Groundhog Day/ ST.
Brigid’sDay Candlemas/Imbolc
Copyright 2002-2015 Tara Greene – All Rights
Reserved
Feb. 1 and 2nd, We are half way to SPRING in
Northern Hemisphere
Not just I GOT YOU BABE for INFINITY but
it’s a Traditional Irish and Pagan Holiday Celebrations
The song would more aptly be
LIGHT MY FIRE- by the Doors, of course.
Groundhog Day was and is celebrated in
the Modern Irish Calendar as Saint Brigid’s Day,or Bride’s Day, both a Catholic
and Pagan Celebration of an ancient Goddess tradition,.
Known as Imbolc to
Wiccans/Pagans, Christians overlaid the Ancient Goddess worshipers’ holiday
renaming it Candlemas or the fest of the Purification of the
Virgin. This celebration also relates to the midpoint between Winter
Solstice and Spring Equinox.
It is
a “cross-quarter” day in the 8 rounds of the Wheel of Time in the Solar based
year. Since the Celtic Year was based on
both lunar and solar cycles, it is most likely the holiday would be celebrated
on the Full Moon nearest those 2 midpoints, when early spring flowers would
begin to rise and snakes would come out of the ground.
The SNAKE is the precursor of the Groundhog,
which the Romans replaced with a Hedgehog, which we… On Feb.
2nd.
Ancient peoples of
Ireland kept this day as very sacred. At the Megalithic and Neolithic sites in
Tara,
Ireland, the inner chambers of the passage tombs are perfectly
aligned with the rising sun of both Imbolc and Samhain attesting to the value
placed on this day.
Triple Goddess/Saint Brigid/Bride’s Sacred
Day
In the Scottish
Highlands where she was known as Bride, every morning the fire was kindled with
an invocation to Bride:
“I will build
the hearth
As Mary would build it.
The encompassment of Bride and of
Mary
Guarding the hearth, guarding the floor,
Guarding the household
all.”
The
10th-century Cormac’s Glossary states that Brigid was the daughter of the Dagda,
the “Great God” of the Tuatha de Danaan – “woman of wisdom…a goddess whom poets
adored, because her protection was very great and very famous.” Since poetry,
filid, was interwoven with the aspects of divination, the vates, Brigid was seen
as the inspiration behind divination and prophecy.
You can
see Brigit above the south western door of the tower on Glastonbury Tor milking
a cow.
INVOCATION TO SAINT
BRIDE
“Dear Saint Bridget of the
Kine
Bless these little fields of mine,
The pastures and the shady
trees,
Bless the butter and the cheese,
Bless the cows with coats of
silk
And the brimming pails of milk,
Bless the hedgerows, and I
pray
Bless the seed beneath the clay,
Bless the hay and bless the
grass,
Bless the seasons as they pass,
And heaven’s blessings will
prevail,
Brigid – Mary of the Gael”
According to Robert Graves,she is the most
Ancient Triple Goddess worshipped since time out of mind. The Goddess rules over
scholars and poets. She is the Goddess of fire and inspirations in Ireland, the
Goddess of poetry, creativity, smithcraft and healing. She also rules healing
with water, and divination. She is said to rule over people who work with cows
and chickens, brewers, fugitives, midwives, infants, printers, sailors,
travelers, New Zealand, & Irish nuns.
This day symbolizes a time of transitions,
initiations, new beginnings, of planting seeds that will sprout later.
Brigid/Birgita represents the light half of the year,Her power brings the people
out of the dark season of winter into spring, so, it is a very important time of
the year.
She is the Goddess of Augury
In the Druidic tradition, poetry and augury were
associated. She is patron of prophets and seers.
Celtic seers divined by looking into deep water
and into flames. This is a great time to do divination.
Triple Goddess
She has two sisters with the same name. One
aspect of her carries a blacksmith tongs and a sword, because she is also
patroness of war; another aspect holds 2 healing snakes, from which the modern
Doctor’s symbol is derived, the caduceus, the third aspect carries a wand with a
crescent moon and a tablet.
Elements
Brigid rules the Waters. Many healing springs
are dedicated to Brigid. Natural bodies of water also signify Her presence,
particularly where three streams joined together. She also rules Fire, so it is
customary to make candles for the coming year and bless them on this
day.
Protecting Goddess
In her aspect as Brigantia, she carries a spear,
an orb of victory, and wears a war crown. She symbolizes protection of the
country from invaders and slavery.
