Broccan's Hymn

I record these so I can listen to them in peaceful moments. My pronunciation leaves something to be desired but if you aren't too fussy, you may also get something out of the contemplative nature of a reading.

Imbolc Podcast

The New Order of Druids has a lovely podcast telling the story of Imbolc and Brigit, with some very nice pronunciations of words many non-Celtic speaking folk struggle in vain with.

I am not sure who drew this lovely picture of Brigit. If you know, please tell!

http://neworderofdruids.mypodcast.com/2010/01/Imbolc_2009-179479.html

The Anam Cara Experience & A Brigit Breviary: An Interview

Bee Smith, author of the soon-to-be-released poetry collection A Brigit Breviary is interviewed online with her husband Tony Cuckson of The Anamcara Experience. The show is Tell Me Your Story, with interviewer Richard Dugan, and the interview can be found right here:

http://www.richarddugan.com/AUDIO/tmys/100130.mp3

Tony Cuckson is a storyteller and Anam cara, born one of twins in Milford, County Armagh not far from where Macha ran her legendary race at Navan Fort before giving birth herself to twins. In Ireland the mythic and one's own personal story never seem far from one to the other, with frequent overlaps and meaningful coincidences.

He weaves Irish mythology into his updated wonder tales and peoples them with those known as the Tuatha de Dannan. These are the people who were once the Shining Ones and who were driven underground by the invading Milesians. The Tuatha de Dannan are the people who then became the fairie folk known as the little people.

As a storyteller Tony takes this metaphor and turns it into stories for modern minds and hearts. Using storytelling, songs and poetry from Ireland and beyond you are invited to reclaim the beauty that you are. Tony invites this return to beauty and power through writing and in live performance using storytelling, song and poetry.

This storyteller met his anam cara in 1980 when he returned from a spiritual pilgrimage to India. He was staying with a friend in London and saw that the local library had a Poetry Circle on every Thursday evening.

When he walked through the door of the Dalston Junction Public Library on a rainy November evening he clapped his eyes on a young blonde haired woman seated at the conference table of local poets. The thought sprang into his head, "That woman is going to be my wife." The next thought was, "What an odd thing to think!"

Surprising thoughts not withstanding, nearly three decades later, poetry continues to be a strong soul link in their relationship. Sometimes soul friends also become soul mates.

Bee Smith writes many of the articles on Practices and includes some of her own Soul Friends in the Radiant Soul Friend section of the website.

Bee has had her poetry, fiction and non-fiction published in magazines, pamphlets and small presses in England, Ireland and the USA. Her special interest is haiku as a spiritual practice. A Brigit Breviary will be available soon from Wattle and Daub Books.

Jane Meyer's Children's Book - The Life of Saint Brigid: Abbess of Kildare

Orthodox Christian writer Jane Meyer talks about her book on Saint Brigid, The Life of Saint Brigid: Abbess of Kildare. An audio clip and video complete the offering. Details on purchasing book are at the bottom of this post.

Audio Clip:

Trailer:

As the ministry of beloved Saint Patrick came to an end, another unlikely hero heard God’s call and ran full force the Christian race, bringing Christ to Ireland. Young Brigid, an eager and charming girl, forsook her noble birth and followed the windy road Christ had called her to. From dairymaid, to shepherdess, to the Abbess of Kildare, Saint Brigid’s story teaches us to be generous in spirit, to be tireless in our charity, and above all to seek God’s calling for our own lives. Story behind the story… Working with Zachary Lynch on The Life of Saint Patrick: Enlightener of the Irish was the inspiration for writing this story about Saint Brigid. He introduced me to this enchanting saint, and after delving into research on Brigid, I absolutely fell in love with her. Because she is such a beloved saint in Ireland, and because most of what is written about Saint Brigid is based on Irish oral tradition, I had the difficult prospect of choosing which snippets of her life to include in the book, and which to leave to out. Eventually I made my decisions (after spending a lot of time praying for illumination) based on those events in her life that most mirrored what an Orthodox nun’s life is like today, figuring that not much has changed over the years when it comes to a life of prayer. I’m fortunate to live in the neighborhood of a woman’s monastery, and have seen first-hand what heroines they are! I have see many of the nuns portray the same faith as beloved Brigid, embark on similar adventures, and attempt things that people might think are unwise or risky. These women are heiresses of Saint Brigid and the Christ she loved and served; I’m so thankful that they’re here to bless and teach us, and pray for us today!

