The Many Faces Of Brigid

THERE ARE COUNTLESS TALES THAT SPEAK OF BRIGID--OF THE GODDESS, OF THE SAINT, OF THE DEITY--AND SHE IS KNOWN BY MANY NAMES INCLUDING ST. BRIGID WHO WAS PERHAPS THE MOST POWERFUL RELIGIOUS FIGURE IN IRISH HISTORY. THERE IS:

"BRIGHID, BRIDE--SCOTLAND"

"BRID, BRIGIT, BRIDGIT, BRIGANTIA--ENGLAND"

"BRIGAN, BRIGANDO--GAUL"

"BRINGANDU, BRIGANDA"

TODAY WE WILL LOOK AT THE BRIGID OF MYTH AND THE GODDESS BRIGID.

THE BRIGID OF IRISH MYTH WAS ONE OF THE TUATHA DE DANANN. SHE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF THE DAGDA, THE GREAT FATHER GOD OF THE PAGAN IRISH. YET, SHE WAS ALSO KNOWN AS THE MOTHER OF THE THREE GODS OF DANU...WHICH MOST LIKELY REFLECTS ON AN EARLIER MATRIFOCAL TRADITION. IT IS SAID THAT SHE WAS BORN AT THE EXACT MOMENT OF DAYBREAK, AND HER MOTHER WAS STANDING IN THE DOORWAY WITH ONE FOOT INSIDE AND ONE FOOT OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE. IMMEDIATELY, BRIGIT'S HEAD WAS SURROUNDED BY FIRE, AND SHE ROSE INTO THE SKY WITH THE SUN RAYS OF FIRE BEAMING FROM HER HEAD.

IN THE MYTHOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE TUATHA DE DANANN, BRIGIT WAS NOT ONLY THE DAUGHTER OF THE DAGDA, BUT ALSO THE WIFE OF HIS ENEMY, THE FOMARIAN KING, BRES. TOGETHER THEY PRODUCED THREE SONS, AND EACH OF THESE SONS BECAME A FAMOUS WARRIOR. NOW, EVEN THOUGH BRIGIT AND HER HUSBAND CAME FROM WARRING TRIBES, THEY HOPED THAT THEIR MARRIAGE WOULD END THE ENMITY BETWEEN THEIR KIN, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAD NO EFFECT, AND A MAJOR BATTLE BETWEEN THE TWO FAMILIES WAS ERUPTING...AND IT WAS ACTUALLY BRIGIT'S ELDEST SON WHO STRUCK THE FIRST BLOW. AS THE WARRIOR FELL TO HIS DEATH, HE MANAGED ONE LAST BLOW, SLAYING BRIGIT'S SON, RUANDAN.

BRIGIT'S GRIEF WAS SO STRONG AND HER LAMENTATIONS WERE SO LOUD THAT THEY WERE HEARD THROUGHOUT IRELAND ON THAT DAY. THE TWO SIDES, HEARING HER MOURNFUL CRIES, DROPPED THEIR WEAPONS AND MADE PEACE WITH EACH OTHER. IT IS IRONIC THAT IT WAS THE DEATH OF A SON THAT ENSURED BRIGID'S ROLE AS A GODDESS OF PEACE AND UNITY. THE GODDESS BRIGID WAS BORN FROM THE 'KEENINGS' OF A LOVING MOTHER.

"GODDESS SYMBOLS OF BRIGID"GENERAL: FIRE, HEARTH, LIGHT, CANDLES, SUNRISE, SPRINGS, WELLS, POETRY, THRESHOLDS AND DOORWAYS, BELLS, CLOAK, IMBOLC, ST. BRIGID'S CROSS"

"ANIMALS: LAMBS AND EWES, DAIRY COWS, BEES, OWLS, SERPENTS AND ALL HIBERNATING ANIMALS."

"PLANTS: OAK TREE, CORN, OATS, SAGE, SHAMROCK, RUSHES, STRAW, ACORNS, AND ALL FIELD FLOWERS."

"COLORS: WHITE, YELLOW, BLACK, AND RED"

THE GODDESS BRIGID IS THE IRISH GODDESS OF FIRE AND WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RITUAL FIRES OF PURIFICATION IN ANCIENT TIMES. SHE WAS HONORED AS A TRIPLE GODDESS:

"1. THE FIRE OF POETIC INSPIRATION: MUSE, POETRY, LEARNING, WITCHCRAFT, PROPHECY"2. THE FIRE OF THE FORGE: TRADITIONALY SMITHCRAFTING"3. THE FIRE OF THE HEARTH: HEALER, MEDIUM, MIDWIFE, FERTILITY"

THE GODDESS BRIGID WAS A WARRIOR, A SMITH, A HEALER, AND A POET. IN HER SMITH GUISE, SHE IS WHERE THE FIRE MEETS IRON...FORGING METAL FROM THE GROUND. SHE IS A FIRE GODDESS WHO IS BLESSED BY THE HEAVENLY FLAMES, AND SHE LIGHTS THE FIRES IN THE HEARTHS OF THE POOR PEOPLE JUST AS HER FOLLOWERS KEPT A PERPETUAL FIRE RUNNING AT HER SANCTUARY.

"A BRIGID RITUAL FOR HOPE AND INSPIRATION"

"TAKE SOME TIME FOR YOURSELF IN A WUIET AND PERFUMED SPACE. SELECT A NEW WHILTE CANDLE AND HOLDER. SIT COMFORTABLY AND MEDITATE ON THE FLAME. CLOSE YOUR EYES, SLOWLY, AND ALLOW THE FLAME TO CONNECT WITH YOUR INNER FLAME AND YOUR FIERY STRENGTH FROM BRIGID. SLOWLY OPEN YOUR EYES, BREATHE SOFTLY, AND FEEL BLESSE FOR THE COMING YEAR."

Origin: 33witches.blogspot.com