There is an artist who loves to paint Brigit. I have only seen a few of her offerings, but I have loved what I’ve seen and I look forward to seeing many more. Here are two examples, and this is her new Instagram profile: @rowan_lewgalon_art
Thursday, February 17, 2022
Tuesday, February 08, 2022
Mael Brigde Interview, Oracle of Luna with Bridget Engels
After the flurry of activity last year around this time, with interviews and talks and so on ahead of my book's release, I decided I needed a quieter Imbolc this year, and didn’t organise anything beyond sharing my daily devotional with folk and having a gentle ritual and supper with fellow Daughter of the Flame, Seba.
Into this scene enter the lovely Bridget Engels, who invited me for an interview, to be conducted once the dust had settled. We had our conversation on Sunday and two days later it is ready for interested ears. See below for links to where you can find it.
I enjoyed talking with Bridget, although afterwards of course I found myself thinking, "oh! I didn’t explain that very well. I completely forgot to say the other thing. Etc., etc." As when I said I wanted to bring (describing me in the 1980s) not just the flame but a devotion to Brigit back into the world. Well, despite the fact that I live an ocean away from Ireland, I knew even then that the saint still had her fans. I meant the goddess, who I wanted to see become as known to goddess worshippers as Inanna and Aphrodite.
Earlier in the conversation, I talked about whether or not Brigit’s perpetual flame was an ancient pagan practice or a mediaeval Christian one. I completely forgot to say, as I got carried away with I what I was trying to explain, that whatever my opinions or anyone else’s about that question, tending Brigit’s flame remains a meaningful and precious practice which I have no intention of ever giving up.
So! Enough of my dithering and bum coverage. I invite you to listen to the Oracle of Luna with Bridget Engels and Mael Brigde.
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/18K4q6zxaHiWSX28cXKxyT
Apple:
Amazon Music:
Pandora:
Image: by Bridget Engels.
Wednesday, February 02, 2022
Online Pop Up Talk: St. Brigid's Shoe Shrine
The National Museum of Ireland released an online talk on Facebook yesterday, which focusses on one artifact connected to her, the shoe shrine. From the post:
"Celebrate St. Brigid's Day and learn more about the saint
and her Shoe Shrine.
"Watch our new pop-up talk about Ireland’s female saint, St.
Brigid, and her Shoe Shrine that is on display at the National Museum of
Ireland – Archaeology. Discover more about the life of the saint and her
miracles, and find out more about the unique Shoe Shrine that is associated
with St. Brigid.
"Learn about the traditions and practices associated
with #StBrigid
https://www.museum.ie/.../Religion-and.../St-Brigid-s-Day
"Learn about the elaborate shrines which were made to contain
artefacts that were associated with saints and these were often embellished and
inscribed over the centuries at the Colmcille: Sacred objects of a Saint - 1500
years of devotion Exhibition- https://www.museum.ie/.../Colmcille-Sacred-objects-of-a... #archaeology #StBrigidsDay
Mael Brigde Interview - The Oracle of Luna With Bridget Engels
I am so looking forward to this! Bridget Engels will be interviewing me on The
Oracle of Luna With Bridget Engels podcast next week, airing on 8 February. I've been listening
to her interviews and she talks with some very interesting people. She writes:
"☘️🔥Mael is a devotee of the Celtic Goddess and saint, Brigit, and the founder of the Daughters of the Flame, and the author of A Brigit of Ireland Devotional – Sun Among Stars, a collection of essays, contemplative poetry, and resources for those seeking to deepen their understanding of and connection to Brigit. Her aim in founding Daughters of the Flame was to rekindle the perpetual flame burned by Saint Brigit’s order in Kildare, Ireland until the 1600s. She also publishes a general interest Brigit blog, Brigit’s Sparkling Flame, and a Brigit poetry blog, Stone on the Belly.
