Category: Imbolc

The Inner Work of Women’s Spiritual Leadership

Yes, we are continuing on this series of women’s spiritual leadership. This week, looking at the inner work involved. Look, some of the things I was seeing online and elsewhere around Imbolc have inspired this. And even if you don’t feel called to leadership,. let these articles inform your choice of leader! (previous posts are here, here, and here)

Navigating Power, Vulnerability, and Growth

There’s a part of leadership that nobody prepares you for: the way the role rearranges your inner world. On the outside, the tasks are clear enough. Hholding ritual, making decisions, guiding conversations, offering perspective. But inside, women’s spiritual leadership opens complicated doors.

Old patterns wake up. Tender places ask for attention. You discover that holding space for others requires you to hold deeper space for yourself: the kind that can feel both tender and fierce at the same time. Remember, Brigid is a firm proponent of the slap to the back of the head technique when we’re not listening! And she is particularly adept at highlighting when I’m not attending to the inner work. Spiritual leadership requires it. Trust me.

I used to think leadership was something I would “grow into,” like a coat that would eventually fit. Now I think of it more like a landscape I walk through daily, one that changes with the weather of my life and the seasons of my soul. Some days are clear and bright; everything feels simple. Other days are fogged with self‑doubt or pricked by old memories. Nothing is wrong when that happens. It’s just the terrain reminding me that inner work is not a separate practice from leadership. It is the heart of it.

A green background allows various shades of green to reflect a hill, a path, some trees. A black female figure walks the land. This is the Inner Work of Women’s Spiritual Leadership

The Tension Between Humility and Self‑Erasure

Many women were raised to make ourselves small so that others could be comfortable. Then we step into leadership and try to reconcile confidence with care, visibility with gentleness, authority with humility. It can be easy to mistake self‑erasure for virtue. But humility is not the silence of your power; it is the clarity with which you use it. It’s standing in your centre without inflation or apology, refusing to dominate the room, but also refusing to abandon it. When we address the inner work of women’s spiritual leadership, we have to acknowledge this tension.

And ok – sometimes you need to dominate the room. And other times you need to abandon said room. But horses for courses, ok?

When that old impulse to shrink arrives, and for many of us, it does, I take it as a signal to slow down and check in:

Am I avoiding clarity because I fear I will be judged?

Am I softening my language so I won’t be called “too much”?

Leadership asks for honesty here. Sometimes the most ethical, generous thing you can do is to speak plainly and trust the strength of the space you’re holding.

For some of us, speaking plainly comes more easily than others, but it’s a skill worth cultivating.

Meeting the Old Stories with New Courage

Women’s spiritual leadership often collides with old narratives:

🔥the teacher who didn’t believe you,

🔥a priest who shamed your questions,

🔥the community that rewarded your helpfulness but punished your voice.

Those memories don’t always arrive as thoughts. Sometimes they show up as a squeezing in the chest, a need to over‑explain, a jitter under the skin that makes you rush when you could move slowly. The inner work of women’s spiritual leadership can escalate these feelings. It rarely reduces them.

When that happens, I don’t treat it as failure. I treat it as information. The body remembers what the mind tries to tidy away. I ask:

What age is this reaction?

Whose voice am I hearing?

What do I need now to meet this moment as the woman I am, not the girl I was?

Sometimes the answer is a breath and a glass of water. It can be cancelling a commitment and going to the land. Sometimes it is calling a trusted peer who will remind me of what is true. And occasionally, it’s arriving on a friend’s doorstep in floods of tears, begging for help.

Intuition and Discernment

Spiritual leadership invites intuition to sit at the table. But intuition is not infallible, and discernment is not the enemy of mystery. I often imagine these two as companions walking with me: intuition bringing the spark and the knowing, discernment asking the kind of questions that keep us honest. What else could be true? What do I know for sure? Is this mine or does it belong to the other person? Where is my edge here?

Women are often praised for intuition and not taught the discipline of discernment. The truth is we need both. Intuition opens doors we didn’t know existed. Discernment checks that we have the keys we need, the consent we require, and the capacity to walk through without doing harm.

Or, in the words of an ex-colleague of mine: just because it smells like shit, doesn’t mean it will promote growth.

Shadow Work as an Ethical Practice

Shadow is not a moral failing; it’s the part of us that prefers to be unseen. In leadership, shadow can look like subtle superiority (“I know best”), quiet resentment (“I give more than I receive”), or slippery avoidance (“If I’m kind enough, I won’t have to set the boundary”). The work isn’t to banish these impulses; it’s to notice them early and choose differently.

I think of shadow work as a daily hygiene: a quick scan for contractions in the body, a look for places where I’m seeking approval rather than truth, a willingness to say, “I was wrong,” while the moment is still fresh enough to repair. This is not self‑punishment. It’s devotion to clean leadership, the kind that leaves people more sovereign, not more dependent.

Of course, there is deeper shadow work I have done, am doing and will do in the future. That’s normal and human. But it’s also the daily check ins we so often forget. The inner work of women’s spiritual leadership very often forces more shadow work upon us, as we work through the old torments.

The Land, the Body, and the Gods

When the inner weather turns, I go outside if I can. I’m privileged to have a garden that allows this. The land has a way of re‑sizing my concerns and returning me to proportion. I walk until my breath finds me. Put my hand on a tree and listen. Make a drink and watch the steam. (Or I make a drink and appreciate the taste of the grapes in the wine…) Simple practices. Old practices. The body follows the land’s lead. The nervous system remembers what safety feels like when we move slowly and pay attention.

If you are a devotee of gods or saints, bring them into this, not as a task to perform, but as companionship. I don’t ask the divine to erase my humanity. I spent too long remembering that humanity! Instead, I ask for the courage to inhabit it with grace. Leadership doesn’t require us to be perfect. It asks us to be honest, to keep learning, and to return again and again to the practices that make us kind, clear, and steady.

The Inner Work of Women’s Spiritual Leadership: A Quiet Benediction

If you are a woman stepping into spiritual leadership, know this: the parts of you that tremble are not disqualifying. The tremble is evidence that you care. The path you’re walking is not about becoming untouchable; it’s about becoming trustworthy, which is a very different thing. Trustworthiness grows in the soil of felt reality, the days you tell the truth gently, repair quickly, and choose groundedness over performance.

