Brigid
Intention: Invite inspiration, healing and the return of light
Offerings & Symbols
- A white or yellow candle
- A small dish of milk or bread
- Rushes or straw (for a Brigid's cross)
- A ribbon or cloth to leave out on Imbolc eve
Culture: Irish (Celtic) Also spelled: Brigit, Bríde, Brighid Festival: Imbolc (1 to 2 February)
Who is Brigid?
In Irish tradition, Brigid is a goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a daughter of the Dagda, connected with poetry, smithcraft and healing. Medieval sources describe her as having sisters of the same name presiding over those crafts, which is why she is often called a triple goddess.
Saint Brigid
The Christian Saint Brigid of Kildare shares her name, her February feast day, and her sacred flame, which was tended for centuries at Kildare. Many people see the saint and the goddess as deeply intertwined, and some honor both.
Associations
Fire and the hearth, inspiration and poetry, blacksmithing, healing, livestock, wells and springs, and the first stirrings of spring.
Ways people honor her
- Light a candle at Imbolc and let the light stay for the evening
- Weave a Brigid's cross from rushes or straw and hang it over a door
- Leave a cloth or ribbon outside on Imbolc eve (a brat Bríde) to be blessed by her, then use it for healing
- Offer milk, butter, or bread
- Write or make something creative in her name
Related
See also the Imbolc Brigid's Cross Ritual entry.
Approach any deity with respect and do your own research. Practices vary widely between traditions, and modern devotional practice often goes beyond what survives in ancient sources.