Imbolc, Brighid

Brighid was the patron of poets and bards, as well as healers and magicians. She also represents herbalism, childbirth and midwifery, hearth fire, and smithcraft.   She was a Goddess of Fire and a Warrior.  She was especially honored when it came to matters of prophecy and divination. She was honored with a sacred flame maintained by a 19  priestesses, and her sanctuary at Kildare, Ireland, later became the home of the Christian variant of Brighid, St. Brigid of Kildare. Kildare is also the location of one of several sacred wells  in the Celtic regions.  There are wells all over Ireland sacred to Brighid.  Water is associated with healing and wisdom.

Some facts and correspondences:

Name:  Brighid/ Brigit/ Bríd/ Brigid / Bride

Race:   Tuatha Dé Danann

Properties:  Healing, Fertility, Smithcraft,  Poetry, Midwifery/Childbirth, Herbalism, Hearth Fire, Inspiration

Lesser Properties: Agriculture

Father:  The Dagda

Husband:  Bres Mac Elatha

  Consort: Turenn son of Oghma

Sons:  Brian, Iuchar & Iucharba (Gods of Poetry) by Turenn

Grandson:  Ecne (God of Knowledge)

Associated Deities:  Danu

Festival:  Imbolc (1st February)

Season:  Spring

Element: Fire

In many Pagan traditions today, Brighid is celebrated with crafts that honor her role as the protector of the hearth. You can make a Brighid corn doll;  as well as a Bride’s Bed for her to sleep in. Perhaps the best known decoration is the Brighid’s Cross whose arms represent the place where a crossroads comes together, the space between light and dark.  You can find multiple sites on how to make the Brighid’s Cross..even you tube video’s so I won’t go into that here.  To make a Bride’s Bed:

* You’ll need a small box, or basket.   Line it with a towel or small blanket.  Add or make a small pillow and place in the basket as well. Then top with another warm blanket, just like your own bed. Place the bed by your hearth fire.  If you’ve made a Brighid doll,  place her in the bed before you go to sleep at night. If you don’t have a Brighid doll and don’t wish to make one, you can use a broom or besom to represent Brighid instead.  The broom is an old symbol of female power and the fertility that Brighid represents.  If you want to bring fertility and abundance into your home this year, make sure Brighid doesn’t get lonely in her bed. Place a Priapic wand (acorn wand)  in there with her to represent the god of your tradition. Remember — fertility doesn’t just mean sexuality. It also applies for financial gain and other abundance.  Once Brighid is in her bed, you can gather around the hearth fire with your family, and welcome your guest with the traditional greeting, spoken three times:

Brighid is come, Brighid is welcome!

Leave candles burning beside Brighid throughout the night – place them in a dish of sand or dirt for safety considerations. If you need inspiration in a matter, or wish to work some divinatory magic, stay up throughout the night and meditate, asking Brighid for guidance.  I put my candles in my cauldron or right in my fireplace after the hearth fire dies down. 

 One of my favorite tales about the goddess Brighid  involves two lepers who appeared at her sacred well at Kildare and asked to be healed. She told them that they were to bathe each other until the skin healed. After the first one was healed, he felt only revulsion for the other and would not touch him to bathe him. Angered, Brigid caused his leprosy to return. Then she gently placed her mantle (cloak) around the other leper who was immediately healed.  This also goes along with her mantle or cloak of green…as she comes in the Springtime, her cloak awakens the Earth and it greens and the flowers start to bloom.  How wonderful!

 To have Brighid represented at your altar for Imbolc,  you can of course have a statue of her, print a picture off the internet,  a book of poetry or your own poem you’ve written,  healing herbs, silver coins,  and lots of candles.  A cauldron of water could represent her sacred wells. If you aren’t familiar with Brighid I hope this post gives you reason to learn about her and to place her high on your list of favorite goddesses.  She will not disappoint you!

Love and Blessings, Autumn 

*Some of this information comes from About.com and Goddess Gift and my own BOS.

Imbolc Feb 2nd Gods and Goddesses

Imbolc - Gods and Goddess

Brigid: Irish goddess.  On Imbolc she is considered the bride of the young Sun god.  Represents fertility, protection, health and healing, inspiration, and guardian of children.  Her Imbolc festival was renamed St. Bridget’s Day by the Catholic Church.

Venus: Roman goddess of love.  Her sacred flower, the crocus, is also the first flower of spring, which is how Venus is worked into Imbolc celebrations.

Aphrodite: Greek goddess of love.  Goddesses of love and emotion tend to be honored at Imbolc not only because of the proximity to Valentine’s Day, but because Imbolc is the signifier of coming fertility–and love, in any form, brings life.

Hestia: Greek goddess of the hearth.  Protector goddess and guardian of the homes of mortals who honored her as well as the hearth fire of Olympus.  Imbolc, like all Sabbats, is based on the sun’s movements and changing of the seasons.  So gods and goddesses associated with fire come into some measure of prominence at these times, even if the main celebration of the holiday isn’t on the sun.

Vesta: Roman goddess of the hearth and home.  Protector goddess and guardian of the sacred fire.

Bast (Bastet): Egyptian goddess of the hearth and fierce protector of mothers and children.

Eros: Greek god of love.  Seen as a sign of fertility at this time of year, as well as love.

Inanna: Sumerian goddess of love, fertility, sexuality, and warfare.

Gaia: Greek goddess of the earth.  Since spring is on its way at this time of year, the fertility of the earth and Her goodwill is not to be ignored.  Gaia doesn’t play a huge role in Imbolc, but it’s good to keep Her in mind.

Athena: Greek goddess of wisdom and warcraft.  Roman counterpart–Minerva.  As a virgin goddess, she could be honored at Imbolc.  Virgin goddesses play a part because the Goddess is a virgin at this time of year–she has not yet been impregnated with the God, but she has already given birth to the new God.

Artemis: Greek goddess of the hunt and virgins.  Roman counterpart–Diana.