The Gaulish Goddess Nantosuelta

For a long while I have been feeling pulled towards a Deity, but the 'signals' haven't been very clear. Nothing concrete. I could tell it was a feminine presence, so I assumed to be a Goddess, associated with both Earth and Fire, as well as blessings, the hearth and divination. I have done countless searches, looking for Goddesses of Earth and Fire and of the hearth, but have for a couple of months now come up empty handed.

The other day I was researching something - I can't quite remember what, it may have been Nature Deities -  when I came across a name. Nantosuelta. She was not a Deity I had come across before, so I decided to do a bit more research, and it was suddenly like the light bulb had flicked on. Could this be the Goddess I had been feeling pulled to recently?

Nantosuelta is most prominent a figure in the Celtic culture - one that I feel most commonly drawn to - and is known as being a Goddess of both Earth and Fire, as well as abundance, fertility, health and miracles.

Several inscriptions and depictions of her have been discovered in France which give us some clues as to other aspects of her divinity. For example, she is often shown holding what looks like a long pole with a small house on top of it (and so has been associated with the hearth and home) and a patara (a libation bowl), the contents of which she is pouring onto a cylindrical altar (potential an association with blessings or abundance). Other depictions have also shown her holding a pot or a bee hive, which again could show links to the hearth and home and nature, well-being and prosperity.

(Picture taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nantosuelta) 

According to local legend, in 1858 a girl had a vision of a 'Goddess type' in Lourdes, France, near a grotto in an area which was said to have been sacred to Nantosuelta and whose followers worshiped her there in ancient times. After this girl had her vision, the water suddenly took on incredible healing powers and became renowned for its miraculous healing powers, and this was seen to be a sign that the Goddess was very much still present in the area she was once honoured.

Occasionally these depictions show her with Sucellus, believed to be the God of agriculture and wine and also her counterpart.

Scholars are not sure of the exact etymological meaning of the name Nantosuelta; the two most commonly championed explanations are 'She of the winding river' and 'She of the sun-drenched valley'. As this Goddess shares very few qualities associated with the element of water, it is most commonly accepted that 'She of the sun-drenched valley' is the more accurate of the two.

Again, there are two commonly associated interpretations of the meaning of 'the sun-drenched valley'. Some believe that it symbolizes warmth, or 'plenty'. However, it can also be read in the context of 'the sun-drenched valley' being the sun-drenched realms of the netherworld. This is also supported by the fact that Nantosuelta has also been shown to be depicted with a crow, prompting comparisons between her and the Goddess Morrigan and connotations of death, This may hint at her possibly being a psychopomp - a word from the Greek language meaning a Deity or Spirit whose job it is to guide the souls of the recently deceased to the Underworld.

(Picture taken from http://getasword.com/blog/391-celtic-gods-list-of-celtic-gods-and-goddesses/)

Basically, this Goddess sounds like everything I have been sensing or been feeling pulled to in a Deity in the past few months. I haven't done any work or meditation with her yet, but now I have an idea of the type of Deity she could be, I would love to try. So, I have written a 'morning devotional' to her. I have always found that, when working with a new Deity, even just a prayer in the mornings can help you to feel more connected with them. This is it - short and simple:

"Hail to the Goddess Nantosuelta

Queen of Earth

Keeper of  Fire

Bringer of fertility, abundance and blessings

Goddess of the hearth

Oh Mighty Mother

I pray that you may guide me

And gift to me your blessings

Teach me your ways 

So I may teach and heal those around me

Show me the path through your forests green

And fires bright

So that I may follow in your footsteps

Through this day and onwards."

Once I have done this for a couple of weeks and found the time to meditate and try to meet Nantosuelta, I would like to think about designing a ritual dedicated to her, or involving her maybe in a hearth and home ritual or prosperity ritual or some other asset associated with her....watch this space!