A time of magic and transformation, sacred to the goddess Brighid, is upon us at the eve of Imbolc,  Lá Fhéile Bríde  as it is known in Irish and Là Fhèill Brìghde as it is known in Scottish Gaelic. Brighid is one of our oldest and most revered of goddesses, Britain and Brittany are both named after Her, she is the sacred guardian of these countries. Her special festival, Imbolc, is one of the oldest Celtic festivals- one of the most famous sacred sites in Ireland, the mound of the hostages at Tara, built around 3350BC is astronomically aligned to the Imbolc sunrise, and there are several others, showing us that this time has been sacred for thousands of years. Thought to mean ‘in the belly’ Imbolc is a time when the ewes are pregnant and the new lambs are born, and when the year ahead is still pregnant with possibility.

There is something so special about this quiet, wintery time, when the first new shoots may be breaking through the soil but winter still continues fierce for a while yet. Today I woke at dawn to frosty world of white and silver, and I cleaned the hearth and kindled the fire in Brighid's name, adapting a traditional Celtic kindling prayer from the Outer-Hebrides.

I WILL kindle my fire this morning

 

In presence of the holy angels of heaven,

In presence of Ariel of the loveliest form,

In presence of Uriel of the myriad charms,

Without malice, without jealousy, without envy,

Without fear, without terror of any one under the sun,

With the Blessing of Brighid, the high one!

 

Brigid kindle Thou in my heart within

A flame of love to my neighbour,

To my foe, to my friend, to my kindred all,

To the brave, to the knave, to the thrall,

From the lowliest thing that lives,

To the Name that is highest of all.

I call in the blessings of Brighid! 

I sat in silence as the fire burned bright, and felt the turning of the season ahead, and prepared a new Brighid’s cross, Her symbol, to bless and protect the home. Tonight I shall perform a house blessing and welcome Brighid to my hearth side, and bake a bannock in her honour, as I do every year. I shall also leave a white shawl, the  bhrat Bhrighd, outside on the hawthorn trees in my gardento gather in her blessings over the night, to be used for healing and comforting the sick- this works especially well as a comfort blanket for the children.  Keeping the fire lit throughout the night at this time can also be useful to perform fire divination, and spend time in Her sacred presence, just sitting and being with Her at the hearth, and letting Her wisdom rise up from within.

She brings with Her the promise that no matter how harsh the winter, Spring will always return!

www.danuforest.co.uk 

Image: Brigid by Dan Goodfellow www.dangoodfellow.co.uk copies available to buy at  https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.redbubble.com%2Fpeople%2Fdangoodfellow%2Fworks%2F36672895-celtic-goddess-brigid%3Fasc%3Du%26c%3D326233-celtic-goddess%26fbclid%3DIwAR38gx8hIpCEQL3WMdncfs0VcGTmJhqaw9IAFSjtNit-iai4WVfqyAcc-6M&h=AT2EG7Q-yeAvMgvB-n0PxM7wMyaDPzNCi5n6IhSf4SHmzbCJ5sAbmojSlfY9Eu0LkN2UGAQ7wLiC18nYdcpdl7CnSpJJgKPAVsq-a2j1DUHGXQOmr2jLWpKmhr1C8coFRA8

 

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