Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Pagan
Loop of Brighid: Private Practices 7 – The Devotional Moods

Loop of Brighid: Private Practices 7 – The Devotional Moods

Last updated on: June 25, 2015 at 10:17 pm by Christopher Scott Thompson

3 Comments

Loop of Brighid: Private Practices 7 – The Devotional Moods 2015-06-25T22:17:35+00:00 Christopher Scott Thompson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

In an earlier series of columns on “The Mysticism of Devotion,” we explored the devotional moods of Child, Friend, Strength, Champion, Hound, Servant, Spouse and Parent in relation to the love of the goddess Brighid. Now we will explore the cultivation of these devotional moods through visualization. The important point in each of these visualizations is emotional content. You want to center yourself in one particular emotional attitude and develop it as far as possible. The visualizations are only means to that end.

Child – Imagine yourself as a helpless little infant, cradled in the arms of the goddess Brighid. The goddess is shining with a wonderful light as She gazes down into your face with limitless and unconditional love. Alternatives: Imagine yourself as Ruadan, the slain son of Brighid and Bres. Brighid mourns your death with keening and shrieking. Imagine yourself as Brian, one of the three sons of Brighid and Tuireann. You are in exile from your beloved mother for the crime of slaying Lugh’s father. With your brothers Iuchar and Iucharba, you roam from land to land trying to fulfill the impossible conditions of the blood-price demanded by Lugh.

Friend – Imagine yourself as a close personal friend of Brighid. You walk hand-in-hand with Her along a beach or through the forest, sharing the hopes and fears of your life with Her as She listens with gentle compassion. Alternative: Imagine yourself as Darlughdacha, personal companion of St. Brigid of Kildare. Darlugdacha was said to be so close to St. Brigid that the two women slept in one bed, and Darlughdacha succeeded Brigid as the abbess of Kildare.

Strength – Imagine that with every breath you take, the power of the goddess Brighid fills you with greater and greater strength and power. Alternative: imagine yourself as Venutius, ancient king of the Brigantes tribe, whose power and right to rule derive from his relationship with the goddess Brigantia. Imagine yourself as Cartimandua, the queen who ruled the Brigantes, drove out her husband Venutius and allied with the Romans.

Champion – Imagine yourself as a guardian of Brighid’s shrine at Kildare, either in Christian or pagan times. Your sacred task in this role is to ensure that the eternal flame at the shrine is not profaned.

Hound – Imagine yourself as Brighid’s hound, tending sheep at Her side and protecting them from wolves. Alternative: imagine yourself as a fierce Fianna warrior in ancient Ireland, reiving and raiding to sustain your family and living the life of an outlaw. Brighid welcomes you home and purifies you of guilt with a blessing.

Servant – Imagine yourself as a servant of Brighid’s shrine at Kildare, either in Christian or pagan times. Chop wood for the use of the shrine, gather kindling in the forest, draw water from the well and tend the animals.

Spouse – Imagine yourself as a great bard on a quest for lost knowledge, like Senchan Torpeist in the tale of the finding of the Tain. Senchan’s wife was named Brighid. Alternative: imagine yourself as Bride’s lover Angus in the Scottish folktale, coming to rescue Her from imprisonment by the Cailleach in Ben Nevis during the fierce winter months.

Parent – Imagine yourself cradling the Brideog or infant Brighid in your arms. Take care of Her and tend to Her every need. Alternative: imagine yourself as a mute and seemingly autistic boy who suddenly becomes pregnant with the power of poetry and prophesy as in the bizarre tale of Amairgen son of Ecet Salach.

You can find the columns on the “Mysticism of Devotion” here:

You can find the first six columns on “Private Practices” here:

Loop of Brighid is published on alternate Thursdays. Follow it via RSS or e-mail!

Previous Post

November 6, 2013

Druid Thoughts: Gratitude for Community

Next Post

November 8, 2013 Syncretic Electric: We Need to be Challenged, or Why I am Thankful

Recent Comments

3 Comments | Leave a Comment

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A Lakeside Hearth Adventures in Wortcunning Alone In Her Presence Arts, Crafts & Cooking Birthing Hereditary Witchcraft Book of Blackbirds Book Reviews Born-Again Witch Cauldron, Sword, Spear, & Stone Cermony and Liturgy Columns Community Dandelion Seeds Dear Jasmine Druid Thoughts Editor's Picks Everyday Pagan Family & Household Practice Family Traditions Full Frontal Magic Gateway Goddess Guest Articles Happily Heathen Health and Wellness Hearth of Hellenism Heathen Woman Hills of the Horizon History Holidays Horse Goddesses Interfaith Interviews Irish-American Witchcraft Jewish Witch Lamp & Labyrinth Letters from Midgard Literature, Media, Film, Music Loop of Brighid Love, Sex & Relationships Magic or Magick Making Light Naturalistic Traditions Nature News Outside The Circle Pantheisticon Politics Prayers, Poems, Blessings & Stories Queer Femme Mystic Queer of Swords Recipes Ritual and Practice Science and Research Seekers and Guides Seeking the Grail Socially Responsible Magic Spear of Athena Star Made Witch Syncretic Electric Technology The Blooming Staff The Busy Witch The Cartomancer The Crow's Nest The Dance of Pagan Recovery The Hearth of Hellenism The Lady's Quill The Other Side of the Hedge The Path of She The Rantin' Raven The Witches Next Door The Zen Pagan Theology, Ethics, Philosophy Tree City Witch Urban Earthwitch Wayfaring Woman Witch on Fire Wyrd Words

Select a Month January 2026 March 2025 December 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 August 2023 July 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was the youngest friend who rebuked Job and the other friends?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Eliphaz Zophar Bildad Elihu