Celebrating Brighid

As many of you already know the Celtic Goddess Brighid is honored at Imbolc. With the day itself fast approaching I thought I would take a little time to pay homage to her.

Brighid is someone of a Jill-of-all trades. She has two sisters each with the name Brighid and is considered the classic triple Goddess. Together they're associated with healing, crafts, and home. She was thought to watch over women during child birth and was also patron to musicians, artists, and healers. She has also been known to be helpful in matters of prophecy and divination.

Brighid's name comes from the Celtic word Brig meaning exalted. She is known as the High One of Strength and the bringer of civilization. Her worship was spread all over Ireland but originated in the southeast region known as Leinster, and was attended by and all female priesthood.

Brighid was the daughter of the Dagda, a Celtic fertility God and supreme deity of the land. She was the mother of Ruadan who was half giant and half God. Early myths say she was married to the Irish King, Bres Mac Elatha in an attempt to form an alliance between the Tuatha De Danaan and the Formorian sea-giants.

In their attempts to help transition Pagans to Christianity it is likely that she was turned into St. Brigit of Christian mythology. As St. Brigit she was either a virginal blind nun who gouged out her own eyes in an attempt to keep her self pure, or a friend of Mary mother of Jesus and her nursemaid/ his foster mother. St. Brigit is honored at Candlemass, what the Christian's hoped to turn Imbolc into.

Still Left Out

In all of my bitching about mine and my family's crappy day yesterday I forgot to mention an interesting little tid-bit that I noticed at the hospital.

Every year around the holidays Mary Lane Hospital near where I live sets up a lovely little table dedicated to cultural/ spiritual diversity. It is quite nice to see that there are some who really care about equality and inclusiveness. On this table there is a plaque and display set up to recognize Hanuka with a traditional Menorah, there is a manger and plaque set up to recognize Christmas and the birth of Jesus and there is a plaque to recognize Kwanzaa that talks about the 7 principals and has some harvest symbols displayed.

Something you may have noticed is that there is no mention of the Solstice. The pagan community is growing and not only do pagans celebrate the solstice but there are many Atheists who also recognize the Solstice as the reason for the season. One would think they wouldn't want to leave such a large group of people out.

I don't like being the type of person who lets something bother them without doing anything about it, so I've decided to try and contact them and perhaps make a display myself to share and educate the community at large about our faith.

If anyone else lives in central MA and knows which display I'm talking about, CONTACT ME! I would love to make this a group effort. If anyone knows how I can contact the makers of this holiday display and/or would like to participate let me know.

This concept of getting involved is really quite scary to me. If you've read my About Me tab you probably already know I live my spiritual life mostly in the broom closet. So I've been racking my brain about a way to possibly do this anonymously. If I make any progress in this venture I'll be sure to let you know!

Lunantishees

In the Celtic Calender today is Lunantishees. Faeries called Lunantishees are honored on this day, they are the guardians of blackthorn trees or sloes and permit no one to cut blackthorn branches today. It was considered prudent in olden times to leave an offering of cake, butter, and milk or ale outside the door or on a windowsill, in order to procure the Lunantishees' good favor and avert the mischief they can cause. Some consider this a general festival honoring all the Faerie Sidthe