Brighid, Goddess of the bards, Goddess of the Hearth.

From the lore, we know Brighid is one of the foremost goddesses of the Tuatha dé Dannan. Variously known as Brigid, Brighid, Brigantia, Bride, Brigandu, and by a myriad other spellings, She tends the fires of the Smithy, burned by those fires, She is yet beautiful.(1) She lends inspiration to the bards and poets, and heals the sick; cries for the dead and dying; sustains the family hearth fires. She has been greeted year after year, on February 1st-2nd*, the Usher to the springtides, all the life that springs forth with its return.

The Great Goddess of the Celts, She leant her name, even to several of their tribes, and it seems, to the Island of Great Britain itself. She was even revered by the Romans, as another form of Minerva.*

*I wrote that seven years ago on my first website. That’s all true of her but you know, I love her for more than that.

Yes, simply put, I love Brighid. When I first started studying paganism, lo many years ago, she was the first I found–or rather she found me. I was in school at the time, and naturally needed all the help I could get in the test department. I was also writing myself into Carpal Tunnel. Writing every minute I could, even when I was supposed to be taking notes. Out of that came many, many attempts at novels, but that’s a different story.

I picked up …gosh I don’t even remember now. I picked up a book of goddesses and found her correspondences. She was the Queen of the Tuatha dé Dannan, the Irish goddess of hearth, of blacksmiths and most importantly, bards. Bards=storytellers/writers in the ancient world,  and so I couldn’t resist. Thus, come the next full moon, began my devotion to her.

To say my creativity went off the charts is an understatement. *shows overflowing box of computer disks* And believe me, when I need it, when I’m slacking, she thumps me and back I go to the pens. I guess it’s paid off.

I’m not saying they were very good stories, but I was writing and I was happy. Something, whatever it was, she lit a fire under me (see what I did there?) and it’s been glowing ever since.  She even (sorta side-like) worked her way into one of my novels (*ssh* You’ll see it some day!). I wanted to release it on her day, but…oh, well. Not this year. Well, to be honest, I have several characters in several novels named after her, and she always seems to turn up somewhere.

I have a little book on a charm bracelet that reminds me of her and triskele that I sometimes wear for her. I collect those sorts of things whenever I can. (Should I mention the ground bees that populate my backyard every spring? No…. she’s not keeping an eye on me, no…:) Though I’m not exactly the domestic goddess she is, she keeps me mindful not to walk out on a burning stove (or not to walk out for long).

However, her fire burns more in my pen (and keyboard) and heart than anywhere else, and I was lucky enough to be born in Her month (if not exactly on Her day) so I think it was fated love. Or the romantic in me likes to think so.

I’ve been dedicated to her for years. She’s the hearth mother of my stories, and she happily has her place in my “Family”. As to the early spring thing, I can totally deal with that. The area I’m in, spring “springs” before the actual date of spring…

(Say that three times fast!) Sad sufferers you can begin looking forward to shedding those winter blues. They’re almost over!

Since today is Imbolc, my beloved Brighid’s day, I couldn’t resist saying something about her, here.

Would you like to read a bit more about The goddess Brighid? Try:

Brighid, Bright Goddess of the Gael

Our Sacred Mother Brighid

Brighid: What Do We Really Know?

Brigid the Great

The Fires of Brighid

Brighid of the Celts

Imbolc Traditions-ADF Neopagan Druidism

Imbolc: The Druid Network

And since I don’t like to break copyright (much *ducks*) and can’t find the picture of her I’d like, this is sort of how I see her:

Brigid at The Forge by Joanna Powell Colbert

And just for the crafty ones among my readers, I found this how-to on a beautiful Candle wreath for Imbolc.

* This article says the official date/time of Imbolc this year is February 3, at 10:57 AM

(RE: Pagan Blog Prompts)

Okay, well, I tried to think of what to write for this week’s prompt and I just couldn’t. The prompt picker’s suggestion to write about black magick seemed too outdated, irrelevant and honestly quite inflammatory. I mean, aren’t we, as modern pagans, always trying to get away from the stereotype that we practice such?

Except for maybe fodder for a good fictional bad guy, it’s not for me and not a topic I care to waste any time on.  And that’s all I’m going to write about that silly subject. I’d rather write about my beloved, Bright Lady,  Brighid )

Bright blessings to all who take the time to read this! Oh, and … All hail Brighid!

Source:

1. Lady Gregory, Gods and Fighting Men: Part I: Part I Book I: Fight with the Firbolgs