This ritual was written for a non-Pagan community and was intended to serve as both a celebration of the Sabbat and a method through which to educate our community. There may be certain aspects of a traditional ritual that are "missing" while there may be other aspects which seems inappropriately present. What's missing is missing for a reason, and what's present is present for a reason.

Central altar; Altar cloth; Quarter candles (4); Brighid's Fire (or a Goddess candle); Planter of snowdrops from Samhain circle (hopefully in bloom); Paper bathroom cups filled with potting soil (enough cups for each participant); Sunflower seeds (enough seeds for each participant); Altar decorations (spring flowering bulbs, especially if the snowdrops aren't blooming); Matches; Candle snuffer; White taper candles (enough for each participant); Tealight holders filled with enough sand to hold taper candles (enough for each participant; Cookies or cakes (we served shortbread and irish lace cookies); Sparkling cider or apple juice (I stayed away from milk, though it would have been appropriate, because many people are lactose intolerant or have dairy-related allergies).

Greetings and welcome everyone. If I can get you all to gather in a circle around our Imbolc altar, we can begin.

Before we begin, I'd like to point out that there are some responsive readings and songs that we'd like for you to join in and they are all printed in your Order of Service. Does everyone have a candle and an Order of Service? And is everyone comfortable standing?

Okay, for those of you who don't know me, I'm Gwen Dwyer and I will be leading our Imbolc Circle today.

Brighid is the ancient Celtic Goddess of fire. She is a warrioress and protectress, a healer, a guardian of children, the patroness of poets, craftsman and priests. So loved was Brighid by the peoples of Ireland that when Patrick's Christianity came to the island, Brighid's Fire could not be doused. And so, Saint Brigid was born.

In ancient times, a perpetual flame burned at Brighid's shrine in Kildare, Ireland, tended by 19 virgin priestesses. This perpetual flame continued to burn in the Christian era, now tended by 19 nuns of Saint Brigid's monestary, though it was finally doused by the reformation of the church in the thirteenth century. The perpetual flame of Brighid's Fire was symbolically relit in 1993 by the Brigidine Sisters of Solas Bhride, a restoration of an ancient order of Brigidine nuns originally founded in 1807.

During the Millennium, I went on a pilgrimage to Kildare, Ireland and visited many of the sites sacred to Brighid and to Brigid. Through the graciousness of the Brigidine Sisters of Solas Bhríde, I was gifted with the flame of Brighid's Fire. Once Brighid's Fire touches the wick of a candle, the spirit of the flame cannot be destroyed, though the candle may be put out. And so I was able to bring Brighid's Fire home and will share it with you now as we cast our circle of light.

Please accept the flame from the person on your right and pass it on to the person on your left. As we are passing the flame, let us sing No End to the Circle ¹.

Please join in the recitation of the Blessing Prayer...

Our circle of light is now cast and we have created sacred space. Before we continue, I'd like to ask you all to come and place your circle candles on the altar in the candle holders provided.

Now it is time to call to our circle the Spirits of the Quarters. Let us sing their spirits in with Call to Spirit ². As we sing, we'll turn and face the appropriate quarter, beginning in the East and following clockwise from there. For those of us that are directionally challenged, East is toward the back of the sanctuary.

With the Watchtowers present, we are ready to call upon the Ancient and Holy Ones. Please join in the recitation of the Invocation to Imbolc.

Celebrating a New Birth - Imbolc is a time of renewal and rebirth as the Goddess springs forth from deep within the earth where She has rested since Samhain. We see the physical form of this in our gardens - as the daffodils and crocus begin to sprout and bloom, we are secure in the knowledge that our blessed Goddess has returned to the land. These are the first days of Spring and they bring the promise of new life and new opportunities embedded within a renewed hope. Now fleeing are the dark days of Winter as the Sun, born at Yule, grows in strength. Today we welcome the return of the Goddess as She is released from Winter's embrace, rejoicing in Her resurrection from the grave. We ask Her blessings upon our lives as we plant the seeds we wish to nurture to fruition in the coming year. We ask for Her guidance in cultivating positive change in our lives and ask that She illuminate our successes as well as failures so that we may learn and grow.

