Sacred Fire, Holy Well: An Imbolg Ritual with Brigid

This ritual is close to my heart because the patron of Imbolg is my patron! (Or matron, if you prefer.)  The following ritual is recreating, as closely as possible for a group setting, the altered states of consciousness I've experienced with her. It is meant to be a deeply personal experience, though with the community there to support each other through any pain, blockages, breakdowns, breakthroughs, epiphanies, and visions. However, it is adaptable to a solitary ritual if that's how you're celebrating.

I would love to credit the artist; please comment if you know.

Imbolg, celebrated in early February, is the Celtic midwinter/spring festival associated with Brigid. Brigid is maiden, mother, crone. She is smith, healer, poet. She is honored at the sacred flame and holy well. 

This ritual takes its structure from those two pillars of her worship; at each pillar, something is given and something is taken. On either side of the altar are (1) a fire and (2) a pitcher and basin, representing the well. 

At Brigid's Fire, the celebrants burn symbols of or messages about their pain and struggles and return with a candle lit from the fire, representing the strength that comes from tribulation. 

At Brigid's Well, the celebrants take a drink of nourishing milk and offer up something that represents their intentions for serving others. (In the case of the group I practice with, this will be a glass of water from a creek on the property, poured into the basin around the pitcher.)

I've included my outline for the entire process, before and after this part of the ritual, though it can surely be adapted. Some elements are mine, some are traditional, and some were inspired by the Imbolg entry of the Pagan Hours site. The house blessing is based on the tradition of fixing up a bed for Brigid by the hearth. Don't worry; it's a symbolic miniature bed, not a full-sized one!

Outline:
Opening sacred space
Brigid Invocation
Ritual of Fire and Water
Procession around house
Blessings
Bardic Circle
Closing
House Blessing inside

Invocation:

Brigid of the Sacred Flame

Brigid of the Wishing Well
Brigid of the Holy Hills
x3

Brigid, your hair the golden grass swaying in the breeze.
Brigid, your smile full of faery mischief and mother’s love.
Brigid, your gentle stirrings awakening the world from winter repose.

Brigid, your fiery forge to shape us into tools of change.
Brigid, your tender care to give us hearts that heal.
Brigid, your verse and voice to lead us on the shining path.

Brigid, excellent woman, sudden flame!
Brigid, fair and tender, hue like the cotton-grass;
Brigid, rich-tressed maiden of ringlets of gold!

May Brigid give blessing to the community that is here!

Brigid is come!
(Brigid is welcome!)

Ritual:
Brigid is the goddess of transmutation. She turns pain into beauty. Like a cut that becomes a scar, tougher than it once was. Like a heartbreak that becomes a song, singing to other souls in sorrow, “You are not alone.” Brigid calls us to walk through her cleansing fire, to let it consume our pain, cleanse our hearts, and fill our souls with passion. In every injury there is something to be learned, even if it is simply that fire burns or that you can prevail.
What pain has wounded you in the past year?
What about even older pain that you haven’t released yet?
How can that challenge become an opportunity?
What lesson can be learned; what strength has been earned?
Give your pain to Brigid’s Fire and let her transmute it into strength and beauty.
(time to meditate, throw things in fire, light candle from fire)

Brigid doesn’t just burn our pain, she also soothes the burns once the lesson is learned. Brigid heralds the spring, she is midwife to the new lambs, she is the giver of the milk of life. No matter how old or how independent we may become, all need mothering from time to time. And as we are healed, so can we heal others. As Brigid is midwife for our labors, so can we midwife for others’ rebirth. It is in our commitment to our community that we find our greatest strength. One stick is broken easily but a bundle is not.
What parts of you need nurturing?
What burns need cooling?
What can you do to help heal and serve your community in turn?
Drink from Brigid’s Well that you may be blessed and be a channel for blessings.
(time to meditate, take a drink, give water or token)

Brigid calls us to be ourselves
Our full selves
Our true selves
Our best selves

Brigid is come!
(Brigid is welcome!)

House Blessing:
Brigid, come in! Thy bed is made! Preserve the House for the triple goddess!

Brigid is come!
(Brigid is welcome!)