ollosagios

[ollosagios]

Suleuiâs

The Suleuiâs are divine figures who seem to have been fairly popular in ancient Gaulish religion, at least in the Gallo-Roman era, which is where the evidence of their worship comes from, though I don’t think it’s far-fetched to believe that their popularity predates the arrival of Roman influence.

Academic research

Noémie Beck and Viducus Brigantici did great academic analyses on the subject of the Suleviae, but for this post I’ll just list some of the main points:

Their name is thought to be translated as ‘Those who steer or lead well’, ‘good guides’ or ‘good rulers’

They were connected and sometimes combined with the Matres/Matronae

They were given Roman epithets such as Junones and Domesticae

Their name was also found in the singular form on inscriptions as Suleuiâ (who was once identified with the goddess Minerva)

They were associated with specific people (individuals or groups) as well as places (like the home or even the mountains)

Personal Thoughts

I see the Suleuiâs, in terms of their nature, as being similar to the Hellenic Daimones, a sort of middle point between goddesses and spirits. The Materês brought us into existence, they’re responsible for every birth as well as our destinies (I’ll talk more about them in the future), and in my mind, they’re the ones who attach the Suleuiâs to every individual: superior beings who are, at the same time, extensions of ourselves. They guide us as we navigate the destinies that the mother goddesses shape for us; they intimately know us, our past, our present and our future fates; they know the true purpose of our lives and they support us so that we fulfill said purpose, giving us counsel, protection, and guidance.

I associate them with the concept of the ‘higher mind’, which is the one responsible for our instincts and our dreams, but it’s also the part of our minds that connects to transcendent divinity.

So, I see the Suleuiâs as the ones behind our gut feelings, our sudden moments of unexplained wisdom, but also as the bridge between us and the divine, guiding us to the gods when we seek or call upon them as well as guiding them to us when they approach us. The Gods are powerful, and in my opinion, never completely intelligible, embodying things beyond our comprehension, so when we connect to them in meditation or ritual, or even when we’re just thinking about them, that almost ineffable greatness comes to us and it’s shaped and contextualized by our minds so that we reach at least some level of understanding, and that shaping part is, to me, the domain of our Suleuiâs.

They know us, they know what we’re feeling, they know what we’re thinking, they know what we’re living, they care for us, they support us, they’re always with us, I’d even say that they’re a part of us… transcendent and divine.

Their main purpose is to guide us to our truest potential, but I’ll stop here before I get too Neoplatonic 😆

How I connect to my Suleuiâs

As I mentioned above, to me, my Suleuiâs are always with me and they’re an important part of my connection to the gods, to divinity, and to my own self and my destiny. I try to acknowledge them every time I get one of those gut feeling or aha! moments, when I have a dream or a vision that seems to be meaningful, also when I’m thinking about my goals, my future or my life in general.

Here are some religious practices that I dedicate to them:

They are praised in every ‘formal’ ritual I do

I have a symbolic hearth where I try to do a simple ritual every morning, and my Suleuiâs are the ones I primarily pray to, alongside the Deuoi as a collective

Every month, when the first light of the moon is seen in the sky (time of the Hellenic Noumenia), I hold a ritual centered on the home and hearth and, again, my Suleuiâs are the ones I primarily pray to as well as other gods with domestic associations

I do a monthly divination reading with them (in the same ritual mentioned above)

There’s something about the Suleuiâs that feels very special and intimate. I encourage everyone who follows a Gaulish or Celtic path to acknowledge their own, it is truly rewarding to worship beings who are divinely connected to your life and destiny.

[ollosagios]

U̯isucius - Lord of Wisdom

Gaulish Associations

U̯isucius' name could be etymologically related to ravens/crows and/or wisdom. Other than that, there isn’t much to go on in terms of pure Gaulish information about him.

Germanic Connections

U̯isucius was mainly worshipped in territories where Gaulish and Germanic peoples were in close proximity. A god associated with ravens and wisdom is well attested in later Germanic mythology, so there’s at least a possibility that U̯isucius, one of the most popular Gaulish Mercury interpretatios, was connected by some worshippers to the figure that would later become the Norse god Odin (in fact, some scholars hypothesize that this god’s origins are intimately connected to Gaulish influence in Germanic cultures). Odin is thought to be related to the Romano-Germanic god Mercury Cimbrianus, a god who was worshipped in an area where U̯isucius’ name was also found. In mythology, he is well known for his thirst for knowledge and his willingness to sacrifice anything in order to get it, he sacrificed his eye to gain the wisdom contained in the waters of Mímir’s well, he pierced himself and hanged from the world tree for days to gain the wisdom of the runes (letters that some believe were used for magical purposes, but that, historically, were mainly used for writing). Overall, his association with knowledge is one of his most characteristic and well-known aspects.