Planting the Seeds of Our Hopes and Dreams - As we talk about planting the seeds of ideas and dreams and cultivating positive change, I feel it is important for us to ritualize these actions in order to fully connect with the process. Though we may physically be planting sunflower seeds, we can embed our own hopes, desires, and dreams into the energies of those seeds, thereby making the connection between the physical and spiritual realms. I invite each of you to take a seed and, as you hold it in your hand, think about what new growth you would like to see in your life in the coming months. Perhaps you have a specific goal you would like to achieve, perhaps there is a dream you would like to fulfill, or perhaps you simply would like a new perspective on an existing situation. Whatever it is, let the energies of your thoughts, ideas, and intentions flow into the seed. When you are ready, plant your seed in the pot provided and when our circle is open, take your seed home with you and tend to it as you would tend to your dreams and goals. And remember that your seed won't sprout or take root without water, so give it a drink when you get home.

Silent Meditation

Please place your pots on the floor in front of you and we will join hands for an offering of prayer.

Gracious Goddess, your womb is the source of all life. We entrust our hopes and dreams to your loving care and pray that as we tend to the seeds which we have planted this day, so too will you tend to our desires and help us to bring them to life. As our seeds take root, may our goals do the same. As our seeds begin to grow, may our plans follow suit. And when our flowers have blossomed and seed heads have begun to form, may we know that it is time to harvest that which we have sown. May each seed sown grow healthy and strong. May each hope planted come to life. May each dream rooted in your fertile earth find realization in the coming year. We take delight in your return to the land and will do our part to ensure your fertility in the coming months. Blessed Be. Amen.

Brigid's Well - Imbolc is sacred to the Celtic Goddess Brighid and is still celebrated in Ireland today as Brigid's Day. In Kildare, Ireland, on the eve of Brigid's Day, hundreds of people gather on The Curragh to take a pilgim's walk to Tobar Bhride, Brigid's Well. It is a true pilgrimage for each person present and each face seen is different - male and female; child and adult; Catholic, Protestant, and Pagan; Irish, Danish, French, Norwegian, American - but there is one thing in common that each traveler shares with the next, their love of, devotion to, and faith in the Goddess and Saint who protects their hearth and rules their heart.

I would like nothing more than to take each and every one of you to Kildare to experience the incredibly powerful event that the Imbolc pilgrimage is, and I will, in your mind. We're going to take a journey using a guided meditation as our mode of transportation, so if you would all find a comfortable position that you can remain in for a while, whether that be sitting or lying down, then we will begin.

Before we begin - there is a word used frequently within the meditation that many of you may not be familiar with. The word is "sunwise" and it means to follow the path of the sun. In contemporary English, it means to move clockwise. Now, are you all ready? Let's begin.

The Pilgrim's Path: A Guided Meditation
by Gwen Dwyer

Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and feel your body relax... Breathe in… and out… and in… and out… and in… and out… As you continue to breathe deeply… your body continues to relax… all cares and struggles simply melt away… You are at peace within yourself… More than at peace… You are peace… And now you are free to travel with the sound of my voice to a most sacred place…

(pause)

Your journey to Brigid's Well begins in the Market Square of Kildare, Ireland beneath the protection and guardianship of St. Brigid's Cathedral. It is a cool Irish morning and Winter's chill still hangs thickly in the air. Before you burns a brilliant fire within the bowl of a large iron cauldron. Take a moment to contemplate the flame. This is Brighid's Fire, an ancient tradition that reaches back thousands of years. As you connect with the flame before you, feel it burning within your heart, illuminating your life.

