Welcome.
Thank you for joining me,
Dawn Jelly,
Here today as we journey to meet Brigid,
Ireland's patroness saint.
As the earth turns and the seasons change,
We move through different cycles of the year.
Solstices,
When days and nights are longest or shortest,
And equinoxes,
When days and nights are equal in all parts of the world.
And then the four cross-quarter days,
Which roughly mark the midpoints between.
And today we celebrate in bulk one of those cross-quarter days.
Many of us struggle as the curtains of winter pull closer around us,
Restless in the stillness of the season and yearning for the return of the light.
But in the darkness of the winter,
As the earth turns again,
If we look closely,
We may see Brigid beckoning us,
Reminding us of the return of the sun and helping us to nurture the seeds planted for the coming year.
This guided journey transports you to Brigid's holy well in Kildare,
Ireland.
During the enchanting spring season,
As snowdrops bloom plentifully around,
Heralding the arrival of spring.
Each year,
Numerous pilgrims and travellers visit this revered site.
Before we journey today,
First get comfortable and close your eyes.
We're going to start by taking three deep breaths together.
In through your nose,
And out through your mouth.
And as you breathe,
You start to smell the fresh aroma of being outside in nature.
You hear the wonderful sing-song call of blackbirds around you,
Busy building nests and beginning the choral volley of courtship in spring.
And you feel the softness of the grass beneath your feet.
As you look around,
You notice you're inside a park.
A wooden fence separates mown grass on the wild fields beyond,
With trees bearing bear limbs,
And dark piles of winter leaves still clustered around their trunks.
And amidst that darkness,
Green shoots and white snowdrops are emerging,
And leading a trail of white footprints towards a grey stone structure.
The sun hangs low in the clear blue sky,
Gently warming your face as you approach the stone shrine.
On the altar stands a bronze life-size statue of Brigid,
A young maiden holding a shepherd's hook in one hand and a torch with a flickering flame in the other.
Momentarily,
The sunlight streaming before you obscures the view of the statue.
And as your eyes adjust,
The figure before you transforms from stone to a living person,
Her auburn hair catching the sunlight,
Her white robe reaching down to her feet.
She greets you with a bright smile,
A presence excluding warmth and independence.
Welcome,
Traveller,
To Kildare Island,
She says.
My name is Brigid,
And I've been waiting for you.
Come,
Walk with me.
Together you cross a small stone bridge over a clear stream,
Up past a small stone arch and to a shallow well at the park's summit.
Knee-high,
Stone blocks form the well structure,
Apart from on one side,
Where an entrance allows access to the healing waters.
Brigid stands in the opening of the stones,
Looking into the well,
And places the cone of her torch into a crevice on the inside of the well wall,
So it stands up straight and illuminates the water.
Then she takes her shepherd's hook,
And while stirring the water in the well,
She speaks directly to you.
Water in this well,
Like the fertile fluid in the womb that nourishes us and keeps us safe,
Flow now.
Water in this well that flows from the darkness and into the light,
Help the seeds of your destiny planted at birth grow now and flourish.
Water in this well,
Activate the healer in all of us,
So we may heal within,
And then empower others to heal as well.
And as I stir the water in this well,
I light the fire in your belly.
I stir the passion in your heart,
And so your voice can roar and your spirit can soar.
And as the world turns into spring,
And the sun rises higher in the sky,
Your gifts will rise,
And you will shine,
And the world will be warmed by your light.
And as she speaks and stirs,
You feel a fire igniting in your belly,
Burning brighter and brighter,
And you feel passion in your heart,
Growing stronger and stronger.
This is the energy of Brigid,
Flowing through you,
Forged into you,
That is now forever part of you,
Like an alchemical.
And as she speaks and stirs,
You feel a passion in your heart,
Growing stronger and stronger,
And as she speaks and stirs,
You feel a passion in your heart,
Growing stronger and stronger.
And as she speaks and stirs,
You feel a passion in your heart,
Growing stronger and stronger.
And as she speaks and stirs,
You feel a passion in your heart,
Growing stronger and stronger.
And as she speaks and stirs,
You feel a passion in your heart,
Growing stronger and stronger.
And as she speaks and stirs,
You feel a passion in your heart,
Growing stronger and stronger.
And as she speaks and stirs,
You feel a passion in your heart,
Growing stronger and stronger.
Reflect on the year ahead,
Stay,
Listen quietly,
Drink from the well,
And the answers will come.
Brigid takes her torch and walks away,
Leaving you to think.
How will you grow in the coming year?
What will you experience?
What will your daily practice be to sustain you on this journey?
Who will you be a year from today?
And as you sit,
You start to notice that the scene around you slowly begins to fade.
The stone beneath you begins to fade.
The sounds around you begin to fade.
And you realize you've returned from Kildare and your visit with Brigid.
When you feel it is time,
Take a stretch if you are able.
When you are ready,
Open your eyes and look around.
Remembering in your heart your visit to St.
Brigid's well and thinking about the endless possibilities for you in the coming year and that they are only limited by your imagination.
