by Jillbe Badb

Preliminary Phase:

Set up altar
- 2 pictures of Brighid: one as triple goddess, one as triple poet divinity
- statue of Gaia (Earth Mother)
- a goblet of water placed in a pot of earth (Well)
- triple wick candle - green (Fire)
- one red candle on right representing my patron (Brighid)
- two fey statues (Sidhe, Ancestors)
- small potted plant (Tree)
- an empty cauldron (Rebirth, Bounty, Wisdom)
- vial of sea water (Consecration)
- dish of corn cakes (offering)
- silver ring (offering)
- incense (offering)
- bread (offering)
- bowl of milk (offering)
- sage (purification)
- brass bell (music)
- tambourine (music)
- striped altar cloth (colors of magick)
- lighter (necessity)

Marking Time as Sacred:

Playing tambourine for several minutes.
Ringing brass bell three times.

Consecration of Space and Self:

Lighting sage and placing it at brow, heart, and feet.
Breathing in nose out mouth meditatively.
Visualizing self as World Tree, roots downward, branches upward. (grounding)

Honoring the Earth Mother:

Pouring sea water slowly over statue of Gaia while three times chanting ­
Earth Mother we cherish your body!
Earth Mother we cherish your bones...
Earth Mother we chant to your spirit!
Earth Mother we chant to your stones...

Recreating the Cosmos:

Slowly whispering -
The Waters are swirling around me,
The Land spreads out beyond me,
The Sky forms a canopy above me,
At the Center burns a living Fire,
Beside the Fire lives a Tree,
Beneath the Tree is a sacred Well.

Gatekeeper Invocation:

Chant once -
I invoke you Gwyn Ap Nudd,
Opener of every gate,
I invoke you Gwyn Ap Nudd,
Opener of every gate.

You will reach me, you will teach me,
And reveal to me my fate.
You will reach me, you will teach me,
And reveal to me my fate.

I invoke you Gwyn Ap Nudd,
Opener of every gate,
I invoke you Gwyn Ap Nudd,
Opener of every gate.

Triple Invocation:

(Offering for Sidhe, Ancestors, Deities)
Offering a dish of corn cakes to Sidhe.
Offering a silver ring to the Well for the Ancestors.
Offering of dragons blood incense to the Fire for the Deities.

Bardic Invocation:

Inviting my Patron Deity, Brighid
Slowly saying -
Breo-saighead, fiery arrow, Goddess of punishment and divine justice, I
call you.
Brighid of fire, Goddess of protection, of inspiration, I call you.
Brigindo, Brigantia, and Bricta, Triple Goddess of forgotten realms,
rivers, and wells, I call you.

Offering of Poetry:

*Journey*
*Cloaked Mother*
*Sidhe*

Burning of the Offering:

After reading poetry, burn paper over cauldron.

Offering of Food and Drink (to Brighid):

Crumbling bread in the bowl of milk, then offering libations.
(symbolically hold bowl up to pictures of Brighid)

Mark of Devotion to Brighid:

Dipping my hand into cauldron of ashes and marking forehead with crescent moon.
Saying three times ­
In mists, my home Avalon disappeared!
In mists, my home Avalon shall appear again...

Omen of Return:

Pulling one tarot card for each of these three questions for Bridgid -
What inspiration is to be shared?
What healing is to be offered?
What is to be made?

Thanks and Gratitude:

Brighid receives the first thanks, followed by the Deities, Ancestors, and
Sidhe.
Afterwards, asking Brighid to stay with me on my path...

Closing of Ritual:

Playing tambourine, plus ringing brass bell three times.
Leaving Brighid’s candle burning for awhile longer...