Your inner landscape will keep changing as the seasons change. Let it. Let it teach you. Make you a leader who carries warmth without burning, clarity without cutting, and power without pretending you never doubted. That’s leadership people can breathe around. That’s leadership that heals.

Brigid myths

A picture of the mural in Drogheda, with one half showing a green cloaked nun and the other a red haired goddess. Brigid myths might have you believing one or the other, but really - at this point - there's no concrete evidence.
The mural by Belfast-based artist Friz in Drogheda, celebrating both saint and goddess

It was Imbolc this weekend past (well depending on when you celebrate it) and wow, were the Brigid Myths flying. So, I thought I’d settle a few bits and bobs here. And, as always with Brigid, there’s a lot of fuzziness and liminality at play.

Brigid Myth 1: She’s only a goddess that the Christians stole

I’m gonna be honest here, I struggle with this one. Because stealing old celebrations and overplanting them with new Christian ones was a definite feature of the early Church. Just check out Gregory the Great. As far as the thinking went, it made it easier for people to convert if they didn’t have to change where they worshipped and if there was a fine building there anyway, why bother knocking it down and rebuilding. The early Church was a great proponent of the re-use/ re-cycle methodology of spreading the faith.

In his more recent episode, Finn Dwyer of the Irish History podcast explored the possibility that St. Brigid was a real woman, as opposed to a mythical figure. I’ll leave his episode below for you to find out his final conclusion.

Brigid Myth 2: She’s only a saint that the neopagans stole

I mean, ok, there’s a bit more evidence for this thought process. There are, after all, only 4 bits of pre-Christian lore (all recorded well after Christianity came to these isles) on Brigid the goddess. (You can check out my very brief intro to these four bits of lore, for free, here)

We have, in fact, far more writings about the saint than we do the goddess. But that doesn’t mean she didn’t exist. There are suggestions that it is possible Brigid was brought to the shores of Ireland by… of all things… a group of Brigantes in north-east England. (Well, modern day north-east England. I don’t think England existed at the time as an entity)

I know it seems terrible, but even a stopped clock is right twice a day, and occasionally, something good comes out of England. (My husband would be another example…)

Brigid Myth 3: She’s meek and loving and mild

Sweet holy fuck no. Look I’m sorry. But the swearing is necessary. There’s a reason I called this place the Forge and not the Soft, Cushy, Temperate Place.

Brigid is hot. Fiery. Have a temper. Even in the hagiographies of the saints they couldn’t hide this. This has to be one of the worst Brigid myths out there. And it’s lulling people into a false sense of security. No. Just fucking no.

I mean she can be. But it’s more in the way of a tough doctor who has been through some shit and can be soft when they make a big effort and someone really, really needs it. Just stop with this one.

Brigid Myth 4: Goddess of hearth and home

Look, I get it. It’s an off shoot of the “meek and mild” bollox. It’s not true. We don’t have anything linking her to hearth and home.

As a goddess, she is a Poet (Old Irish sense of lawyer, creative writer, academic), Smith, and Healer. Gonna be honest – all of these have until the very recent past been male dominated professions. Yes there is a sense she may have been a woman-physician, as a physician that caters to women. But it’s still a tough gig. And none of the above professions lend themselves to a domestic goddess. (Pun not really intended there)

I get the idea of being linked to fire. I get it. But it’s not in the lore.

I don’t know where in the name of Jesus this came from. We have no real links between Brigid and bread. Dairy – butter in particular – oh yes. Oodles of links in fact. Domesticated animals? Absolutely, goddess and saint.

But bread???

Not really.

If you want to bake bread as part of your Imbolc celebrations, more power to you. The Irish consider bread an essential utensil in the whole “moving the butter to the mouth” process. There’s nothing better than a loaf fresh from the oven, dripping in fresh butter.

But there’s nothing linking Brigid to bread directly.

Brigid Myth 6: There’s no need to pronounce the B in Imbolc

Ok, not technically a Brigid myth as such. But definitely linked to my rising blood pressure this weekend. For this one, I even did an insta video on the topic.

(And if you’re not following me over on Instagram, sure you can drop that at the same time)

But there is most definitely a B to be pronounced in Imbolc. It is not “Immolc”.

Brigid Myth 7: There is One True Day to celebrate Imbolc.

Again, this is more Imbolc than Brigid, but sure, feck it, the two are intertwined in modern times.

There are a number of says and times to celebrate Imbolc. I most often celebrate on 31st January. Because it’s the eve of St. Brigid’s Day (1st February). Other people choose “astrological Imbolc”, the midpoint between solstice and equinox (this year, that’s today, 3rd Feb). Still others link their festivities to Candlemas, 2nd Feb.

And, if I’m being really honest, since Ireland recently got a bank holiday for the occasion, if there’s a big ritual or group event I’m doing, it’s going to be on that bank holiday weekend.

While in the modern world, we like to think of dates being right, correct and accurate, it’s not always the case. I know people who celebrate Samhain from dark moon to dark moon, since they view it as a season, not a single night. I kinda do the same with Imbolc, but it’s most of January and some of February.

Most of the traditions in Ireland happen around the 31st January. Check out Duchas for more on that. But remember, your spiritual path has to fit your life. What you do in private is up to you and no one else.

Don’t be calling things traditional that aren’t though.

Finally…

We had all the usual shite about Brigid being associated with this crystal and that colour. We had the arguments over 3-pronged vs 4-pronged cross. All the usual stuff. I’ve given up engaging with it at this point. Although I will be trying to do a video showing how I do the 3-pronged cross. Cos, yeah – it’s the 3rd February and I’ve not made my crosses yet this year!

I hope this helps. Please share it where you think it might do some good!

Listening to ourselves

I struggling with listening to my body. And I think this is something we all struggle with: listening to ourselves. Even when we desperately need rest!

Last week started by me being attacked by the shed in our garden. (Pic of similar shed below for entertainment purposes) I came into work and said the shed had jumped out at me and hit the car.

