5 Ways to Work with Goddess Brigid
The Goddess Brigid
Brigid, Celtic Fire Goddess of spring, fertility and life, was one of the original goddesses of the Tuatha dé Danann; the original godly race said to have first occupied Ireland.
The name Brigid (also Bridie, Bríd, Birgit, Bridgette) means strength or exalted one, or even fiery arrow. She is keeper of the hearth fire as well as the divine flame that burns in our hearts. She is also protector of sacred springs and wells. Her companion is wolf, and she is associated with swans, dandelions, the Oystercatcher sea birds and the Hazel tree. She is strongly connected to Imbolc (1st February), representing the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox in Ireland.
At time of writing, we are approaching Imbolc. Now the energy of Brigid is strongest, and she is midwife to new life and the spring. Brigid inspires poets and prophets. She brings a bridging and balancing energy for the earthly world, the land, and the divine. Daughter of the Dagda – chief of gods, she is said to have become the wife of High King Bres and the mother of Ruadán.
Brigid is known as the triple goddess – embodying the maiden, the mother and the crone (or Cailleach). According to Manchán Magan in his book, ‘Thirty-Two Words for Field,’ he says:
“Cailleach Bhéarra (old woman of Beara) daughter of the Little sun of winter, born ancient and grows younger and more powerful as the days shorten and the sun weakens, until eventually, at the advent of spring, she transmogrifies into a vibrant young maiden named Brigit. It’s wrong to regard this winter queen of storms and death as an enemy, because she has within her the vibrant, life-giving essence of Brigit, the spring goddess.”
Saint Bridget of Kildare
There exists some confusion about St Brigid’s Day (1st February) and whether it is connected to the goddess Brigid. It is no wonder since many of the traditional Celtic deities were adjusted to align with the incoming Catholic faith. Saint Brigid is separate from Goddess Brigid, but they share this special day and many associations.
Saint Brigid of Kildare was named after the Celtic Goddess Brigid and is one of Ireland’s mother Saints. She was alive in St Patrick’s time and was inspired by his preaching. She didn’t wish to marry, as her father wanted for her, but to serve and help the poor. She joined a convent and dedicated her life to God. She founded many convents around Ireland but the most famous one was in Kildare, beside an Oak tree where Kildare Town now stands.
1. Invoke Saint Brigid’s Cloak to Manifest your Dreams
Think of a dream or something you are creating that feels like there is a lot to do to manifest this. Close your eyes and ask Saint Brigid to help you with your dream if it is for the highest good. See her and three angels spreading her cloak as wide and broad as needed to cover all of your dream. Making space for everything to fall into place. You may see it like a golden light, or like beautiful material of whatever colour you can imagine. Or perhaps it has many colours. As the cloak reaches the outer edges of your big dream it settles there and holds the light in place. Now, trust that this will manifest, or else something even better. Be open to guidance and signs and take actions as needed, calm in the knowledge that things are unfolding perfectly.
The Miracle of Saint Brigid’s Cloak:
St. Brigid asked the King of Leinster for land to place another convent. She told him that the fertile land on which they stood was ideal for a convent; beside a forest with plenty of firewood and a lake that would provide water. The king refused to give her any land. Brigid prayed silently, there and then, to God to soften the king’s heart and mind. Then she smiled and said, “will you give me as much land as my cloak will cover?” The king agreed, laughing because Brigid’s cloak was tiny and would only cover an exceedingly small piece of land.
Brigid spread her cloak on the ground, asking her four friends to hold a corner of the cloak and walk in opposite directions. They walked north, south, east and west. The cloak grew before their eyes and began to cover many acres of land. The king was astonished. understood that God was working through this woman. He knelt before Brigid and promised to support her on her mission. Soon afterward, the king became a Christian and started to help the poor. Brigid’s miracle of the cloak was the first of many miracles that she worked for the people of Ireland.
2. Ask Goddess Brigid to Protect Your Home
Goddess Brigid is a fierce protector, and you can ask her to safeguard your home.
Goddess Brigid, please protect my home now. Fill it with your sacred fire to cleanse away lower frequency energies and raise the vibration. I welcome the fresh energy of spring to replace the old winter energy. Please bless anyone as they pass the threshold of my home so that they are cleansed by fire and held in a high frequency. Thank you, it is done.
You can also make a Saint Brigid’s Cross, (also associated with Goddess Brigid) and place it above your front door with the intention of protecting the home. Traditionally these are made of reeds, and there are many demonstrational videos available online to guide you. Some people like to also wash their front door in honour of Brigid while asking for her protection.
3. Making a Fire for Imbolc
Brigid is known for holding divine fire, and you can make a fire dedicated to her on Imbolc (1st February) or any time. It’s lovely to do this with like-minded souls. In fact, a dear friend of mine has been doing this for years. She goes with friends to the well where she honours Brigid, telling her stories. People are invited to read a poem, then they go to create a fire outdoors and share what they are releasing, what they are bringing in, in honour of Brigid. It’s a most beautiful celebration.
You might like to write to Brigid, and then release your letter to the fire. You also don’t need to use real fire if this isn’t practical. You can visualise the fire, blessed by Brigid, and work with it that way. A candle is another way to represent fire, whether it is a real one or not.
4. Make a Crystal Grid Dedicated to Brigid
Below I have made a Goddess Brigid Abundance Grid. I used Selenite for lightness and unicorn energy for the centre. Then a candle to represent fire, and this sits in a little water in a glass, to represent water. I used three ivy leaves, which represent the triple goddess – the maiden, mother and crone. The iron pyrite and citrine to bring in abundance and for the solar plexus – confidence. Black tourmaline is for grounding and bringing what is visioned in the third eye into the physical plane. The cross shape to me represents St Brigid’s cross of protection.
You can use any crystals you like to work with for this – enjoy working intuitively.
5. Visit a Body of Water in Honour of Brigid
In my local village; Ballyduff, North Kerry, we have our own Brigid holy healing well (Tobar a leighis). You can make a pilgrimage-style visit to a well, or any body of water, a stream, a beach, a lake setting your intention to connect with Brigid and your own personal focus for doing so. Brigid can help with miraculous healings, for abundance, for manifesting, for helping the needy and vulnerable, for growing and to help protect animals, among much more. Brigid is pictured below holding the church – she was recognised in her lifetime as a Bishop of the church.
I connected with Brigid very strongly in the forest when doing a forest bathing course last year. For this blog, I asked the artist to have Brigid in the trees as this is where I imagine her to be.
Finally, a beautiful prayer from the White Spring in Glastonbury:
A BRIGID PRAYER
Inspire me, Brigid, sweet sister mine,
Bring healing to mind and body, soul and spirit.
May your flame of Divine love flow heart to heart.
Come, transform my life from within.
Inspire and heal and transform through me
So all may live in peace, justice and joy.
Brigid, we forever bless and honour thee.
Amen.
I hope you enjoyed this blog, please do share if so.
With love and thanks, Susan.
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