Brigid the Smith: Creation and destruction

I find Brigid the Smith is a very strong presence in my life. OK, maybe to be expected, given my career choice (engineer). But, still, she comes through strong. So while the Smith is often associated with the forging of metals, I like to extend that a wee bit.

Now, I’ve written about Brigid and liminality before now. A few times. But she’s also linked with transformation. And, as many of my students will tell you, that transformation does feel like going through her Anvil. I can attest to those fires as well. They can be hot.

But fire can destroy as well as create, so we’re going to explore that a bit in this blog post – the necessity of both creation and destruction in shaping our lives and the world around us.

Transformation

Brigid the Smith is often depicted as a skilled blacksmith. It comes from Cormac’s glossary of course. (As well as telling us she is a a powerful goddess associated with protection of poets and a healer). I often say she shapes us into her tools. And sometimes that’s uncomfortable to us. Have you ever seen a blacksmith at work, shaping metal? And honestly, I think I’m more stubborn than metal when it comes to shaping. As in, I resist strongly. Even when I know it’s for my own good…

I chose Brigid’s Forge as the name for my blog and school because it is (I hope!) a place of transformation. I consider her forge a cauldron of creation and a crucible of destruction, symbolizing the necessary interplay between the old and the new.

Or more importantly, sometimes, we need to clear the way for the new to grow. Which means destroying the old first.

Creation and Destruction: The Eternal Dance

You know the way nature tends towards cycles? Death and rebirth? That sort of thing? Well another way to think of that is destruction and creation. Destruction is an essential part of creation to me. I’ve taken several writing classes and the one thing they’ve all agreed on? (Aside from actually picking up the pen to write) To kill your babies. Destroy the parts of the writing you feel most attracted to. Get rid of those parts you feel so lovingly protective towards.

Destroy.

Then create.

If you think about it, this makes sense. When you’re doing work on yourself, you need to take down old beliefs to develop new. You need to destroy or override or blank out the space to make room for the new.
In the deepest sense, there’s that old chestnut about our bodies rebuilding and replacing over 7 years. We don’t keep that old material. Our bodies create waste. It destroys the things it doesn’t need. Brigid the Smith is no different.

In the natural world, seasons change, old leaves fall, and new buds emerge. This cyclical process involves the breaking down of the old to make way for the new. Brigid’s forge, with its intense heat and transformative flames, mirrors this eternal dance between creation and destruction.

The Dark Side of Destruction: Balancing Forces

While destruction is a natural and necessary aspect of existence, it is crucial to acknowledge its potential dark side. Uncontrolled and indiscriminate destruction can lead to chaos and suffering. Brigid’s teachings (and Irish practice in general) emphasize the importance of right relationship. Not just Brigid the Smith, mind, but all of them… Even the saint…

Destruction must be tempered with wisdom and guided by a vision for positive change. Harnessing the power of destruction responsibly ensures that the process of renewal remains constructive rather than detrimental. I mean, mindless destruction doesn’t lead to positive change in my opinion. (Unless we’re talking about building a massive sandcastle then jumping on it. That’s different!)

Destruction can be terrible. I won’t post them here, but you can see the devastation in any of the war-torn areas of the globe. (You can check out the list of 2023 conflicts here) I’m not posting pictures of any of it, because it is distressing and horrible. It’s possible one side or another can say that their destruction leads to better outcomes for them, but there are so many conflicts… so much destruction. Brigid the Smith is not going to be there unless it’s supporting those suffering.

Equally, look at the destruction of the rainforests, of the natural world on this planet. Yes, short term, there are pros to this, but long term, there are only cons. Destroying this planet is not good. We only have the one… And I think various billionaires have proven that even they don’t have the wherewithal to live in space.

Embracing the Smith’s Wisdom

I’m not saying every act of creation must be prefaced by an act of destruction. I don’t think Brigid the Smith would agree either. But in the same way that saying yes to one action, means saying no to all the others… Saying yes to one act of creation means saying no to all the others – an act of destruction of those other acts. Brigid can guide us through the transformation process. And she does. We can draw inspiration from her actions in the forge – destroying one shape to form the next. Transforming the solid to create the liquid, then destroying the liquid to create a new solid.

Destruction isn’t necessarily a process to be feared. It’s not bloody well easy, but it’s not necessarily to be feared. We can recognise that through any transformation process, we are destroying to make way for new creation. Brigid’s forge can help us in this process, showing us the way and sometimes, forcing us back to the path.