Showing posts with label Brigid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brigid. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Bride and the Snake...
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The halfway point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox has just past... 44 days marked the mid point and by my calculation made it February 4th. In some pagan traditions this time of year is called Imbolc, Brigid, Candlemas.
It was also the start of a new cycle in Chinese astrology- the Year of the Snake which began on the 4th even though the official New Year Celebration wont be until New Moon tomorrow, Sunday February 10th.
Snakes are on my mind at the moment as there is also an interesting association between Brigit and snakes. The first reference that comes to mind originates from The Genealogy of Bride in the Camina Gadelica, a Scottish sacred text compiled by Alexander Carmicheal in the 1900s (Carmina Gadelica Vol. 1: II Aimsire: Seasons). It goes like this:
Early on Bride's morn
The serpent shall come from the hole,
I will not molest the serpent,
Nor will the serpent molest me.
Thig an nimhir as an toll,
Cha bhoin mise ris an nimhir,
Cha bhoin an nimhir rium.'
In ancient Gaelic mythology, snakes often symbolize a time of 'silent observation' and heightened awareness... which to me seems perfect for this time a year as it is still winter - a time of hibernation, peace and quiet.
The serpent coming out of its den to take a peak worked much like the American gopher on GroundHog Day... if the weather on St. Brigid's day was good - it would signify that winter would last longer.
The Day of Bride, the birthday of Spring,
The serpent emerges from the knoll,
'Three-years-olds' is applied to heifers,
Garrons are taken to the fields.*
Thig an dearrais as an tom,
Theirear "tri-bhliadhnaich" ri aighean,
Bheirear gearrain chon nam fonn.'
Regardless of how long winter weather lasts- Imbolc brings the hope of Spring to our consciousness which as a season, promises renewal and transformation.
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References:
Thank you to SacredTexts.com for their interesting article / translations on the Genealogy of Bride.
Thank you to SacredTexts.com for their interesting article / translations on the Genealogy of Bride.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Every Day is Earth Day...
Every Day is Earth Day...
Here at Twilight
Entry to Spiral Garden, Twilight 2012
The pears, quinces, and cherries are blooming... the figs and pawlonias are starting to leaf out... the white mulberry is starting to show berries... the purple irises are in full glory... the wisteria and lilac are about to burst out and the bees are doing their usual thing on the flowering rosemary. Life is... as it usually is at Twilight... event full in its kingdom of earth...
To celebrate the fact that other people are focusing on planet earth and her wellbeing today... I want to do something special on my blog & share something never seen before... a Brizel Silk Tapestry Art vase:
Ode to Brigit's Bees
As all my Silk Tapestry Art work- this vase is a freeform piece featuring a combination of silk sari yarn, made from disgarded silk sari factory loom warps, and banana silk yarn- a vegan yarn made from banana fibers.
The silver bees are vintage buttons and the fractal flower is a modern art glass button from the Czech republic. The ribbon was reclaimed & upcycled from gift wrapping left overs.
This vase is a ooak and was created for my altar...
I love how it worked out !
It measures about 6" tall
I still feel passionate about silk sari yarns & banana yarns
as well as vintage buttons and art glass buttons.
These materials have inspired and informed
Brizel's Silk Tapestry Art work since 2005
when silk sari yarns made their debut.
Happy Earth Day to all !
xo
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Brigid of the Apples...
Brigid of the Apples
One of the large scale spirals here at Twilight is an orchard planted with 18 different varieties of apples which are positioned in two concentric circles with a spiral path that winds into a central space. Volcanic rocks line the way there and in between each apple tree are lavenders.
Twilight's 'Isle of Apples' was birthed some 11 years ago and as all living spaces is constantly growing & evolving. It is true to say that am not an experienced or learned orchardist so despite well sought out advice regrettably I lost many trees to the heat of the summers and to technical complications in the early years but other apple trees were planted and life carried on.
Today, the orchard is doing better... the Spanish lavenders are being replaced with a French variety and its flowers are harvested & dried. Each Jan/Feb when the trees are pruned, the small budded tips are cut and dried to create next year's apple wood Brigid Crosses. The rest of the pruned wood is cut to size, bundled up and sold as chew sticks for small critters such as rabbits and chinchillas. All these 'From the Land' Twilight products, including iris bulbs, are available for purchase seasonally in my Etsy shop: Brizel4TheAnimals.