Everyone knew what I meant. Everyone realised I didn’t actually believe the shed had jumped at me. If ever a shed existed that is unlikely to jump anywhere, it’s the stereotypical Irish stone shed.

I'm fairly certain we could learn from this shed about listening to ourselves. It's a stone built Irish shed, with corrugated roof and one slit window, one slightly square window, grass in the foreground. It's doing nothing but what it's built to do!
Very typical construction here

What was going on?

Apparently, either an ear infection, a sinus infection or a wonderful mixture of both. On finally heading to the doctor later, he decided the nuclear option was best and put me on antibiotics. And painkilling cream in case it was my jaw.

Why am I bothering telling you this?

Because I didn’t back into the shed, ahem, I mean, the shed didn’t attack me, completely unprovoked, because I was on top of my game. I was dizzy, tired, sick, and probably, in hindsight, shouldn’t have been driving.

Small details.

The key thing is, I’d been fighting something off for weeks. It wasn’t quite bad enough to take time off work, or, horror of horrors, actually go see the doctor. But it was bad enough to make my life miserable. If I’d been better versed in listening to myself, I might have picked up on just how bad I’d felt sooner.

But I didn’t. Because I have been well schooled in the art of not “listening to ourselves”.

Listening to ourselves in a world which doesn’t want us to

Y’see, if I had listened to myself, I might have realised that this thing wasn’t going away. It had been operating in my system and my system was kinda containing it, but not really defeating it.

And a cold/flu/ear infection/ sinus infection thing that’s lasting for a month? Probably needs something more than Vick’s Vaporub to fix it.

I had work to get through.

I’m working (slowly) on a part time doctorate.

Running Brigid’s Forge and EngineerHer.

Managing home, school and work.

There’s a lot on. And I’m not saying this, because I think I’ve got it worse than anyone else. We’ve all got a lot on.

The modern world is not made for simplicity.

And that’s all before you take into account the shitshow that’s currently going down in numerous places across the world… (but, y’know, hard side-eye towards the US here)

It’s easier for the world at large if we don’t listen to ourselves. It’s easier for our families, our workplaces, everyone, if we just keep on keeping on.

And there’s times we have to do that New baby, audit in work, major project… whatever it is, there are times we actually do have to keep on keeping on. But not always.

And we fall into the trap. We cope, because we see no other way.

Listening to ourselves leads to failure, or dropping the ball on something.

Hard lessons

One of the strongest lessons I learned earlier in my career was when I was off work, sick, for 3 months. I came back and checked in with my boss on all the things that were deemed so important, so vital to the running of the business.

90% of them hadn’t been kept up while I was away. So, I took a radical step. I stopped doing them.

If they weren’t important enough for someone else to pick up, then why was I wasting my time? I immediately freed up almost 20hours a week.

HALF MY WORKING WEEK.

I had been running myself ragged working on reports, presentations, information… that nobody really needed.

I had most definitely not been listening to myself.

Now, mind you, I’m a slow learner. That wasn’t the first, or indeed, the last time I work myself sick. Last week was a minor example of it.

But we have to ask ourselves: when we don’t listen to ourselves, what good are we to our people?

Whether our people are family, friends, colleagues, dependents, whatever – what good are we?

That old thing about no one praising someone at their funeral for spending all that time in the office?

The Act of Radical Listening to Ourselves

I read Louis Hay‘s work on racial self care years ago. It’s a bit dated now, but there is some good stuff in there. First and foremost, she advocates listening to ourselves. Our bodies. Our souls.

And taking the time to rest and allow these messages to come through.

In a world where the powers that be appear to want us chaotic and confused, resting and knowing ourselves (those of us with the privilege to do so, of course) is radical.

It’s an expression of intent.

Or an invitation for care.

Rest.

Absorption and integration.

(And while we’re on the topic – yes, you can grab a limited spot on the upcoming Imbolc retreat to do just this, if you wish)

But in the meantime, think about how you can build in listening to yourself as a continual thing. How do you build in rest when it’s needed? How do you recognise you need rest? (Highly recommend not backing into the shed as a wake up call. Seriously!)

Is it meditation? Time away from everyone? Regular catch ups with close friends? How do you best build in that time?

Drop me a line and let me know!

Ascending to Imbolc

Ascending to Imbolc and lighting candles all round us! A female looking hand holds a small thin lit candle against a background of more candles.
Your Imbolc prep requires candles, right?

I’ve written before around preparing for Imbolc. I mean, I generally write a few times a year on the topic. But this year, I want to discuss ascending to Imbolc. Because, I want to change the focus a little bit.

I want to talk about coming up out of winter and into Spring.

Out of darkness, into the light.

Away from dreams and into action.

Do you get the feeling I’m projecting? The energy of the earth is starting to wake up again. The plants have already started growing again here in Ireland. No, seriously.

Climate change is real.

Ascending to Imbolc

But what do I mean by ascending to Imbolc?

Just that, really. The movement from dreaming to doing. The change in energy of the earth. Part of the year when we start thinking about “new year, new you” rubbish.

A picture of some green snowdrops with white petals showing against brown twigs and brown earth.
Snowdrops, in Dublin on St. Stephen’s Day

It won’t be long before we’ll be proclaiming the “grand stretch in the evenings”.

And, yes, I know, half of ye, at least, are still in a stupor of Christmas turkey and ham, boxes of sweets, mince pies, etc. But that’s half the reason that Imbolc feels like an ascent rather than a descent.

The energy is low at this time of the year. We’ve just passed midwinter, the Solstice, when the sun is at its weakest (in the Northern Hemisphere – of you’re in Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, etc – come back to this post round the end of June, ok?)

But now?

Now the energy’s rising! (From about 25 seconds in anyway)

We’re moving upward. Out of the winter blankies. Out of the earth. Into the sun. Ascending to Imbolc.

Practically speaking?

Well, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about developing that daily spiritual relationship with Brigid. Or thinking about developing your own spiritual path. But aside from that.

Ascending to Imbolc can mean putting in the last preparations for the festival. Cleaning the house, clearing out the energy after being stuck in winter. Shaking out the cobwebs – figuratively and literally. Read something challenging – either because of literacy level or challenging ideas.

