Brigid, Power and clothes

I’m going to be completely honest here. This blog post was not inspired by Brigid at all. It was inspired by these – the HalaraMagic™ High Waisted Crossover Pocket Cool Touch Breathable Washed Stretchy Knit Denim Plus Size Casual Super Flare Pants. I know – cool, name huh? Ok, well, maybe long more than cool. Now I have written about power and Brigid before, but this is a slightly different take. It’s not really about Brigid goddess power at all.

Personal power

Before I dive into talking about these amazing new jeans , I will talk a bit about personal power. (no I swear I’m not being sponsored – if I’m ever sponsored, ye will hear the screams of joy across the Atlantic!!)

We often mistake this, especially when it comes to work with deities, even Brigid. Brigid, and indeed goddess power generally, is something we can borrow sometimes and use as personal power. But it’s not really ours.

Personal power can be described as the ability to influence people and events around us. If you google it, you will see millions of articles about personal power, but it’s from a mostly mundane rather than esoterical, spiritual or magical perspective. But at the fundamentals, I do agree with the basics. Personal power is te ability to influence people and events around us, but also maintain our own bodily integrity, mental integrity and spiritual integrity. Brigid, as I have said before, isn’t great with respecting boundaries she doesn’t see the need for. However, if you’re thinking in terms of personal power and the ability to say “no” to her, she will respect that. Always.

We underestimate our personal power. And by that I mean, we underestimate the resources we have at our disposal. We all have abilities we don’t fully utilise or maybe even, don’t fully appreciate we possess. And learning about those, utilising those resources, working to improve them? It’s all part of developing personal power.

but…

Feeling powerful

Our feelings don’t always reflect our reality. I know – feelings are important. I absolutely agree. And, so does Brigid. But allowing feelings to get in the way of facts isn’t the most sensible thing to do. And we can absolutely affect our feelings.

Which brings me back to those magic jeans.

I generally wear loose-fitting, wide-legged trousers. Or leggings. Comfort is the name of the game here! So, jeans don’t often appear in my wardrobe these days. It’s hard to find a comfy pair of jeans that look good. But I did…

I put this pair on and they felt so good. And yeah, ok, the husband’s reaction wasn’t too bad either! But seriously. I pulled these on and I felt young. I felt powerful. And, I felt sexy (which is also a form of personal power). Brigid herself would feel good and powerful in these jeans!

Now, ok these jeans won’t work for a business meeting. Although I am looking for them in black so I might manage it. But it really highlighted to me how a piece of clothing or an outfit can elevate our feelings of power and self-reliant.

Clothes and power

Now, I have other clothes that help me feel powerful. I have what I call my “goddess dress”. I have a large collection of underwear for different types of power. “Interview clothes” is a general heading in my wardrobe.

But mostly, these are constructed outfits, to fulfill a specific purpose. These jeans? I put them on and I felt powerful. Seriously powerful. I felt young, strong, sexy, capable… ready to set the world on fire! (Which Brigid might object to, but still… pretty fire!)

From the perfect length, to the comfy fit, to the pockets… it’s all there.

We talk about Brigid, goddess powers, deity powers a lot in spiritual community. But we rarely look at how we generate our own power. And there’s different clothes for different events, sure. What makes me feel powerful in the bedroom wouldn’t work in the day job for example. Or actually – it might, but the lads are scared enough as it is!

Short of buying these damn jeans, Orlagh, what can I do?

Well here’s the thing. I know, a black vest top and a pair of well fitting jeans really helps me feel on top of the world. I can take on anything dressed like that, I feel badass to be honest. (How I look is an entirely different question, but it’s a good, powerful outfit for me!) I also know there is a power in the way I dress for work – my style in work is chosen very carefully.

Black trousers, with pockets, jersey material usually, comfy, not tight. Colourful top. Boring? Sure. but it downplays my femininity, which is important at times when I’m working with a group of men. It also allows me to move however I need to, whether climbing over pipework or just marching around the site.

OK, it’s hard to imagine Brigid as goddess, wielding her immense power, from a pair of glorified pair of trackies (track suit bottoms), but I can total see her commanding armies in jeans! I mean the black vest and jeans is a classic outfit right? For informal occasions anyway.

Other types of power clothing

But when it comes to VIPs visiting or an interview or an important presentation? Well I dress up a bit more. Things get more structured. This is when the underwired bras tend to come out, as well as the matching knickers. I will move towards a more shirt-like top, rather than a more casual top. The trousers might be a bit more structured as well. If it’s off site, I may go for a skirt or a dress.

The thing is – this type of dressing depends on two things: how you feel and how you feel about how you look. I have worked with personal shoppers in the past to help me expand my clothing repertoire. (Debenhams used to be great for this before they shut up shop in Ireland!) I buy cheap clothes to try out styles or colours or cuts and then look for better options if they work. I experiment to see how I feel and how I look. You know I mentioned the “goddess dress” earlier? It’s because I feel like a damn goddess in it. I feel like all the power in Brigid’s arsenal could come to me and I could contain it in that dress (How realistic that is is another day’s work, ok?)

And I’m very privileged to do this. I know there are people who can’t do this, because of resources, or lack thereof.

Let’s tie in Brigid here shall we?

Now, Brigid was a royal personage in Caith Maigh Tuired. So, she would have understood the power of clothes. Because she was also not part of the privileged group. (Seriously, the Brehon laws were not egalitarian and the word of a woman was equal to half that of a man’s word) So she will have worked with herself, her clothing, her situation to make the best of it. I’m fully sure of that. (Although to be fair, it is based on my own reading an interpretations) Brigid-as-goddess and the power contained within? Think of the many different ways she appears to us and how that magnifies or dampens her power. She knows damn well how to affect us like that!

And, if you think about, while I harp on about the power of words in magic and spirituality, wearing the right clothes can amplify your power as well. It effects how you feel about the probability of a positive outcome. Now I do believe that you can do a serious magical ceremony or ritual in your jammies, if that’s what suits. But maybe on occasion you might think about the clothes you’re planning on wearing, and how they might affect the work you’re trying to do.

OK, finishing up now!

Just as there is no point in a barrister turning up to court with their wig and robes and expect to be taken seriously, there is no point in turning up for our deities for a formal occasion without making the effort, either. This doesn’t mean run out a buy couture fashion. But it does mean thinking about what’s appropriate for the occasion and giving your best.

If you feel powerful, you will act powerful and probably get more positive outcomes in your endeavours. And if that means looking at the clothes you wear, using symbolism to support your case or your efforts? Then go for it! If it means adjusting your personal style slightly to better fit in or stand out? Go for it!

Work with the clothes you have to think about outfits for particular occasions in advance. That way you don’t have to scrounge around when the time comes. And if you know something is coming up, but aren’t sure what to wear, try visualising yourself in different outfits to see how it feels. Try them on. Really look at yourself. You might surprise yourself on what you end up with.

And yes, I have another 3 pairs of those jeans winging their way to me through the post!