Continuing with the nine days of devotion...
Day 3: Bridghid as Initiatrix. I struggled with this concept a good bit as
for me it just doesn't fit the lore surrounding Bridghid. It seems to have come from Wicca who would often
do initiations and dedications at this time of year. Still, Bridghid's aspect as mid-wife does
also lend itself to the idea of initiatrix.
Much as I wrote about on day 1 ties into this idea of initiatrix as
well. Brighid can certainly initiate one
into many things. Magic, poetry, song,
story, crafting, and many other things.
Personally I believe that she has initiated me into the use of Ogham as
a tool for creating magic. I have used
it both in a written form such as sigil magic and as type of oral magic similar
to what the Norse call Galdor. I have had
many successful uses of this ranging from protection for my money, to entering
into trance, to invoking the spirits of the dead to entering into trance and
going on spirit walks.
Day 4: Bridghid as blacksmith. Here we have the first of her main and most
well know attributes. The hammer, the
anvil, the red hot metal. With skill and
strength the goddess bangs away shaping...me.
Those who have worked with the goddess know that we all have to spend
some time "on the anvil." It's
those times when we are undergoing a usually unpleasant experience that is
going to shape us. Perhaps it's just a
human thing, but I find the hard times easier to deal with when I believe that
it is the goddess's hand shaping me upon the anvil. I know it may be unpleasant in the moment,
but when it's done I'll be transformed from a shapeless lump of iron, into a
work of art or some special tool.
Struggling through nursing school was definitely time on the anvil for
me. I am not the same person now that I
was when I started the program. Even the
water-witch has commented on the changes.
Sometimes the shaping is subtle.
Such as the moment when I realize that my mother is never going to beat
her addiction and it's more than likely going to kill her and there is nothing
I can do to stop it. It was as a single soft blow made with a light hammer that
set me free.
Day 5: Bridghid the poet.
It is said in the old lore that Bridghid was a patron of poets and
bards. I believe this connection comes
from the idea that Bridghid is a fire goddess and in Celtic culture poetic
inspiration was equated to "the fire in the head", thus it must come
from Bridghid. So more to the point she
is a goddess that inspires. Inspiration
is something I feel has been missing from my life of late. That firing spark is there, but it does not
burn as brightly as it once did. Perhaps it can be attributed to the stress of
my new career? Perhaps it's simply a
side effect of working nights and the bouts of depression I have had to deal
with as a side effect of changing my sleep patterns. I asked myself what I can do to increase my
inspiration, or give it a channel to flow through. I didn't come up with any satisfactory
answers. I hope that a more consistent
work schedule and getting involved again with the pagan community will
help. I am also beginning to get more
involved with ADF as an organization.
Lastly I am getting back to my daily meditation. All of these I hope will help stoke the fires
in my head.
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