Mael has created three online classes for those wishing to learn more about Brigit and grow closer to her. The first, Discovering Brigit, introduces Brigit and many of the ideas associated with her. The second, Stepping into Brigit, guides the seeker into a deepening connection with her. The third, Journey with Brigit, Goddess of Poetry, is a longer, intensive class that explores reading and writing poetry as a sacred act, offering meditations, historical information, and the model of both ancient and modern Irish poets.
"This episode will air on 2/8 on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Amazon Music, Pandora, etc."
Image: by Bridget Engels
Sunday, January 23, 2022
Brigit at Glastonbury, According to the Rev. Lionel Smithett Lewis, M. A.
A dear friend of mine, once the owner of a secondhand bookstore where many a joyful hour was spent, is getting rid of her library as she prepares to move into assisted living. She gave me first crack, and I found this little gem of the Glastonbury Saint Brigit mythos.
The full title is Glastonbury “The Mother of Saints” – Her Saints A.D. 37–1539. It was published at Christmas, 1925, of which 1000 copies were printed. This is from the second edition, Christmas, 1927, of which 2000 copies were printed. The author, Rev. Lionel Smithett Lewis, M. A., was the vicar of Glastonbury.
Below you will find photographic images of the cover and pages pertinent to Saint Brigit, here called Saint Bride. Now, do remember to take every detail of this with a large cellar of salt. Click on the images to see a larger size.
Saturday, January 15, 2022
Brigid - Music and Meditation with Singing the Land
Oh, I am looking forward to this.
Singing the Land is Elaine Máire Brigid Ní Chiardha, who lives a stone's throw from the Hill of Tara in County Meath, Ireland. From her event site:
THURSDAY, 3 FEBRUARY 2022 FROM 7:30 PM Irish Time, 11:30-13:00 PST
Online event
An online celebration of Brigid this Imbolc with music and meditation, February 3rd at 7.30pm Irish time. This will be a healing transmission from Brigid through original songs, chants and guided meditation. I am a long time devotee of Brigid - she has been my central guide and spiritual companion from my first moment of spiritual experience over 20 years ago. As a singer and songwriter I write many songs inspired by and dedicated to her. Recently while holding meditation circles, a beautiful Brigid’s Fire meditation came through. I will combine these offerings with some simple Brigid songs and chants that we can all sing together, and perhaps share some stories, to create an evening of inspiration, healing and homecoming. I would love you to join me.
Brigid is revered in Ireland and beyond as a powerful and loving embodiment of the Divine Feminine. For me she is primarily a Mother – Muire na nGael, Mary of the Irish. In ancient Celtic tradition she is a triple Goddess, uniting the 3 phases of the Goddess – Maiden, Mother and Crone. Because she continued through the Christian era as Saint Brigid, her worship continues strongly today. She has many aspects and qualities – the perpetual flame, the holy well, healing and care, poetic inspiration, the power of manifestation – and more. And she is of course the bringer of spring, the time of Imbolc – im bolg, in the belly – bringing fertility and new life.
Exchange €15, €10 concession. We will gather online via zoom. I invite you to create your own comfy sacred space at home to receive maximum enjoyment and nourishment from the event. To register, send me an email and your payment via paypal to singingtheland@gmx.com and I will send you the zoom link. Please choose 'friends and family' payment option on paypal, or include an extra €1 to cover the payment fee. Bookings close at 3pm the day of the event. I will record the call and you will receive the video link as part of the ticket price.
I am excited to share that I am working on some studio recordings of Brigid songs, an EP or album dedicated to Brigid and the Divine Feminine. I’m not sure if any of the recordings will be ready for release this Brigid’s Day, but I am inspired still to share these songs and their stories and medicine to celebrate her day and Imbolc this year.
For those of you who don’t know me, I am a sacred musician and singer based in Co. Meath, Ireland. I played for some years on the South of England folk scene, after completing a music degree there. I’ve been playing original sacred music and chant in Meath and nearby for 6 years now, for local concerts, festivals and sacred gatherings. I am also a certified Shamanic Energy Therapist and Naked Voice facilitator and hold meditation and chanting circles.
