First Sign of Spring

Today is St. Brigid's Day. This Sister really had it going on. A founding feminist, her resume could fill a book, so I'll just hit the highlights. Brigit was one of the great Triple Goddesses of the Celtic people. She is associated with the perpetual, sacred flames at the shrine at Kildare, Ireland, as well as holy wells and healing wells. She is the goddess of all things perceived to be of relatively high dimensions such as high-rising flames, highlands, hill-forts and upland areas; and of activities and states conceived as psychologically lofty and elevated, such as wisdom, excellence, perfection, high intelligence, poetic eloquence, craftsmanship (especially blacksmithing), healing ability, druidic knowledge and skill in warfare. In the living traditions, whether seen as goddess or saint, she is largely associated with the home and hearth.

Her festival is also called Brigit. Brigit (the Goddess and the Festival) represents the stirring of life again after the dead months of the winter, and her special blessings are called forth at this time.

To celebrate her day tidy up the home and hearth a bit in the morning, lay a fire without kindling, then make yourself a "Bed for Brigid" and place it near the hearth. The bed can be a small basket with covers and tiny pillow added as plain or fancy as you like. If you have no hearth, you can use the stove and put the bed behind or near it. Then at sundown light a candle rubbed with rosemary oil and invite Brigit into your home and into her bed. Make your own poem or find a nice one to read aloud. Let the candle burn in a safe place for as long as possible. Perhaps if you like, a few yoga poses to open up the fire within.

Brigit let's us know the'll be daffodills sooner rather than later but until then she'll keep us warm and snug and always has the home fires burning to welcome us back after a long cold day.