Celtic Dieties

Of course, each individual deity has their own activities that they are master of, so of course you can do those too! If Artemis is your patron, nature walks could be a part of your devotion to Her – maybe you could have a go at archery too. If Venus is your patron, you could honour Her by eating dinner by candlelight, savouring every bite. If Yemanja is your patron, you could honour Her by taking sea salt baths and donating to Ocean Conservation charities. If Hecate is your patron, you could leave her offerings at the cross roads, or start learning the Tarot in Her honour.

What if I choose my Deity but no magical freaky stuff happens?

If you are expecting a dramatic supernatural occurrence, but have not spent time noticing the ways in which spirit talks to you or developing your intuition or (so importantly) learnt to trust your intuition, how are you going to notice a magical sign?

It’s like anything else. You can’t expect to see beautiful birds in your garden if you never take the time to look outside your window! How strong are your magical spidey senses? Can you be still enough to hear the subtle whispers of the divine, or are you always running at a mile a minute? Magic is subtle. It’s not generally flashy: we have to train our eyes to look out for it, to notice magical coincidences and not just sweep them under the rug. So if you have never noticed a lot of magical synchronicity in your life, or are not the visions-and-big-coincidences sort, don’t expect after devoting to the Morrigan to wake up with a flock of ravens on your front lawn after having a powerful, prophetic dream about Her.

What do I do now I have a Patron Deity?

You work with them. You call on them for support, wisdom and guidance. You invite them to your rituals and spellcastings. You let them become your strength, your mainline to the Divine. You let them touch your life and transform you in the ways they wish.

https://badwitch.es/choose-patron-deity/

Celtic Dieties

Wondering about some of the major Deities of the ancient Celtic world? Although the Celts consisted of societies all over the British Isles and parts of Europe, some of their Gods and Goddesses have become a part of modern Pagan practice. Here are some of the Deities honored by the ancient Celtic peoples.

Did You Know?

• Many of the deities from

Celtic mythology were influenced by the pantheons of other groups that invaded the British Isles. • The Celts didn’t leave us any information about their Gods and Goddesses, so much of what we know is from the writings of Julius Caesar and his contemporaries, as well as Christian monks who came along later. • Celtic Deities were generally connected to various aspects of daily life, such as domestic and labor-related tasks, and elements of the natural world, like streams, trees, or hills.

Brighid, Hearth Goddess of Ireland

A daughter of the Dagda, Brighid is one of the classic triple Goddesses of the Celtic Pantheon. Many Pagans honor her today as a Goddess of the hearth and home, and of divination and prophecy. She’s often associated with the Imbolc sabbat, as well as with fire, domesticity, and family life. Brighid was the patron of poets and bards, as well as healers and magicians. She was especially honored when it came to matters of prophecy and divination.

Cailleach, Ruler of Winter

Cailleach is known in parts of the Celtic world as the hag, the bringer of storms, the Dark Mother of the winter months. However, she features prominently in mythology and is not just a destroyer, but also a creator Goddess. According to The Etymological Dictionary Of Scottish-Gaelic the word cailleach itself means “veiled one” or “old woman”.

In some stories, she appears to a hero as a hideous old woman, and when he is kind to her, she turns into a lovely young woman who rewards him for his good deeds. In other stories, she turns into a giant gray boulder at the end of winter, and remains this way until Beltane, when she springs back to life.

Cernunnos, Wild God of the Forest

Cernunnos is the horned God found in many traditions of modern Paganism and Wicca. He is an Archetype found predominantly in Celtic regions, and symbolizes fertility and masculine energy. Often celebrated around the Beltane sabbat, Cernunnos is associated with the forest, the greening of the earth, and wild stags. He is a God of vegetation and trees in his aspect as the Green Man, and a God of lust and fertility 17

when connected with Pan, the Greek satyr. In some traditions, he is seen as a God of death and dying, and takes time to comfort the dead by singing to them on their way to the spirit world.

Cerridwen, Keeper of the Cauldron

Cerridwen is known in Welsh mythology as the keeper of the Cauldron of the Underworld in which knowledge and inspiration are brewed. She is considered a Goddess of prophetic powers, and because her symbol is the cauldron, she is an honored Goddess in many Wiccan and Pagan traditions. The legend of Cerridwen is heavy with instances of transformation: when she is chasing Gwion, the two of them change into any number of animal and plant shapes. Following the birth of Taliesen, Cerridwen contemplates killing the infant but changes her mind; instead she throws him into the sea, where he is rescued by a Celtic prince, Elffin.

The Dagda, Father God of Ireland

The Dagda, father God of the Celtic Pantheon, plays an important role in the stories of Irish invasions. He was leader of the Tuatha de Danaan, and God of fertility and knowledge. His name means the good God. With his mighty club, Dagda also possessed a large cauldron. The cauldron was magical. 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. In British lore, Herne the Hunter is a God of vegetation, vine, and the wild hunt. Similar in many aspects to Cernunnos, Herne is celebrated in the autumn months, when the deer go into rut. He is seen as a God of the common folk, and is typically recognized only around the Windsor Forest area of Berkshire, England. Herne was considered a divine hunter, and was seen on his wild hunts carrying a great horn and a wooden bow, riding a mighty black horse and accompanied by a pack of baying hounds. Mortals who get in the way of the Wild Hunt are swept up in it, and often taken away by Herne, destined to ride with him for eternity. He’s seen as a harbinger of bad omen, especially to the royal family.

Lugh, Master of Skills

Lugh is the Celtic God honored for his skills as a craftsman. He is the God of blacksmiths, metal-workers and artisans. In his aspect as a harvest God, he is honored on August 1, on the festival known as Lughnasadh or Lammas. Lugh is associated with craftsmanship and skill, particularly in endeavors involving creativity. Lugh was known as a skilled warrior. His weapons included a magic spear, which was so bloodthirsty that it tried to fight without its owner. According to Irish myth, the spear flashed fire and tore through enemy ranks unchecked.