Circle of the Green - Education

Final Essay Rough Draft: Brigid

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Wendy Dettmer

First Degree Essay #1: Research Project

7/11/07

Brigit, a Celtic Triple Goddess, has many stories rooted in myth, legend and folklore. Our information on Brigid is greatly intertwined with the history and stories of the Catholic Saint Brigid, and much of Her history can be gleaned from studying those stories. Due to the immense popularity and love of The Goddess Brigit in Ireland, during the rise of Christianity the Catholic Church did not denounce her as evil, rather turned her stories into one of a Saint.

However, in 1960, she was stripped of her sainthood by the Catholic Church due to lack of sufficient evidence of her existence. Nevertheless, the stories of the Goddess Brigit and St. Brigit remain strong and both are useful in gaining insight into the lives of this truly wonderful, loving and complex Goddess and woman.

Her name is derived from “Brig”, which translates to “high” or “exalted”. Other spellings of her name include Brigantia, Brigid, Bhride, Bride and Brid. According to legend, Brigit was born at the exact moment of daybreak, risking into the sky alongside the sun. She had a tower of fire beaming from her head which shot straight to the heavens. Brigid is a Sun Goddess, with the power and attributes of areas related to fire and light. This domain includes healing, inspiration and both divine and mundane creation.

She is the daughter of Dagda – the ‘Good God’- of Ireland. Druid mythology states She was fed with milk from a special sacred cow from the Otherworld. Brigit had an apple orchard in the Otherworld and her bees dutifully brought their magical nectar back to the earth. Her mother is unknown, although evidence points to her mother being the Goddess Morrigan. The Dagda was once Morrigan’s consort. Brigit is said to have two sisters, also named Brigit. These ‘sisters’ are the different aspects which encompass the Triple Goddess. Brigit is the Goddess of Inspiration, Hearth and Forge.

Brigid married Bres of the Formorians, King of a warring tribe, in hopes of bringing peace between the families. She had three sons, and the oldest, Ruadan, was killed in a great battle between the families. Bres forced Brigid’s people (Tuantha De Danann) to work as slaves and pay tribute to the Formorians. He was said to be a cruel king who dishonored those with the gifts that Brigid guarded and protected. After one severe insult to a traveling bard, Bres was satirized and later denounced as king. He then went and built a great army to take the throne back by force, and fought against Brigid and her people.

This was known as the second battle of Mag Tuireadh. Ruadan was sent in as a spy, attacked and attempted to kill Goibniu, Brigid’s Smith. Ruadan was killed in the fight. The betrayal of her son was also an immense source of grief as he had sided with his cruel father over his Mother. This event was known as the beginning of the end of the Mother times.

Brigid, in her despair and grief, wept loudly and deeply for the loss of her son (in a manner which later became known as keening, an Irish tradition she was credited for creating). Over time, and through her continued love and compassion, Brigid helped bring peace to all the Celts across the land and became a beloved Goddess by all tribes.

Brigid: Fire of Inspiration

One of Brigid’s aspects is as the Goddess of Inspiration. She is said to inspire magnificent poetry, art and song to those who open their hearts to her. She is the muse of all creativity, self-expression and learning. When seeking inspiration, many invoke the power of Brigid for insight and creativity. Historically, bards and poets were keepers of learning and passing along education and stories.

Brigid: Fire of the Hearth

Brigid is the goddess of healing, medicine, fertility, childbirth and midwifery. There are many stories that tell of her healing powers. One famous story is the healing of two lepers who sought her out at her Sacred well for healing. (From www.goddessgift.com)

“Two lepers appeared at her sacred well at Kildare and asked to be healed. She told them that they were to bathe each other until the skin healed. After the first one was healed, he felt only revulsion for the other and would not touch him to bathe him. Angered, Brigid caused his leprosy to return. Then she gently placed her mantle (cloak) around the other leper who was immediately healed. ”

Brigid: Fire of the Forge

The third of Brigid’s aspects is Goddess of smithing, crafts, metalwork and weaving. She is also concerned with justice and law. She is the Goddess of all crafts, which ties into her aspect of giver of inspiration. Smithing was considered magical, as one had to possess mastery of fire and manipulating elements.

Perpetual Flame at Kildare

The Goddess had a sacred shrine at Kildare, which housed her perpetual, sacred flame. This was guarded by 19 Priestesses (symbolizing the 19 year cycle of the “Great Year”), known as the Daughters of the Flame. Here they guarded over the sacred, perpetual flame – each watching over the fire for one night, and Brigid herself watched over the fire on the twentieth night. This duty was later taken over by 19 nuns at the Abbey at Kildare for Saint Bridget and was guarded for over 1000 years by the nuns.

There is no record for how long the flame was watched by the Priestesses prior to the nuns taking over the task. No men were allowed to come near the Shrine at Kildare, and supplies and food were brought by women. This was true for both the Priestesses and the nuns who watched the Flame at the Abbey.

However, in 1220AD, the Bishop ordered a Priest to visit the Abbey and while the nuns protested and pleaded for a female to come inspect the Abbey instead, they were forced to be subservient to the men. Upon his visit, he extinguished the rite and the perpetual flame claiming it as a pagan tradition, and in 1960 the Catholic Church stripped St. Bridget of her sainthood. They claimed that there was not enough information to support her existence, much less evidence of her sainthood.

Sacred Wells

As a Goddess of healing, Brigid is the guardian of water as well as fire. She has countless sacred wells dedicated in her name, devoted to granting wishes and healing. Currently, St. Brigid’s well still stands as a holy shrine in Ireland. Water is also known as a portal to the Otherworld, a source of healing, keeper of wisdom and the womb.

Imbolc

“Bride put her finger in the river

On the Feast Day of Bride

And away went the hatching mother of the cold. — Carmina Gadelica”

Imbolc, also known as the Feast Day of Brigid, is a celebration of hope and the first signs of spring. It is celebrated February 2nd and is where the modern day Groundhog Day originated. This is a time when the ewes and livestock started to lactate and provide for their young. Brigid is also known as the guardian of livestock, and many believed she blessed them at this time. Winter was harsh and unforgiving in Ireland. The very concept of survival hung in the balance as people feared famine, disease and the death of their livestock. Imbolc was a time of great hope at the first signs of spring.

There are many ancient traditions which surround this time, such as decorating female figures made of corn with shells and flowers, giving gifts to the Goddess of flowers or crystals, and making Bride’s beds. These were done to invite the Goddess into the home and bless their family and life stock. Folklore says that Brigid was the keeper of two great oxen, Fe and Men and was known as the guardian of domestic animals.

Correspondences

Colors: Black, red, white and yellow

Gems: Gold, silver, brass, amethyst, jasper and copper

Plants: Sage, field flowers, oats, oak tree, crocus, dandelion, broom and chamomile.

Animals: Livestock, specifically lambs, ewe’s, and ox. Bees, serpents, owls and hibernating animals.

General: Fire, light, candles, Brigid’s cross, corn dolls, cloaks.

Divine: Purification, Cleansing, Initiation, Healing.

Sources

Maiden, Mother, Crone: Voices of the Goddess. By Claire Hamilton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brighid

http://www.applewarrior.com/celticwell/ejournal/imbolc/brighid.htm

http://www.ladybridget.com/brid.html