We are made of light ourselves, and that makes us Brigid's children - creatures forged from the dust of stars which once lighted the heavens and ceased to exist long ago. Within our cells are encoded the wisdoms of the ancient earth and all its cultures, the star knowledge of unknown constellations and "The Big Bang" which created not just our own precious world, but the whole cosmic sea in which it floats.
The stardust of which we are made has spontaneously assembled into diverse life forms over and over again, lived and expired, then dissolved back into the stream of being. In our time, "we" have been many things, worn many shapes and answered to many names. In this lifetime I exist as an eccentric, tatterdemalion, and perhaps unique collection of wandering molecules called Catherine or Cate, but in previous appearances I was someone or something completely different. Buddhist teacher, thinker, activist and deep ecologist Joanna Macy says that since every particle in our being goes back to the first flaring of space and time, we are as old as the universe itself, about fifteen billion years. In other words, we are the universe, and it is us.
Here is the light-filled Blessing for Hearth-Keepers from The Little Book of Celtic Blessings by Caitlin Matthews. I recite it every year on the eve of Imbolc as I light candles and will be doing it again in a few minutes. Merry Imbolc to you and your clan. Happy Candlemas and Happy Brigid's Day too. May the blessings of Light be yours.
Brighid of the Mantle, encompass us
Lady of the Lambs, protect us,
Keeper of the Hearth, kindle us
Beneath your mantle, gather us
And restore us to memory
Mothers of our mother
Foremothers strong
Guide our hands in yours
Remind us how
To kindle the hearth
To keep it bright
To preserve the flame
Your hands upon ours
Our hands within yours
To kindle the light
Both day and night
The Mantle of Brighid about us,
The Memory of Brighid within us
The Protection of Brighid keeping us
From harm, from ignorance, from heartlessness
This day and night,
