Pledges to Brigid 📚

In the days leading up to Imbolg, I am reminded of a tradition I once read about. Being new to Irish Paganism, I am really striving for authenticity. Brigid holds a special place in my heart and my daily life, so I thought it would be fitting to talk about this tradition. As always, keep in mind that this is not going to work for everyone and will not follow every path.

Who is Brigid?

Brigid is a Goddess that is celebrated and honored at Imbolg. She plays a large role in many faiths and traditions, and mine is just the same. She is a Goddess of the hearth, home, and inspiration. As a Goddess well-connected to fire, She encompasses all things to do with poetry, healing, and smithcraft. However, She is also a protector of women and children and heavily associated with midwifery. You can read more about Her here.

A pledge to Brigid…

I honestly cannot remember where I read - or heard - of this tradition. It could be something that came to me in a dream, for all I know. What I remember, though, is that on Imbolg, it is tradition to go to a Sacred Well and make a pledge to Brigid. This is not like becoming oathbound to a deity, nor is it pledging your life to Them. In this case, it is something you wish to do for the coming year - from Imbolg to Imbolg. It is a pledge you make with Her that She will hold you to.

Imbolg Ritual and My Thoughts

I have never been one to do a full-blown ritual. I have never had the attention span, the memory, nor the space for such a thing. This year, though, I believe that will be changing. I will be making a pledge to Brigid - of what, I’m not sure. I think I will leave that up in the air until Imbolg rolls around. I will let the ritual, meditation, and trancework lead me to where I need to be. I will let Her show me the things I need to see. I will let Her lead me on the path that is best for me.

I plan on lighting my candles and performing meditation. I always like to use Dragon’s Blood incense because it eases my mind into a spiritual headspace. One that allows me to let go of my mundane thoughts and shift to magickal work. Flowers haven’t bloomed in my area yet - it’s still too cold - so those won’t be included on my altar. I plan on doing some meditative drawing - something I have never done before. I find it best to meditate when my hands are busy, though, and this task seems fitting. When the time is right, I will write my pledge to Her on a slip of paper and say it aloud. I will give thanks to Her for Her protection, poetry, and inspiration. I also feel that She is behind a lot of the courage I’ve had since quitting my day job and moving toward freelancing.

She deserves my thanks, appreciation, and reverence - and She will have it.

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This is beautiful! :pray:

I want to link this to a printable prayer to Goddess Brigid:

Prayer-to-Brigid-Printable

And the full Prayer is here. Written by Megan Black, video made by me.

Happy Imbolc! :sparkles:

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@meganb, I’ve been feeling a close connection to her for some reason! Been searching for a diety or should I say, let them reveal themselves to me.
For some reason, she’s been in my thoughts while I meditate. I have never heard of her before, nor do I have any Irish ancestry. Which I find it odd, I feel drawn to her.

However, after researching her there has been quite of few coincidences as to why I may be to drawn to her. I came here looking for answers about my dreams that usually involve pregnancy. ( It’s in my bio. Every time I’ve dreamt about anyone close to me becoming pregnant- it has always happened. And always been facinated by the miracle of gestation, labor and delivery. As a young person I wanted to be a Obstetrician.
Dreams about death in family or friends also come true.) Not sure if it has anything to do with it or not. Also, I’m facinatated by :fire:. Love campfires and fireplaces. I’m the king of faux fireplaces ! I think I’ve tried out many versions! LoL.

Any advice you can offer, would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.
Blessed be.

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A connection with a deity can absolutely happen without genetic ties! Deities can reach out to us through many means and the bond can form gradually or suddenly- when it comes to gods and goddesses, they do as they wish! :grin:

I don’t have strong ties with Brigid, but from what you described, it seems like your dreams about pregnancy and life/death within the home could absolutely all be ties to Brigid, goddess of women, childbirth, and the home. And from what Megan wrote above, your love of fire could also signal a connection with Brigid!

It sounds to me like your instincts are pointing you to your deity, Walter! I would suggest you continue to learn more about her and deepen your connection with her. Perhaps consider making Brigids Cross or doing her Invocation Prayer.

Congrats on connecting with such a lovely deity! I’m very excited for you :blush:

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@BryWisteria, thank you for the advice! I will create a cross for her and research her some more. I did do an invocation prayer as well. This is all new to me so I have many questions. And also replied to @MeganB topic.

Thank you kindly.

