Brigid’s Light

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Note: This article was originally published by @gritchenwitch on Instagram. To learn about me and my practice, including more info on folk witchcraft, mountain magic, knot work, and hearthcraft, please visit gritchenwitch.com or join my Patreon at patreon.com/gritchenwitch.

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I finished Brigid’s Light (Crow/Louella) yesterday and it wasn’t at all what I expected.🔥

I’ve been reading a lot of nonfiction lately, so when I opened the book, I thought I would find a history of the goddess (I completely missed that it was an anthology). Rather, this is a celebration of Brigid through art, stories, and traditions. It’s wildly beautiful and so refreshing.

It starts with a forward (by Judika Illes!), briefly summarizing Brigid’s two faces as a goddess and saint, and her many forms and associations. (I didn’t realize that Brigid was also a water goddess.)

While the book contains many of the rituals you might expect—a Brigid tarot spread, incense blend, healing spells—there’s also poetry, prayers, and a collection of stories that revere Brigid and her importance to the authors (many of which are familiar names in witchcraft).

One of the prayers by Jenne Micale is titled “A Prayer to Brighid in Times of Violence,” and I’ve reached for it the past three mornings. My routines are pretty set, but this one’s been calling out to me, and is especially relevant right now. One of the lines:

“Bring peace to those where shots are as common as the cries of sparrows, where each step on the crumbling walk is taken with held breath and a prayer half-believed. Brighid, Lady of Healing, fill us with your peace.”

There’s a short story on knot magic that you know I loved. The author, Laura Louella, shares her long tradition of a women's quilting circle, where her ancestors shared their histories, inspirations, and talents while creating a utility quilt—a physical manifestation of their memories and Brigid’s presence throughout generations.

There are also recipes! Yesterday morning, I made the Rosemary Drop Biscuits (pictured above) by Kelly Jo Carroll. I’m always intimidated by biscuits for some reason, but these were made and baked in 20 minutes. The rosemary was amazing with honey butter.

I’m looking forward to revisiting Brigid’s Light next winter solstice.

(Thank you @weiserbooks for my copy.🖤)