(pause)

The element of fire, fire without and fire within, can call us to experience the power and presence of God. It calls us to reconnect with the fire at a deep and ancient part of our being where we are all interconnected with each other and all life. It calls us to allow our hardened hearts to melt. ⁵

(pause)

With Brighid's Fire burning in your heart, you begin your journey to the well, surrounded by the cool mists that separate this world from the next, the mists that veil the secrets and magic of the Divine. As you walk through the countryside past farm fields and grazing sheep, take the time to contemplate nature and life, to feel the interconnectedness that was kindled by the flame.

(pause)

The pilgrim may be brought beyond anything experienced before and this may have a profound and deeply joyful effect. Little things, seemingly unimportant moments, may become deeply significant. The pilgrim is invited to open his or her eyes, his or her ears, and who knows what may be seen or heard and what it may come to mean? ⁶

(pause)

Contemplation invites the Divine to clear the mists that surround us, to lift the veil so that we may know the secrets and experience the magic ourselves. As you continue on your journey, you become one with all that surrounds you, and you feel a change in yourself. You realize that though the mists still surround you, the veil has lifted. Here, in the presence of the Divine, you are awakened and enlightened and you know that YOU are the secrets and the magic.

(pause)

Pilgrimage involves risk, possibility and invitation. It invites change. The risk is partly the possibility that the pilgrim will not return as the same person who set out. ⁷ There is also the possibility of surprise and wonder, of great joy... and the changes that this experience can bring. ⁸

(pause)

Your journey thus far has carried you deep into yourself and has led you into the presence of the Divine. Not quite weary but needing a moment of rest, you arrive at the first of Brigid's Wells. This is Brigid's Wayside Well. In ancient tradition, you circle the well three times, moving sunwise, always sunwise, then cup your hands to take a drink. The water is cool and refreshing and it renews your body as well as your Spirit. You notice that the well is surrounded by the offerings of those who have come before you. Perhaps you have an offering you would like to leave here.

(pause)

In pre-Christian times, wells were associated with the presence of a goddess and were seen as the entrance to the womb of mother earth, the source of life. The wayside well is a spring well. To watch water gently springing from the earth is to witness creation in an act of unconditional generosity. This holy well can be a symbol of the source of life within, from which spring hope and dreams. ⁹

(pause)

Refreshed by the wayside well, you continue your journey by turning off the main road to walk down a quiet country lane. Yet another turn leads you down a still more rural road at the end of which you find the entrance to Brigid's Well and Prayer Stones. To enter, you must cross a bridge that spans a small stream. You are standing at a threshold.

(pause)

Pause before you enter this sacred place. Look around at all you can see. Listen to the sounds around you. While crossing the bridge, reflect on what bridges are needed in your life. ¹⁰

(pause)

In crossing the bridge, you have the opportunity to cross the threshold into Brighid's home. If you choose to perceive Her, She is present in everything here. Before you lies a trough spanned by a stone arch. Carved into the stone at the top of the arch is the symbol of the cross. Beneath the arch are two stones through which pour the waters that spring from the well. A mother's breasts feed her children with nourishing milk. Are these, then, the breasts of the Goddess, pouring forth Her own nourishing milk?

(pause)

Holy Ground. We're standing on Holy Ground. For the Lady is present, and where She's present is Holy. ¹¹

(pause)

Beyond the trough lie five prayer stones that lead to the well. It is customary to stop at each stone and contemplate an aspect of Brighid.

(pause)

As you approach the first standing stone, dedicated to Brigid: A Woman of the Land, you follow the ancient tradition and circle the stone seven times, moving sunwise, always sunwise. Each turn spirals your being deeper into union with the quality of this stone. You lay your hands upon the stone and breathe deeply, fully uniting with this aspect of Brighid. You feel the presence of the Woman of the Land deep within yourself and know that it is now a part of you.

