The Coming of Spring

Brigid by Laura Tempest Zakroff

Goddess Brigid is honored and celebrated at Imbolc in early Frebriary.

Brigid was born at sunrise with a flame of light shooting from her flaming red hair. Her sacred fire represents divine inspiration, warmth, safety, and home.

Brigid is also known to be a great healer and protector of life. Ancient wells honoring her are still found in Ireland and Scotland. People have prayed and left offerings at her wells for thousands of years. Their waters hold healing powers.

Ancient Nature Goddess Brigid brings the light of spring. It is said that flowers bloom wherever she walks.

May Brigid bless the house wherein you dwell
Bless every fireside every wall and door
Bless every heart that beats beneath its roof
Bless every hand that toils to bring it joy
Bless every foot that walks its portals through
May Brigid bless the house that shelters you.

🔥

#brigid
#fire
#water
#goddess
#protectress
#sacredfeminine
#herstorymatters

Brigid’s Well, Kildare
Photo by NancyL

Brigid’s Blessing

Brigid's Cross
Brigid’s Cross

May Brigid bless the house wherein you dwell
Bless every fireside every wall and door
Bless every heart that beats beneath its roof
Bless every hand that toils to bring it joy
Bless every foot that walks its portals through
May Brigid bless the house that shelters you.

In February the ancient tribes of Europe celebrated Imbolc and the return of spring. Imbolc marks the halfway point between winter solstice and spring equinox. It falls on February 3 in 2017.

Brigid is the Pagan Goddess / Catholic Saint that the Celtic people associated with Imbolc. In Celtic tales, Brigid is said to have been born at daybreak. She rose into the sky with rays of fiery sun beaming from her head. As an infant, Brigid was fed with milk from a sacred cow from the fairy realm. It is also believed that  small flowers and shamrocks would appear wherever the Goddess Brigid walked. As a sun Goddess,  Brigid’s gifts are light (knowledge), inspiration, and the healing energy of the sun. Brigid is also associated with sacred healing waters. There are many springs and wells named after her in the British Isles.

Whether seen as a Goddess or Saint, Brigid commands the power of both fire and ice.  You can honor Imbolc and Brigid by lighting a candle and offering gratitude that spring is on its way.

Brigid
Brigid

The Fire and Ice of Brigid

Fire of Imbolc

I had the great fortune to be on the west coast last weekend for a wonderful workshop led by Nan Moss and David Corbin. What a great group of shamanic dreamers! We journeyed and explored the nature of weather on planet Earth together. Nan and David are amazing guides and teachers. It was an incredible three days.

The only down side to my ‘dreamy’ weekend was that I didn’t have a chance to celebrate Imbolc, a traditional Celtic festival day that marks the halfway point between winter solstice and spring equinox. For my Christian friends, the holiday (holy day) of Candlemas grew out of ancient Imbolc festivals.

My Celtic ancestors held Imbolc celebrations to honor the imminent return of spring. Ironically, when I flew back to my home in the Rockies on February 3rd, it was 11 degrees below zero. And since then, it has snowed twice and been bitterly cold, with temperatures barely creeping above zero. And yet I trust that spring will return soon, no matter how foul the weather is outside. Underneath the cover of a foot of snow, tiny seeds are stirring and Mother Earth is quietly preparing herself for spring.

This year, I decided to celebrate Imbolc with a daily fire in my fireplace. A traditional Imbolc festival would be marked by the entire village feasting and attending a big bonfire. But for me, a small fire burning in my hearth seems just perfect this year. Snow falling outside while a fire burns in my hearth; what a perfect blending of fire and ice!

I have been sitting in front of my little daily fire, dreaming up new classes, and meditating on the Goddess Brigid (AKA Brigit).  Brigid is a fiery Celtic Goddess who is said to reign over the powers of poetry, inspiration and metal smithing as well as the healing arts. She has been associated with Imbolc since ancient times. And Brigid has proved to be quite a tenacious Pagan Goddess; when Christianity took hold in the Celtic world, Goddess Brigid simply morphed into the beloved Saint Brigid who continues to inspire many Catholics and non-Catholics even in this cynical modern age.

Brigid is very special to me personally; she has spontaneously appeared in my dreams many times. She seems to come whenever I need to stop, reflect and find new inspiration. This week she has shown up with messages about how I can release troubling family patterns and allow my writing to bloom in new ways. I LOVE it when Brigid shows up in my dreams! Her fiery energies seem to fill me with new insights and ideas.

As our days slowly lengthen here in the northern hemisphere, Mother Earth begins to rouse from her winter slumber and quietly prepare the ground for spring.  And, if you allow it, this icy time can be a time of inner fire and inspiration. May you find a few moments to pause, reflect on your dreams and light a flame both without and within. As winter slowly melts away into spring, may you be inspired by nature’s fire and ice.

Click here to learn more about Imbolc and the Goddess Brigid.