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Used with permission. |
When winter loosens its grip upon the land, and the first signs of warmth melt the snow, this is the time of Brigid. Pagans call this time Imbolg and the Church calls this Candlemas. Brigid is a Goddess of Inspiration - poets, poetry, creativity, prophecy, arts. She is also the Goddess of Smithcraft - blacksmiths, goldsmiths, household crafts and a Goddess of Healing - healers, medicine, spiritual healing, fertility (crops, land, cattle). |
Legend says that Brigid was born exactly at sunrise, and that a great tower of flame rose from her head to the heavens, thus signalling the birth of a holy child. It was this same fire that was tended by the Daughters of the Flame who lived inside the fence of Brigid's shrine and could be looked upon by no man to ensure the sanctity and purity of the flame.It was through these Daughters of the Flame that the wisdom of Brigid was spread among the people. The woman of the village, and those who brought them food would hear of the healing herbs that could cure ailments, and the springs which had healing powers and became known throughout the country as Brigid's wells of healing.
One legend tells how a man dying of leprosy asked of Brigid that before he died he might be blessed with a richness he had not known since birth, that of owning a cow. Brigid proposed a much greater wealth and bathing him in a well with her own hands, she cured him of his affliction. Two further men afflicted with this disease hearing of this miracle approached Brigid and asked for the same blessing. She set the men into the well and said that each should bathe the other. As the first washed his companion's skin he watched as the leprosy disappeared. But when it became the turn of the man who had been cured to wash his companion he was so repulsed by the condition he had once been afflicted with that he refused to bathe him. Upon his refusal, he was once more stricken with leprosy and his companion was cured. Thus Brigid taught compassion.
Brigid taught the blacksmith the secret of the flame, how to tend the fire and keep it burning, how to forge the iron so it would soften to his will and craftsmanship. She is also a Goddess of inspiration and poetry, teaching the the Gaelic art of painting pictures with words, and is called upon as the Muse by poets and storytellers.
The beautiful image used on this page is called "The Lady in Green" by Joanna Powell Colbert. Please support her as an artist and do not download or copy any of her images without her express permission. My thanks to Joanna for allowing me to use her work. To order prints and cards of her work click on the banner below to go to her website catalogue.