This year, as previous ones, I have been pondering on (Brigit / Brighid) Brigid's association with apples. Some years ago, I had more than the intuitive notion that making Brigid Crosses from Twilight's apple wood cuttings would be most appropriate. This is by no means a traditional material that is used for Breed's crosses but I had read that both saint and goddess had an affiliation with this lovely fruit and wood.
A brief recounting tells stories about St Brigid using her saintly powers to both bestow blessings through an abundant harvest of apples or punish the undeserving by cursing their apple trees to bareness. Goddess Brigid, on the hand, was said to have an apple orchard in the 'OtherWorld' where it was told that bees would travel from 'afar' to gather its sweet nectar.
This blog post is not intended to be a scholarly treatise on Brigid but rather a slight meandering of personal thoughts and meditations... as well as to *show* why I personally think there is an association between Brigid & apples...
During the winter months, apple trees- although dormant in terms of foliage, and fruit bearing- gathers strength from both earth and water- and spends its energy getting ready for the upcoming spring. As time approaches, buds and branch tips swell up in anticipatory celebration. Some of the branches become spear and arrow like...
Brigid is a Goddess with many names... Her connection to the element of fire and with the sun brought her names such as Bright Flame... and as a protectress and warrior: Bright Arrow. The spears on the apple trees seem to rejoice in portraying those energetic aspects of her 'in the flesh'.
Brigid has always been the founding patroness of this land and the reason why I came to it & have been here ever since. Her altar resides at the well house which structure safeguards the well to the property. May her cloak continue to protect Twilight and bring abundance to the land.
Brigid is here, Brigid has come, welcome Breed !
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Celebrating Brigid...
CELEBRATiNG BRiGiD
HAPPY iMBOLC !
St Brigid's eve and day has come and gone but Imbolc - the midpoint between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox is still very much upon us. Happy Imbolc to all who celebrate !
I am still very much in process with this year's Brigid retreat as i have been incorporating both its spiritual ceremonies and my usual mundane activities into my daily schedule and routines. This is a first for me because in the past there was usually 2 to 3 days set aside for the event. But this year is different... I am doing the work alone, and so i have been baby stepping through the rhythms of the past in a new and different way.
Because Brigid is a solar divinity- sun days prove to be the perfect days to honor Her. This sunday, I'd like to share with you- not only the apple wood Brigid Cross (pictured above) which is a special & unique handcraft which i make each year... but also a wire wrapped Brigid Cross made by Dana- an Etsyan who approached me some weeks ago wanting some apple wood to make her own cross. Both these crosses share a passion of celebrating Brigid- an ancient triple celtic Goddess who still draws dedication from many of us today. For more information about my Brigid Crosses, please click here.
Dana's wire wrapped Brigid Cross
You can view an Etsy Treasury created this morning- called Imbolc by clicking here or scrolling down to the previous post on this blog.
I'd also like to share the lyrics to a song called: Brigid of The Highlands- written by Helen Farias and Craig Olson and set to a traditional celtic tune called Brigid O'Malley.
BRIGID UPON THE HIGHLAND
Oh Brigid Upon the Highland,
'tis you've left my heart shaken,
with joyous adoration
as before you I stand.
'Tis wonders of admiration
your quiet face has taken,
and your beauty can awaken
the ones of the Golden Land.
Oh the white moon above the pale sands,
the pale stars above the thorn tree,
are cold beside my darling
but no purer than she.
I gaze upon the cold moon
'til stars drown in the warm seas,
and the bright eyes of my Darling,
are ever on me.
Oh Brigid of the Mantle,
sweet nectar from the bees, now.
My heart is thrown open,
my heartbreak is healed.
Oh, joy springs forth within me,
as apple blossoms on the trees, now.
Forever will I love thee
in green Avalon fields.
Oh Brigid Upon the Highland,
'tis you've left my heart shaken,
with fires of inspiration,
and the Promise of Spring.
Please stay with me, my darling,
to never be forsaken.
Of your beauty and mystery
I ever shall sing.