Start gathering what supplies you need, or planning when your ritual will take place. Or start planning to do nothing at all, and how does that look?

Look for the signs – things like those snowdrops. Or the grass growing. Maybe buds on trees, or even leaves.

Recognise the world around you is ascending as well. The development and growth during winter is usually underground – seeds and plants hibernating in a way. And we do it as well. Get through to the end of the year.

But now? Now it’s clear decision time. Where is your energy going to go come spring? When we ascend into Imbolc, when we climb the metaphorical ladder to return to the light, what are we returning to?

The world as it was?

Or are we choosing to change?

Maybe it’s too early yet

Maybe it’s a bit early yet to plan out the year all in one go.

But if you have the chance – make some decisions now. Write them down. Get organised to put them into place.

Then once we’ve ascended into Imbolc – it’s all go, no holds barred, let’s do this thing!!

Preparing for Imbolc: A Gentle Invitation to Begin Now

As the days shorten and the year winds down, many of us feel the pull to turn inward – to rest, reflect, and reconnect with what matters most. Preparing for Imbolc doesn’t appear in our minds right now. But wait…

In the Irish seasonal calendar, this time of year is a quiet descent toward Imbolc, the festival that marks the first stirrings of spring. It’s a time of deep listening, of preparing the ground, both within and without, for what’s to come.

But if you’ve ever felt unsure about how to actually prepare for Imbolc, you’re not alone.

Maybe you’ve read about people leaving cloths out for Brigid, lighting candles, or holding rituals – but you’re not quite sure what it all means, or how to make it your own.

That’s exactly why I created this course.

An image showing the poster for Awakening the Flame, a three month journey to prepare for Imbolc. It shows a picture of Brigid with red ahri flowing around her, info around the course - that's outline in the text as well,: 5 online modules Extra meditations and documents Gradually providing ideas Building towards Imbolc
Poster for the Awakening the Flame course

Preparing for Imbolc: A Three-Month Journey of Spiritual Grounding

Starting in November, I’ll be guiding a small group through the same practices and reflections I use to prepare for Imbolc each year. This isn’t about doing more – it’s about doing what’s meaningful.

Together, we’ll explore a three-fold framework that supports your:

🌿 Physical preparation – tending to your space, your body, your home
💧 Emotional preparation – making space for reflection, release, and renewal
🔥 Spiritual preparation – connecting with Brigid as Smith, Poet, and Healer

You’ll learn how these archetypes can guide your own ritual design – whether you’re new to this path or have been walking it for years.

This Course Is for You If…

  • You feel drawn to Brigid and the Irish seasonal cycle, but want more structure and support
  • You’re craving a spiritual practice that’s both rooted in tradition and adaptable to modern life
  • You want to prepare for Imbolc in a way that honours your energy, your time, and your truth
  • You’re ready to create a ritual or observance that feels yours – not just a copy of someone else’s

Why Start Now?

Because true preparation takes time.


Your spiritual life deserves spaciousness.

The descent into winter is sacred too.

This course gives you three months to gently explore, reflect, and prepare. So that when Imbolc arrives, you’re not scrambling to “get it right.” You’re arriving with presence, clarity, and connection.

Join Me

✨ If you’re ready to deepen your relationship with Brigid, with the Irish seasonal cycle, and with your own inner wisdom — I’d love to walk this path with you.

✨Or you can pay all in one go here.

Let’s prepare for Imbolc — not in a rush, but in rhythm.

Preparing for Imbolc

I know, it’s not even Samhain yet, and I’m already speaking about preparing for Imbolc.

But there’s a reason for it. Namely, I start preparing for Imbolc around the time of Samhain. In the same way I start preparing for Samhain around the time of Lúnasa. But for Imbolc, I take some of ye along with me on the journey.

Lighting candles is an essential part of my preparation for Imbolc, especially electric ones! Picture of an electric candle, shining in the dark
Let’s be serious, ye already knew lighting candles was ging to be a part of this!

And it’s no joke to say that I start writing about this nearly every year at this time…

What takes so long, FFS?

Well yeah, ok here’s the thing. I prepare for Imbolc over three months, because I considering the time between Samhain and Imbolc to be my dreaming period. My planning period. I’ve taken stock of where I am and what I’ve achieved between Lúnasa and Samhain. So, Samhain to Imbolc is the heavy work.

I prepare for Imbolc in the physical, emotional and spiritual realms.

And I allocate about a month for each in my preparation cycle. Imbolc isn’t just an event to me, it’s a season. And as such, I use it as part of my seasonal work. I mean, I go through a cycle of physical, emotional and spiritual work in all seasons, but for Imbolc it’s extra special preparation.

And yeah, that’s cos of the links with Brigid. Definitely.

But it’s also because I consider the work done between Samhain and Imbolc as the most important in the year. It’s how I set up my year, plan my year, engage with my audience to find out what’s needed and what isn’t for the coming year.

It’s my time for reflection, review, engagement… all of that good stuff.

And it takes time.

Preparing for Imbolc is a whole-person approach for me. And it’s different every year. There are some basics that stay the same, and I’ll talk about them down below, but the specifics change, over and over again.

Physically preparing for Imbolc

OK, a lot of this is cleaning. Seriously.

Thankfully Christmas happens between Samhain and Imbolc, otherwise, I’d never get things as clean as I want for the season. But there is a feeling or a need to clear our the house come spring. Which as we know, starts to show it’s face around Imbolc. It’s not the height of spring – I’d label that as the equinox. But still…

And particularly with Imbolc, after the winter season of closing doors and windows, there’s a great need to let the fresh air. To clear out the corners. Get the energy moving again.

(This is northern hemisphere based and four-seasons based of course. If you’re in a different season rotation – you may need to adjust!)

But preparing for Imbolc by getting things going again really feels apt for the season in Ireland and the stage of the year. And a good scrubbing of the house really helps get the energy moving again. As does a clean breeze coming through.

Now, of course, you may get complaints from certain inhabitants about the cold, etc. But I dare anyone not to enjoy the feeling of a truly clean, fresh house.