Midwives
As Patroness of Midwives, she was invoked at the
door of the home where the woman was giving birth, by the midwife. Who
speke:
Bride, Bride, come in! Thy welcome is truly
made, Give thou relief to the woman, And give thou the conception to the
Trinity.
Brigid is the guardian of every newborn, their
cradles protected with a woven Brigit’s Cross, an equal armed cross. Upon a safe
delivery, the infant was blessed or “sained” by the midwife, with 3 drops of
water on the child’s forehead, dedicating the Child to the Triple
Goddess.
The “Holy Trinity” in its
modernized Christian aspect, was just an overlay of the Goddess Triple Aspect
since time out of memory. A candle was carried ‘round the bed sun wise three
times. As Brigid is a Solar Goddess. We think of
the Sun as masculine but originally all aspects of the Universe were considered
Feminine.
Brigid Ruler of the Hearth
Especially in Gaelic Scotland, Brigid’s dolls
are placed near the hearth on her Feast Day. The doll is usually dressed in
white. A white wand is placed in her bed as a fertility charm. As she is
patroness of agriculture, pastures, livestock, and abundance. An offering is
made to her of dairy products. The Brigid doll is kept throughout the year near
the hearth hung on a wall, or by a door, as a talisman of protection, then burnt
the next year.
Light a Candle and Invoke the Goddess at this
time-
I
kindle this candle in the name of Brighid, Goddess of Smiths,
I sain this house in the name of Brighid,
Goddess of Healers,
I smoor this candle in the name of Brighid,
Goddess of Poets.
One folk tradition still continues in both
Christian and Pagan homes on St. Brigid’s Day is that of St. Brigid’s Bed. Girls
and young unmarried women create corn dollies to represent Brigid, these are
adorned with ribbons, baubles shells or stones. A bed is made for the doll to
lie in. On St. Brigid’s Eve Jan 31, the girls gather together in one house and
stay up all night with the doll, are are later visited by all the young men, who
ask permission to enter the home, and then treat the young maidens and the dolly
with respect. The next day the girls carry the doll through the neighbourhood
from house to house, where she is welcomed with great honour. Adult women stay
home to welcome the Brigid procession and offer snacks and coins to the young
girls and maidens.
Brigid is said to walk the earth on Imbolc eve.
Feb 1st. Before going to bed, each member of the household may leave a piece of
clothing or strip of fabric outside for Brigid to bless. The cloth are brought
inside the next morning, believed to now have the powers of healing and
protection.
BRIGID is alive and well.
The name “Britain” is a derivation of Brigit’s
name. Britain was named for an ancient Celtic tribe, the Brigantes, who were the
largest Celtic tribe in the country in pre-Roman times who worshipped Her as
their Deity.
The tribe originated from an area now called
Bregenz in Austria near Lake Constance. The word “brigand” comes from this tribe
of fierce warriors. Her symbol is a flaming spear. Her worship spread, leaving
behind places named in Her honour-Brittany in France, Brechin in Scotland, the
name Brent, in England, any name containing Bride.
Britain’s symbol, the Goddess Brigantia,
still found on their 50 cent coin is Brigid in her aspect as Goddess of the
Land. In Old German/Yiddish the word “Fabrent” meaning burnt, honours this
Ancient Goddess.
Britney Spears is carrying the modern
archetypal literal name of Brigid, and strangely enough one of Brigid’s symbols
is a flaming spear!
Britney Spears her name literally is St.
Bridgit
A Sample of prayers used at St. Bridgid’s Day
Light 1 candle-
We gather together in this time of
darkness. We look to the return of the light.
We look to the first light of
Spring.
(Light two more
candles.)
Goddess Midwife: Healer, Nurturer, and
Herbalist.
Goddess Poetess: Bringer of Wisdom,
Guidance and Prophesy.
Goddess Smithcraft: Keeper of Fire,
Craftswomen, and Transformation.
Maiden, Mother, and Crone – A Triple
Goddess.
read more
-http://www.taratarot.com
THE PLAYLIST – hey do you like this?
send me your suggestions.
LIGHT MY FIRE – by the
DOORS- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw40NMa_0RM
FIRE- Bruce
Springsteen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5PoIrcyd34
GIRL ON FIRE- ALicia kEYS
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J91ti_MpdHA
SET FIRE TO THE RAIN- ADELE
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBcMKwbMEcQ
FUNKY DISCO HOLY FIRE- THE OHIO
PLAYERS- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y47G-Wa4qfs
THIS WHEEL’S ON FIRE – JULIE
DRISCOLL- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7sQvBkcJdY