You can listen to some simple recordings of my music here:
https://soundcloud.com/singingtheland/brigid-of-the-flame
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJVIy--Hf90
https://soundcloud.com/singingtheland/brigid-of-the-flame
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJVIy--Hf90
THURSDAY, 3 FEBRUARY 2022
Thursday, January 06, 2022
What I’m listening to coming up to Imbolc
The Story Archaeologists put out a wonderful podcast about Brigit a number of years ago. I’ve listened to it several times and I am listening to it again. Here is the link, Mythical Women 05: The Search for Brigid.
In a later series, the Story Archaeologists looked at our fair goddess again, in Revisiting Mythical Women 05: The Search for Brigid.
Image . Brigid’s Well at Fochard Bríde
Wednesday, January 05, 2022
What I'm reading coming up to Imbolc...
There are so many sources for immersing ourselves in Brigit
as we come up to her festival, but what is my first choice?
Pagan Portals - Brigid by Morgan Daimler. It is the best source for getting a clear
understanding of the goddess. (There are other great sources for the saint.)
My second choice is the sadly out of print Rites of Brigid,
Goddess and Saint by Seán Ó Duinn OSB.
And how did I not know there was an Irish language version of
that book, Gnas Na Feile Bride? Perhaps still less available than the
English.
Nevertheless, I will be dipping in to this one, as well, as the
month goes on.
New: Imbolc Ritual and Practice by Orlagh Costello
Imbolc (Imbolg) Ritual & Practice The Fire Festivals Ritual Series by Orlagh Costello at the Irish Pagan School
From the Irish Pagan School page for this class and ritual:
"Class Series providing practical rituals for all seasons, as we work through the Fire Festivals Cycle in the Irish Tradition:
"Have you ever wanted to do a ritual to authentically celebrate the Irish Fire Festivals (Samhain, Imbolg, Bealtaine, or Lúnasa)... but weren't sure what to do or where to start?
"Each session in this series will cover the basic associations and practices for each festival to give you a good grounding with regard to the ancient Imbolc (Imbolg) traditions in Ireland. Then you'll move into the main event - a ritual attuned to those associations, including guided meditation and original Irish language prayers.
"This ritual can be personalised afterwards for your own use, but will give you a solid framework right now, which you can develop further as your personal practice grows."
Click here to learn more and to sign up.
Image: Candle and sheaf of oats from IPS site.
Monday, January 03, 2022
Join Mael Brigde for Daily Brigit Devotions, Nineteen Days & One
Finally
I realised that what I most wanted was to spend some quiet time with Brigit and
her devotees over the days leading up to her festival – regular, repeated,
simple, and brief – as an offering and as a way of preparing for Imbolc.
Therefore…
I
would like to share my daily devotions with you for the nineteen-plus-one days
leading up to and culminating in Lá Fhéile Bhríde, Saint Brigit’s Day, and
Imbolc.
Beginning on Thursday, 13 January 2022, I will be streaming via Facebook Live each day at 11:45 A.M. Pacific Standard Time // 7:45 P.M. Irish Standard Time // 6:45 A.M. Australia Time (this last is on the following date).[1] Just come to my profile page:
www.facebook.com/mael.brigde/ at that time. I'll be there as close to that time as tech allows.
Thursday, December 30, 2021
Plans for Féile Bríde 2022 – January 31st to February 6th – at Solas Bhríde
|
Féile Bríde 2022 – January 31st to February 6th
Our collaboration with Kildare Town Library, Kildare
Heritage Centre, Fáilte Kildare and others promises a full and enriching
programme of events for Féile Bríde 2022. We are planning to host a candlelight
pilgrimage to St. Brigid’s Well on 31st January. Plans are also afoot for a Guided Walk on the
Curragh Plains, and the delivery of in-person and online workshops on the
Traditions and Customs associated with Brigid, Annual Celtic Lecture, Musical
and Cultural events and much more.
