Sunday, February 28, 2021

St. Brigid Festival Vancouver Day 3: Legends & Mythology of Brigid (Video)

 


As I've mentioned in previous posts, Vancouver was host to a wonderful week long Brigit festival for the second time this year. Because it was online it was possible to have speakers from far afield, and one rewarding session was held on Day 3: Legends & Mythology of Brigid. 

The speakers were storyteller and songster Philomena Jordan, Anthony Murphy of Mythical Ireland, and Dolores Whelan, co-founder of Brigid’s Way Celtic Pilgrimage, author and speaker. Their host was Cynthia Wallentine. The session is now available on YouTube. Check the out the Festival page for other sessions. They aren’t all up yet, but hopefully in time they will be. 

St. Brigid Festival Vancouver Day 3: Legends & Mythology of Brigid


Saturday, February 20, 2021

"The Evening of the Nineteenth Day" - Guest Posting on A Bad Witch's Blog

 

I've just done my first guest blog post. It's interesting to explore another person's blog in this way.


The post is a reflection on landing on the nineteenth of February after a particularly unusual Imbolc season: The Evening of the Nineteenth Day.





Image: Photo by Luis Morera on Unsplash; Post design by Mael Brigde.

Sunday, February 14, 2021

Brigit's Basket Food Drive & Community Care in the Name of Our Deities




 Thanks to Paulie Rainbow for doing this work, and for sending me the details so I can share them with you:

We are raising $500 for Food Bank of the Rockies in our annual Brigit's Basket Food Drive! Every $1 provides 4 meals for our neighbors. This year the need is so much greater and we are so happy to be a part of the solution to hunger for so many. Please donate, and share this link forward to help us help each other. Spiritways Metaphysical is again helping us out by collecting canned and dried foods at the shop, and, during their festival weekend Feb 13 & 14, they will donate 5% of their profits to our drive!

Note: They have reached their goal of $500, but donations are still open and more would definitely help.

I love it when our community pulls together in honour of our deities and works to better the lives of those around us, whether they be human or nonhuman. Many of us do this work every day, invisibly, and for that I have great gratitude. Now and then I also see collective efforts like this bearing the name of a deity. Why is this so important to me?

I think it is partly because it acknowledges to the world that our faiths are not simply about ourselves; it shows how deeply we as Neo-Pagans care about each other. But it is also because of the reinforcement and purification of intent that working in the name of my deity gives to my efforts.

When I act as a devotee of Brigit I am mindful of what in her I want to represent and manifest not only in my actions, but in the way that I execute them, the way I treat myself and the others around me, in my thoughts and emotions, as well as in my deeds. I know how this narrowing of focus has assisted me in growing past some of my less helpful habits of mind.

That's me. However we approach it, I can't help thinking that remembering our deities in our community work has got to have a positive effect.


Image: Care of Brigit's Basket Food Drive.

Thursday, February 11, 2021

Pandemic Saint

 


I am blown away by this updating of Deirdriu's Saint Bridgit painting. She is the perfect symbol, the perfect saint, for our COVID-19 time.

If you would like to see the painting without the mask, click here.




Image: "My new St. Bridgit!" by Deirdriu Ní Cheocháin (Deirdre Keohane)