And it gives us a clean slate to start the rest of the year with. Which feeds into…

Emotionally preparing for Imbolc

Now, I’m the last to tell anyone how they might feel or how their emotions might affect them. But I know for me and mine, the dark winter months are touch, emotionally speaking. I tend to leave the house in the dark and get back to work in the dark.

In fact this started last week – admittedly, I was in work for 7am, but still. There is a definitely shortening of both morning and evening light. And this has an effect on our mood. Even the HSE, our health and safety people, recommend everyone in the country should take a vitamin D supplement.

Image reads: How much vitamin D you need Everyone in Ireland needs to take a vitamin D supplement. The amount you need depends on your age, skin tone, your situation and the time of year. If you have dark skin – for example you have an African, African-Caribbean or south Asian background – you may also not make enough vitamin D from sunlight. The amount of vitamin D you need is often described in micrograms.
Image taken from the HSE website

I mean, half the country is on anti-depressants, even with the gorgeous scenery. And that standing joke about God not letting it rain for 40 days and 40 nights anymore, but 40 days and 39 and a half nights is definitely within scope is accurate here.

How much does it rain?

As is our assessment of other climate’s rainy season. I remember being in Gambia years ago and being warned I was going during the rainy season. They got a mere 2 hours of rain every day and you could set your clock by it…

That was a gorgeous summer as far as I was concerned!

(Before anyone starts- I know monsoons and other dramatic rain are far worse than what we get. But for days of rain per year, we’re kinda up there. There’s a reason all the fields are green, ok?)

So, all in all, looking after our emotional health is important this time of year. It’s also why I consider the lighting of candles and fires to be an essential component of preparing for Imbolc. Not just about the connections of Brigid and fire. It’s about that deep seated emotional need we have for light at this dark time of the year.

Spiritually preparing for Imbolc

I mean, ye know this was coming, right? It’s not like I hide it.

And while the physical and emotional preparation are vitally important, the spiritual preparation for Imbolc is at the core of what the celebration means to me.

And the spiritual preparation can be deeply personal. For anyone! Of course there will be the public stuff. I am mostly likely to run a virtual retreat this year, again. There’s a good chance I’ll be sharing the public or public-friendly bits of my celebration on Instagram or in the Facebook group.

But there are always personal parts. I might share the fact that a spiritual shower or sacred cleanse is an important part of my celebration, but I don’t usually share the explicit details of it. I might share a pic of my brat Bhríde hanging from the door. It’s not so likely I’ll share the details of the prayers and blessings I add into my own private ritual.

There is always that dividing line for me between the publicly available stuff and the personal stuff. Whether that stuff is personal gnosis or just none of anyone else’s business doesn’t matter.

What does matter is that when I’m teaching, I give you the tools to develop your own practices. Because that’s where the value is. Not in copying what I do by rote.

Heads up

So this is a heads up. A heads up for both you and me.

We’ll be starting the course on 1st November. It ends up usually being about 5 classes over three months… I’m great at planning these things to be even and regular… not. So, there’s usually a gap over Christmas, but don’t worry. Sessions are recorded and usually available within a day or two.

But you don’t have to join the class if you don’t want to. (Although payment plan is available!)

If you are interested, check out the links and if you have any questions, email!

But don’t forget. This dark, quiet time of year is not for the faint of heart. And spring comes again quickly!

A quiet Imbolc celebration

There are so many options for celebrating Imbolc. I’ve written about them myself before! But there are plenty of people who can’t be any way obvious about their celebrations. So, here are some ideas to help you with a quiet Imbolc celebration…

Cook a meal

Now look, every February, I start seeing “Brigid and round yellow foods” types posts. Please don’t do that. There’s really nothing in Irish lore to connect Brigid to either yellow or round foods in particular. I do have a whole blog post on food and Imbolc for you to check out, though, so take a look at that.

But a lot of Imbolc celebrations are about coming together as a community in a fairly casual setting. So you could, to celebrate Imbolc, cook a nice meal for your family and/or friends. You don’t have to explain why you’re doing a dairy based meal. You don’t have to explain why you chose that particular day. You can just say, hey, I fancy cooking a nice meal and have us all sit down together. Off you go!

And look, we all have to eat, so this is a perfect example of a quiet Imbolc celebration!

Plant some seeds

These can be physical seeds or metaphorical seeds. Physical seeds are easier, let’s face it. I did this accidentally a few years ago. Yes, I know, but there’s a story. My Mam sent me a bunch of seeds during Covid, just to give me something nice that wouldn’t take too much minding and looking after those seeds and ensuing plants became part of my daily ritual. And afterwards, Brigid did smack me over the head with the spiritual benefits tending plants gives me.

Peace, quiet, slow change – these are all things I struggle with and those plants gave me.

Now, I also use Imbolc for planting metaphorical seeds. I start talking to people about my plans for the Forge and what programs or courses they might be interested in. All sorts of things. I also start researching things I want dive deeper into – and at least try and prioritise a bit…

Spring cleaning

Look, if you’re anything like me, housework over the winter months drops a bit. And definitely, the energy around the house needs a bit of a spruce up. Most of winter in Ireland is taken up with keeping heat in and weather out. Which means the energy around the house can stagnate.

Now, I’m not talking about a massive, week long binge on cleaning. Maybe making time once a week to spend an hour deep diving on one area. Give it a really good scrubbing.

A picture of a small potted plant with green leaves and pink flowers. Whether buying or growing, plants can be a great way to quietly celebrate Imbolc!
Whether you grow them or buy them, a few plants around Imbolc are nice to have!

And most people engage with some sort of spring cleaning, so most won’t recognise this as a quiet Imbolc celebration. But by doing a good scrub of a place, you’re cleaning up the energy as much as the physical world.

Now, you can add in a final rinse with salt to help with the energy. Mugwort is also a great addition. You can add in some noise, or music, or smoke to help with the energy as well.

But that might be outside the scope of what’s acceptable in your community or space. But cleaning is rarely seen as problematic!

In bed at night

So, here’s the thing. You know when you get into bed? You can think whatever you want at that point. Once the lights are out, no one can see your facial expression. No one can supervise what you think or whisper to yourself. Unless they’ve videoing you in your sleep, in which case, pleas refer to last week’s post!