Keep an eye on our website as details for each event unfold.
Image: from Solas Bhríde newsletter, 24 December 2021.
Tuesday, December 21, 2021
Winter Solstice Greetings
Blessings of the darkness and the light
on this solstice day and night!
Image of an older white woman, holding a book and smiling. There are drawings of holly around the image and the words: Brigit's blessings on you and yours; Blessings of the darkness and the light; and: Warmest greetings from Mael Brigde, author of A Brigit of Ireland Devotional - Sun Among Stars.
Sunday, December 12, 2021
Help Keep Brigid's Way Celtic Pilgrimage Alive
Well,
I completely missed this one. From their Facebook Page:
What is
Brigid's Way, you ask?
"The Brigid's Way Pilgrimage follows the ancient
path of Brigid, Goddess and Celtic Christian saint from Faughart, Louth via the
Hill of Slane, the Hill of Tara, Donadea Forest Park and along the Grand Canal
to her monastic city in Kildare.
"This 9 day walking pilgrimage winds its way through many
sacred places and magical landscapes from Brigid's Well and Shrine in Faughart,
County Louth to Brigid's monastic city in County Kildare. For details of the
next full 9 day Pilgrimage go to www.brigidsway.ie
"We have some great ideas up our sleeves about how to make
the Brigid’s Way pilgrimage accessible to everyone to complete anytime of
the year.
"To get these ideas off the ground we need your help so we a
kindly asking you to donate a few bob for Brigid."
You may find more info at their linktree
And here is their PayPal account link.
All images: from Brigid's Way.
Looking Back 2013 – Solas Bhride enters House of Records
Solas Bhride is celebrating its entry into the Guinness Book of World Records. On 21 September 2013 they invited locals, tourists, and pilgrims into Saint Brigid's Church in Kildare for a mass weaving of Saint Brigid's crosses. The result: 357 crosses! The reason?
"... St Brigid’s Cross is a universally recognized symbol and the weaving of a St Brigid’s cross is an ancient Irish custom. Its origin may have begun as a pre-Christian symbol, was then assimilated into Christianity and has resonance with other cross types in many cultures around the world. It was thought that setting a World Record would further enhance the continuity of this custom of weaving the St Brigid’s Cross."
For the full article, click here.
Image: from Solas Bhride.
Saturday, December 04, 2021
Taking It In — A Brigit of Ireland Devotional
I was just reading about the upcoming
anthology Brigid's Light: Tending the
Ancestral Flame of the Beloved Celtic Goddess,
edited by Cairelle Crow and
Laura Louella, on Amazon when I noticed that
below it my own book was
flagged and that it had 12 reviews. I was
curious to see what people had said
so I went over and read them.
As you know I have worked on this book for many
years and for most of that
time I was sceptical that it would ever be in
anyone’s hands but my own. That
was OK. I really wanted to write those poems and
to write those essays. I
wanted to get a little bit closer to Brigit, to
spend time with her, to feel what I
feel about her and clarify what I think about
her and check my assumptions
and just do that work. That would have been
enough.
But I also really wanted to share that
experience with other people, the
experience of deeply contemplating her, of
growing closer, of learning more.
So I was deeply happy when Moon Books decided to
publish A Brigit of Ireland
Devotional - Sun Among Stars. And even so, I
didn’t know if it would ever
mean as much to anyone else as it did to me.
So I am extremely grateful to read these
reviews and hear that these people are
deeply affected, that it is useful in their
practice in the ways that I had hoped it
would be. I want to share a couple of reviews,
one short, one medium, and one
a little longer, with you today. To be honest,
it isn’t easy for me to take this in.
Someone can say something wonderful about my
book and in the moment I feel
it, but then after a while I’m back to wondering
again. Can it stand on its own two
feet? Will it continue to have meaning now that
the huge effort is done? (And now
and then, "Is it good poetry?") I am
very glad these are written down and I can
read them again and go, ah, yes. This is real.