Blessed be

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I work with Brigid and I am always researching more about her. She came to me also, I like to watch the flames of candles to watch how they move and I had inadvertently bought a statue of the Goddess Brigid when I thought originally she just called to me and I had to have her. I use the prayer/invocation to Brigid at times when I am doing my spellwork or rituals. She is a very lovely Goddess to work with and I hope your ties to her get stronger and she helps you in every way that she can.

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@Susurrus thank you , just been researching and ways to honor her. I’m hoping my ties do get stronger. First time working with a diety, therefore not sure what to expect. All I can say her presence was intense while forging a connection. I invoked her prayer last night again before I went to sleep. While I was asleep a smell of firewood/fire woke me up! Got a bit worried thought I dropped my incense or left a candle burning. However, nothing was found. But the smell was so real. Not sure if that’s any indication she was around. Just trying to rationalize in my mind. I’m usually a fairly rational person. Deciphering whether it’s my mind wanting it, or it’s actually for real.
However, the experience is pretty awesome!

Thank you.
Blessed be,

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I am so glad you are both nurturing such strong ties to Brigid, @Susurrus and @walter! :heart:

It was probably recommended to me for all the travel videos I watch, but I came across this fascinating video about St. Brigid’s Faire Temple :fire: in Kildare, Ireland. It is by Lucy Cavendish on YouTube:

In the video she shares a lot of very interesting information about Brigid, and how the pagan worship of her relates to the worship of her as a Saint. I thought of you both immediately when I saw it! :grin:

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@BryWisteria, thank you so much for sharing the video! Great to know more about her. The more I know, the more I’m feeling connected to her .
Blessed be.

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Thank you @BryWisteria for the video! I have it bookmarked for when I am done with my items to do today. I have to rest in the afternoon, I’m going for my weekly walk at 11:30 AM and we’ll see how I feel afterward.

I hope @walter enjoys the video too. She is a wonderful deity. I have a Brigid’s Cross hanging on my window behind my bed. That was fun to make. And I have a necklace coming that is her cross too.

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Brighid seems to reveal Herself to many people randomly, in my experience, but there is always a reason behind it. This would be something worth exploring! For me, I feel like she stepped forward because of my work with my hands (crochet) and because I’m coming forward to be of service to the pagan/witch community at large via my channel, podcast, and website.

She is intense at times, but she is also a warm motherly light. If you want some recommended reading, I would suggest Morgan Daimler and Lora O’Brien, to start. Check out Brighid’s lore and history, but also sit with Her and speak with Her. I find that if I don’t make a conscious effort to speak with Her regularly, I don’t feel Her around much. As an Irish pagan myself, I’m very much about right relationship with deity, and that involves keeping up relationships just like you would with any mortal.

Brighid – As Brigit, Brigid, Brighid, or Bríg, this Irish Goddess has been with the Irish Gods from pre-historic Ireland as one of the Tuatha Dé Danann, right through to modern Christian tradition in the form of our primary Catholic Saint. Her name is generally translated as ‘exalted one’, and she is a daughter of the Dagda. As one of the Irish Gods, she is associated with the Earraigh, the Spring (and particularly the Pagan Festival of Imbolg or Imbolc), and with fertility, and through her fire she brings healing, poetry and smithcraft. As Saint Brigid she shares many of the goddess’s associations, with a specific continuity of her sacred flame. (From Lora O’Brien - Irish Gods - Pagan Celtic Mythology - Lora O'Brien - Irish Author & Guide)

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@MeganB, thank you for the reply. I know you’re extremely busy. I’ve been reading up on her and learning her folklore and reciting her prayer regularly. I do feel her every time I meditate. It’s this incredible warmth, and as you mentioned a motherly love. Really hard to describe it. But I will take your advice -sit down with her to talk- and look furthermore into her connection. Is it polite to ask her questions , as to why she sought me out? Wouldn’t want to offend her in any way. When I ask the tarot ( which I’m still learning their meanings) I always get the cards that involve spiritual-growth and spiritually, etc, etc…I am a creative person, photography is my hobby but, my occupation has been working as a bartender/manager for the last several years. I have a fondness for animals and love my dog (dogs, one of them passed away over a year ago. Which was hard-she comes to me in my dreams often tho.) I have been giving her offerings of herbal tea and fresh water. I also looked up a statue of her on amazon. They are a bit pricey, for the nicer ones, which I’ll get next week. When you say she can be intense- intense in what way? Like @Francisco mentioned, treat her with kindness and love and never afraid. Which I have. Every connection, I’ve felt has been loving and warm. The connection always starts with a warm ball of :fire: that engulfs me. The only way I can describe is like being out on a really cold day and than coming home to stand in front of a hot fireplace. Your body just fills up with warm heat and comfort.

