Blessings of Brigid

This is it, folks. We are now in that strange lull that follows a hectic festive season. Here, in Fenland, days pass us by slowly in a seemingly-endless, soggy fog. The ground squelches underfoot and everything is listless, dormant, waiting for even the slightest glimpse of spring.

It is coming, of course.

Brigid will soon make her mark and pagans across the northern hemisphere will be celebrating her and this Turn of the Wheel on Imbolc, February 1st. She reminds us that this is the time of renewal, new beginnings and new life. It now strikes me that there is a particular irony when this also seems to be the time that all those good-habit forming New Year's resolutions are universally abandoned and we all go back to 'business as usual'.

But as Brigid's touch graces us with crisp frosts, the fresh green and white of snowdrops, and the unsteady gambol of newborn lambs, perhaps we should reconsider permanently ditching that dietary detox or learning that new skill.

Instead, we can take this time to honour her with cleansing rituals (a good, old-fashioned spring clean, perhaps?) and clearing your space and life of things that no longer serve you. For the things that cannot be physically extricated (think behavioural ruts, toxic influences and environments, or simply those worries that keep you up at night), try writing them down and burning them. You can either write on paper (bay leaves also make a good alternative for spellwork), or etch your intentions directly onto a candle.

It is said that (Saint) Brigid was once honoured with a perpetual fire by the nuns of Kildare, Ireland, and this serves as a reminder that new habits require dedication and the motivation to persist. It is natural (and human) that we will have days as listless as the weather but, above that thick cloud of grey, there is an expanse of blue sky and a sun that burns as bright Brigid's eternal flame.

If the element of fire isn't one with which you typically resonate, Brigid is also associated with a number of sacred springs and holy wells across Ireland and Britain. If you live nearby one of these, take the time to clear the mental cobwebs and go on a mini adventure. Look out for the clooties (strips of cloth or ribbon) left by pilgrims to mark their passage of healing, and maybe leave your own.

Think about your own healing journey, and those small changes that you can make to improve your own wellbeing. Every epic trek begins with a single footstep, and it is something well within your power to achieve. If cutting out social media seems like too much to ask for, light that scented candle you were gifted at Christmas. Not only will you be honouring Brigid, but those two minutes it takes to find the candle and light it are two minutes that you're not staring at a screen.

And, of course, I can't possibly name Brigid without mentioning poetry. She is, indeed, a goddess of poetry and so I shall bid you all adieu and leave you with this:

The Wheel has turned once again,

And darkness turns to light,

Snowflakes become snowdrops,

And Brigid’s flame burns bright,

And as the earth does quicken,

New lambs will soon appear,

And as the world begins to bloom,

Hold these Imbolc blessings dear.

Much love,

Victoria xx