Restoring Bride's Mound

a couple of days ago i received an email telling me about a group of women in Glastonbury, England called the Friends of Bride's Mound who wish to buy this little piece of land and preserve it as a sacred site. the land is currently for sale and the decision will be made on 1 march. the Daughters of the Flame have sent a cheque to help with the purchase of this land, as others who are concerned with the sacred sites of the Celtic Goddess and Saint Brigit are invited to do.

why is this important? it certainly isn't the most dire petition for money i have come across in the last year. the floods in Haiti and Guyana, the killing in Darfur, the tsunamis in Asia, AIDS and malaria in the third world, homelessness in Canada are all more immediate disasters. yet we have a need not only to respond to disaster, but to preserve the elements that nourish our spirits. these range from wild country with its inhabitants to ancient temples and modern sanctuaries to what are now called, oddly, "green spaces" in our busy towns.

for those of us who love our ancestral cultures and religions, preserving living links to them, places where we can connect directly to them and deepen our own awareness and sensitivity, is extremely important. Bride's Mound is one of those places, and i am grateful that there are people willing and able to organize themselves to try to care for this one small part of our sacred heritage. whether i am able to walk that land one day or not, i have walked similar, and i am strengthened by the knowledge of one more piece of contemplation and prayer secured for a little while.

if you wish to make a donation, please go to the Bride's Mound Appeal page of the Bride's Mound website.

The Celtic Well

i've come across a very interesting site called the Celtic Well--"an e-mail mailing list for those interested in studying the evidence for ancient, medieval, and modern Celtic religious practices and beliefs." within this site are reading lists, discussions, photos and much more for those interested in a balanced and careful and deeply respectful approach to the sacred materials of the Celts.

"We believe that acquiring sound knowledge is one of the best ways to encourage healthy spiritual growth and inspiration. By assembling together in this virtual forum, we hope to promote knowledge and heal divisions among Celts of all religious persuasions.

"We will be discussing the objective evidence for Celtic religion as found in the art, architecture, archaeology, folklore, hagiography, history, language, mythology, and other sources. We recognize that intuition and personal experience form an essential part of one's personal religious practice. However, because there are other lists where personal practice can be discussed, such subjects generally are considered off-topic here."

the page dedicated to Brigit is named: Brighid--What Do We Really Know? and can be found at: http://www.applewarrior.com/celticwell/ejournal/imbolc/brighid.htm

other pages related to Brigit abound:

Imbolc: Feeding the Body & Soul
Brighid -- What Do We Really Know?
Imbolc in Wales
Imbolc in Yesterday's Ireland & Scotland
St. Brighid's Day in Today's Ireland
Feasting at Imbolc
Further Reading: Tales of Brighid
Music: Echoes of Brighid
Making a Brighid's Cross
Talismans for Imbolc
Insights from Celtic Well Listmembers
Prayers in the Carmina Gadelica