Again, thank you for the advice! And as I read in your pledge, I assume she will let me know, if she doesn’t want to work with me. Only other thing I can think of her, for coming to me is that I have a sickly uncle with heart problems. And my brother who is healing from a bad broken leg ( compound fracture) I read she’s a healer of wounds and scars as well. Or as I mentioned before, my prophetic dreams of pregnancies and death. Just trying to figure it out! However, I should just feel blessed. ( Which I am!)

Blessed be .

P.S- also my prophetic death dreams aren’t only for humans, pets as well. I dreamt when my dog died and also when my best friend’s/neighbor dog died as well. However, her dream was the quickest to manifest. I woke up that one of the dogs died ( My two or his dog) and I was in a panic when I awoke trying to think, which one is it? For some reason I felt his dog Maggie- which I loved her like one of mine. They, simply gave her a bath that morning, was a nice, hot, summer day. Said hello and good-bye to her as I headed to work. Several hours later, I got a text, that Maggie died! She simply went to sleep under the dining room table and never woke up. My heart sank and felt guilty because I didn’t say anything. Obviously, I rushed home. However, I learned that these dreams can’t be changed! So, in the end- saying something wouldn’t do any good. Only add to the heartache.Therefore, I remained quiet and never told my friends about the dream. So when I have these death dreams- it just scares me and I don’t like them!

I apologise for the lengthy reply.

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What I mean by intense is the energy that She emulates, not necessarily a negativity or anything like that. She can be pushy and She definitely has ways that She likes things to be done, but She also understands that we’re only human and we need a break sometimes.

She can also test your limits and push you to be the best you can, but She has never pushed me past what I am capable of.

I definitely would say its okay to ask Her questions, but She might not give you a straight answer or an answer at all, not until She’s ready. We’ve actually come to an understanding about the requirements that She had given me before, but I’m not quite ready to talk about that yet.

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@MeganB, thank you so much for sharing this valuable information, especially to a novice like me.

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She has helped me immensely in some decision making and what I am currently going through. She definitely came to me at the perfect time as did following my spirituality my own way.

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@Susurrus, thank you, yes I did enjoy it very much!

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I am so thankful for this post, I was getting ready to make a post asking for advice on where to go for Brigid or reading material. I have been feeling intense energy the last few days and during meditation I have been called to Brigid, its a weird feeling. I wasnt sure that I would find a deity and here I am. I have always been a flame watcher anytime there is any type of fire and recently I have been drawn to flames and then Brigid. I have an excited energy running through me currently. :heart:

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Thank you for this post @MeganB, and for all the information that you and @BryWisteria, @Francisco and @walter have provided.

Brigid has been a goddess that Ive been praying - meditating to. Minus today and yesterday, for reasons mentioned in another post.

Not sure if anyone else finds themselves doing this but I’ve found myself talking to her and thanking her for looking over me for the past week. I’m hoping to make her a doll or at least knit a hat in her honor and then gift it to a friend of mines niece who is really sick and in the hospital. Poor little one has lost all her hair so I want to make her a hat or two to keep her head warm.

I’m hoping that knitting in her honor and then gifting the hats are ok… If this isn’t please let me know, I wouldn’t want to offend her, as she has taken good care of me for what feels like a month.

It was only in the past week or so that I’ve realized it must be her. The only other goddess that I contact with is Gaia, but that seem to be more in the summer - fall. However, this year she seems to be pointing me to other goddess such as Brigid and the god Odin and another god or goddess that I can’t seem to put ny finger on. Keep seeing hawks, and not just in the sky :face_with_monocle::thinking:.

Hope everyone had a good day :hugs:.
Only the Best,
Francessca

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@Francessca she has recently been in my life too, this time of year is when she is strongest!

I can’t imagine she would be offended at you for using your creativity to help others. She helped others often. And you are giving from your heart in her honor. :heart:

I’m right there with you as far as Brighid and Odin go. I thought I was connected to Freya, but looking back I think it was Brighid all along. She’s a very old goddess that has crossed many cultures and had many names. So who knows? :heart:

Edit: I’ve found myself talking to her often, too. So you’re not alone!

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Brighid has recently come into my life, too. She has really helped me with a problem that I was having at work. She contacted me during my self-dedication ceremony! I pray to her daily.

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