The Cailleach can teach us many things, such as: The sense of life, death and rebirth – the cycle of life. Protection, as she looks after the earth in its deepest slumber. Life must go on even if threads are cut you can mend them and move forward. Never fear. Let go of the old and that which holds you back to be able to move forward. Release. Work with empathy, love and compassion. Whatever you are doing, give it your all. Wisdom. Guidance. Strength. Look beneath the surface. Trust. Shape shifting – you can be whatever you want to. Inner beauty. Transformation. Knowledge from our ancestors. The importance of nature and our planet. Magic. Balance. Overcoming obstacles. Receiving forgiveness. Releasing of guilt. She is a dark goddess but you need to see and understand the dark to be able to appreciate and balance with the light. The dark is a place of shadow and mystery and can be seen as something that we fear. The Cailleach can help us to see into that darkness and not be afraid. However she also has her own light compassionate side as well. As she is associated with ‘veils’ The Cailleach helps to remind us that we all hide behind veils or put on masks at some time, perhaps too much of the time. We hide the truth locked away inside. We not only hide things from others but also from ourselves. Perhaps the veil is there because we aren’t ready to share, perhaps the veil has been there too long…the tricky part is recognising when to reveal our true selves to others if at all, but I think we should always be true to your own self, The Cailleach can help with that. The Cailleach is a goddess of fresh and salt water in the form of oceans, rivers, lakes, streams and wells. Water is cleansing and purifying and is most definitely linked to our emotions. Water also has an element of danger, especially oceans and the power that they have, never underestimate the strength of water. The Cailleach can help you overcome fear and to deal with your emotions bringing cleansing and purification with her. The shore at the beach or around a lake is a place of ‘in between’ it is a boundary between the water and the earth and is therefore a very magical place, a spot of transformation and enlightenment. She is also a goddess of the land, the earth, the mountains and the rocks this gives her a balance between water and earth, she provides grounding and stability and the wisdom of the ancestors. From my own personal experience with The Cailleach you cannot be lazy or ignore her advice, she will enforce them. She can act in what might seem harsh ways but they are all lessons that you may not want, but you certainly need.
From:
Pagan Portals The Cailleach by Rachel Patterson
