Published in Issue 11 of Pagan Ireland (Spring 2024). Get a copy of this issue here: https://paganireland.com/buyissues
Airmid, an Irish Goddess of healing, has become a Patroness of Herbalists. She is a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Tribe of Danu, and the daughter of Dian Cécht, an Irish God of Medicine. Her brother is the healer Miach. She is mentioned in the Cath Maige Tuired (the Battle of Moytura) as one who assisted in healing during the battle. She was a skilled Druid for her tribe.
Airmid and her brothers helped build the Well of Sláine (the Well of Health) which was created to bring warriors killed during battle back to life. A wounded warrior would be dipped into the well and be healed, making him fit for battle once more. During the second Battle of Moytura, the opposing side filled the well with stones to stop the Tuatha Dé Danann from healing their warriors.
When King Nuada’s arm was severed from his body, he called upon his Druid physician Dían Cécht to heal him, because no king was allowed to rule if they had a blemish. Dían Cécht worked to replace the King’s arm with one made of silver, but Miach had a different idea and created an arm made of true flesh.
Dían Cécht became so enraged by this that he attacked Miach twice with an ax. Miach was able to heal himself both times, but Dían Cécht tried a third time, cleaving Miach’s skull. At that, Miach finally died. Airmid wept over her brother’s grave, then found there were three hundred and sixty five herbs that grew from it; one for each of his joints and sinews and one for each day of the year (possibly a reference to a now lost calendrical system). 1
“After that, Miach was buried by Dían Cécht, and three hundred and sixty-five herbs grew through the grave, as many as his joints and fibres.”
- Cath Maige Tuired, The Battle of Moytura, edited by Elizabeth Gray, translation and notes by Isolde Carmody 2
Airmid carefully arranged the herbs on her cloak, recognizing that each herb corresponded to a different joint, bone, organ or sinew. But Dian Cécht, ever vengeful, became enraged by this and kicked the herbs, mixing them up, and we humans lost the knowledge of their healing virtues.
Call on Airmid (and Miach) when faced with a difficult healing task and allow her to guide you through your intuition. They will help you to heal the wounded and bring the given-up-for-dead back to life.
All healing herbs are sacred to Airmid. Hang bunches of them over the altar, place them on the altar in bowls, wear them as a belt or a crown, and burn them as incense in her honor. Share a healing brew as a libation, in thanks to her. Place a cloak of healing (called a “brat” in Irish) upon the altar to symbolize the cloak upon which she laid her herbs. Scatter dried or fresh healing herbs of all kinds on the cloak. A bowl or cauldron of spring or rain water can be added to symbolize her well of healing and regeneration. 3
References:
1 Merrill, Claudia, AIRMED, THE CELTIC GODDESS OF HEALING https://www.claudiamerrill.com/blog/the-irish-goddess-airmed
2 Carmody, Isolde ÓBrolcháin, Story Archaeology, The Story of Airmed from Cath Maige Tuired, https://storyarchaeology.com/the-story-of-airmed-from-cath-maige-tuired-2/ accessed 3/13/2023
3 OceanPhoenix, Airmid: Keeper of the Herbs of Healing https://www.orderwhitemoon.org/goddess/Airmid/airmid.html
Ellen Evert Hopman is an American Herbalist, author and Druid who lives in an oak forest in western Massachusetts. All her books can be found at www.elleneverthopman.com
