Yes, it's the season of Lughnasadh. Yes, many Pagans honor the Irish God Lugh or his mother Tailtiu. But this Lughnasadh, I looked at the Wheel of the Year and thought, "Hmmmm, Imbolc is the Sabbat opposite Lughnasadh. I feel like I want to work with that energy this year ~ the energy of Brigid." For if Lugh is the God most associated with Lughnasdh, Brigid is the Goddess connected to Imbolc.
Imbolc is the second picture on the right. (Notice the daffodils.)
Lughnasadh is the third picture from the top on the left. (Notice the hay and grain imagery.)
I also made the decision to not hold my ritual on August 1. Now I know you all are probably flummoxed at this point, wondering if my Pagan Priestess card should be revoked. (lol) But hear me out. You see, I just got back from my honeymoon on July 30th. It was amazing and magical and wonderful! (The wedding boasted a double rainbow!) However, by the time I finally unpacked and cleaned up and acclimated to "regular life," I was tired. And, in my opinion, there's nothing worse than pushing yourself to perform ritual when you can barely keep your eyes open.
Ritual should be done with an open heart and a clear mind. It is, after all, your opportunity to connect with the Divine and forge a relationship with your deity of choice. Ritual forges a link between the worlds and between time and space. It is liminal, sacred, sublime, and divine. It should be treated as a blessed event, not a chore that "has" to be accomplished. Your frame of mind will change the efficacy of any magic you perform. It could effect the whole season going forward. (It doesn't have to but it could!)
So, instead, I am celebrating my Brigid fire ritual on August 7, one day before the August New Moon. We will be using cool color changing fire wood that we first saw at my sister-in-law's house and picked up in one of those big box hardware stores. We plan on releasing any beliefs that hold us back from fully welcoming and embracing the bounty of the earth and the abundance that is our natural birthright.
I'll post the ritual in a few days so you can choose to celebrate, if you wish! In the meantime, I leave you with the song Holy Water, Sacred Flame from the Circle Round and Sing! cd by Ann Hill. This song to the Goddess Brigid holds special meaning for me as it was one of the first songs I felt comfortable singing out loud. Fifteen years ago, holding my daughter's chubby, toddler hand in mine, I took a deep breath and pushed aside all those old stories and untruths about the beauty (or lack thereof) of my voice. I sang, by myself. Without accompaniment. In honor of Brigid. May you feel the same sense of peace and purpose and acceptance that I felt when I first took that leap and opened up my voice.
Brigid by Lisa Iris
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