31/01/2021
Happy eve of Imbolc!
Imbolc comes from the Old Irish “Imbolg” meaning “in the belly”. It is a time of promise, of quickening, when the dreams we have incubated in the dark months begin to crown.
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It is also the feast of Brigid/Lá Fhéile Bríde who was the “… most excellent saint, just as the pagan Brigit was the most excellent goddess.” - Marie-Louise Sjoestedt
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As a pre-Christian deity, Brigid or Bríg was a tripartite goddess. She and her two sisters, who all bore the same name, were revered for:
🔥 Healing - especially for fertility, birth and midwives
🔥 Fire and Smithcraft - at a time when metals were considered to be the embryos of Mother Earth. So, to transform ore into objects was magic manifest
🔥 Poetry and the arts - it is said the filí, the ancient poets and guardians of traditional lore, worshipped her as their matron
Brigid was also the first woman to keen in Ireland, a traditional form of vocal lament, of wailing over the dead that continued until the 19th century.
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St Brigid, continued the enchanted legacy of her predecessor. Both representations of Brigid embodied her name, as the ‘Exalted One’.
💚 Imbolc Ritual 💚
Tonight, you can mark Imbolc by leaving out your Brat Bhríde, which means Brigid’s 'mantle' or 'cloak' in Gaeilge. This is a little piece of cloth or ribbon you leave on your windowsill, or beside your door for Brigid to bless as she travels by with her mystical cow. In the Irish tradition, it is believed that this ritual will ward off illness for humans and animals for the year ahead, by creating a healing strip to use when needed.
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Finally, tomorrow Jen and the wonderful Fiongal will co-host Celtic Myth: An Exploration of Sacred Ireland where we will explore Brigid and Imbolc, along with a dive into the landscape of mythical Ireland. Deets in bio.
Bright blessings!
Jen and Eimear xx
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Sublime Brigid art all by 💖
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