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Friday, April 26, 2013

Irish Banshee

The Irish Banshee
From the Irish word Banshee has two meaning, Bean -Sidehe - which means~ 'Faerie women of

Faerie woman
the   Mounds'. And the other meaning of the Banshee is 'The Gaelic' . They both describe a spirit who screeching and howling that may resemble that of an owl to some. Under the windowsills at night to foretelling that of a death of a loved one in the household that the spirit is attached to. This is how the legend is told in Ireland.
These Spirits of Ireland that screech in the night like owls - foretelling family members of a loved one is going to die are good spirits that have been with the Irish for centuries and generations in certain Irish families. 
Most often called Faerie women or Faerie of the Mounds, she is looked upon as a good spirit not

evil. She does not bring death but gives an Irish family a chance to prepare for a death that is coming.  The Irish Banshee comes to comfort Noble Gaelic Race with an forthcoming death even if its not necessary a violent death but it could be a member of the family who has lived a good life of 100-years of age! 
(This of course is very different than your typically Banshee who is evil and brings death to the family). 
The Faerie women could be often heard late at night crying or singing to warn their family that their connected too of a forthcoming death of their loved ones. The she will escort that loved one that has died to ensure that they will pass safety to the other side.
The wailing of an Irish Banshee is quite different than that of your typical Banshee.
 Irish banshee
The Irish 'Faerie woman' wail is a peculiarly mournful sound that resembles that of a melancholy sound of the hollow wind and the tone of a human voice. It sounds that of a woman singing softly or wailing mournfully with passion in her voice. 
There is  Keening which is the Irish form of wailing too. 
It is said that the 'Faerie woman' - 'Irish Banshee' is rarely seen. But in the legend of the Irish Banshee there have been a few documentary sightings in old Ireland. 
If the Irish Banshee does show herself they have been known to attached themselves to the more Famous Irish families of Ireland. These families have been around for centuries.
Some of these Families are; The O' Gaels, O'Neills, O'Donnells, O'Connors,O'Learys, O'Tools   O'Connaghs and the O'Connells 
Each of these families have their own Irish Banshee that is a solitary fairy who loves the mortal family she is connected with - A fierce unearthly caring and Spirit that will pace the fairy mounds in sorrow when she knows a death is looming in one of her families.
She will follow her family across the world to keep and watchful -eye unseen, Keening wherever true for a loved one of her Irish family. 
The Banshee is believed to be an Unearthly Spirit to the ancient Families of Ireland the true descendants of the Noble Gaelic Race. Those who have the Mac & O' to their Name ~
By Mac and O
You'll always Know
True Irishman they say.
But if they lack 
The O and Mac
No Irish are they.



Celtic Goddess
When the Irish Banshee does take on a form it is usually of and beautiful young Irish woman, a matron, old woman or an Celtic Goddess.
For the banshee to actually take on a physical form:
She must go through these three stages~
1) Young beautiful woman - beginning of life
2) Motherhood
3) The crone - The wise old woman nearing the end of her cycle of life

