Lá Fheile Bríde
February 1st is the first day of Spring and it’s St Bridget's day. It’s the first unfurling of Spring, the light is welcomed back as the days get longer.
Bridget appears in my Visionary card deck and shows herself as the fierce keeper of fire with elements of Kali Ma to her.
Like Kali Ma she holds great love for you and will champion your imbas and gifts with fierce conviction.
Imbas is a gift from the poets of ancient Ireland, and the word means great knowledge.
It relates to art, spoken word, leadership, earth stewardship and witchcraft. I hosted Visionary Card Readings at Hidden hearth festival in October while a sacred fire was held for Brigid outside.
Over the weekend she showed up in nearly everybody's reading, the spirit of imbas was so alive Bridget speaks to me not as the maiden but as the great mother. She’s the badass witch, great mother and great teacher of herbs, imbas and magic.
Her archetype was alive in the ones in the ditches teaching hedge schools, today she's alive in the ones who stir the cauldrons of wisdom and poetry. Here is an extract from my channeled writing of Goddess Brigid.
I am Goddess Brigid.
I am soul fire.
I am an inspiration.
I am the triple goddess of solar light.
My great knowledge is the arts, poetry, healing and crafts.
I am here to remind you that your cauldron of inspiration is always overflowing.
The vibration from your bountiful gifts will uplift the world around you into a state of inspiration.
You’re being encouraged to find out what your unique gifts are.
Fertility Well in Muckross, Killarney Co.Kerry
The Celts call these gifts Imbas.Brigid teaches you that your Imbas will open you up to knowledge from the world around you and that of the Divine.
It is said that when you heal your connection to your Imbas you heal the soul of the world.
Spend some time stirring the inspiration of your Imbas. How do you light up the world? What lights you up?
You can start right now by reciting Bridgets poem.
It will help you stir the cauldron of your imbas so you can receive the inspiration and your personal great knowledge.
Get a pen and paper while you’re reciting .
My favourite story of Brigid
She approached the King of Leinster requesting the land on which to build her monastery. The place she selected in Kildare was ideal. It was near a lake where water was available, in a forest where there was firewood and near a fertile plain on which to grow crops. The King refused her request. Brigid was not put off by his refusal. Rather, she and her sisters prayed that the King’s heart would soften. She made her request again but this time she asked, “Give me as much land as my cloak will cover.”
Seeing her small cloak, he laughed and then granted this request. However, Brigid had instructed her four helpers each to take a corner of the cloak and walk in opposite directions – north, south, east and west. As they did this the cloak began to grow and spread across many acres. She now had sufficient land on which to build her monastery. The King and his entire household were dismayed and amazed. They realised that this woman was truly blessed by God. The King became a patron of Brigid’s monastery, assisting her with money, food and gifts. Later he converted to Christianity. It was on this land in Kildare that she built her dual monastery c.470.
Story taken from https://brigidine.org.au/about-us/our-patroness/legend-of-st-brigids-cloak/
Biddys Days Festival in Killorglin Co.Kerry
Biddy’s Day is a fusion of ancient Irish pagan traditions and early Christian teachings. Bríd was one part of a trio of Goddesses, the others being Anú and Gobnait. Bríd is known as the ‘exalted one of learning, poetry and fertility’. During Imbolg, she fertilised the land and, in the tradition of the Biddy, she brings good luck to all households she visits. This luck includes fertility for livestock and bees.
