PAGAN PILLS | Brigid, la dea di Imbolc creata dai Druidi

PAGAN PILLS | Brigid, la dea di Imbolc creata dai Druidi

Oggi 1 febbraio si celebra il festival pagano di Imbolc di origine celtica che in Italia corrisponde alla Candelora. Il significato preciso è: la luce che torna dopo il buio dell’inverno. Nuova vita, nuovo inizio. Viene sottolineata l’importanza di lasciarsi tutto quello che non serve (relazioni tossiche, persone inutili, ansia e altro) alle spalle.

Origine di Brigid

La dea che viene venerata…

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Threshold (to Brighid, on Brighid’s Day 2022)

Just as everything to be born carried and conceived in darkness–

To some ancestors, the beginning was a dusk, not dawn.

Time reset as the sun faded, as sleep approached

The eye of the world shut, that we may better see our dreams–

Her hand, over the candle, that I may have light to read.

My eyelids twitch in sleep, shields against a night’s cold

That breaks with the dawn, tracing the horizon line,

A border of snow, from where the crocuses poke their heads.

(Written 1 February 2022. Do not reblog without crediting me as the creator.)

Threshold (to Brighid, on Brighid’s Day 2022)

Just as everything to be born carried and conceived in darkness–

To some ancestors, the beginning was a dusk, not dawn.

Time reset as the sun faded, as sleep approached

The eye of the world shut, that we may better see our dreams–

Her hand, over the candle, that I may have light to read.

My eyelids twitch in sleep, shields against a night’s cold

That breaks with the dawn, tracing the horizon line,

A border of snow, from where the crocuses poke their heads.

(Written 1 February 2022. Do not reblog without crediting me as the creator.)

Banshee

When her voice howls at me through the night’s long ache,

or early morning’s sharp and barest light, or closes on my gut

at the end of a long and unsatisfying day, I hear.

And I know it not just for the sharp spindle of fate but

the high roar of inspiration, poetry, smashing

aside weakness and comfort for the utter magic of reality.


Crumbling away my greed for the fear I finally know it to be,

sediment of a thousand minor injustices, Brighid

points the finger of destiny, bright as a sunbeam;

The walls of my heart shatter with prophecy:

You will see injustice.

You must set it right.

You will live.

You will live.

You will live.

(Written 31 January 2022. Do not reblog without crediting me as the author.)

Stirring

Three cauldrons, is what my patchwork research shows me,

A shining thread of early wisdom, warped to modern tongues

By ears more clever and subtle then my own.

Amateur as I am, I suspect, even as I try to curl my hands

Around the warmth of the Cauldron of Vocation, it tips
My words splatter from a lack of discipline.

And yet, I still catch her fingers about my head,
my spine spins like a spoon that I may find how best

to pour out what she has given me–

only mine to taste, share, and not keep.

(Written 31 January 2022. Inspired by Erynn Rowan Laurie’s article “The Cauldron of Poesy,” published in Obsidian,1999. Please do not reblog without listing me as the creator.)

“Saint Brigid, Goddess of Arts” by Rachel Santel

Brigid of the Bright Arrow (2018), by Emma Watkinson

themodernsouthernpolytheist:

Brighid Mural

I randomly stumbled on this absolutely stunning mural that was just completed in Dundalk, Ireland!

It’s apparently part of a new urban art festival there and this piece portrays Brighid as both goddess and saint. The colors are absolutely stunning and I’m in love with it!

Art by Friz

Photograph by Swedish Ginger

Brigid, Goddess of Poetry, Midwifery and SmithingbyGemma Zoe Jones.

“Keening,” by Daniela Simina

Her gift for posterity,

the undying gift of Bride the Banfile,

power of word endowing

the pain and agony

with immortality.

Inheritance she left for

those to come.

The inheritance of spirit

passed on beyond blood.

Spear struck Ruadan

and without his blood spilled

that deep and powerful voice,

Her voice,

would never had risen.

A mother’s grief birthed lamentation,

sacred union of word and sound

wedded by pain to never part again.

Him, left dead, her left alive,

her left to live forever in the heart of each of us

knowingly or unknowingly,

each time someone is keening.

Her gift for posterity,

the undying gift of Bride the Banfile:

the visceral yell erupting from

the soul sliced open,

the soul of a mother

cradling her dead child,

and nevertheless

make that a gift,

a step into immortality.

(Text from the devotional poetry blog Stone on the Belly)

Saint Brigid • Patron Saint of Poets, Acrylic on Wood, 2016. Artist: Sue Ellen Parkinson.

Sian Bride / St. Bride’s Charm [136]

“The charm put by Bride the beneficient,
On her goats, on her sheep, on her kine,
On her horses, on her chargers, on her herds,
Early and late going home, and from home.

To keep them from rocks and ridges,
From the heels and the horns of one another,
From the birds of the Red Rock,
And from Luath of the Feinne.

From the blue peregrine hawk of Creag Duilion,
From the bridled eagle of Ben-Ard,
From the swift hawk of Tordun,
From the surly raven of Bard’s Creag.

From the fox of the wiles,
From the wolf of the Mam,
From the foul-smelling fumart,
And from the restless great-hipped bear.

From every hoofed of four feet,
And from every hatched of two wings.”

-Carmina Gadelica, Volume II. Edited by Alexander Carmichael. Attributed by Carmichael to Mary MacVuirich of S. Lochboisdale.

“Brigid” by Amelia Royce Leonards. Found on Etsy.

Please do not reblog without crediting the artist.

Custom Brigid statue completed!

The customer gave me some photo inspiration from some of Valerie Vargas’ amazing tattoo work - one of a punk Mother Mary - and to make it fit with Brigid’s symbolism. I am absolutely in love and don’t want to give it away!

