Evoking Brighid

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February marks the magical in between time of winter where anything can happen.

The most ferocious of winter storms can charge in or we can have days where we can leave our parka behind. Fortunately our mid-winter blah period is uplifted as we eagerly await the possibility of being swept off our feet with some St. Valentine's Day mid month romance as well as partying it up Mardi Gra style by month's end. Despite Cupid's gifts of red roses and being adorned Louisiana style with green, purple & gold beads spring still feels so far away.

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However different than last month's darkness I've been noticing the sunset's last rays of golden light guiding me into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

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Goddess Brighid


As the winter days are growing noticeably longer we welcome the Celtic Goddess Brighid into the air. She wears red and gold signifying the eternal flame of the sun being strengthened above us.

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While winter's cold begins to thaw snakes, groundhogs and other burrowing critters are stirring within the earth.

Alongside bodies of moving water is where Brighid likes to make an appearance.

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Call on her to keep your home warm, amplify fertility, charge your creativity and add poetry to your words.

When you think and speak poetically it slows you down. You begin to see other realms within a ripple of a wave. As your mind expands, your creativity swells allowing the mundane demands of life to become less intense. Your shoulders soften away from your ears and your breath takes on the rhythm off the transparent water skimming onto the shoreline and receding back into the dark depths of the water. Within moments a spark ignites within you as you realize what you see is your reflection in the water. There's no separation between you and what you see.

Understanding that you create your reality kindles a healing within you.

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Your heart feels as though a fiery arrow has pierced it. As it cracks open so does your tight neck and shoulders.

My fondness for the Goddess Brighid who's name means "Fiery Arrow" began as a young girl. I guess Cupid is not the only arrow throwing spirit during February.

It wasn't often that my brother Tommy and I slept over my Grandparent's house yet one first weekend in February many years ago we did. On arrival my Grandma Egan let us know that we were going to church to honor St. Brigit on the holy day of what Catholics call Candlemas. Since it wasn't Sunday I immediately asked "Who is St. Brigit and why is her feast day cutting into my Saturday fun time?"

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Fortunately Grandma Egan read a lot and told me an ear full of stories about the beloved St. Brigit. Grandma's wisdom mixed with my inquisitive adult research on St. Brigit gives me the following I feel so strongly to share during mid-winter's grey days.

The Goddess Brighid was born a Druid and descends from the god like raise of beings that inhabited Ireland called the Tuatha De Danaan. Her father is Dagda, a Celtic God of fertility and a supreme deity of the land.

The worship of Brighid originated in a south eastern area of Ireland named Leinster. Here she was attended by an all female priesthood and is often depicted as having two sisters named Brighid. Being a triple Goddess each aspect of her possesses different powers. One embodies healing specifically regarding matters of fertility, the second possess powers with fire. She keeps homes warm and guides blacksmith's with their craft while the third aspect of Brighid gets our creative juices flowing with poetry and the arts.

What is fascinating to me is that her pagan Goddess stature overlapped into Christianity. To this day there is a Christian shrine in Kildare, Ireland which protects a perpetual flame that is lit in St. Brigit's honor. Notice as a Saint her name is spelled differently than as a Goddess. Brigit as a Saint or as a Goddess is associated with fire and some say it is because she was born when the sun begins to strengthen in mid-winter. Legend says she's the bringer of an early spring and after each step she took flowers and shamrocks would bloom.

Her sacred space in Kildare is attended by nuns. This is strikingly familiar to her all female priesthood as a Goddess. There are numerous accounts about St. Brigit and Goddess Brighid and her origins. Frankly the facts that draw the line between the Saint and the Goddess are dizzying.

What matters now and has stood the test of time is that today pagans celebrate Brighid on February 1st on a sabbat called Imbolc and Christians honor St. Brigit on the holy day Candlemas, Feb. 2nd.

I stress knowing who Brighid is because she is a powerful force. Besides, who doesn't need a little inner fire rekindling in the cold depths of winter where the demons of self doubt lingers?

Ritual


Add some Brighid light igniting power to your almost given up on New Year's dream by lighting a candle in the evening. Here take three deep breaths in and out. Then visualize as you look into the flame your wishes like seeds within the earth and under your feet cracking open. Know they're getting ready to show themselves as the weather becomes temperate in the spring.

Another way to evoke Brighid is to visit bodies of running water like streams and rivers. Here you can call on Brighid for her gifts of warmth, creativity and healing. If having a water view can't happen in your busy life then practice paying attention and listen for running water throughout your daily routine. You will be surprised how often it makes an appearance such as when you wash your hands, flush a toilet, fill a cup from a water cooler, cry, sweat or walk by a sewer. Simply listen, feel and absorb the many aspects of Brighid riding on the water.

Fashion


I've found the best way to channel a Goddess is to dress like one and I don't mean by wearing a diamond studded tiara and some long flowing gown. Rather make your Goddess dressing functional for your everyday lifestyle.

These pictures were taken like all the pictures on this site after I guided a yoga class. Underneath I'm wearing my yoga practice clothes. A simple red shelf bra camisole tank and you can see my black tights. To celebrate Brighid I'm wearing different shades of red. One lighter underneath and the top layer is more burgundy in tone. I like the way the darker red adds depth to the poppy like red I'm wearing.

I'm also wearing these brown toned faux snake skin boots I bought during an end of winter sale from Zara. They honor the stirring creatures under the earth. Because of the brown shoe shade I added gold accents to this look. My scarf has gold threads running through it while my gold earrings have dangling pearls which add the water element to this look.

Have fun and be creative while calling on Brighid. Her fire will thaw the earth and set your dreams ablaze. Afterall whatever you see is within you. So...why not have it be a Goddess?