Brigit’s Celtic Grove of Illumination
Hail Celtic Goddess Brigit’s Day of Imboloc Feb 1st
Brigit: (also known as Brid, pronounced Breed) Brigit was probably the most important Pre Roman Catholic Celtic Goddess in Eire. Her following was so widespread and so important that she was adopted by Roman Catholicism at an early stage, and made the patron Saint of Ireland. The Honouring of Brigit spread over Ireland Britain and parts of Europe. Her feast day is Feb. 1st/2nd, The Festival name Imboloc (ie in the belly), is associated with fertility birth renewal and the beginning of new growth. Imboloc is a fire festival and is also known as Candlemass to Christians.
Legend says she was foster mother to Jesus. This is an example of Pagan/ Christian crossover. Another story makes her the midwife at the birth of Jesus. Brigit is the daughter of the Tuatha De Danann in Celtic mythology. She is patron of Healing, Smithcraft, Poetic inspiration, Learning, and Prophesy. Brigit is the daughter of the Dagda (one of the MOST Ancient Celtic Dieties) in Celtic mythology.
The Christian Saint Bridghid was said to be the daughter of a Druid; (Pagan/Christian merging again). Saint Bridghids chief shrine in Ireland was in Kildare where a flame was burned constantly in her honour for centuries. Literally hundreds of holy wells around Ireland are dedicated to her. Many had Sweat Houses( teach ealluis) built nearby to infuse the healing qualities of the waters to the sick.
Brigits Symbol Brigit’s cross is pre-christian in origin, and probably was a sun symbol. On Imboloc, in Ireland we make the Brigits Cross and use them to protect our homes and livestock. Brigit's cross is usually three-legged; in other words, a triskel which has been identified as an ancient solar symbol on existence long before the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is also made as an even-armed cross woven of reeds of a later christian interpretation as Saint Bridghids cross. Here in Ireland there is also the tradition of leaving a loaf of bread, pitcher of milk and a candle out others leave out a white cloth to receive Brigits healing powers to use on the sick.
The Grove
Brigit’s Celtic Grove of Illumination is dedicated to working with the Divine Feminine of Goddess awareness in the form of Goddess Brigit and her sacred illuminating Flame.The Grove symbolically represents a bridge between the worlds of Earth and Sky.Our intention is to heal and nurture a garden of perfect peace within the hearts of all who are drawn to hold its space sacred. The teachings of our Grove hold a Gateway to awaken a balanced harmonising duality of God Goddess awareness within the hearts of all who enter the sacred alchemy of Brigits Flame. This is the ancient alchemy of our ancestors on this island. Those who choose to enter the Grove journey deep within a womb like spiritual state of rebirth to reawaken the inner balance of duality and self awareness of Earth / Sky,God/ Goddess Masculine / Feminine Father/Mother ,Conscious/Unconscious.Body/Soul. We regularly gather and link up globally to celebrate the sacred manifestation of Brigit’s Flame as an illuminated aspect of Global Goddess awareness. This Flame connection has existed within the psyche of our people on this island for many generations.It surfaces from the Tuatha de Danann through the Sacred Stone Circles and Initation chambers found all over our island. Many manifestations of Goddess adoration can be seen all around Ireland . Sacred grottos are in every county of this island. Most are dedicated to the Goddess in the form of Mother Mary(Our Lady). The Druidic symbol Sile na Gig also represented the Goddess and was once held sacred by our spiritual teachers the Druids .Many here in Ireland see the story of the Snakes been ran out of Ireland as being our ancient teachers the Druids. Back then the Society of our Ancestors was very much a matriachial one .This was before the Brehon laws were removed by foreign invaders . Back then we had our language our land and the Druids our spiritual teachers taken from us. The Brehon Laws put people and community first. What came after that is a very different story of the repression of the Goddess and her people. May the Goddess rise from deep within you always.