Chris L.
Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2021
This book is by turns sweet, poignant, and raw. It is invaluable in my
own work with Brigid, and I’ve already used it to deepen my spiritual
practice. The poems/prayers/devotions resonate with my life, and I
look forward to using it for days and years to come.
and
GerCelt
A collection of beautiful Devotional writing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 28, 2021Brigit (Bridget) both as a Goddess and
subsequently a saint, is
one of the most important figures in Irish
spirituality. The author
Mael Bridge has taught Brigit centric devotion
and now with this
book, provides a lovely collection of
devotional poems,
commentary and resources for further study as
well as groups
dedicated to Brigit.
As a poet, it is the poetry itself that
interests me. These are
serious, well written pieces, referencing and
echoing the old
Irish literature and poet8c forms on which
they're based. There
are some unique and fresh perspectives and
ingenious use of
imagery. Each provides a thoughtful starting
point for individual
contemplation but as a lover of poetry, they
can be read as
interesting and evocative poems in their own
right.
I have the ebook version but will get the
paperback too; I think
most people purchasing for use as a devotional
tool will enjoy
a paper version, to read and take note of.
and
Patricia Cotter-Busbee
Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2021
I set aside a weekend to carefully read this
lovely book of poetry
and I immediately realized it would take a
lifetime to unravel all
the beauty, mysteries, layered stories, insights
and gems within
this stunning work of art. It is medicine for
the soul. This writing
is an invitation by the author to experience the
expansive
landscape that she has walked. This collection
of poetry reminded
me of Brigit’s cloak and how far-reaching it is.
This work beautifully
highlights the author’s deep personal connection
to Brigit and the
fact that she is gifted in the art of poetry and
the art of devotion.
The poems are brilliantly crafted, and are a
wellspring of knowledge,
insight, devotion and inspiration. Each poem
flows beautifully into
the next, offering the reader the opportunity to
expand their
understanding of Brigit. The moment I started
reading I could almost
see the mists parting as I was transported to
another time and place.
I loved the entire collection, but two very
different poems stood out
to me. The first was “The Pig Addresses Brigit.”
I knew that Brigit had
a strong connection to animals but having the
pig address Brigit was
a powerful shift in perspective that caused me
to consider the animals
she is connected to. I imagined Brigit with her
deep listening abilities
standing quietly before the pig as he petitioned
Her about how he
wanted to end his days in peace. I was surprised
by the compassion
that flooded my heart when I read this poem and
how it reminded me
of how much it would benefit us if we paid
closer attention to our
environment and who and what inhabits it. I am
grateful for this poetic
reminder. Another poem that resonated on a deep
level was “Brigit
and the Madman.” What spoke to me was how she
sought him out,
brought him ale and butter and begged to hear
the wisdom of his
unsettled mind. I thought about the exchange
between them and how
Brigit calmed him, so that he could speak his
truths and wisdom that
resided deep within under the layers of madness.
This brought tears.
How many of us feel unheard? What would our
world look like, if we
listened more—especially to those that do not
have a voice, including
our beloved animals? I also enjoyed reading
about Brigit and her sisters.
Her sisters have fascinated me ever since I
learned about Brigit. Who
are they? I gobbled up every mention of them. It
compelled me to want
to do some research in this area. I loved seeing
them mentioned and
represented throughout this collection. I found
the energy within these
poems to be transformative. They possess the
ability to assist with
shifting consciousness. There are very different
forms of wisdom
embedded in the poetry. My experience with
reading this book was
that pathways were created, offering me the
opportunity to continue
my studies. This collection of beautiful poetry
is one I will revisit often.
These poems support a direct engagement with the
Divine and they
each have a powerful energy that can be felt
when you connect with
this beautiful work that honors Brigit in her
various aspects.
Many thanks to everyone who has supported the writing and publishing of this book my book and to those for whom it has a real purpose. May Brigit bless you all.
Some links to order here.
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