There are many stories within the Irish families that have had their own personal experience with an Banshee. Most of these stories have been described by one of the following Type of Irish Banshee.
1) An old woman dressed in black with long grey hair and covering her face with a veil.
Irish banshee
2) An old woman with long white hair, red eyes ( from crying for some many centuries) and dressed in a green dress.
3) A beautiful woman naked with red hair.
4) A beautiful ghostly naked young woman.
5) A headless woman in a white dress with red hair.
6)  A beautiful woman with red eyes black hair and a white dress.
Here are a few of those famous tales of the Irish Banshee Some have dated back to 1014AD.
* One of the most famous tales - dated back to 1014.AD.
This tale is about an Irish Banshee of ancient times that had attached herself to the Kingly house of the O'Briens, Aibhill, who haunted the Rock of Craglea above Killaloe, near the old palace of Kincora. In AD 1014 was fought the battle of Clontarf, from which the aged King Brian Boru O'Brien, knew that he would never come away from the battle alive, because the previous night Aibhill had appeared to him to tell him of his impending fate. 
The Banshee's method of foretelling death in the ancient times is much different than present day. Now she wails and wrings her hands, as a general rule, but In this old Irish tale she is to be found washing human heads and limbs, or blood - stained clothes, till the water is all dyed with human blood - this would take place before a battle. In the ancient time of battles. In the course of the centuries the Irish faerie has changed her attributes and her characteristics  through the centuries .
* In the 18th century a small group of children saw a little old woman sitting on a rock beside the road, while they were walking by that evening. Suddenly the old woman began to wail like an owl - then clapped her hands. The children of course ran away in fear. But later discovered that the old man who lived in the home behind the rock had died at that very moment when the old woman had clapped her hands.
* She has appeared as a beautiful girl with Red-golden hair and a green Kirle & scarlet mantle transitional dress of Ireland. 
* A party on a yacht, on a lake told by the owner had witnessed a woman with red hair and reddish eyes. The owner , Count Nelsini formally known as O'Neill became anxious that the Banshee was announcing the death of his wife or daughter, but within 2 hours he was sized with an Augina attack and died. (Augina pronounced - aw - jin - uh)  ( Its meaning is Heart attack).
Banshees are always a spirit women~
In Ireland the Banshee legend is much less gory viewed than what some might think this ghostly
Ghostly young woman banshee

spirit to be.  She is a much kinder sort the Irish Banshee. I believe this is due to the rich culture and the legend of their 'faerie woman'. The different names I believe has a big difference to the legend too. Here are a few more of the Irish banshee.





traditional  banshee in red cloak  

Another difference I found that is important is these special spirits tend to attach themselves to
 Irish banshee in traditional Irish clothes

one family for centuries or generation thought time and will follow them all across the world to help them pass  over to the divine side just because the love their family so much. Now that is a kind hearted spirit.
Wendy  
Note: the beautiful images are not mine
I hope that you enjoy them with the post. 

The Nymphs of the Gods

The Nymph - From the Gods 
The Nymphs were the daughters of the Great Zeus, King of the Greek Gods. Zeus daughters were of
course were very beautiful and would dwell all over the the earth - In the Mountains, rivers, valleys, underworld, oceans, forests, lakes and woods. They would love to dance,sing and lure human men into their world of enchantment. Each of his Nymph daughters would have a close connection to nature. 
The Nymphs were joined by the Greek Gods - Artemis, Apollo and Acheloos the River God and they love to play with them. But out of all the Greek Gods the Nymphs enjoyed frolicking with Hermes, the messenger God and Hermes son the Satyr pan the most. 
They were also often pictured frolicking with other Gods, especially pastoral Gods like Pan and the Gods of Revelry Dionysus, Bacchus & hunting with Artemis or looking with Apollo and Hermes. 
The Nymph~
A nymph is a female usually of a nature deity typically associated with a location or land formation- 
These are your typically kinds of Nymphs from the Great God Zeus-
Celestilia Nymph,Water Nymph, Land Nymph, Plant Nymph, and Underworld Nymph. 
Each Nymph are generally from a different Goddesses and God, so the Nymphs are generally regarded as Divine spirits who animated nature. And are usually depicted as beautiful young maidens who love to dance, sing and go frolicking about.
Their amorous sets them apart from the restricted chaste wives and daughters of the Greek Gods. So they have much more freedom to play , dance and frolicking with other Greek Gods which in turn gets them into trouble sometimes.
Some of their favorite places to roam about were the mountain groves, water springs and natural waterfalls. Other places that the Nymphs would go were these fancy Grottos. In the day of the Greek Gods they were very popular. The Greek God Apollo is the one who featured them. 
These Grottos became outside gardens for the Gods and Nymphs. They were surround by enormous natural rock formations, rustic porch like rock or rock over hangs with water flowing over them. Some would be inside a natural hidden oases with beautiful fountains, gardns, and Greek God Stautes.

