Pagan Portals--The Cailleach

June 13, 2016
Patterson (Grimoire of a Kitchen Witch), a practitioner of witchcraft, gathers tales of a Celtic goddess known as the Cailleach in this unsatisfying volume. Originally linked with creation, the Cailleach was envisioned as a giant who formed geographical features like whirlpools and standing stones, by, for instance, "dropping boulders from her apron." Yet, at some point, Patterson observes, the Cailleach was given the " âHollywood' treatment" and turned into a villainous hag, blue-faced and one-eyed. That accounts for her contradictory associations: on the one hand she is described as a benevolent midwife ushering in the seasons, while on the other hand she appears as a sinister trickster who rides a wolf and leads a spirit army by night. This brief book gives a strong sense of the variety of region-specific traditions about the Cailleach. It also suggests intriguing wider parallels, such as the Hindu goddess Kali's similarity to Black Annis, a Cailleach-like hag from English legend. However, the book overall is a somewhat repetitive, disjointed collection of stories rather than a cohesive narrative. It ends with key lessons Patterson takes from the Cailleach, along with a list of suggested offerings and ways to commune with the goddess through ritual and meditation.