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I wrote this in 2016 but it seems like something that needs to be shared now, so I wanted to offer it here. 

Brighid is the modern name of the pagan goddess Brig and also the name of a Christian saint, bot of which are associated with healing. Brighid is a complex figure whose stories are woven through Irish mythology and folklore but who can often be hard to pin down. She appears as a member of the Tuatha De Danann in the Lebor Gabala Erenn and the Cath Maige Tuired, and is referenced as a goddess in the Sanas Cormaic. There are several pseduohistorical figures in the Ulster cycle which are thought to possibly be Brighid by scholars like Kim McCone. And Saint Brighid is found across an array of material and in the modern catholic faith. These figure and stories intertwine among each other and blur together in both history and myth. So this prayer calls on Brighid in all her many forms. 

Enchant your world. That is what Witchcraft does, each and every day. It brings magic to the mundane, and allows you to open yourself to the wonders that the natural world holds all around you. 

I have been a Witch for as long as I can remember. I have always been enchanted by the sound of the wind through the pine trees, or the last rays of the setting sun illuminating the sky. I have a special rapport with animals, and often have prophetic dreams. I feel the rhythms of nature flowing around me and through me, and have always honoured the cycles and the seasons, though I may not have always had a name, ritual form or tradition to describe it fully.

Stand before it, the Life-Tree: of all trees, biggest and best.

Step in under those Branches.

Lie down beside that mighty Bole, beneath those spreading Branches.

Lie down, look up, and see.

See the Bole beside you.

See the Branches above you, raying out in each direction.

See the Circle of Branches around, the great round rim of twig-tip.

Bole, Branch, Circle. Do you see?

            In the centuries before medicinal drugs were common, herbs were the most important healing medicine we had.  Women were usually the ones to use them, and often a village that had a Wise Woman, as these healers were often called, was very fortunate and often healthier than those that did not. In many homes herbs are still in use for their healing properties and can supplement whatever other medicine may be in use. Also, many medicines have been originally derived from herbal sources. There are those who feel they may be more effective in their original form, rather than isolating the primary healing agent. However, opinions differ.

Many years ago, I was a young mother with mouths to feed and appetites to satisfy. I began to read up on herbs, both for cooking and ultimately, for their healing properties. Being occupied with caring for my little family and eager to keep my mind growing, I began reading up on and experimenting with what I had in my kitchen. In time this led to my giving lectures, writing articles, and learning about the many benefits of the wild herbs many think of as weeds, have to offer. Eventually, I even crafted and sold my own herbal teas and blends at a farmers' market.

I am sure you will come to find this to be true, certain crystals can be true touchstone, in your life and bring multitudinous benefits, both emotional and spiritual. Find spots in your home or office where you can incorporate into your each and every day. Whether is shrine, your nightstand or stacked in a corner on your desks, a sort of crystal cairn. This can be your special corner of the world where you can renew and connect with your spiritual center. Picking up and holding your touchstones can be one of the most soul-nourishing small acts of self-care you can do.

Gods. Pagans.

I've been hearing stories. So, I'm just going to say it.

Magic will not protect you from corona virus.

Magic will not protect you from corona virus.

Magic will not protect you from corona virus.

Not your magic. Not nobody's.

Magic will not protect you from corona virus because that's not how magic works. Magic is a finger on the scales of possibility, not a headlock that wrestles reality into submission.

For gods' sakes, hear the voice of experience. Back in the early days of the last Great Plague, I can remember hearing from a number of Radical Faeries that “Faeries can't get AIDS.”

Well, they were wrong. Faeries did indeed get AIDS, just like anybody else. Their Faerie magic did not protect them from the AIDS virus, just as your magic alone (whatever its variety and vintage) will not protect you from corona virus.

Let me add that every single one of those guys is dead now. They all died—predictably—of AIDS.

I'm no expert in Tarot – not by a long shot – but I've always had a particular fondness for card number IX, the Hermit.  This iconic image of an old, hooded man, staff in one hand and lantern in the other, resonates with me on a very deep level.  Folks who know me well would not be surprised by this at all.  Indeed, one of my best friends recently encouraged me (only half in jest) to offer my skills as a consultant in hermitting, in this new age of social distancing and self-isolation. Apparently, we are all be asked to become hermits for the time being, and many people find that exceedingly challenging.

As Covid-19 sweeps through the global population, everyone except essential workers are being told in no uncertain terms to go home and stay there.  Front line health-care staff and other service providers are already feeling exhausted by the demands of this pandemic, and the rest of us feel vaguely overwhelmed by the fact that we can really do nothing except stay home.  Of course, there are many interesting new ways being developed, mainly online, for people to stay connected and keep working.  Churches, libraries, and other community centres are empty, but their staff are working hard to provide their ministries and services in novel ways.