Hello everyone!

Welcome to the “Brighid-Along” aka the “Nine Days of Brighid.” Below are some resources to help you connect with today’s aspect of Brighid, Sacred Wells.

Brighid has given her name to rivers across Celtic lands including Brigit in Ireland, Brent in England, and Braint in Wales. Many wells across Ireland are sacred to her, including the most famous St. Brighid Well of Kildare. Pilgrims Bride with her white wand is said to breathe life into the mouth of the dead Winter and to bring him to open his eyes to the tears and the smiles, the sighs and the laughter of Spring. The venom of the cold is said to tremble for its safety on Bride’s Day and to flee for its life on Patrick’s Day. There is a saying:

‘Chuir Bride miar ’s an abhuinn                         Bride put her finger in the river

La na Feill Bride                                                           On the Feast Day of Bride

Is dh’ fhalbh mathair ghuir an fhuachd,         And away went the hatching mother of the cold,

Is nigh i basan anns an abhuinn                           And she bathed her palms in the river

La na Feill Padruig                                                       On the Feast Day of Patrick

Is dh’ fhalbh mathair ghin an fhuachd.’             And away went the conception mother of the cold,

From “Sloinntireachd Bhride,” Carmina Gadelica, Volume 1, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900], at sacred-
texts.com. Available at http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cg1/cg1074.htm

Modern Pagans make many associations with water, from wisdom and the underworld to emotions and consciousness. Brighid’s Well of today holds many wonders. Find out what you will behold when you delve into her waters.

Bright Blessings of Brighid,

Diane “Emerald” Bronowicz Egelhoff, on behalf of Sassafras Grove, ADF

Brighid Along Day 7—Sacred Wells

Deep sacred soul

Purity and magic

restore body, mind and spirit. (Rowynn CleerDawn)

The Nine Virtues of Brighid: Sacred Wells/Wisdom

Like pilgrims who travel to sacred places in search of answers, as we travel through this life we gain wisdom if we actively seek to learn from our experiences. As Mistress of the Sacred Wells, Brighid bestows the waters of wisdom upon those who seek her blessings. (Diane “Emerald”)

How can I learn from my experiences today? What wisdom can be found in both successes and failures, joys and disappointments?

Mistress of the Sacred Wells Invocation to Brighid: Sassafras Traditional

Siul Linn, a Bhríd* (Walk with us, Brighid)

Hail Brighid, Goddess of Sacred Wells

Lady of the Flowing Waters

Patroness of Second Sight and the Waters of Life

Your fires warm the earth below to melt the frozen land

Your fires bring the water rushing clear and pure

Your fires light up the cool stream of new water at a sacred spring

It is your brightness glittering on the snow and frost

It is your light we see reflected in the stillness of a winter pond

Brighid, Goddess of Sacred Wells and Springs, Siul Linn, a Bhríd. (Diana Paar et al.)

*”Shoe lean ah Breejah”

Gemstone – Lapis Lazuli

Lapis Lazuli is a powerful stone that aids in comprehension, manifestations, and insight into self. Lapis is a stone of spiritual love and is also known for aiding love and fidelity within a marriage. It is a stone traditionally reserved for royalty. It was known to assist one in saying the perfect thing, at the perfect time and in finding pearls of wisdom. (Michelle Handa and Deana S.)

Sacred Wells Meditation

Take three, deep, cleansing breaths.

Exhale fully…let go of the tensions and distractions of your day.

Take three more deep breaths. Breathe into any part of your body that may be uncomfortable.

Allow your breath to fill you, cleanse and ease you.

Turn your attention to yourself, to your center.

Take three more deep, cleansing breaths.

In your mind’s eye, see yourself in your sacred space, at your shrine, in a cave, sheltered beneath a tree, the place where your magic runs deep.

Focus for a moment on your center, and breathe into your core.

Allow your attention to flow downward from your center, through your legs and feet and down, down into the earth, through the soil until you touch the water below.

Feel the deep waters swirling below you, clear and cool. These are the ancient waters, the waters whose touch make all things new, the waters of renewal and purification. This is the well of wisdom, the well of inspiration, the wellspring of healing.

With your next three breaths, draw these clear, cool, healing waters of into yourself….up through your feet, through your legs, through your body. Draw the waters into your center, a pool of hospitality and comfort resting at your center. Clear and cool the well rests at your center.

Remember your connection to the waters below.

With your next three breaths allow your attention to flow upwards the heavens through your chest and neck and out through the top of your head.

Piercing the midnight blue of the night sky the stars shine their light, guiding you upward. Find your star, the one that shines for you alone. Turn your attention to your star. It is the fire that shines on the water, the fire that warms frozen springs, the fire that frees the waters from winter’s frozen grasp. This is the fire of rebirth, the fire of renewals, the fire that warms the first breath of spring.

With your next three breaths draw that inspiring fire down from the sky, through your head, through your chest, down to your center. Filling the darkness, the fire of rebirth embraces the pure, cool waters, merging healing and renewal. Fire and water combine, ice melts, streams flow unbound, freedom and promise fill you. This union below and above awakens in you your own purity, your own healing, your own potential for renewal. Connected below and above, you are upheld by the embrace of the oneness.

Allow that oneness of fire and water flow through you, around you, and over you. Join your heartbeat to the heartbeat of creation, feel that heartbeat connecting you to the mysteries above and below. Rest for a moment in the mystery.

Now slowly, bring that pulsing energy back into your center, flowing back through you to your center. Let the powers separate, and allow the waters of healing to flow downward from your center, through your legs and feet and down, down into the earth, keeping only what you need to heal yourself. Allow the fires of renewal to return through your chest, through your head, and upward into the heavensm keeping only what you need to renew yourself.

Turn your attention to your center and take three deep breaths. When you are ready, open your eyes. (Maria Stoy)

Day Seven: Sacred Wells Meditation (audio)

Brighid Sacred Wells Prayer

Brighid, we peer into the sacred wells

Probing into the dark places beneath the Earth

Plunging into the deepest parts of self

Magic, unexplored facets of being emerge

We see our true nature reflected in the waters

Brighid, Goddess of the sacred wells, we honor you (Diane Dahm)

Brighid Sacred Wells Affirmation

You are Mistress of Sacred Wells

Bless the work of my head, heart and hands.

May your well purify and strengthen me

May your holy waters flow through me

May I be your healing hands upon the world

Bíodh sé amhlaidh

Brighid Sacred Wells Virtual Shrine (Michelle Handa)