(pause)

The earth is at the same time mother, she is mother of all that is natural, mother of all that is human, she is mother of all, for contained in her are the seeds of all. ¹²

(pause)

As the earth calls you to awaken, you ask yourself these questions. "How awake am I?" "Am I accepting my responsibility to protect and care for the earth?" We are all sisters and brothers sharing the same planet. We breathe the same air. We drink from the same well. Our tears are all the same. ¹³

(pause)

As you leave each stone it is customary to say "A Bhríd, guí orainn (a Breed, gwee O-rihn) - Brigid, pray for us." ¹⁴

(pause)

You move on to the second stone, dedicated to Brigid: The Peacemaker. Again you follow the ancient tradition and circle the stone seven times, moving sunwise, always sunwise. Each turn spirals your being deeper into union with the quality of this stone. You lay your hands upon the stone and breathe deeply, fully uniting with this aspect of Brighid. You feel the presence of the Peacemaker deep within yourself and know that it is now a part of you.

(pause)

Brigid, you were a woman of peace. You brought harmony where there was conflict. You brought light into the darkness. You brought hope to the downcast. May the mantle of your peace cover those who are troubled and anxious and may peace be firmly rooted in our hearts and in our world. Inspire us to act justly and to reverence all God has made. Brigid, you were a voice for the wounded and the weary. Strengthen what is weak within us. Calm us into a quietness that heals and listens. May we grow each day into greater wholeness in mind, body, and spirit. ¹⁵

(pause)

Brigid's life and simple gestures remind us that the raw materials for peace-making are all around us, in our hearts and in our relationships with others. The road to peace lies in the heart, when searching for justice; it lies in relationships, when there is a refusal to dominate and manipulate; it truly lies in a readiness to forgive. ¹⁶

(pause)

A Bhríd, guí orainn (a Breed, gwee O-rihn).

(pause)

You know that it's time to move on to the third standing stone. This stone is dedicated to Brigid: Friend of the Poor. Yet again you follow the ancient tradition and circle the stone seven times, moving sunwise, always sunwise. Each turn spirals your being deeper into union with the quality of this stone. You lay your hands upon the stone and breathe deeply, fully uniting with this aspect of Brighid. You feel the presence of the Friend of the Poor deep within yourself and know that it is now a part of you.

(pause)

One day when Brigid was on a long journey, she stopped by the wayside. A wealthy lady, on hearing that Brigid was in the neighborhood, brought her a beautiful basket of choice apples. No sooner had the gift been presented than a group of poor people came by and begged for food. Without hesitation, Brigid distributed to them the choice apples. The donor was utterly disgusted and said to Brigid, "I brought those apple for you, not for them." And Brigid's reply was "What's mine is theirs." ¹⁷

(pause)

Are we prepared to share the "extra apples" in our lives, so that our sisters and brothers, who live in desperate poverty, can begin to live life with basic dignity? ¹⁸

(pause)

A Bhríd, guí orainn (a Breed, gwee O-rihn).

(pause)

You now leave the third stone and move on to the fourth. This stone is dedicated to Brigid: The Hearthwoman. Again you follow the ancient tradition and circle the stone seven times, moving sunwise, always sunwise. Each turn spirals your being deeper into union with the quality of this stone. You lay your hands upon the stone and breathe deeply, fully uniting with this aspect of Brighid. You feel the presence of the Hearthwoman deep within yourself and know that it is now a part of you.

(pause)

Irish hospitality is an age-old tradition and the whole idea of hospitality as an expression of love is central to Brigid. To welcome a stranger to your fireside is to follow the example of Brigid, who had a welcome for all and made the Abbey a safe place of refuge and sanctuary. ¹⁹

(pause)

Is there room in your heart? Is there room next to your hearth for a stranger?

(pause)

A Bhríd, guí orainn (a Breed, gwee O-rihn).

(pause)

Finally you move on to the fifth stone, dedicated to Brigid: Woman of Contemplation. You follow the ancient tradition and circle the stone seven times, moving sunwise, always sunwise. Each turn spirals your being deeper into union with the quality of this stone. You lay your hands upon the stone and breathe deeply, fully uniting with this aspect of Brighid. You feel the presence of the Woman of Contemplation deep within yourself and know that it is now a part of you.