Of your beauty and mystery
I ever shall sing.
released on the 15 August, 2006.
Listen to this beautiful song...
(you'll have to pause the blog's usual music all the way at the bottom)
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Someone to Watch Over Me
We all need someone to watch over us... no matter what or who it is... its always a good feeling to know something or someone cares about us and our well being.
My friend, Rebecca, from KneeDeepOriginals put together this lovely Treasury on Etsy called...
SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME
curated by Rebecca of KneeDeepOriginals
"It's all about love and faith,
it's all about caring,
it's all about looking out for each other...
human and non-human friends alike.
Just do it."
Rebecca is an inspired artist in & of many mediums, including song writing & music playing... here is an example in a new series of oil paintings that she has been listing in her Etsy shop, KneeDeepOriginals:
"Here's a colorful 8 x 8 oil painting to hang on your wall to remind you to dream big, to inspire others, and above all, to love.
Underneath the words is a close up of a flower in bright, cheerful colors. It's been painted on gallery-wrapped canvas with 3 /4 inch edges which allow the painting to wrap around. It will come wired on the back and ready for hanging. Signed on the bottom edge as well as on the back."
A continued thanks to Rebecca for featuring my handcrafts in her Treasury collections... in this case, one of Brizel's apple wood Brigid Crosses... which are spell crafted to protect home & house...
"Brigit Crosses are solar symbols, equal armed and stretching in four directions, which symbolically encourages the strength of the Sun through our front doors and into our homes. It is a talisman, usually hung above the inside of the front door or near the hearth, and it is believed to bring protection, blessing, fertility and prosperity into our households.
Brizel Brigit Crosses are a very unique adaptation of a Brigid Cross, made of apple wood which i grow and prune myself, and is perfect for your home or as a house warming blessing gift !
The wood is carefully sewn together with colored hemp string... purple in the center and an elemental/directional color for each of the arms of the cross. There is a loop at the back for it to hang from."
The apple trees were pruned over the winter & I have been creating this year's Brigid Crosses from last season's wood harvest. Each cross once created is completed with a special blessing prayer and then stored at the well house where Brigid's main altar resides. (If you wish, you can click HERE to view this year's photos of the altar)
Brizel Brigid Crosses are available ready made or if you so desire, custom made for you or a friend... in which case the blessing is made for a specific given street address. My blessing spell goes like this:
May this HOME be blessed this upcoming year
May this BOWER be blessed this upcoming year
May this DWELLING be blessed this upcoming year
May this HOUSE be blessed this upcoming year
May FIRE keep this home warm & dry
May WATER be ample & clean at this bower
May EARTH below this dwelling be solid & sturdy
May AIR around this house be gentle & clear
Brigit ABOVE this house keeps it safe
Brigit BELOW this house keeps it safe
Brigit ALL AROUND this house keeps it safe
This house is in the safe keeping of Brigit !
2011 Brigid Crosses are available at brizel4TheAnimals,
custom or ready made, these measure approx 7" x 7".
Click HERE to see these listings !
Last year's smaller Brigit Crosses,
measuring approx 6" x 6",
are still available at Brizel Handcrafts on ArtFire.
Click HERE to visit the listings !
Brigid Blessings to all
xo
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Imbolc @Twilight
New altar at well house, Twilight
2011 St Brigid Day / Imbolc
Seasonal wild flowers from Twilight
(manzanita, rosemary, narcissus)
Main altar - right
(brigid cross, Brigit portrait, flowers, cow bell, etc)
Brigid, brown swan
Celtic wheat dolly
40 white cloth prayer ties
(elemental charging at the altar)
Adding to the Cloutees* at the well house
(*celtic style cloth prayer ties)
***
The many necklaces of Brigit
WATER & AiR Goddess
- Healing work -
(necklace by Rebecca Dresser, KneeDeepOriginals)
FiRE Goddess
- Protection work -
(necklace by Rebecca Dresser, KneeDeepOriginals)
EARTH Goddess
- Prosperity work -
(necklace by Laura Farnsworth, lkfarnsworth)
iNSiGHT Goddess
- Divination work -
***
"Now I find Her in myself"
Season's Greeting !
xo
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