If you’d like your own custom goddess statue, just message me or visit my website/shop to fill out a request form or browse my available custom statue slots!

Death’s Head Divination

moon-lightfaerie:

In Irish mythology, Brigid is the daughter of the Dagda and had two sisters also named Brigid and is part of the Tuatha de Danann, the supernatural Irish race. The three sisters made up the triple aspect of the one goddess: Brigid of the hearth, Brigid of the forge and Brigid of Inspiration. She is a goddess ofspring, fertility, family, the hearth, childbirth, fire, blacksmiths, scholars, physicians, prophets, healing, poetry, occult knowledge, and justice. She was said to be born at sunrise and is often depicted with solar rays coming out of her head, making her one of the Irish solar deities alongside Lugh. It is said that wherever she walks four leaf clovers and flowers will grow. She also created the tradition of “keening” when her son Ruadan died in battle, a song-like wail used by women at funerals. In some cases she is also the goddess of sacred wells, springs and healing waters.  

History

Her name comes in different spellings like Brig, Brighid, Brigit, or Brigid but it means “Exalted one” or “Fiery arrows”. She is a goddess of Pre-christian Ireland but versions of her are found all over Europe; she has ties to Brigantia, a warrior goddess of the Brigantes tribe of Britain. She was a beloved goddess of the Celts and has survived through centuries including the Christianization of Ireland and the rest of Europe where most traces of Druidism and Paganism were forgotten. The people of Ireland loved her so much and refused to let her be demonized by the church -like the rest of the gods- that they converted her into a saint known as St. Brigid of Kildare. There are also three rivers named after her one in Ireland, Wales and England: Brigit, Braint and Brent.The river that runs through Wales is known to have healing properties.

Imbolc

Also known as Brigid’s day, Candlemas or St. Brigid’s feast, Imbolc is one of the four fire festivals in Celtic paganism and celebrates the return of spring. Since Brigid is the goddess of spring and was said to go away during the winter, people would light a candle in honor of her return. Offerings of milk, bread, and corn cakes were set out and a seat at the dinner table was left open for her presence.  Cows and sheep were seen as sacred to the goddess because they would provide milk for the town during the cold months and they would give birth around Imbolc. This festival celebrated the Maiden aspect of Brigid and young women would carry corn dollies dressed in white which represented the goddess. The women would also dress in white and attend a special feast for Imbolc where young suitors could mingle with the ladies. Imbolc is a time of fertility, cleansing and the light returning after a long winter.

Correspondences

Elements- Water & Fire

Animals- snakes, ewes, cows, bees, oxen, owls and hibernating animals. Vultures

Plants- blackberry, hawthorn, basil, mugwort, apple, heather, dandelion, snowdrop, willow, oak, shamrock, crocus, trillium, corn, lavender and sage. Personal one is cinnamon and chamomile.

Crystals- amethyst, bloodstone, carnelian, garnet, moonstone, clear quartz, and peridot.

Symbols- Brigid’s cross, candles, triquetra, faeries, four leaf clover, cauldron, chalice, corn dolly, anvil or hammer, poetry, forges, hearths, wells, rock formations.

Colours- green, red, white, gold and blue

Devotional Acts

• offer her blackberries, baked goods, milk and honey or beer
• dedicate a piece of your art to her like painting, knitting, singing, etc.
• meditate with fire
• savour the warmth of the sun or fire
• incorporate the elements of water and fire into your craft
• write her a poem
• watch the sun rise
• say hi to cows and sheep :)
• hang a Brigid’s cross above your doorway for protection and blessings 
• study healing magick, reiki, herbalism and faeries
• wear the colours of fire or white
• plant a bee garden

witchy-rainy-nights:

Brigid Devotional Tips

Brigid (”The Fiery Arrow”, “The Ash-less Flame”, “The Moon Crowned Lady of the Undying Flame”) is the Celtic goddess of fertility, healing, music, poetry and smith craft. She´s the daughter of The Dagda and is incredibly loving and nourishing. 

• Celebrate Imbolc.
• Cleanse yourself and your space calling upon her to purify you. 
• Whenever you need her help, light a yellow candle and tell her why you´re invoking her. She´s very loving and will help you. 
• Offer her your creative projects (a drawing, a song, etc)
• Offer her blackberries. 
• Practice grounding yourself.
• Ask her for help whenever you start a new project/adventure. 
• Give eco-friendly offerings to Birch trees.
• Connect with the element of fire. 
• When life´s difficult, find your inner fire and strength. 
• Cleanse your second chakra for it is the center of creativity and is theme of the divine mother.
• Light candles around your house (if it is safe)
• Find love and beauty in all you sense. 
• Become acquainted with your own cycles.
• Recognize whenever you need a fresh start.
• Practice not being scared of changes and new beginnings. 
• Start the morning telling her your intentions of the day. 
• Contemplate what needs to heal within you and ask her for help. 
• If you or one of your loved ones is sick, ask for her healing powers. 
• Create or buy an iron amulet.

The Dagda//The Morrigan//Aine 

Imbolc

mother-of-the-sea:

☀️Sun water☀️

Used for:

Protection, healing (especially physical), happiness, truth, clairvoyance, courage, strength, prosperity, luck, self-love, cleansing, confidence, leadership, justice, gardening, growth, warmth, comfort, fertility, and creativity

How to make it:

Leave the water on a sunny windowsill or outside, preferably in direct sunlight. Sunrise, 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm are perfect times for this, or you can leave it from sunrise to sunset. You can also add herbs and flowers to it as well (lemon peels, orange peels, marigolds, chamomile, cinnamon, sunflower, etc.) Or charge it with some stones (like sunstone, orange calcite, citrine, tigers eye, goldstone or carnelian), but please don’t put these stones in the water. You can also make a sun tea with sun water for a very potent solar spell.