Meet My Personal Goddess, Brigid

Turning our eyes toward spring with Imbolc

Imbolc (pronounced like EE-melk) is a Gaelic fire festival, also known as Saint Brigid’s Day, and is usually observed on February 1st.

Imbolc celebrates the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox and the return to the light after winter’s darkness.

In 2023, for the first time, Imbolc is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, the first one named after a woman.

Tribute to Brigid: Brigid crosses, often placed in homes to ward off fire; candles; snowdrop flowers, one of the first to bloom in the spring; and a lamb, representing spring lambing season. ju_see at Shutterstock.

Celtic spirituality, like paganism in general, is deeply connected to the daily and seasonal cycles of the earth, as well as to the magic of creativity and poetry.

Brigid is one of the brightest stars in paganism.

She’s the goddess of fire, passion, poetry, and invention. Craftsmen of all trades sought her favor, especially blacksmiths. When Christianity began to spread to Ireland, the goddess Brigid became Saint Brigid, one of Ireland’s national saints, along with Patrick. Her name means “exalted one” and she is the bringer of civilization.

Writer’s photo of Brigid and her fire. Look at that pose. This broad can make some magic.