“She was born at sunrise neither within nor without a house. She is fed from milk of a white, red eared cow. The significance of the red ear is that the cow was supernatural in nature. It is said that Brigid hung her wet cloak on the rays of the sun and lives in a house, which appears to the onlooker, to be all ablaze”.
As we approach Là Fhèill Brìghde* (The Holy Day of Brigid) on February 1st, it is important to remember that much of what we know about this holy woman, comes to us from tradition and folklore that has been passed down from generation to generation. How far back that may go is unknown. We do know however, that there must have been a cult to the goddess Brigid, stretching back to pre-Christian times. This is due to the existence of countless place names in Ireland that refer to her, especially in county Leinster, where St Brigid’s monastery was established in the 5th century.
The earliest written reference to Brigid the goddess, can be found in a 9th century glossary by an Irish monk. Cormac mac Cuillenain refers to her as the goddess of the fìlidhean. A fìlidh was a poet and part of the 7 ranks above the bard. He explained that the fìlidh of ancient Ireland revered Brigid and asked for her protection. In the ancient culture of Gaelic Ireland, poetry was “woven into the fabric of political Gaeldom and that without it, society could not continue to exist.”
In Catholic areas of Gaelic Scotland, Brigid was believed to be aid woman, or midwife to the Blessed Mother when Jesus was born. Thus, she was given the role of foster mother; a role that was held in high esteem.
In the words of folklorist, Alexander Carmichael:
“Fostership among the Highlanders was a peculiarly close and tender tie, more close and more tender even than blood. There are many proverbs on the subject, as ‘Fuil gu fichead, comhdhaltas gu ceud.’ The translation being: Blood to the twentieth, fostership to the hundredth degree.”
In her role as foster mother and aid woman, Brigid was called when a woman was in labour. The midwife went to the door of the house and while standing on the doorstep she softy invoked the name of Brigid.
Brìde, Brìde,** come in,
Thy welcome is truly made,
Give thou relief to the woman,
And give the conception to the Trinity.
Three years ago, I was given the honour of being a spiritual midwife at the birth of a little child; the son of a treasured friend. While she was in the final stages of labour, I lit a candle and began to invoke the presence of Brigid with song and prayer. As I live in a community in eastern Ontario, that was settled by Gaelic speakers nearly 250 years ago, I couldn’t help but wonder when the last time someone from this county had honoured the traditions of their ancestors in this way.
In Praise of Brigid
In the Highlands of Scotland, as in Ireland, on the eve of St. Brigid’s Day, an effigy of Brigid was made from a “sheaf of corn”. The size of the effigy and the manner in which it was decorated, varied from place to place. One thing that was held in common, is that all homes in the district were visited with the effigy of Brigid in hand. It was expected, that upon arriving at each home, that a gift was given to honour her. It could be a gift of food, a shell, a crystal or a flower, which was used to decorate the figure of this holy woman.
Another custom that took place on January 31st, was the placing of a shawl on a bush or a tree. As Brigid made her way across the land, awakening the earth with her sacred wand, she also bestowed her blessing upon the shawl. If a shawl was not available, then a piece of red or white fabric was used, or a clump of fleece taken from a sheep. In parts of Ireland, it was believed that the item that had been infused with Brigid’s blessing could be used for curative purposes.
For many centuries, there were 19 holy women who tended to Brigid’s eternal flame in Kildare, Ireland; Kildare being where St Brigid established her monastery in the 5th century. Due to religious intolerance the flame was extinguished in the 18th century. However, 300 years later, on February 2nd, 1996, the sacred flame was rekindled by Sister Mary Minchin, a Brigedian nun. It is her intention for this holy flame to burn perpetually, once more!
I have been sitting at the feet of a number of spiritual teachers over the past 30 years. Many of them have been sharing the notion that at this time, we are witnessing the rebirth of the divine feminine. Indigenous teacher and author, Ilarion Merculieff, is convinced that we have been experiencing the effects of toxic masculinity on our planet for over 12,000 years. We are now bearing witness to its demise as the divine feminine ascends.
I don’t believe that it is a coincidence that there is a great revival of interest in Brigid, goddess and saint. I support scholar Marija Gimbutus, who is convinced that Brigid is connected to the goddess who was the prehistoric life giver. Being the steward of wells, springs and healing waters , “she was the miraculous bestower of health. She was guardian of the family and from paleolithic times, she would have been considered the ancestress or progenitrix of the clan.” She was seen as a cosmic mother.
After sundown, on January 31st, I will be honouring Brigid with song and prayer. In keeping with tradition, I will be tying a red piece of cloth onto a branch of our Tamarac tree. Finally, I will be placing a candle in the window to welcome her to our home, as she travels across the land.
In my own words:
“On this day of Là Fhèill Brìghde,
may we remember Brìghde, goddess and saint,
Mary of the Gaels, Song Sweet Brìghde,
Spark of Wisdom, Far Flung Flame,
Brìghde of the Mantles.
May the fire of her love forever illuminate our hearts.
May we give thanks for her presence in our lives
and the lives of all those who have come before us.
May we walk with her this night,
as she blesses the land with her sacred wand,
as she has done since time immemorial,
awakening the earth from her slumber,
igniting the spark of life within all she encounters.”
Sources:
- Alexander Carmichael, Carmina Gadelica, vol I
- Marija Gimbutus, The Civilisation of the Goddess, 1991
- Celtic Threads, 1999 edited by Padraigin Clancy
- Liam O Caiside, Scottish Radiance e-magazine,
edited by Sharma Krauskopf
*pronounced: “law” “ale” Bree-juh
**There are many variations of the spelling of Brigid’s name in Gaelic. My favourite is Brìghde, pronounced: Bree-juh
0 Comments