On her festival day, February 1^st (Imbolc), Brigid gives us the promise of spring, and of new life returning to the Earth. Because of this, she is also referred to as 'Brighid of the Green Mantle'. Brigid, goddess of hearth and flame, was known by many different names. You will see different spellings of her name in literature about her, however the most common spelling is Brigid, which is her birth name. Brigid is also known as the Gaelic Bride and Brigidda, the British goddess. The goddess Brigit was so powerful and so popular that she is still worshipped today as St. Brigit by the Catholic Church. More about Brigit the Saint later on.

Cormac's Glossary defines her as, "Brigit, daughter of The Dagda, the poetess, this is, the goddess worshipped by the poets on account of the great and illustrious protection afforded them by her." Her name is from the Celtic "brig" meaning "exalted". Brigid appeared under three aspects. Brigid the poetess (Goddess of Poets) or wise woman that poets worshipped because of her great protection of them, Brigid the healer and Brigid the smith.

Poets and craftspeople looked to Brigid as their inspiration, householders invoked her to protect their homes and livestock and the sick prayed to her so that she would "cast her mantle over them", bringing them back to health.

Because each aspect of Brigid's divinity has a special function she is thought to be a Triple Goddess. In another translation, it was believed that Brigit had two sisters, also named Brigit, which linked her to the Celtic Triple Mother Goddesses.

Brigid, goddess of poets, took hold of the imagination of poets and helped to bring out powerful poems. Brigid the goddess of smithing was capable of teaching her people the craft of forging iron needed for creating tools for their work. Brigid, the goddess of healing, shared the knowledge of healing herbs and how to use them to help the sick and to soothe their pain. Brigid was also linked to childbirth. Pregnant women used to pray to her, as she was one of the major Mother Goddesses.

In Irish mythology, the Dagda is a "father-god". Dagda means "Good Father". The Dagda had three daughters all named Brigid. It is commonly believed that this is because he was married to a Triple Goddess. Because the number three represents strength, we find many deities depicted in triple form. Celtic mother goddesses are commonly depicted in groups of three and referred to as "Triple Goddesses". Each figure represents the different aspects of the goddess.

Brigid's sacred holiday, Imbolc, is still observed on February 1^st. We know it as a celebration of the return of the sun or "the return of the light from the dark of winter". This day also begins with the lambing season, when new life comes forth along with the Celtic New Year and the beginning of spring.

Over time, many rituals came into being and were performed at Imbolc to invoke favor from the goddess Brigid for the Celtic New Year. It was believed that this would bring protection from harm. Brigid was referred to as "the keeper of the hearth" because her power was believed to be present within the hearth fire.

The night before the Celtic New Year began a sheaf of oats was dressed up and put into a basket with a wooden club. The basket was called "Brigid's Bed" and was placed in the hearth and allowed to burn as the women of the home tended the fire. If there was an impression of a wooden club in the hearth the next morning it was believed that Brigid would bring good luck to the home. Sometimes they would spread the ashes over the hearth to see if the goddess had left her footprint.

In Druid tradition, Brigidda was the goddess of the Brigantes tribe in northern England. It was believed that Brigidda was raised on milk from an Otherworld cow that, over time, became her totem animal. Because of this belief, Brigidda was considered patroness of cattle. Cattle were revered in those days and considered sacred because of their economic importance.

Women used to weave what was called "Brid's Baby" (the shape resembled a swastika) out of straw or twigs to invoke Brigid and believed that this would bring a good harvest. Today we know "Brid's Baby" as Brigid's cross.

Bride was one of the most beloved of ancient goddesses. In Gaelic tradition, Bride, a young goddess, "hung her cloak upon the rays of the sun" and radiated the Light. It was Bride who was said to be the Virgin Mary's midwife and who washed Mary's son in the rich milk of the cow.

I found a lot of discrepancies when researching Brigid because Brigid's stories were transcribed by Christian monks who played her down or glossed over the events they were writing about concerning her. When Christianity became so popular Brigid underwent a dramatic transition from goddess to woman saint of Ireland. Brigid is a powerful symbol for creativity and considered a powerful Triple Goddess. So powerful in fact, that she was absorbed into Christianity as a saint -- which is very rare.

The goddess Brigid's myths were absorbed into legends about the human St. Bridget, her Christian successor, in an effort to bring the Celts into a version of Christianity that they could accept. This is also when the stories about her role as mid-wife to the Virgin Mary and her being known as Christ's foster-mother began.

Brigid reminds us of the divine and protective motherhood that she embodies to promote our individual power and fan the flame of inspiration within us. Brigid's symbol, fire, means she is still here and continues to kindle our inner spirit when called upon. In addition, Imbolc is the time of year when seeds (of creativity) are planted. As goddess, Brigid kindles the flame of inspiration within us, setting our minds on fire with the passion to create.

If you have been thinking about writing, do it!

If you have been considering making pottery, go for it!

Brigit will get your creative juices flowing and will show you how.

We don't have to look for Brigid's footprint in the ashes of our hearths like the ancients did. We KNOW that her footprint remains unmistakably in the heart of our creative spirits.

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