Although the Nymph will never die of old age or illness and are able to give birth to immortal children if mated from a God. They themselves are not necessary immoral and could be beholden to death is some forms.
Sometimes they will become involved with mortal men, in rare case marry them.
But this rarely happens. Most of the time, the nymph will find another nymph to fall in love with. 
Here are a few of those connections:  
 Orpheus - Took the Nymph Eurydice for his wife as spirits of Nature they could be wild and unpredictable and were very dangerous if crossed. 
Daphnis - The son of a nymph himself , had his eyes put out for breaking an oath of fidelity to a nymph. 
Hylas - Was lured to his death by the water nymph of a spring where he was drawing water.
Hermaphrodites - The legend of  hermaphrodites tells of a beautiful youth who attracted the
attention of  Salmacis, another water nymph, who clung himself so fiercely under the water where he was swimming that their flesh cleaved into one another. They became one body, uniting both sexes.
The Daughters of Nereus - The last story is about two Sea Nymphs who are the daughter of Nereus.They are legend for their great beauty and would call upon sailors in peril for their ability to calm the ocean waves and to lull the winds to sleep. They were also thought to have brought Achilles his armor from Hephaetus - The God of Metalworking before the Trojan War. 
The Oceanids - These were the three thousands daughters of the Oceanus and Tethy's
Story of the Nymphs - Zeus - Hera -
"Scattered far and wide", according to Hesiod, "haunting everywhere alike the earth and watery
depth,' they included Styx and Eryngoes. 
Who saved Hephaestus after Hera threw him out of the Olympus's home of the Gods, and gave birth to the Graces when Zeus made love her. 
There were many other Nymphs that were descendants of both the Greek God Zeus and the Goddess Hera. 
Story of Echo the Nymph on Mount Helicon - Echo is a Mountain Nymph who lived on Mount Helicon who would always distract Hera with her insane chatter, while the other nymphs who had been carousing around with her husband the God Zeus so they could make good on their escape.
To punish Echo, Hera condemned her to only be able to repeat what others had been said, not matter what she herself wanted to say. 
Another tale about Echo - was it tells of her love for the beautiful youth Narcissus, the son of the Nymph Liriope.  He had room in his heat only for himself and as she pined, over him, she wasted away until all that was left was her voice.
This was a interesting post to do. I have always be fascinated with the Greek gods and Goddess and I will probably be doing more posts on the different Goddesses later on in my blog. So stay tune! 
Wendy. 
I loved the images that were depicted  of the many different types of Nymphs and the Artist that paint the Nymphs - They are simply fantastic! 
I hope you enjoy this pic's I chose. 
These are not mind photos so please enjoy.
Wendy


  




To My Sister my friend my Spiritsister!

To My Sister
my friend
my Spiritsister!






You soul is true as the fairies that flow like fireflies bouncing in the sky. 

Your friendship is lovely as the song of the' Dance of the Fariies' .

Your love is as true as Nature.

Your love is both within you and outside you that touches everyone with that beautiful smile. 

You have the kindness Soul that it touches everyone you touch. And I am so blessed to be one of them.

I am blessed to have you as my friend, sister and Spiritsister too. I have met many people throughout my life. 

Some I have shared happy times and sad times. 

Through those times in my journey of life , I've been lucky to find a few dear friends in my life, to share the journey no matter what the distance might be.

It could be West coast to East coast.

It doesn't really matter. 

True dear friends will always be close, no matter the distance between them.


True dear friends will always be close even if they haven't chatted with each other on-line for a couple of days or a week.


They are always in their heart and soul and mind!

They are Never forgotten!


They are always on the same path and journey that you are on too!

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS!


I guess what I am trying to say to you sweets in a poem, a letter to a CHERISH  FRIEND.

TO MY SISTER! YOU! 


To not worry if you don't see or hear me on the Internet for a couple of days or a week. 

This doesn't mean that our friendship Stops. 


It will never will. I love you Cynthia! You are my Sister, My Friend, and I am writing to you
so that you will always know~

THAT YOU ARE LOVED ALWAYS~

YOUR MY BIG SISTER AND WILL ALWAYS WILL BE 
AND I WILL AWAYS LOVE YOU TILL THE DAY WE BOTH GO TO 
THE FAIRIES  AND HAVE RAINBOW STEW AND RAINBOW CHAMPAGNE .AND 
DANCE WITH THE FAIRIES TOO.



YOU ARE LOVED ALWAYS 
YOUR LITTLE SISTER
WENDY


  
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