Welcome
to the Sanctuary of the Gracious
Goddess
Brighid, Mother of the Gael.
llustration by Miranda Gray,
Celtic Gods and Celtic Goddesses
by R.J. Stewart
This area is
my tribute to my Goddess-Mother, the Goddess Bride,
or Brighid, or Bridget,
or Brede, or "many other names". She
caught me by the hair in 1989, when I was contemplating dedicating to *A*
Goddess, as part of my progression in Wicca...I played the part of one
of the 3 faces of Brighid
in an Imbolc rite, and as we finished, and lovingly "dismissed" the Goddess...SHE
didn't GO!! In fact, I couldn't get myself grounded for several DAYS...until
I realized that she was TELLING me something...so I began to really listen...and
I have not yet stopped hearing HER voice. When I later found out that Saint
Bridget of the Catholic Church was known as "Bridget,
daughter of Dubhtheach, of KillDara"...that is, "BridgetDuffy
of Kildare"...well, since my last name is Duffy and my ancestors came from
Kildare, it wasn't hard to figure WHAT she was trying to say...
Brighid
is one of the most ancient Goddesses of the Old Celts, and one of the most
pervasive...so full of Her lore was the Celtic world, for so many years,
that when Christianity came to Ireland, she was the ONLY Goddess who became
a "saint"...As with the phenomenon of turning Pagan Sabbats into Christian
and non-denominational holidays, it was accepted that Brighid
wasn't going to leave quietly...hence, Saint
Bridget, a supposed contemporary of Saints Columba and Patrick...with
all the lore and legend attached to her that originally belonged to the
Goddess
Brighid. She was called the "foster mother of Christ" and is spoken
of as "Mary of the Gael". She was known as three sister-goddesses, all
named Brighid, one
a poet, one a metalsmith, one a healer. Every spring in Ireland has at
least one legend about the "bonny Brede"
who blessed the water so it would heal, or nourish the cattle, or never
run dry. The nineteen virgins who tended the sacred flame of KillDara became
nineteen holy nuns who served the Saint, who was said to have been ordained
so she could celebrate Mass like a priest. Indeed, it is not only the Celts
that have legends of Brighid...Her
name is the root of the words bread, breed, bride, bright, and even the
word broad when it means a woman.
Within the Sanctuary,
there are several areas of focus, many of which are also listed in an index
below in order to make it possible for you to find what you want quickly.
I base my worship of the Old Gods on the ancient system of the Celtic Year,
the Calendar of the Trees, and on the Ogham. So
there is a special section which discusses the ogham and gives the glyphs
for the letters, as well as some information about their meanings. In following
the Sacred Year, we walk the Solar and Lunar Wheels, celebrating the thirteen
moons and the Eight Great Sabbats...so these are also discussed here. The
four Quarters of the year are studied, with their mundane and magickal
attributions. There is a page of prayers, invocations and poetry to the
Goddess Brighid
and
other Deities...some of this is my own work and some is ancient or composed
by friends..all is sincere. This page is perpetually redone and improved
upon, so if you stay away for a while, check back...there will be something
new!
So there will
be many additions and changes...who ever says everything they want to,
for or about their own Goddess? So perhaps while you are awaiting my additions
to the page, you might like to follow some of the links here...meanwhile,
here is the Sanctuary...enter with love and reverence, in Perfect Love
and Perfect Trust...