But in bed at night, this can be your quiet Imbolc celebration. This can be your time to connect in with Brigid. This can be your time to pray. This is your time.

A quiet Imbolc celebration

So here’s the thing. No one can tell you how to celebrate any festival. People can point out authentic ways, traditional ways, ways they use. But the way you celebrate any festival is up to you.

I hope these ideas give you a starting point at least, but if you’re feeling stuck, there is still time to join the Imbolc Retreat. And honestly, that will look like some meditation and journaling, so for some of you, that might work.

If not, please feel free to reach out for more help!

Imbolc Retreat 2025

I said earlier in the year that I would hold an Imbolc Retreat in 2025. And here we are!

I know, it’s just barely January (or before January if you are in the self-care community) but here’s the thing. Imbolc 2025 is only a month away. And I want you to get as much notice as possible. And this post is about giving you ALL the details.

Imbolc Retreat 2025

So, what are the essentials? Well

  • Comfy blankie
  • Your favourite mug, filled with something you enjoy
  • A journal you’re willing to write in
  • A closed door
  • Comfy seat
  • Layers of clothing
  • A closed door between you and the outside world.

And ok – an internet connection, cos this is virtual.

Picture shows a very comfy looking bed, with 2 lamps on stands at either side and some wall art behind it. Look, I'm not saying you must stay in bed to get the most out of my Imbolc Retreat 2025, but it's certainly an option!!
I’m not saying you must complete this retreat from the comfort of your bed, but it’s certainly an option!

The aim is to create a comfortable, warm, supportive environment where you have time and space to connect with Brigid. I anticipate the retreat will last 6 hours, but within that time, there will be three rounds of meditation, followed by a movement session of some description and a break.

This is not meant to be intensive, this is meant to allow you time to assimilate between meditations so that you can actually act on what you learn. And movement could be as simple as standing up, for those that can, having a bit of a stretch, we might do some dancing… it will be nothing to try and get sweaty, more just grounding ourselves between meditations so we don’t lose our groundedness. (I’m not sure that’s a word, but ye know what I mean!)

What’s involved?

LIke I said, 3 rounds of meditation… but here’s a more structured outline

  • Joining the meeting, getting settled, asking any questions
  • Opening circle
  • Setting intentions for the day
  • First round of meditation
  • Journaling time
  • Movement
  • Break
  • Second round of meditation
  • Journaling time
  • Movement
  • Break
  • Third round of meditation
  • Journaling time
  • Movement
  • Break
  • Closing comments
  • Closing circle

Now, with the times I’m anticipating with all those, that brings us to just over 5 hours, but there is always slippage on these things and I want people to be able to relax and enjoy the day. Without worrying about running late.

There will be a recording available afterwards, however, the journaling time and breaks won’t be recorded, nor will the period at the start where we’re gathering and getting settled. Also, if people want to ask a question off camera or unrecorded that’s fine as well. Ye know I do that anyway, if ye have attended an online event with me before now.

The three rounds of meditation are designed around my usual practice with the flame, but on each successive round, we will be going deeper into your relationship with Brigid.

Why bother with this?

Well, one, people have been asking for an Imbolc retreat for a few years now. And I had intended to go to the States in 2025, but with the new president coming in, I don’t feel able to. When I asked the email list which options they preferred, the overwhelming response was a virtual retreat in first place, with a retreat in Ireland in person coming second and an in-person retreat in Canada coming a very weak third.

So virtual is where we’re starting.

And, I want to provide space for people, particularly around Imbolc, to support and help and nurture the connection you feel with Brigid and to get real clarity from her on what she needs and wants from you in the coming year, as well as space for you to ask for what you need and want from her.

This is a relationship, with two-way communication remember. It may not be a relationship between equals, and that’s ok, but it’s still a relationship. And there will be equal amounts of time given to journaling about the meditation as to the meditation itself. So, plenty of time to record, respond and generally sort out your feelings on what comes up with the meditations.

It will be possible to spend some time chatting about it as well, if needed or wanted.

Cost, numbers etc for this retreat?

OK, I can hear ye asking, how much is this Imbolc Retreat 2025 going to cost?

Well, there’s 4 options.

  1. Pay in full before 5pm Irish time on the 6th January and it will cost $497 or €475
  2. Pay in installments before 5pm Irish time on the 6th January and it will cost 2 x $300 or 2 x €290
  3. Pay in full after 6th January and it will cost $597 or €575
  4. Pay in installments after 6th January and it will cost 2 x $347 or €335

To allow people to get a fair shot at this retreat and enable everyone to get the attention they need and deserve, I’m limiting spaces to 15 people. 15 is the absolute maximum number of people I can support on this day.

(And honestly, I’ve been arguing with Brigid to get me to extend even that much!) Holding the energy for a retreat like this isn’t easy, so this limitation is to help you on the day get the support and help you need.

So there it is

Imbolc Retreat 2025 is not officially open to sign ups. Please click the link and sing up asap if you want to take part.

Imbolc retreat 2025 – join us here!

Awakening the Flame (again)

I’ve written before about why I called the upcoming three-month course “Awakening the Flame“. But I wanted to revisit things. I stand by everything I wrote in the previous post, mind, but I’ve grown in the last year and I’m sure you have as well.

As I write this, we’re still a few weeks out from the course starting, but the post will only be posted on Nov 11th, so you have four days to sign up.

So, with the stage set, let’s dive into my thoughts and thinking about this.

Why this course?

I wanted to put together a course that gives people a solid, deep foundation of practical tools and techniques to develop an Imbolc ritual that really suits them. But after a few years running the “Preparation for Imbolc” course, I realised the course was far more than this.

Awakening the Flame was born out of this. A lot of the same content is covered, so if you’ve previously taken “Preparation for Imbolc”, I don’t think you need this one. But if you really want to take Awakening the Flame, let me know and I’ll set up a discount for you!

But if you haven’t taken either course yet, here’s why you should:

  • You’re confused as to what makes a “proper” ritual
  • You have great ideas but not sure how to make them fit with you
  • You’re in a situation where you can’t be public or obvious about your practice
  • You want your practice to be authentic – both to the lore and to yourself – but there’s so much rubbish on the internet that you have no idea what to do or where to start!

