 is Tend and this is the little goddess I made for myself.
These work up pretty fast and before I knew it I have a little tribe of little goddesses: the bee goddess in the center and the spiral goddess with a little pocket on the back.
Inside the little pocket is a rolled up affirmation note. I have 4 others in the making which I hope to work on today to continue on my Stitching the Goddess journey.
