Brigit: Brigit, ("High One"), pronounced breet, (aka Brid, Brig, Brigid, Brighid, Bree, Bres) is an aspect of Danu, the Irish Great Goddess. There are three sister Goddesses named Brigit in Ireland. As a Goddess of fire, Brigit is associated with Imbolc. She is also a fertility Goddess and the keeper of the Cauldron, chalice or bowl. Brigit is the matron of augury, and healing as well as a teacher all feminine arts and crafts, as well as the arts of smithing, forging, poetry, speaking, agriculture, inspiration, learning, divination, prophecy, love, witchcraft, occult knowledge and herbs. Brigit had an exclusive female priesthood in County Kildare and a sacred, eternal flame. Brigit had nineteen priestesses, as this represented the nineteen year cycle of the Celtic "Great Year". Her kelles were purported to be sacred prostitutes and her soldiers brigands. |