Brigit's Day

 

From Wicca Magazine on FB

“The interpretation of Brigit has changed and adapted to the needs of each generation, yet the tradition has always carried a core of deeply rooted symbolism and teachings. There is great wisdom in the Brigit tradition, which can inspire and guide us today as we seek to weave new patterns of meaning...

Brigit carried the thread of the divine feminine that wove through history and celebrated women’s powers of fertility, childbirth, and nurturing. The Brigit tradition can still help women feel empowered and can enable both women and men to celebrate the feminine side of their natures…

In a world where the loss of connection between humankind and nature is endangering our futures in so many ways, we need to rediscover our sacred relationship with the natural world. To do this, I believe we have to engage people’s hearts and spirits, not just their minds. The Brigit tradition can open our eyes to the rich tapestry that weaves together people, the land, story, spirit and nature, and inspires us to live more authentic and balanced lives.”

~ Jenny Beale, “A Garden for Brigit” from “Brigit: Sun of Womanhood, Edited by Patricia Monaghan and Michael McDermott

Brigid's Cross on an altar

also:

 “I believe that the archetypal energy of Brigit, the embodiment of the divine feminine present within the Celtic tradition, has the capacity to lead and support us in transforming the present wasteland into a new life-sustaining society. For this to happen, we need to understand that the archetypal energy that Brigit represents is a real aspect of the human psyche, one that has been largely dormant over the past few hundred years but is now re-emerging. Each of us can become keeper of the Brigit flame by developing and living those qualities and values that distinguished her. As we align ourselves with her archetypal energies, she supports us to courageously and safely face the demons of this time. She teaches us how to stand still in a wobbling world, to act as a unifying force, to hold the space of possibility, and so become agents of transformation.”

~ Dolores Whelan, “Brigit: Cailleach and Midwife to a New World” from “Brigit: Sun of Womanhood” Edited by Patricia Monaghan and Michael McDermott

Brigit's Day on February first! Here's an article from the Irish Times in 2023 where they said:

"Our first St Brigid’s Day public holiday. Brigid, Brigit, Bridget, Bríd, Bridie: whatever we call her, she was some woman, and her day, Lá Fhéile Bríde, or Imbolc, on February 1st has long heralded renewal and the traditional start of spring in Ireland."

A few miracles have been handed down from the stories, such as the one about her cloak and the king.  Wikipedia says it this way:

One of the more commonly told stories of St. Brigid was when she went to the King of Leinster to ask for land to build a convent. She told the king that the place where she stood was the perfect place for a convent. It was beside a forest where they could collect firewood and berries. There was also a lake nearby that would provide water and the land was fertile. The king laughed at her and refused to give her any land. Brigid prayed to God and asked him to soften the king’s heart. Then she smiled at the king and said “will you give me as much land as my cloak will cover?”

The king thought that she was joking and because Brigid’s cloak was so small he knew that it would only cover a very small piece of land. The king agreed and Brigid spread her cloak on the ground. She asked her four friends to hold a corner of the cloak and walk in opposite directions. The four friends walked north, south, east and west. The cloak grew immediately and began to cover many acres of land.

The king was astonished and he realized that she had been blessed by God. The king fell to the ground and knelt before Brigid and promised her and her friends money, food and supplies. Soon afterwards, the king became a Christian and also started to help the poor and commissioned the construction of the convent. Legend has it, the convent was known for making jam from the local blueberries which was sought for all over Ireland. There is a new tradition beginning among followers of St. Brigit to eat jam on the 1st of February in honour of this miracle.  

The Catholic church came into Ireland later (you've heard of St. Patrick?) and yet there soon was this wonderful Saint Brigid. Her good works seemed very similar to the goddess Brigid. There was a physical well where healing might take place. And an eternal fire that was tended by the followers of the Saint, only women allowed. The story was that they would tend the fire for 19 days, and then on the 20th Brigid herself would keep it burning. The original well still exists, and the place where fires were tended.

That the whole country of Ireland has made this a holiday speaks to the love of the Irish toward their historic goddess/Saint.  And having February 1 as her holiday gives a good celebration that's needed in grey winter...though with a promise of spring.

Of course there are rituals associated with Brigid. Kindling a fire. Blessings with pure waters. Blessing of the candles (fire sources). Reading poetry. Tying little ribbons, clouties with wishes for healing on branches of trees at her well, or other trees. Putting your own mantle (or any fabric) across a bush the night before Brigid's day. Making tiny straw Brigid crosses or little effigies of her.

Do check out Inner Workings from yesterday if you wish to consider a committment to Brigid, the inner bride.

And here's a new twist (to me) about Brigit's being miracle beer maker also! The Guardian 2024