Groundhog Day, Candlemas & Celebrating Imbolc all occur Feb 1- which for me is Brigid’s Day! This day connects us to themes of Healing, Growing, and Rebirth. Understanding why certain days are important- Why sacred days are almost always sacred days in all the traditions and throughout history. Imbolc is more than ancient Holiday. It is important for our spiritual remembering and reconnection to honor the wheel of time and Earth. Celebrating the cyclical nature of our seasons and our own embodiment in them is an ancient wisdom that needs to be reignited in our core beliefs. I feel it is a YES, AND … to Celebrating the past and shaping our future. Celebrating Imbolc, marks the first signs of a solar return – The end of winter beginning of Spring!

Imbolc is a time for Manifesting Spiritual Energies for the New Year & Celebrating the long awaited Spring. Imbolc, traditionally celebrated on February 1st, marks a pivotal moment in the Celtic calendar – the quarter year turn of the wheel of time. The midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox. At the heart of this ancient festival is Brigid, a figure who embodies profound cultural and spiritual significance that continues to resonate in modern times.

Brigid is one of my guides and her story – her energy and her wisdom help guide me, and have for a very long time. Brigid is a complex deity and historical figure, simultaneously recognized as a Celtic goddess and a Christian saint…. Many argue to lay claim on her but in my heart she transcends both. Maybe even is both… why wouldn’t an aspect of a goddess reincarnate to save her people and land and keep her people’s traditions sacred and honored?!

Goddess

In Celtic mythology, Brigid (also spelled Brighid, Bride, or Bríg) was a daughter of a God. She was a prominent triple goddessin Celtic tradition. Meaning she was immortal- living many generations and honored through generations. She was most often representing Healing Poetry and inspiration; but also Smithcraft and artisan skills- she was said to light fire of inspiration in the hearts of poets and artists! She was known to help with the land- and like spring to bring birth to our soils and our wombs. She was prayed to for Fertility and agricultural abundance. Because she represented maiden, mother, and crone aspects she knew all women and coukd comfort and heal all aspects of our human mortal life. Brigid was associated with sacred wells – wells represent emotion, mystery and most importantly healing & miracles !

Saint

Christian Tradition: Saint Brigid of Kildare. When Christianity spread through Ireland, the goddess Brigid ” transformed ” (or reincarnated) into Saint Brigid (c. 451-525 CE), maintaining many of her earlier symbolic associations…. Saint Brigid is explained as a child born to a Christian slave mother and a pagan chieftain. In her life she lived a virtous life and as a nun Founded a significant monastery in Kildare. She was Renowned for her generosity, healing abilities, and miraculous acts. Credited with spreading Christianity while preserving Celtic spiritual elements and honoring her Goddess name sake. The church could not hide this powerful saint nor her connection to the sacred goddess- they embraced it.

My favorite myth about St. Brigid is her cloak of heaven.

St. Brigid asked the King of Leinster for land to build her monastery. The king refused.  Brigid and her sisters prayed for the king’s heart to soften. Brigid asked the king for “as much land as her cloak will cover”. The king granted her request. Brigid took off her cloak and gave a corner to each of her four friends. The friends walked in opposite directions, north, south, east, and west. The cloak grew to cover many acres of land. The king was astonished and promised Brigid money, food, and supplies. 

The significance of this is associated with the founding of Kildare Abbey. The story is considered one of St. Brigid’s first miracles.

My first meditation with Brigid she was a Goddess with a cloak of the stars. Both Saint and Goddess.

many people know Brigid because of her Celtic/Catholic hybrid cross..a story that honored her kand and ancestors and her faith in Jesus – not as “either or” … but a ” YES, And…”

Brigid’s cross is a small, woven cross that is a symbol of Ireland. It is typically made from rushes or straw, but other materials like wood, papee, grass, and fabric can also be used. St. Brigid, the patron saint of Ireland, is said to have created the first Brigid’s cross. The traditions a cross is woven on January 31st, the eve of St. Brigid’s Day and the Celtic festival of Imbolc. The cross is then hung in homes and animal sheds to invoke St. Brigid’s blessing.

BRIGID PRAYER/BLESSING

Brigid in todays spiritual work

Brigid represents a powerful archetype of feminine strength and wisdom. She outsmarted the King and her cloak covered many acres – saving her people. She has a legacy of leadership, creativity, and spiritual wisdom that offers inspiration for myself as a contemporary woman. She was a healer and artist. So am I. She was Maiden, Mother, Crone… meaning she lived a long life and holds wisdom on the human experience- all of it. I see how my wisdom and life focuses has changed from phases of Maiden to Mother and now as I move from Mother to crone- I see the sovereignty in a life well lived and the blessing of long life. Brigid loved Ireland. Her kand, her home. I believe ahe tesches us about ho honouring our Connection to Nature and Sustainability. I think it is no mistake where we are all born. Gpd calls us to a sacred part of the earth to anchor in the light. Many of us all over the planet do this and we are the crystalline rose map grid of light workers on earth. We balance each other in light and dark- northern and southern hemisphere. We are here – to be here embodiment on Earth and connection to nature. Imbolc traditionally marks the first stirrings of spring – a moment of agricultural rebirth. In our climate-conscious world, this celebration reminds us of humanity’s intrinsic connection to natural cycles and the importance of ecological awareness. If we can all awaken and remember the importance of our earth mind-body-soul connection we can do miracles. By Honoring our inner creative and opening to our psychic gifts & Healing Traditions- we can do miracles. Brigid’s associations with poetry, healing, and craftsmanship speak to fundamental human experiences. As an artist and healer I feel her deeply this time of year. Reminding me to look to the sun and shed what no longer serves.

Feb 1-

Recognize the value of traditional knowledge and honor our ancestors and their wisdom..be it candlmas or Imbolc – much of our wisdom & connection to the land has been lost in a short few generations… it’s time to awaken and rise together! If we all place on our magical cloaks of light we can cover the earth with love, light and wisdom.

Here we are being called to reconnect and call on our ancestors to help us remember and live a life in alignment with Gaia. .Brigid teaches us to celebrate creative expression & appreciate healing practices that transcend technological boundaries! Spiritual Continuity and Cultural Memory…. awaken! By observing Brigid’s Day, we maintain a living connection to ancestral traditions, preserving cultural memories and spiritual practices that might otherwise be lost.

How to honor this sacred day & The Beautiful Brigid!

🕯light candles and create a sacred space – or alter… call in the Spring and anchor in the return of light in our homes, our hearts and our land (northern hemisphere)!

🍃Creating an outside alter. Creating Brigid’s crosses from palms or rushes.

🧚‍♀️Leaving offerings for healing and creativity to our fairy folk outside

🪶Storytelling and poetry readings

💖Rituals honoring feminine power and natural renewal

Imbolc is a Timeless Celebration of Hope!

Brigid’s Day is more than a historical commemoration. It’s a powerful reminder of human resilience, creativity, and our enduring connection to natural and spiritual rhythms. As we navigate complex modern challenges, the spirit of Brigid offers a beacon of hope – encouraging us to heal, create, and renew ourselves just as the earth awakens from its winter slumber.