(pause)

Celtic spirituality has a deep sense of the mystery and presence of God in everything and everyone. It fosters a contemplative approach to all creation. This stone allows for a quiet space to remember, to awaken, to contemplate and begin to integrate the pilgrim experience so that it can reveal its meaning. ²⁰

(pause)

Everything that happens is an act of sowing, a seed of experience. It is equally important to be able to harvest that experience. ²¹

(pause)

A Bhríd, guí orainn (a Breed, gwee O-rihn).

(pause)

Having completed the five stations at the prayer stones, you take the final steps to Brigid's Round Well. As before, you circle the well three times, still moving sunwise, always sunwise. You kneel before the well with reverence. Why have you come here?

(pause)

You look into the mirror that is the water's surface. What would you like to release from your life, to have the cool clear waters of the well wash away? What would you like to bring to your life, to have the nourishing waters of the well fill you with? Take as much time here as you feel you need. If you wish to drink, drink. If you wish to anoint yourself, do so. Perhaps you would like to leave an offering - either floating on the water or standing on the stone wall.

(pause)

We gather around the well. Water has always been a symbol of life and healing. Wells were traditionally healing places for many ills. ²²

It was customary to leave something at the well. You may wish to leave a worry here, or a fear, or perhaps, a positive thought. ²³

(pause)

Your journey to Brigid's Well has led you down several paths. It is hoped that your journey has opened your mind to alternate perspectives. Perhaps this blessed Saint has shown you the Goddess. Or is it that the gracious Goddess has introduced you to the Saint? To understand that their nature is one is to understand the complex simplicity of the Divine. As you turn to leave, you notice the carving on the backside of the arch that spans the stone trough. Wasn't the carving a cross on the front side? Here you see the pre-Christian solar symbol of Brigid's Cross. Christian and Pagan, two sides to the same coin. Spirit is Spirit, no matter what form it manifests in.

(pause)

You have walked in Brigid's footsteps. May her spirit walk with you, nourishing and enriching you on each step of your journey through life. May a spark from Brigid's flame light up your pathway into the future. ²⁴

(pause)

It's time to return from our journey to Ireland, time to return to our bodies, time to return to the here and now. Breathe deeply and say farewell to your visions. In a moment, we're going to open our eyes and awaken, fully and completely, feeling refreshed and renewed. Return now to your body. Feel the presence of your body - your head, neck, and shoulders, your torso, your arms and hands, your legs and feet. Feel the contact your body makes with the ground. Feel how the ground supports the weight of your body. When you are ready, open your eyes and awaken, refreshed and renewed.

Grounding with Food and Drink - We have taken flight from our bodies and traveled far from this place, so it's a good idea to make sure that we are once again fully grounded in our bodies before we open our circle and go on about our daily lives. Since eating is one of the best ways to ground, we'll share some juice and cookies, then when everyone feels grounded and fully present, we'll release those who have attended to us and open our circle.

Our work here is done and it is time to release those we have called to our circle so that they may return to their realms. As we sang their spirits in to the circle, let us sing their spirits out with Release of Spirit ²⁵.

As we cast this circle with light, so must we dismiss that light and open our circle.

Let us join hands and sing May the Circle Be Open ²⁶.

¹ No End to the Circle (© 1981 Starhawk, Recorded on Let It Begin Now, Reclaiming Collective, 1992) as it appears on pg. 258 of CIRCLE OF SONG: Songs, Chants, and Dances for Ritual and Celebration, compiled by Kate Marks, published by Full Circle Press, ISBN 0-9637489-0-4.