Honestly, I get you. Awakening the Flame was designed with you in mind. Seriously. That’s why it started off as “Preparation for Imbolc” but I found my students and clients got so much more from the course.

So here’s what we cover and why it’s important.

What’s in the Awakening the Flame course

Well, the high level outline is

  • Introduction
  • The physical realm
  • The emotional realm
  • The spiritual realm
  • The ritual/ celebration

Now, you might think I’m giving away a lot when I say this, and maybe I am.

An image of a large number of green tea lights with the first one in clear focus and the rest extending into the background in a kind of triangular shape, getting less in focus as they go. Sometimes Awakening the Flame is gentle and easy...
Image of tea lights. Flame can be gentle

But it’s no secret and throughout the course, I link the Smith, the Poet and the Healer with different aspects of the realms and there’s a lot of practical exercises to support the work you’ll be doing.

Now, while the course is aimed to have you completing a ritual of your own design at Imbolc, there’s no rush. The aim of the course is that you work at your own pace. And the plan this year is that the videos are a LOT shorter.

So, you can dip in when you have 10mins or so and cover a video, then leave again. You can move in and out at your own pace. There’s no timeline – once you sign up you have access for as long as you want. Awakening the Flame may not be available for new sign ups forever, but you will also get the chance to download whatever videos and resources you want to keep. Just ask anyone…

In each section, I go through why I (mostly) associate the sister with the realm, what the tools and techniques are that I use in this area, some other ideas for you to explore, a few key journal questions to consider and possible a meditation or two along the way.

Students transformations

Yes, seriously. Transformations.

Previous students have had major life changes and some not outwardly major, but deeply impactful.

  • Decided to become a practicing non-denominational minister
  • Started women’s circles
  • Became a death doula, and then moved on to become a counsellor
  • Started a shoebox altar
  • Changed jobs, changed relationships, changed homes, changed their entire life
  • Began a prayer practice and still continues it five years later

Now, if you recognise yourself in that list -hope you’re not offended, but I am trying to keep people anonymous as well. Feel free to comment if you do recognise yourself though!

Mostly? People come out the end of this course and feel assertive in their practice. They have a deep, grounded practice that they are happy with and know how to adjust if they realise it’s not working.

Awakening the Flame vs Brigid’s Path?

So, how is this different to Brigid’s Path? There are a few key differences.

Awakening the Flame is for those who want to work with Brigid. Definitely. Brigid’s Path is for those who need a wider exploration and more coaching support.

Awakening the Flame focuses on learning new; Brigid’s Path also looks at unlearning old…

Fundamentally? There is a much more in-depth approach in Brigid’s Path and the courses in that “bucket”, let’s call it, are more coaching rather than teaching, although there are elements of both. Brigid’s Path is for those who aren’t sure. Awakening the Flame is for those who know Brigid is for them and they want to have a practice based on real, authentic, proven practices.

Join me!

We start on 15th November. New videos will drop every few weeks. (Last ones drop on 7th February, 2025)

Are you looking for an authentic Brigid practice, deeply rooted in Irish tradition?

Are you looking to go beyond candles and rush crosses for Imbolc?

Are you looking for a Brigid practice that fits your life and is still authentic?

Join Awakening the Flame before 15 November!

Brigid, Imbolc and Food

An exploration of some of the strange food posts I see around this time of year and some suggestions for what to look at for your Imbolc celebration!

Every year, around this time, I start seeing a flood of posts and pages on the internet posting about what food to eat and make for Imbolc. What are traditional Imbolc foods? What should we be making that is appropriate and traditional for Imbolc? Along with recipes and the links between Brigid and this food. And a lot of it is pure bull shit. Now, to be clear, I’m coming at this from an Irish Brigid perspective, as always. But there’s a load of dubious information around the place that we need to clarify. So here’s a list on commonalities I see permeating these posts:

