Bridget, Goddess of Wisdom

Linda Stern of The Convocation of the Divine Feminine
Divine Feminine Wisdom

BRIDGET, CELTIC GODDESS OF WISDOM
2009

Welcome to the Convocation of the Divine Feminine. As you might remember, the focus this year is Divine Feminine Wisdom and today I am blessed to share the perspective of Celtic Divine Feminine Wisdom. As I looked at all the information about Celtic Goddesses, I was struck by the diversity of the descriptions of Celtic Goddesses – Goddess of water, of mountains, of the sky.  Goddess of childbirth, of mourning, of joy, of love, of passion, and of course – Goddess of Wisdom.  

There are quite a few Celtic Goddesses of Wisdom, which is a confirmation of the concept of respect for the Divine Feminine.  I feel that the ancients recognized that Wisdom is manifested in many ways, taught in many ways, and learned in many ways, by having more than one Goddess that portrays the aspect of Wisdom.  

This year, as we are focusing on Bridget, the Celtic Triple Goddess,

I am going to share some of the Wisdom in her three main presentations: that of Inspiration, Healing and Blacksmithing. 

But first, to give you an idea of how she came into the world, I’m going to tell you the story of her birth that is ignited by fire and cleansed by water.

A long time ago, at the first crack of a pink dawn,

near the waters of a magic well,

The goddess Bridget slipped into the world

and into the hands of 9 swaying and crooning sisters 

who formed a great circle around her.

The waters of a magic well gurgled its joy.

Then up rose a column of fire out of Bridget’s head 

that burned to the heavens connecting heaven to earth, 

the above to the below.

Bridget then reached up her hands and broke away 

a spiral of fire from and dropped it to the ground 

where it leap and danced.

Then Bridget built a hearth around the dancing fire; 

stone by stone uniting the above with the below, 

the inner with the outer.

The nine sisters hummed and crooned and swayed even more 

while the waters of the magic 

well started to tremble!

From this hearth fire, Bridget reached in both hands 

and drew out a leaping tongue of flame 

that danced in her hands and swallowed it, 

and it burned straight to her heart.

There stood the goddess,

fire   crowning         her head,

fire    leaping          from her heart,

and    fire dancing   from her hands.

The Goddess Bridget was born!

Bridget is associated with both the inner fires of the soul and the physical fires of the hearth, underscoring the wisdom that the inner and outer worlds live in unity.

As one of the most popular and ancient goddesses, she has been worshipped by the Celtic people for thousands and thousands of years. And this connection includes the Druids. 

She is the goddess of all high places such as the highlands and hillforts and also activities and states of being considered elevated, such as wisdom, perfection, intelligence, poetic eloquence, healing ability, artistic inspiration, and druidic knowledge. 

As a triple Goddess, Bridget has much wisdom to share with us. In her first aspect, she presented her Wisdom of Inspiration. Manifested in this aspect she was revered by creative folk, to help them step across the veil and back -with protection -to bring back the song, verse, prophecy, and art that she inspired.   In those days, everyone knew that to be a creative spirit, one was also a diviner and there was a direct connection between poets and shamans and seers.   Druids counted her as one of their own.  Her wisdom has taught us to listen to the quiet inner voice that we all have that ties us to creativity. In a larger sense, Bride blesses creative inspiration in all that we do with her fiery, creative spark. 

In her birth story, the fire of inspiration and creativity came from flames blazing brightly from Bride’s head.  This column of fire from her head connected heaven and earth; above and below, balancing the creative female energies with action orientated male energies. The wisdom of an inspiration or a spark of creativity burning brightly in us --is taught in this aspect. Let an idea or an action or a creation burn brightly in you and then let it burn brightly for others to see. Connect your inspirations with the Divine and bring it here to this plane.  

In her second aspect Bridget brings the Wisdom of Healing.  She honors the water that we are all birthed in, made of, and need to survive. In this aspect, she honors the healing arts of body, mind, and spirit. She blessed many springs and wells, that are still venerated today. Bridget’s wisdom advised us to finding a clean, clear spring, or fast-moving body of fresh water that is sparkling with sunlight, and to lathe it on for a restorative cure. She was light years ahead of the therapeutic work with water done at healing centers found all over the world.  And light years ahead of the realization that we must honor our lifeline to water. Bridget’s wisdom of healing, that asks us to connect our own inner waters and then to connect to pure, clean water outside of us, to wash away impurities, is an age-old wisdom. Singing a song of phrase or saying words of a prayer to the waters that exist both inside and outside of us is an excellent way to change at a cellular level and to heal.  And Bridget promoted this. 

In her third aspect Bride brings the Wisdom of Blacksmithing.  In this aspect she brought the mysteries and inner workings and the ancient mystery of Alchemy to us, which was hidden in the fire knowledge of blacksmithing.  She is also connected to the wisdom of the home through the hearth fire. And wisdom, gained through strength, was a part of this aspect- like strengthening metal with fire, the fire of life strengthens us and transforms us into something stronger and more bright.

Transformation is associated with the concept of alchemy -thru sitting in the fire with your own true authentic self. Bride is teaching us, that sometimes we need to feel the fire, to react to the fire, to be changed and charged by the fire. …into a warrior, into a lioness, into the strength needed to put one foot in front of the other to walk on our own particular path.   Fire is Light that burns brightly in us and in the dark to help show others the way.

Sometimes if we get too close to the flames, we may just get burned --but in our jumping into the flame we are transformed into something new, something more a part of the whole, something forged into a product that is much stronger and purer – dross into gold. 

Bridget’s wisdom speaks across the ages for us to hear. She shares her wisdom with us for us to hear, for us to see, for us to feel and express.

The Ancients remind us through Bridget of the Wisdom of Holy One.

I’d like to end with a poem by an unknown poet called Ode to Bridget

Guardian of the sacred springs

Whose voice is the soul of the harp

We call on Thee.

Teach our hands to heal and our hearts to sing.

We entrust our life's progress to your care

And ask that you shape us,

Bending and turning our hearts 

on your bright anvil of flame 

till we are made perfect jewels.

We thank you for your gifts to us of Poetry and Music

Of laughter and tears,

And for the healing balm of your Wisdom.

May we always remember to meditate

On the gift of your sacred waters,

Which surround us at birth

And sails us to our destiny.

Our hearts are open to receive your blessings,

Midwife of our souls, rain on us,

Shower your inspiration in curtains of song from

sacred waterfalls in the realm where you dwell.

Help us see your Mystery in all creation,

That we may know gratitude and reverence.

As our hearts sing to you with love.

Thank You, Bridget.