Imbolc sermon and ritual – Shanda Unger

Sermon and ritual for Imbolc
January 28, 2018
by Shanda Unger from Tree of Life Open Circle

Hail, Brigantia! Keeper of the forge, 
she who shapes the world itself with fire, 
she who ignites the spark of passion in the poets, 
she who leads the clans with a warrior’s cry, 
she who is the bride of the islands, 
and who leads the fight of freedom.
 Hail, Brigantia! Defender of kin and hearth,
 she who inspires the bards to sing,
 she who drives the smith to raise his hammer, 
she who is a fire sweeping across the land.

That prayer is quite different from the prayer earlier. The earlier prayer was from a Irish Catholic website and this prayer comes from a translation from a Pan-Celtic tribe on the border of England.

Both prayers offer up exaltations to one woman, Bride. For some she is a saint, others a goddess. But her gifts don’t change on who is praying to her; she is protector of the people of Ireland, she watches over children, midwifery, smith craft, and healing. Nor do her symbols change; white and red, the Brides Cross, sacred wells, and the eternal flame. In fact, a monastery in Ireland that is said to be established by Saint Bride, where her sacred healing well is found and the nuns still tend an eternal flame, is said to be a sacred pagan site and the monastery continued these traditions even after Irelands conversion to Christianity.

For me, she is a symbol of the powerful female fighting for herself and others against oppression.

Let tell you some of the stories of the Saint that lead me to that belief.

After Brigid promised God a life of chastity, her brothers were annoyed at the loss of a bride price. When she was outside carrying a load past a group of poor people, some began to laugh at her. A man named Bacene said to her, “The beautiful eye which is in your head will be betrothed to a man though you like it or not.” In response, Brigid thrust her finger in her eye and said, “Here is that beautiful eye for you. I deem it unlikely that anyone will ask you for a blind girl.” Her brothers tried to save her and wash away the blood from her wound, but there was no water to be found. Brigid said to them, “Put my staff about this sod in front of you”, and after they did, a stream came forth from the ground. Then she said to Bacene, “Soon your two eyes will burst in your head” and it happened as she said.

One of the more commonly told stories is of Brigid asking the King of Leinster for land. She told the king that the place where she stood was the perfect spot for a convent. The king laughed at her and refused to give her any land. Brigid prayed and asked God to soften the king’s heart.

Then she smiled at the king and said, “Will you give me as much land as my cloak will cover?” The king thought that she was joking and agreed. She told four of her sisters to take up the cloak, but instead of laying it flat on the turf, each sister, with face turned to a different point of the compass, began to run swiftly, the cloth growing in all directions.

The cloak began to cover many acres of land. “Oh, Brigid!” said the frighted king, “what are you about?” “I am, or rather my cloak is about covering your whole province to punish you for your stinginess to the poor.” “Call your maidens back. I will give you a decent plot of ground.” The saint was persuaded, and if the king held his purse-strings tight in future, she had only to allude to her cloak to bring him to reason. Soon afterwards, the king became a Christian, began to help the poor and commissioned the building of the convent.

What a tough, opinionated woman!

In the pagan tradition she is venerated on Imbolc, February 2nd. In the Catholic tradition that is candlemas and both traditions celebrate it in a similar way. The church blesses its candles for the coming year and pagans bless and light candles to represent the growing light and the hope for spring.

RITUAL
Adapted from Patti Wigington.

So for todays ritual we will do a candle meditation. Each time I strike the anvil, if someone will come forward and light one candle.

strike the anvil. As you do so, say:

Although it is now dark, I come seeking light. 
In the chill of winter, I come seeking life.

strike the anvil. Light the second candle, saying:

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 I call upon fire, that brings the light and makes new life.
I call upon fire to purify me with your flames.

strike the anvil. Light the third candle. Say:

This light is a boundary, between positive and negative.
 That which is outside, shall stay without.
 That which is inside, shall stay within.

strike the anvil. Light the fourth candle. Say:

I call upon fire, that melts the snow and warms the hearth.
I call upon fire, that brings the light and makes new life.
I call upon fire to purify me with your flames.

strike the anvil. Light the fifth candle, saying:

Like fire, light and love will always grow.
Like fire, wisdom and inspiration will always grow.

strike the anvil. Light the sixth candle, and say:

I call upon fire, that melts the snow and warms the hearth.
I call upon fire, that brings the light and makes new life.
I call upon fire to purify me with your flames.

Finally, the last candle.

As it is lit, visualize the seven flames coming together as one.

Take a few moments and meditate on the light of the candles.

Think about this Sabbat, a time of healing and inspiration and purification.

Do you have something damaged that needs to be healed? Are you feeling stagnant, for lack of inspiration? Is there some part of your life that feels toxic or tainted? Visualize the light as a warm, enveloping energy that wraps itself around you, healing your ailments, igniting the spark of creativity, and purifying that which is damaged.

strike the anvil.

Fire of the hearth, blaze of the sun, 
cover me in your shining light.
 I am awash in your glow, and today I am
 made pure.

ring the bell to end ritual.

-Shanda Unger