goddess painting of the day: brigit

(Well, this isn’t really a goddess painting — it’s a goddess drawing — but for the sake of catagory continuity, I’ll title it such.)

Presented here is a drawing I’ve done of Brigit, the Celtic goddess of inspiration. And I’ve posted her only two days late for her sacred holiday of Imbolg, which is traditionally celebrated on February first.

I love Imbolg as much as I dislike winter. After all, it’s the symbolic start of spring, the return of light after the dark winter. It also marks the start of lambing season, and the new life that arrives with the start of spring.

Many rituals were performed at Imbolg to win the favor of Brigit for the coming year. In Scotland, on the night before Imbolg, a sheaf of oats would be dressed up and placed in a basket next to a thick wooden club. This basket, called Brigit’s Bed, was laid in the hearth and allowed to burn by the women of the household. If an impression in the shape of the club was left in the hearth the next morning, it was believed that Brigit had chosen to bring good fortune to that home. People also attempted to prophesize by spreading ashes upon their hearth, later looking to see if the goddess had left her footprint within them.

To receive the inspiring wisdom of Brigit, many would hang a white wool cloth outside on the eve of Imbolg. The next morning, they fetched the cloth, believing it had absorbed the energy of the goddess. This sanctified cloth would be set aside in a special place, to be called into service when inspiration was required from Brigit, goddess of creativity.

This drawing was originally created for my book Embracing the Goddess Within and is now published in the anniversary edition of The Book of Goddesses. The information about Brigit was adapted from these same sources.

February always feels like the dark before the light to me, in both a metaphorical and literal sense. On a “lighter” note, Punxsutawney Phil and Staten Island Chuck didn’t see their shadows yesterday — spring is on its way!

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