Mercury/Hermes Interpretatio

On inscriptions, U̯isucius was usually identified with Mercury. Although this god is mainly connected to commerce, travel and wealth, it's not so surprising to see him being identified with a god who is possibly associated with wisdom. Hermes (Mercury's Greek equivalent) has many aspects that could be connected to knowledge: guile, communication, speech, eloquence, creation of language and writing (remember Odin and the runes), and later he was also linked to things like philosophy and astronomy.

My Personal Interpretation

Raven god of wisdom... his Gaulish nature is represented in his name, his historical and theorized syncretisms give us more hints about his domains and creations in the divine tapestry of existence. As the lord of wisdom, he's the supreme teacher, he inspires a thirst for knowledge in us that is never really quenched, for there's always something new to learn.

Here, I'm focusing on the more 'secular' or mundane kind of wisdom, not so much on the mystical or transcendent wisdom -although as someone who's influenced by neoplatonism and panentheism, I also see this 'secular' wisdom as divine, and I believe U̯isucius has dominion over both-. I see him as the god of the mind, who helps us absorb and impart knowledge. The mind can choose many paths of knowledge to follow, so in this regard he can be very multifaceted; if we look at the druids-the most famed Gaulish keepers of wisdom-, the influence of his syncretisms -Hermes is a predominant one for me-, as well as our modern world, we may associate him with things like natural sciences, philosophy, languages, communication, rhetoric, morality, storytelling, history, among many others (even guile and trickery).

We participate in his domain when we're learning something new, teaching, reading, writing, studying, listening, talking, or thinking... overall, when we're using our minds and mindfully transmitting knowledge either from external sources into ourselves or from ourselves into others.

He encourages us to not underestimate the power and immensity of our minds and to never stop learning.

Some sources: 1, 2

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

[ollosagios]

Molatus Damonî

Damona

Mother of waters, life-giver, preserver and nourisher;

You heal us, you cleanse us, you nurture us;

You are the source of the first waters that now flow throughout all of existence;

Yours is the life force of the world… the life force of us all;

May we be engulfed in your blessings

[ollosagios]

Hail Aphrodite!

Hear me, oh Aphrodite, illustrious, sea-born goddess;

Ourania of the heavens, Pandemos of the people: transcendent and physical greatness;

Goddess of unity, mother of love, ineffable power that conquers us all;

Source of the beauty that lives and inspires;

Most desired goddess of pleasure, who delights in contentment and passion;

Like the waves of the ocean you engulf our bodies and souls, and your power cannot be ignored, but we gladly surrender to you, for you are supreme; and powerfully beautiful, like sweet sap in a tree, your blessings run throughout all of existence.

[ollosagios]

Molatus Bussurigiû

Hail the great Celestial King, bearer of the wheel of order;

The earth turning, the sun and the moon rising and setting, the eternal dance of day and night, and all of the universal motions that maintain the natural order of existence... they're all under your command and protection, for you are the upholder of truth and justice; and when chaos threatens us, you wield you powerful thunderbolt, oh Taranos, and with the greatest strength you fight for us and with us, teaching us to be strong and fierce when we are faced with our own battles.

Father of the skies

Bussurigios, divine King

Taranos, strong thunderer

Thank you for the blessings from Albios, for the strength of my body and spirit, and for your protection and providence.

I hail you, great Lord, and I praise you with reverence

[ollosagios]

Happy Iwos Brigantia/Imbolc!

Exalted and glorious Lady,

Illustrious and ever-glowing;

Divine inspiration flaming

And life-giving blessings flowing.

In chaos you give us shelter,

In battle you give us triumph,

And when we are lost and restless

You kindle our souls’ desires;

Desires that make us hopeful

Of destiny’s veiled horizon;

You light our way as we go through

The path of our human passions.

Brigantia, exalted greatness,

I praise you with heartfelt verses;

Brigantia, eternal power,

I hail you, oh gracious goddess