where to buy:

Conciliar Press
Amazon.com

Brigit, Harbinger of Spring: Audio Interview of Mary Condren

March 15, 2009

Brigit, Harbinger of Spring (click here for link to CBC archive of this interview)

Mary Hynes of Tapestry, CBC Radio One, interviews Mary Condren, Irish Brigit scholar and author of The Serpent and the Goddess.

Tapestry is a thoughtful and often inspiring weekly program on spirituality and religion.

Listen:

[runs: 54:12]

Statue of Brigit, near Kildare, Ireland (Photo by: Kim Young-Milani)

The spring equinox arrives in a few days. On the pagan calendar, it is already here. The Celtic season of Imbolc began back in February. Its patroness is Brigit; part saint, part myth, ancient symbol of the Divine Feminine, and of a frozen world coming back to life. Mary Hynes speaks with Irish scholar Mary Condren about the renewed interest around the world in Brigit, fifth century saint from Kildare. Mary Condren teaches at the Centre for Gender and Women’s studies, at Trinity College, Dublin. She is also the author of The Serpent and the Goddess: Women, Religion and Power in Celtic Ireland.

A poem by Anne O'Reilly, read by Mary Condren:

Brigid

These words will never carve your image out of bog oak
But that is what they want to do:
To dig down into the moist wetness,
To touch the layers of centuries that have made you,
Woman, Goddess, Saint
To see your shape emerge in tact from the ancient earth.
The fine coat of resin will preserve your beautiful shape
In tact, and I will call on you, Great Woman
To grace me with a golden branch and tinkling bells.
And I will polish you then with images of
Sun and moon and cows,
Sheep, serpent, vultures,
Bags, bells, bats,
And sacred fires.
So that you become a fiery arrow,
And breath life into the mouth of dead Winter.
As it is in these days in the lives of women, whose
Spirits have ceased to quicken.
Nurture them with your milk,
Be midwife to their birthing,
Release them from all that hinders them.
O! beautiful vessel still in tact, where we have unearthed you,
Remind us of your many manifestations,
And let us smile again in memory.
Your cloak spread in the green field of Kildare;
You who turned back the streams of war;
Whose name invoked stilled monsters in the seas
Whose cross remains a resplendent, golden, sparkling flame.
Come again from the dark bog, and
Forge us anew!

Brigit Meditation

Doreen at Celtic Crossroads has provided a short meditation for meeting Brigit. her site also includes information about herself (a charming and friendly woman), about the Morrigan, the Green Man, megalithic sites and all manner of stuff that interests her.

NOTICE: Unfortunately, the links here are broken and I'm unable to track it down elsewhere. If anyone discovers a new link, lemme know! 31 January 2010

Online Audio Meditation by Mara Freeman

guided meditation The Forge in the Forest Meeting Brigit--triple-goddess of healing, smithcraft, and inspiration.

Mara Freeman: voice and zither Gerry Smida: harp, keyboards, percussion

The goddess Brigit presides over the early springtime festival once known as Imbolc in Ireland, and is associated with smithcraft, a sacred art in many primal cultures. The smith transforms the ore from the lower world with the fire of the upper world to create something new and beautiful. The following meditation takes you to Brigit's forge to gain inspiration for your own creativity. Place a candle and matches in front of you before you begin.

Go to the Beliefnet site to hear this meditation. Bring a candle!
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/98/story_9865_1.html