² Call to Spirit modified from Call to Spirit - Invocation Song and Spirit of the Wind (Craig/Star Williams, Recorded on Uplifting the World, Acoustic Medicine) as they appear on pgs. 21 & 57 (respectively) of CIRCLE OF SONG: Songs, Chants, and Dances for Ritual and Celebration, compiled by Kate Marks, published by Full Circle Press, ISBN 0-9637489-0-4.

³ Invocation for Imbolc modified from Threshold Invocation for the Festival of Imbolc (© 1996 Caitlín Matthews) as it appears on pg. 46 of CELTIC DEVOTIONAL: Daily Prayers & Blessings, by Caitlín Matthews, published by Harmony Books, ISBN 0-517-70413-7.

⁴ Song of Imbolc (© 1996 Caitlín Matthews) as it appears on pg. 46 of CELTIC DEVITIONAL: Daily Prayers & Blessings, by Caitlín Matthews, published by Harmony Books, ISBN 0-517-70413-7.

⁵ Rita Minehan CSB, Rekindling the Flame: A Pilgrimage in the Footsteps of Brigid of Kildare (Kildare: Solas Bhríde Community, 1999), 27.

⁶ Ibid., 32.

⁷ Ibid.

⁸ Ibid.

⁹ Ibid., 35.

¹⁰ Ibid., 36.

¹¹ Modified from a traditional hymn, author and source unknown.

¹² Hildegard of Bingen: quoted in Rita Minehan CSB, Rekindling the Flame: A Pilgrimage in the Footsteps of Brigid of Kildare (Kildare: Solas Bhríde Community, 1999), 38.

¹³ Adapted from Rita Minehan CSB, Rekindling the Flame: A Pilgrimage in the Footsteps of Brigid of Kildare (Kildare: Solas Bhríde Community, 1999), 38.

¹⁴ Ibid.

¹⁵ Prayer, Solas Bhríde, Kildare, 1997: quoted in Rita Minehan CSB, Rekindling the Flame: A Pilgrimage in the Footsteps of Brigid of Kildare (Kildare: Solas Bhríde Community, 1999), 24.

¹⁶ Rita Minehan CSB, Rekindling the Flame: A Pilgrimage in the Footsteps of Brigid of Kildare (Kildare: Solas Bhríde Community, 1999), 39.

¹⁷ Alice Curtayne, St. Brigid of Ireland (Browne and Nolan, 1955), 73: quoted in Rita Minehan CSB, Rekindling the Flame: A Pilgrimage in the Footsteps of Brigid of Kildare (Kildare: Solas Bhríde Community, 1999), 40.

¹⁸ Rita Minehan CSB, Rekindling the Flame: A Pilgrimage in the Footsteps of Brigid of Kildare (Kildare: Solas Bhríde Community, 1999), 40.

¹⁹ Cogitosus, Life of St. Brigit, Trans. By S. Connolly and M. Pichard in JRSAI, Vol 117, (1987) Chap. 32, p.26: quoted in Rita Minehan CSB, Rekindling the Flame: A Pilgrimage in the Footsteps of Brigid of Kildare (Kildare: Solas Bhríde Community, 1999), 40.

²⁰ Rita Minehan CSB, Rekindling the Flame: A Pilgrimage in the Footsteps of Brigid of Kildare (Kildare: Solas Bhríde Community, 1999), 41.

²¹ Ibid.

²² Ibid., 42.

²³ Ibid.

²⁴ Ibid., 52.

²⁵ Release of Spirit modified from Spirit of the Wind (Craig/Star Williams, Recorded on Uplifting the World, Acoustic Medicine) as it appears on pg. 27 of CIRCLE OF SONG: Songs, Chants, and Dances for Ritual and Celebration, compiled by Kate Marks, published by Full Circle Press, ISBN 0-9637489-0-4.

²⁶ May the Circle Be Open modified from Celtic Goddess Blessing as it appears on pg. 260 of CIRCLE OF SONG: Songs, Chants, and Dances for Ritual and Celebration, compiled by Kate Marks, published by Full Circle Press, ISBN 0-9637489-0-4.