“There is mystery at the heart of what holds us together, expressed in shared symbols, stories and experiences.” ~ Brigidine Sisters
We enter into the Mysteries of Imbolc, Candlemas, or Fèill Bhrìghde.
As I’ve mentioned in previous musings, Imbolc-Candlemas has long been considered a thin time and an ancestral holy time traditionally celebrated during the first few days of February — or from just before and deeper into February, depending on the tradition and practice.
In 2018, Solar Imbolc-Candlemas midpoint is on February 3rd at 4:28pm (EST), give or take some hours based on whereon this beautiful Earth you are at the moment.
The ‘Candlemas Hora’ or Holy Time begins on February 3rd — follow the link for more on this ‘time of practice’, visioning, and listening for (and receiving) inspired guidance.
And it’s Brigid (or Bhrìghde) time, too — Solas Bride celebrates the Feast of Bhrìghde, Lá Fhéile Bríde, from January 31, 2018 through February 11, 2018.
This ‘feast time’ happens to sync with a Full Moon Super Moon — and total Lunar Eclipse — on January 31st this year.
Powerful, and always good to have some advanced intel about such ‘power gates’.
Starting in mid-January, Brigidine-Sister blogger of Her Eternal Flame conceived of and practices an Advent — lead-up, expectation, preparation for — for the post-Christmas Imbolc-Candlemas season. Beautiful.
The point is … why not?
Whether as part of attuning to the possibilities and soul-callings of a new calendar year, or because the Season offers a well of deep inspiration.
In the Age of Distraction we devote to these kinds of milestones to check in with guidance, renew the creative wellsprings, replenish mind and body, and discern not just ‘right action’ but also ‘right priorities’ and our core values as we move forward.
Step towards the wellspring of deep inspiration and remembering …
The point is … why not?
Whether as part of attuning to the possibilities and soul-callings of a new calendar year, or because the Season offers a well of deep inspiration.
In the Age of Distraction we devote to these kinds of milestones to check in with guidance, renew the creative wellsprings, replenish mind and body, and discern not just ‘right action’ but also ‘right priorities’ and our core values as we move forward.
Step towards the wellspring of deep inspiration and remembering …
The Goddess & the Saint: Candlemas, St. Brigid & Cill-Dara
With the arrival of Christianity, Imbolc became known as Candlemas, and was associated with the Virgin Mary emerging from her ‘seclusion’ after the birth of Jesus and presenting the newborn Christed One at the temple.
And in the land of Brigid, the Christian-Pagan tapestry interwove the stories of the Goddess with those of a nun and abbess known later as St. Brigid — a powerfully inspired woman, born in the mid-fifth century, who is credited with starting several monasteries, including the famed Kildare Abbey at which the eternal flame of Brigid burned.
The name Kildare comes from Cill-Dara, which means Church of Oak and hints at an earlier Indigenous spiritual tradition centered around the Goddess Brigid.
At that time, the High Priestess symbolized the embodiment of the Goddess and the priestesses tended the flame and the great work done in Brigid’s honor and name.
Later at this Kildare site, the Abbess and Saint and her nuns continued the work in the name of St. Brigid.
About St. Brigid, the Brigidine Sisters share that there was “a great emphasis on Brigid’s faith, her healing powers, her hospitality, her generosity, her great skill with animals, and above all her compassion for the poor and the oppressed.”
St. Brigid “… exercised miraculous influence over the weather, animals, and the landscape. “She stilled the rain and wind,” the final line of the Bethu Brigte, a medieval account of Brigid’s life, tells us,” shares Jan Richardson, writer, artist, and Methodist minister.
The Essence & Qualities of Brigid, or Bhrìghde
The name Brigid or Bhrìghde is associated with “breo-agit” or “fiery arrow”, and “brihati”, a Sanskrit word meaning “exalted one.”
Fitting for both Goddess and Saint.
Stories of both Goddess and Saint emphasize a graciousness, an abundance of Spirit, and an embodiment that extends itself into the home and the “home arts” as well as in more transcendent or community spheres.
In this, Brigid or Bhrìghde recalls the Goddess Circe‘s magic of welcome and hospitality, and what This is what Jan Richardson beautifully phrases, “A habit of the wildest bounty.”
She is also a courageous and fiery protector of disempowered and dispossessed, the so-called ‘powerless’, whether people, animals, or Nature herself. In this we see threads of Artemis and the Black Madonna.
Whether we look at the stories of the Goddess Brigid or Bhrìghde, or the Brigid-inspired Saint, we see a host of beautiful qualities that inspired and guided our ancestors, and connected them to the Divine essence that runs through all of life.
These qualities are abundantly available to us now as well.
Imbolc provides the timely reminder, the perfect opportunity for reflection that inspires these very qualities to spark anew within us and, like a flame, radiate their warmth, generosity, and wild bounty of Spirit to everyone they touch.
Light your candles, invoke the qualities of Brigid – Bhrìghde, feel your heart-spark quicken, and let your light shine!
This also initiates what the late Mythic Astrologer Steve Nelson called the Candlemas Hora … a holy time.
He said …
Read the full article & stir your heartful inspiration here.
Find more Divine Feminine inspiration, the roots of Sophia’s Children:
The Divine Feminine & Deep-Feminine Mysteries
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Featured Image Credit: Black Madonna Monserrat prayer candle (Photo by Jamie, Sophia’s Children)
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Lots of love,
February 4, 2017 at 2:00 pm
Hi Jamie. I was so busy and caught up in stuff that I actually missed Imbolc! Hate when life gets in the way of spiritual practice. Anyway, thanks for the post. Cheers – Jeff
February 6, 2017 at 6:12 pm
That happens pretty easily, Jeff. 🙂 And we can always dip into those wellsprings, no matter the calendar (or solar or lunar) milestone times. Very amusing about life getting in the way of spiritual practice. Perhaps that’s PART of the spiritual practice. 🙂 Cheers, Jamie
February 4, 2017 at 3:27 pm
Hi Jamie — What perfect timing! Tonight our community is hosting its monthly First Saturday Ecstatic Dance. Many regional dancers join us in a magically transformed Lodge for high energy dancing, ritual, feasting, sleeping over, breakfasting and general connecting. We have a DJ, even.
The theme “Deep in the Dreamtime” was chosen and I wasn’t quite sure I was aligned with that but this post has opened my eyes and given me the perfect understanding of this ancient point on the Celtic calendar that I was not so familiar with. Thank you so much. How perfect that Candlemas aligns astrologically with our Dance this month! Cheers, Alia
February 6, 2017 at 5:25 pm
Beautiful, Alia. 🙂 Hope the Deep in the Dreamtime magic was powerful and joy-stirring! xo Jamie