SACRED HAVEN COVEN

The Forge in the Forest

 An Inner Journey Meditation to invoke Brigid

 Light your candle. Gaze into the flame for a few moments, then close your eyes. You will still see the image of the flame against your eyelids. Now imagine it is growing brighter and brighter, and go one step further and imagine you are standing in a place filled with the warmth and red gold light of leaping flames… Imagine, in fact, that you are standing in the entrance to a forge in a forest, where a blazing fire is roaring, and in front of it stands a woman. Thick, auburn hair is tied back, but a few rippling curls have escaped around her face. She is dressed in dark green with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, revealing strong white arms. Brigid, for of course it is she, stands over a large anvil where all her concentration is focused on beating a sheet of soft gleaming bronze with a great hammer… At last, she looks up and smiles at you warmly. She has finished her creation and holds it up to the light of the fire for you to see. As you look at it, it appears to continually change shape: first it seems to be a leaf, then a globe, … and now it has become a star. Brigid laughs deeply, musically, and tosses the star into the air, where it sails into the night sky and takes its place among the glittering constellations…

 And now Brigid turns towards you and asks: What have you come here to create? … You tell her of your vision, whether great or small, personal or for the wider community… and she beckons you over to the fire. As you look into the flames, pictures start to move and you see yourself at work, filled with enthusiasm and passion as you make your vision a reality… …  You and your creation are surrounded and shot through with the golden light of inspiration. Brigid is there too, watching over you with love as you work, encouraging you and filling you with confidence and creativity… If any self-doubt or fears start to arise, see Brigid surrounding you with her mantle of protection: a warm soft cloak of green that makes you feel safe and inviolable… Now see yourself with your vision turned into reality, feeling a sense of accomplishment and pride… Thank Brigid for showing you this vision, and ask her to tell you what your first step should be towards bringing it into reality….  Listen carefully, and ask her questions if you need more clarity…  When you have finished the conversation with her, see the forge suddenly glow even more brightly, so that all forms and shapes, including that of Brigid herself, melt into a suffusion of golden light… and now see that the light is just the candle flame reflected on your eyelids…Slowly come back to the room. Open your eyes and write down what she has suggested. In the coming weeks, call upon Brigid to help keep your inspiration alight.

This meditation is set to music on Mara Freeman's CD: Celtic Spirit Meditations.

Imbolc

So the skies rumbled and the snows came,
And everywhere down the centuries of this gray night
Came women gathering to pray,
And to sink their hands into the dark earth.


They gathered seeds and prepared them for planting.
They meditated in the icy darkness,
And they celebrated the lambing of the first ewe,
To hasten spring.


And when, through the earth, they felt the stirring,
They sang songs encouraging the tiny seeds to grow.
In the dark, wet soil you can smell their work still;
They are digging along beside us.  Listen!


The north wind carries their song across the snow,
This Imbolc night.
As the Earth prepares for Spring,
Wise women gather in circles to await the promise of new life,
And to sing praises for the green earth.


And so do we, here, now,
This year, and every year.
Welcome, Imbolc!

(Unknown.)
submitted by Sage

Prayer to Brigid

Blessed Be the Goddess of Creativity.
Brigid, Bright One,
Goddess of the Forge.

Teach me to bear the fires of transformation,
The furnace that tempers my blade,
And makes me strong.

Be with me as I blaze my trail.
I light this candle in fiery offering to you,
Brigid, Goddess of Fire.

Unknown Author
submitted by Sage

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