Keeping the Flame

As the title alludes, tonight it is my turn to keep Brighid's flame.  As I did last month, I'm going to refrain from using the internet and, instead, spend my time in meditation, creativity, prayer, study, and housework*.  I am also planning to give myself some reiki.

I've been working on another Brighid doll recently.  So far she is turning out well.  Every time I sew something I learn a new lesson, and this piece is no exception.   I cannot wait to share her.

Before my quiet evening begins, I am going to get my massage in Watertown.  I'm very excited.  Nothing like some healing on my day of working with Brighid, right?  I shall ask for her blessing as I lay on the table.






*As Brighid is a Goddess of the hearth and home, I feel it's only appropriate to tidy it up so that she is more welcomed here.

I had a really great experience keeping the flame last night.  I started to do some housework between finishing up some internet tasks, so I got that out of the way before I even started.  As the sun set, I closed my eyes and steadied my breath, focusing on the task at hand.  I then lit the candle and said a prayer.

After that, I got to work and did some exercise.  I've been trying to work out for 30 minutes every day.  I inevitably skip some days, but, on a whole, I'm proud of the progress I've been making.  I love doing yoga before my aerobics.  I've lost some weight and I feel good about myself.  In addition, it's helping me improve my breathing.

After exercising I took a cleansing shower before going to my ritual room for an hour's worth of self-reiki and meditation.  The reiki felt amazing and I'm definitely getting better at sensing my own energy flow.  The meditation was all over the place.  I started breathing and quieting my mind.  I've been envisioning a flame into which I throw all of my worries.  From there I met my lynx spirt guide who took me on a walk.  I was hoping to do a meditation suggested in the book I've been reading (more on that in a later post) but I guess last night was not for it.  I happened to see someone I know in real life in my meditation.  He was wearing a blacksmith apron and working in a forge which was strange.  He's not the sort of person I envision doing things like that.  I said hello and asked what he was doing there, and in typical fashion he shrugged and basically said "you know, doing stuff."  I don't know why it was him or what was going on, but I was keeping Brighid's flame and she is associated with blacksmithing.

I kept seeing a city in the distance, a place I wanted to go as part of another meditation, and I even got to the doorway.  My fox spirit guide showed up and said that I wasn't ready tonight.  I was feeling sleepy so it was decided that I should return until another day.

Keeping the Flame

As some of you know, I'm a member of ADF's  flame keeping group dedicated to Brighid.  Tonight is my turn to keep the flame.  For those of you unfamiliar with this tradition, people called by the Goddess Brighid often join groups of people who take turns honoring her by lighting candles (or some other source of light).  Each night, another group member lights a candle.  Most people light their candles with the flame of a candle already dedicated to Brighid.  Many people get this flame from Kildare, the original cult center of Brighid. *

Like I said, tonight is my turn.  I've been doing it for awhile, first through a community on Live Journal, and now through my spiritual home of ADF.  Although I've remembered to keep her flame, I've not made a night of it.  I would really like to put more effort into the tradition and my relationship with the Goddess.  I was inspired by my fellow flame keepers to start a new tradition.

When the sun sets,  I will cease using my computer except, perhaps, for the purpose of listening to music.  I waste a lot of time on here and an evening of prohibition will do me good.  Instead I will spend my night exercising, meditating, practicing art, practicing reiki, reading lore associated with Brighid, and cleansing myself and my hearth.  I'm very excited about this!

On another day, I will attempt to finish a review of The Rites of Brigid Goddess and Saint  by Sean O Duinn.

Blessings to all!





* For more excellent information on this tradition, or if you're interested in keeping Brighid's flame but aren't in ADF, I encourage you to check out Ord Brighideach.

Site Update

One more update today! I updated my website. I added photos of my current altars. Enjoy!

Prepping for Imbolc: Part 2

I'm not finished with it yet, but here is a photo of the Brighid cross project I'm working on.



The pattern on the brown/gold fabric may not be the best for the project but I'm determined to see it through and perhaps add some embroider to embellish it. I usually don't do things like this - appliqué and quilt techniques are new for me.





And here's a photo of my Brigihd altar so far. This isn't anything Imbolc specific - I've been adding to it since moving here. It's situated over my stove for obvious reasons. I do my flame keeping here.