Healing the Feminine with Airmid the Goddess of Herbalism

Healing the Feminine with Airmid the Goddess of Herbalism

Amelia Weesies
The feminine energy that resides within each of us is there, quietly whispering to us to extend nurturing and healing energy to all layers of life. The feminine qualities are soft and mysterious, subtly reminding us to bring care to the things unseen. The mysterious and unknown nature of the feminine has been written and talked about in many cultures throughout the history of humanity. In Celtic mythology there are many goddesses who belong to the Tuatha De Danann or “The people of the Goddess Danu.” Danu is the mother of the Celtic Gods and represents the Earth and it’s fruitfulness. The people of Tuatha De Danann were exiled from their land and through the patronage of the Earth Goddess Danu, reestablished and healed their community. The healing of these people came through the gifts of Danu; which are art, music, poetry, and magic. Through the mysterious and creative feminine energy the exiled Tuatha De Danann were able to heal and commune. Of the Tuatha De Danann were many different healers. One of them, the goddess Airmid, was most closely associated with healing arts of herbalism. The story of Airmid expresses the origins of some of the herbs that came to be used through the healing arts. Airmid, alongside her father Dian Cecht and her brother Miach, tended a sacred spring that brought the dead back to life. They would sing incantations over the dead and the spring would heal the wounds and revitalize the deceased. Bone to bone Vein to vein Balm to Balm Sap to Sap Skin to skin Tissue to tissue Blood to blood Flesh to flesh Sinew to sinew Marrow to marrow Pith to pith Fat to fat Membrane to membrane Fibre to fibre Moisture to moisture. Airmid and Miach began to surpass Dian in their healing abilities and Dian grew furiously jealous. Dian killed Miach and over his body Airmid wept. In the myth it is said that from Airmid’s tears 365 herbs grew over Miach’s grave. Airmid spread the herbs and organized them based on their medicinal properties. Dian, growing increasingly jealous, mixed up all of the herbs so that no other person could share the wealth of information from Airmid. But, hope remains as Airmid still teaches through the secrets and mysteries of the divine feminine. The knowledge of herbalism is not learned from reason and logic—Herbalism is intuited and passed down to those who live through the story of Airmid. Symbolically the 365 herbs that Airmid found remind us that with time all wounds can be healed. Airmid reminds us that there is healing to be found within the mysterious realm of the feminine. The feminine is waking up and we are all being called to form a relationship with the depth of our own mystery. The soul of the world is quietly being whispered through the individual story that only each of us can tell. The subversive meaning of the story of Airmid comes through with softness. The story of Airmid is not about force, it is about the nuance of power that speaks of the healing influence of grace. Grace does not need perfect and it does not define success based on becoming stronger through over-exertion. Grace is the reminder that the feminine nature of the world belongs through the deep healing of forgiveness and compassion. May we all feel the softness of mystery and the essence of Airmid’s grace flowing through us. http://www.seanet.com/~inisglas/airmid.html
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