Imbolc is on the Horizon: Brigit Post 1

Seeing as this is the year that I've been seriously feeling Brigit, I'm going to spend a little time in the next week sending her some love. Imbolc marks the half-way point between the winter and spring solstice, and is the Irish day of celebration for Brigit, saint and Pagan Goddess alike.

When Cute Husband and I were traipsing joyfully around Ireland this summer, we had no real agenda, other than to follow our noses and find lovely things to eat, see, and do. One of the few items on my list of things to see was to visit Kildare, where Brigit's cathedral is located. We hadn't planned to do this until the end of the trip, and I was really looking forward to seeing it. On our first day of wandering, we decided to drive west from Dublin to Galway, which took about four hours. On the way, we got a little hungry, and went looking for a place to stop for lunch. We were en route to Connemara, winding our way through gorgeous emerald grass and treacherous stretches of road (the Irish just plow through the narrow two lane roads at great speed), and kept seeing signs for Brigit's Garden. Upon finding a brief write up in our Lonely Planet guidebook, we decided to check it out.

We turned off the main road and meandered along a sleepy back road, passing farms and climbing up hills which would crest and provide the most beautiful green vistas. Cute Husband's allergies were in full force as every single thing was in bloom. It was a rich and gorgeous setting, and when we pulled into the parking lot, we were thrilled to see just a few cars parked outside the walkway into the garden. Initially, we were just hoping to satisfy our appetites, but after a delicious meal in the funky, organic kitchen (with its own French chef), we began to make our way through the garden. Here's the entrance:

This was such an extraordinary find. The garden was an interactive art gallery, essentially, with sculpture and playful touches, all honoring Brigit as Goddess. The garden itself was divided into the four Pagan seasons of the year, and within each section, there was sculpture and structured space to honor the traits of each season. It was so clever and beautifully constructed. There was not a soul around, so we were able to spend quiet time exploring and delighting in each discovery. I especially loved the fairy hill and the thatched huts, as it brought to life my ideas of what Irish fairy tales have always meant to me.

Here's a picture of a fairy tree, with written notes attached to the limbs of the trees, sending out their wishes to the fairies:

(My favorite wishes were the ones that read: "I hope my gram isn't sick anymore" and "I just want to hold Mara O'Donnell in my arms once more." They slayed me.)

Inside the thatched hut was a beautiful meditation space, with long pillows on window seats and a desk with scraps of bright paper, string and a pen for writing out your wishes. I loved these fairy trees so much.  Here are some more:

We continued to roam, and found Brigit's throne and fire pit, and at this point I was feeling seriously witchy. Cute Husband, who is completely against any kind of religion and who is absolutely, wonderfully supportive of my spiritual leanings, started wandering off to explore while I walked through the space dedicated to Brigit. Here's what the design looks like of the pathway leading up to her throne:

Here's the walkway looking from the throne:

And here is the final destination, Brigit's Throne and Fire Pit:

(Doesn't that throne look familiar?)

I desperately wanted my witches (Gypsy Girl and Elfin One) with me to see this, and also I wanted my sweet mom to be there with me. She would have been so deeply delighted. I thought, too, of the Brigit who has had a significant effect on my belief in life beyond the veil. Imagine being a little kid, going over to your friend's 200 year old farm house for a play-date, and hearing how her very powerful, serious yet lovely mom talks to the ghost who lives with them. 

At any rate, here's the first of a few posts in honor of Brigit. After seeing how her Irish family continues to honor her, how could I not be in awe of this Goddess?