The Brink of New Beginnings with Brigid of Kildare
Brigid of Kildare @ 1500
Be invited to a mystical encounter as you envision standing at The Brink of New Beginnings with Saint Brigid of Kildare. Contemplatively, allow her to be a midwife, coaching and assisting you every step of the way. With authority, Bishop Brigid companions all sentient beings from abundant mother earth to her waterways, breathing with the fresh air and kindling new fires into your own inner hearth. Allow her voice to help you to mediate peace where you experience conflict. She is a Bridge for building new connections. Let her presence be like a furnace from your own inner room’s monastic sanctuary to forge newness! Know that she is a compassionate peacemaker and extravagantly generous companion for our own era. No need to wait for approval from some external authority! Instead, stand at this new dawn with a feeling of sturdiness such as a doorway. Focus on how Saint, Bishop Brigid invites us to explore new entryways where there used to be obstacles. Co-create with Brigid, manifesting with her peace with justice in our own lives, our communities, and our world.
Pause for a moment to ask, What intentions do you find meaningful as you work with these Brigit creations during this Sacred Season? Journal if you prefer.
If possible, while standing in a doorway with your hands pressing against either side, I invite you to use the name of Brigid Kildare as a 4 syllable sacred word/mantra, while working with the following Brigid of Kildare practices below. As you breath in, say Bri-gid silently. As you breath out, say Kil-dare. Use this mantra as long as you find it useful. If you become distracted use it again, inhaling Bri-gid and exhaling Kil-dare. This is optional.
If you wish, invite Brigid to help you identify where she might assist and coach you in specific areas of your life, your community, and our world? Stories abound where Brigid shows up at critical in-between moments, crossing the insurmountable and breaking new ground. While the first signs of spring awakened in ewes causing them to lactate, Brigid was born at twilight in between the two lights of the moon and sun. Her mother Broisech, who was her father’s slave, gave birth while standing in the doorway of her house holding a bowl of warm milk. Later, when she was an adult, one primary source has documented about the time Brigid went to receive her religious veil, the presiding Bishop Mel was inspired to read the words consecrating Brigid as a bishop. When Mel’s assistant complained about giving rites of ordination to a woman, Mel said The Spirit had caused this and he had no choice but give her episcopal authority. Elsewhere, in legends of Brigid, she was assisted by angels, to be transported across time and space to Bethlehem to be Mary’s midwife. Scottish stories extend this idea with Brigid nursing Baby Jesus. Barriers and obstacles were no problem! Where in your own life, your community and our world would you like to invite Saint Bishop Brigid to assist and coach you in overcoming obstacles to cross today’s gateways?
Let the authority of Brigid’s presence and stories of compassion, extravagant generosity and peacebuilding shift us away from notions of scarcity that can cause inertia to realize just peace and fresh creative community. Recall that one day, while Brigid was waiting for Dubthach, her father, a poor man came to her in need. Brigid had nothing to give him except her father’s fancy sword. She gave it away! Dubthach even went to the king of Leinster to complain that she did things without approval! Nevertheless, she persisted, as an Abbess, Bishop Brigid routinely gave away religious vestments and additional supplies causing others in the monastery to believe they might run out of necessary goods. Brigid never allowed her scarcity critics to get in the way of her big-hearted actions. Moving beyond lavishness, according to “Stories of Brigid” at Solas Bride, Kildare, there were numerous fights between clans during her time. Brigid skillfully mediated peace between warring groups. How can we co-create with Brigid of Kildare to actualize kind-heartedness, build inclusive beloved community that extends lavish outpourings and mediate peace even without outside authorization?
We have imagined standing at The Brink of New Beginnings for our own lives, our communities, and our world with Saint Bishop Brigid of Kildare, as midwife, coaching and assisting us every step of the way! Now, we can begin to act, encircled, and empowered by her presence and legacy, along with the entire Community of Spiritual Beings, we can press forward in our own areas of influence to extend generosity and mediate peace where there is conflict. We have taken the initial steps in our desire to act upon our intentions, with Saint Bishop Brigid as our steadfast companion, we can act for just peace and collaborate creatively, in our own lives, and our world from now on.
From beginning to end
From the rising of the sun to its setting, you guide us,
from our birth to our death, you lead us,
in our grief and in our sorrow, you comfort us,
in our joy and celebration, you uplift us,
from the beginning of our lives to their ending,
you encompass us with love.
Source: https://www.catholicireland.net/celtic-prayers-a-reflections/
For the past four entries, I have celebrated Brigid of Kildare at 1500 with you. At this time I encourage you to recollect and decide what you wish to bring forward.
Who is the Actual Brigid of Kildare?
How is Brigit of Ireland: A Mirror Portrait for today?
Why is Brigit of Kildare a Coworker and Colleague of the Vulnerable rather than a patron?
What Brinks of New Beginnings with Brigid of Kildare may be happening for you, your community and our world?
Looking back at these four entries…
What do you wish to savor? What do you wish to weave from this journey with Brigid of Kildare as you move ahead? Take some time to journal if you wish. Perhaps, on some clear night looking up at the starry sky, know that she is always there. As you can see, she is not the only one. Enjoy viewing some starry images from…
Now, stay tuned for what else will luminate in Karen’s Celtic Contemplations and Considerations.
Saint Bishop Brigid of Kildare, pray with us!
Free Online Cross-Cultural Concert Recommendation: March 1st at 7 pm Central Time. Spiritual and Folk Artist Alana Levandoski will premier her folk opera, Longing, which combines Alana’s Cianalas/Tasknota, Scottish/Polish cultural heritage in thought-provoking and expansive ways that invite others to similar reflective growth.
Reserve your free online concert ticket here: https://alanalevandoski.com/
To help promote her concert. I post this Music Sample. May Life Live On! by Alana Levandoski.
After walking Brigid’s Way in 2023, I am recommending,
Brigid’s Way-Wells-Waters-Pilgrim-walk 2024 in Ireland: https://brigidsway.ie/brigids-way-wells-waters-pilgrim-walk-2024/
Photos: Brigid’s Hands Mosaic Door, taken in Ireland 2001. The stained glass photo I took while inside a church along The Brigid’s Way Pilgrimage in 2023.
“If we want to reap the harvest of peace and justice in the future,
we will have to sow the seeds of non-violence, here and now, in the present.”
(Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Irish Peace Nobel Laureate)
In Loving Memory of and surrounded by
My Four Irish Great-Grandmothers.
Beannachtai’, Blessings,
Karen Kerrigan
Reference;
Newell, John Philip. Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul. Chapter 2 “Sacred Feminine, St. Brigid of Kildare.” Harper One. 2022.
Audio Version presented by hoopla digital. (See chapter 2 about 40 minutes) https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/14121052