Selection of potatoes
A picutre of a pile of potatoes, white, red, yellow in colour, in a variety of sizes
  • Brigid as sun deity. Now, you might, might I say, have a case for this in Scotland. They tell the legend of the Cailleach ruling the winter and Brigid the summer there. Brigid being released or rescued or escaping is One of the signs of spring and the returning of the sun. But this isn’t the case in Ireland. There might again be an extremely loose, dodgy link between Brigid and the sun. I mean, the sun is a great big fiery ball, but this isn’t something that happens in Irish lore. Irish deities just plain aren’t set up that way, to be the “Deity of X”. There are things we can connect them to, because of the lore and the stories, but we wouldn’t refer to them as the deity of X. And this rules out a lot of what follows through this type of post.
  • The absolute lack of differentiation between Irish and Scottish practices and beliefs. Seriously – there’s a reason I specify it’s Irish Brigid I follow. Because I know the beliefs, the lore, the practices are different in Ireland and Scotland. There’s some overlap, sure. The countries are close enough that fluent speakers of Irish and Gaelic can make themselves understood enough to hold a conversation. But that doesn’t mean the beliefs and practices are the same. It is irresponsible at best to smush them together like this.
  • Brigid as maiden. Or being part of the maiden/mother/crone trio. Again. Not the way triple deities work in Ireland. We have no tradition of this at all in our lore. Seriously. There will be a future blog post coming on this soon and why I find the whole construct of MMC so problematic. But please – read our lore. Examine how both our traditions and our modern practices look at women. Just, please…
  • Associating colours with Brigid. I have a lot of UPG around the colours I associate with Brigid, built up over my years of practice. But, the important word (well ok, it’s an acronym) is UPG. It is unverified, it is personal. There’s really nothing in the lore associating Brigid with colours. Ditto with shapes, just FYI. As far as I’m aware, there is nothing in our lore telling me Brigid is happier with round over any other type of shape. I mean, she’s a blacksmith as well as anything else!
  • Linking Imbolc with Candlemas. Candlemas is a short name for the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord. Or the Feast for the Purification of Mary. There’s a Catholic website that gives a good explanation here of the feast. Basically, it’s explained to Catholics, or at least to this one, that after 40 days the first born of any Jewish family had to be presented to the temple and the mother had to visit to be purified after childbirth. There’s a much better explanation, complete with Bible references, in the link above. Now, there is a link in Irish lore between Brigid and Mary. Aside from the way Brigid is called “the Mary of the Gael”, there is a story about Brigid drawing crowds away from Mary and the Holy family as they escaped Herod’s persecution and massacre to Egypt. In this way, Brigid earned the right to precede Mary after that. This means her feast day, 1st Feb comes before Mary’s feast day, 2nd Feb in the Catholic calendar. Can I buggery find a link to that story right now though! But back to my problem with linking Imbolc with Candlemas. They are beside each other in the calendar. Although at least one entry in Duchas equates St. Brigid’s Day with 2nd February rather than the first. However, the blessing of the candles has nothing to do with Brigid. And calling Brigid the Goddess of Light or the Goddess of Illumination makes me feel dodgy. You know – I’ll make a full blog post on this on as well. There’s just too much!
  • The lack of valid information on what foods can be used at this time in Ireland traditionally. Pancakes in Ireland are traditionally associated with Shrove Tuesday, not Imbolc. They are made from eggs, milk, butter and fat all of which were on the list of “abstain from” foods for Lent. Now, I have no problems with pancakes being used as foods for Imbolc celebrations. They’re wonderful food, can be savoury, sweet, sized as you choose….wonderful things. As long as we’re talking about the crepe style pancake more popular in Ireland certainly and not the American breakfast pancake, which is far less versatile in my opinion, but possibly better for eating on the go. But what bugs me about these posts really is they take no notice of what foods might traditionally be available in early February in Ireland, but make it seem like the foods they are suggesting would have been easily available. I have no problem with including seeds in your Imbolc feast – wonderful symbolism in my opinion. Our ancestors wouldn’t have traditionally eaten seeds in Ireland. I mean modern Ireland has seeds, go into any health food store and you’ll find them. But go back a few generations, and it was the desperate who ate their seedstock. It left you nothing to sow for the coming year. Don’t worry, I have a list coming below for this one!
  • Spuds. Potatoes. No.The English coloniers brought the spud to Ireland , “credited” to Sir Walter Raleigh. Jon O’ Sullivan has a great exploration of the role of the spud in Irish history here. Now, spuds are such a staple in Ireland that until very recently, a meal couldn’t be considered a dinner without some potatoes being served along with it. Like within my lifetime. I’ve never seen my Dad take so much interest or concern over what or how my mother cooked as the first time she made lasagne. It was in the late 80’s for reference. If you are going to force a nation to depend on one food for nutrition, the spud isn’t a bad choice. Add in dairy for fats, required for health, and you have a fairly decent nutritional intake. But using spuds to celebrate a deity in Ireland… it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Pun sort of intended.
  • An overwhelming dependency on the Oimelc origin story for Imbolc. Now, I can’t argue too much with this one, since it at least brings dairy into the picture, but really, drinking ewe’s milk is and has been fairly rare in Ireland. I remember asking my Grandad about this once as a child – his reaction was not positive and was along the lines of “we’re not that desperate”. Milk and dairy in ireland were and still are, predominantly, almost exclusively bovine in nature. But there are very strong links between Brigid and dairy/cows, whether it’s the saint or the deity you’re looking at. So I won’t argue too much with this one, even if it’s taking a convoluted way to reach a destination.
PIcture of dairy foods like milk, cheese, yoghurt, curds,
PIcture of dairy foods like milk, cheese, yoghurt, curds,

So after all that, what would I suggest? Well here’s a few thoughts.

  • Dairy. Brigid is heavily associated with dairy foods – butter, cream, cheese, milk. Think of all the stories in the hagiographies of her making one churn of butter supply twice the butter it should have – usually because she had given the first half away to the less well off.
  • Lamb, Mutton, Beef, Bacon, Pork. Lebor Gabala Érenn explicitly links Brigid to ox, boar and ram. There are traditional Irish recipes for all of this – just remember, an Irish rasher bears very little resemblance to the US/Canadian bacon slices other than they come from the same animal. Allegedly…
  • Foods that are in season in Ireland in late January/February. Leek, Celeriac, Parsnip, Kale, Swede, Purple sprouting broccoli, Beetroot, Winter cabbage, Mushrooms, Turnip, Thyme, Parsley, Lettuce, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Carrot. From storage: spuds, apples, onion. Check out the Bord Bia website, it’s wonderful!
  • Ancient Irish foods. In general, our ancestors had a wide variety of food to eat in this country. Seriously – cereals like oats and barley, made into porridge and bread. Wild and domesticated meat – although this always depends on wealth. (As it does today.) “Birds, wild boar and goats, deer and even hedgehogs were commonly eaten“. Fish. Nuts- if you’ve read Irish lore, you know hazelnuts feature prominently, but there are other nuts about. Seaweed – although considered a food of the less well off and since the famine consumption has dropped significantly. Rumour has it, consumption is increasing again though.
  • Spiritually or ritually significant foods. I know I said earlier seeds weren’t eaten in Ireland traditionally – and I stand by that. But I do appreciate the symbolism of seeds at Imbolc – I’d just prefer to see people planting them than eating them ritually speaking. Make the special cake. Try out the fancy recipe. You’re welcoming a deity into your home, it’s worth the effort. Just remember to differentiate the items you include because they are special food stuffs versus the food you include because it is linked to Brigid.

There’s a massive variety of food in this country and we are immensely lucky that with the mild climate we have, we can grow food all year round. So fresh fruit and veg are possible most of the year. With planning and preparation of course. And in modern times we have supermarkets, so y’know – that helps. And if you really love some of the recipes that the “Imbolc Food Blogs” describe – go ahead. Use them. But try and delineate for yourself at least the food you are eating to bring you closer to your ancestors (physical, spiritual or other) and the food you are eating cos it tastes good and Imbolc is an excuse for a party. I don’t have problems with the food that’s recommended, as such. It’s the convoluted routes people take to say this particular recipe is ancient or spiritual or connected directly with Brigid.