| The Meeting from We'moon: Imbolc/Brigid
Brigid is the festival of the waxing light. The days begin to grow longer; the sun is visibly stronger. In many climates, Winter winds still howl, but we sense the promise of Spring.
Brigid was the ancient Celtic Goddess of water and fire, the holy well and the sacred flame. She presided over smithcraft, poetry and healing - all forms of sacred fire, inspiration. Her holy flame at Kildare was tended by nineteen vestals. Later, when the worship of the Goddess was disguised as the worship of the Saint, her priestesses were replaced by nuns.
In the stories that have come down to us, Brigid - whether saint or Goddess - was a force of justice. She fed the hungry. She spread her cloak to claim and protect the land.
Each year, we create a holy well, a bowl of sacred waters gathered from many places and rituals. We place a cauldron of fire within, and make a pledge for the year. As the light grows stronger, may our commitment to life, to justice, to healing ourselves, our communities, and the earth, also grow. |