Sheela na Gig: The Fierce Guardian of the Divine Feminine and the Unmatched Force of Celtic Womanhood
Ireland is a land steeped in ancient power, a place where the stones still whisper, the land still holds memory, and the echoes of the past refuse to be silenced. Among these echoes, carved into medieval churches, castles, and hidden ruins, sits Sheela na Gig, raw, unapologetic, and defiant.
She is not delicate. She is not here to be soft or pleasing. She is the protector, the force, the guardian of thresholds, of lineage, of the sacred feminine.
To me, as an Irish woman, I know exactly what Sheela na Gig is.
She is the Irish Mammy energy—the force you do not cross. The one who stands in the doorway, arms folded, eyes piercing right through you. The one who defends her children, her family, and her land with a fire that nothing can extinguish.
You don’t mess with an Irish Mammy, and you don’t mess with Sheela na Gig.
Because if you do, you will be met with a force that is unmatched.
Sheela na Gig, to me, is the energetic symbol of the Celtic female—not just the gentle, nurturing, motherly aspect, but the fierce, protective, warrior-woman that is woven into the very fabric of Irish culture.
She does not seek approval. She does not ask for permission.
She exists beyond fear. She owns her power.
She is the shield and the fire, the guardian and the storm.
Who Was Sheela na Gig? A Goddess, A Guardian, A Survivor
Sheela na Gig is found across Ireland, the UK, and parts of Europe, usually carved into stone as a woman displaying exaggerated genitalia. For centuries, scholars have debated her meaning—was she a fertility symbol, a protector, a warning against lust, or a remnant of a powerful goddess reduced and repurposed by Christianity?
The most compelling theory suggests that Sheela na Gigs were originally pre-Christian symbols of feminine power, fertility, protection, or initiation rites. With the spread of Christianity, the Church had a choice: erase or integrate.
And so, just as many Celtic festivals were absorbed into Christian celebrations (like Samhain becoming All Saints’ Day and Brigid’s pagan roots merging with St. Brigid), Sheela na Gigs were retained but repurposed.
But their placement tells a story of resistance. Many are sideways, crooked, or nearly hidden, as if those who placed them were reluctant to erase them but also wary of what they represented. This aligns with how sacred wells, standing stones, and ancient sites were Christianized rather than destroyed.
Sheela na Gig was not erased—but she was deliberately weakened.
A Deliberate Repositioning to Diminish Her Power
Many Sheela na Gigs appear in unnatural positions, tilted, placed in obscure corners, or awkwardly incorporated into medieval structures. This suggests that many of them were removed from earlier pagan sites and forcibly placed onto churches and castles.
Was this an attempt to neutralize her power? Perhaps.
• Some believe Sheela was still seen as a protective force, but her meaning was reshaped under Christian influence.
• Her placement in religious sites may have been an uneasy compromise, acknowledging her power while simultaneously diminishing her status.
• Just like the Cailleach, the Morrígan, and other powerful feminine deities, she may have been recast as something to be feared rather than revered.
Yet, she endured.
Sheela na Gig and the Wild Divine Feminine
So often, the Divine Feminine is presented as soft, nurturing, and gentle. But Sheela na Gig reminds us that true feminine power is also fierce, protective, and untamed. She roars rather than whispers. She stands at thresholds, guarding what is sacred. She is unafraid to confront the truths that others would rather ignore.
Sheela na Gig is a sister to The Morrígan, Kali, and Lilith, goddesses who embody both creation and destruction, both life and death.
Her presence in medieval Christian sites, no matter how distorted or hidden, proves one thing: her power was too great to be erased.
Why Sheela na Gig Still Matters Today
Sheela na Gig’s presence still challenges us. We still live in a world that fears the wild feminine—that tells us to be quiet, be small, be less.
But Sheela’s energy demands the opposite.
•She tells us to take up space.
• She tells us to reclaim our wisdom, our bodies, and our power.
• She reminds us that we are protectors of the sacred—of land, of lineage, of knowledge.
She is not just a relic of the past. She is a guide for those who dare to stand in their power.
Honoring Sheela na Gig in the Modern World
So how do we honor Sheela na Gig today? How do we step into this fierce, protective energy?
🌿 Embrace Your Power – Take up space. Be bold. Own your strength.
🌿 Protect What Matters – Whether it’s your energy, your boundaries, your people, or sacred sites, be the guardian.
🌿 Work with the Land – Connect with ancient places, honor the spirits of the earth, and listen to the whispers of history.
🌿 Challenge What Must Be Challenged – Sheela’s energy is not passive. It asks us to break down outdated structures and reclaim what was lost.
🌿 Speak the Unspoken – Sheela does not hide. She does not shy away from what is raw, real, and necessary. Neither should we.
The Call of Sheela na Gig
Sheela na Gig is not for the faint of heart. She calls to those who are ready to embrace the wild, the powerful, and the protective aspects of the Divine Feminine.
Her presence ,even tilted, even hidden, even nearly erased, is proof that she is still here.
She reminds us that we are not meant to be silent. We are meant to stand at the threshold, guarding, protecting, and claiming our place in the great cycle of power and wisdom.
She calls. Are you ready to answer?
In our next tour you will see at least 3 Sheela na Gig
