The Triple [[Brigid|Brigids]] are one of the most interesting elements of [[Pan-Celtic Brigids#Brigid, The Irish Brigid|the Irish Brigid]]. She is not the triple goddess of Wicca, mother, maiden, crone. It is tempting to make blanket statements about the nature of this triple goddess, but the lore doesn't support any such pronouncements. These are my thoughts about Brigid as a triple goddess. If they resonate with others, may it bring them blessings. These are my truth and not necessarily the Truth. --- # Brigid as a Fractal Brigid is a [[God is a Fractal|fractal]], like everything within reality. The Fulness of the Godhead is within her and like the One Life, she has many faces and facets. As with the Holy One, I cannot think of the Triple Brigids without thinking of the one, and I cannot think of the one without thinking of the three. For me, they are interchangeable and unique. # Litany of Brigid Brigid is three, is one, One in three, bright as a star. Three daughters of one god, the Good God, Eochaid Ollathair, Three by three, one on one, the burning voice of d'var. Brigid of the forging flame, Brigid of the flowing well, Brigid of the poet's quill, Brigid of the judgments, Brigid of the outcasts, Brigid of the hostel, Brigid of the craftsman's art, Brigid of the healer's craft, Brigid of the poet's voice, May your light smelt the metal from the dross. May your waters wash our being clean from problems. May your inspiration liberate souls from dullness. # Daughters of the Dagda ![[Brigid three armed cross 1.png]] > [!quote] Morgan Daimler. Pagan Portals - Brigid: Meeting The Celtic Goddess Of Poetry, Forge, And Healing Well (pp. 8-9). > Brigit – a poet, daughter of the Dagda. This Brigit is a woman of poetry (female poet) and is Brigit the Goddess worshipped by poets because her protection was very great and well known. This is why she is called a Goddess by poets. Her sisters were Brigit the woman of healing and Brigit the woman of smithcraft, Goddesses; they are three daughters of the Dagda. (Daimler, 2015) This triple Brigid is very close to my heart, though I rarely call her that. To me, she is simply Brigid—whole, undivided, yet multifaceted. Whether she is the daughter or daughters of the Dagda, I have seen no division in Brigid. She embodies focus and unity, where the threads of poetry, healing, and smithcraft weave together into a single flame. Brigid is focused, and goal oriented. It doesn't matter if it is in the inspiration of poets, healing the afflicted, or in the work of the craft, she has the goal, purpose, and plan in mind. ## Woman of Poetry > [!quote] Morgan Daimler. Pagan Portals - Brigid: Meeting The Celtic Goddess Of Poetry, Forge, And Healing Well (p. 9). > Besides her connection to fertility and domestic animals she is also strongly associated with poetry as well as several vocal expressions from warning cries to grieving (Ellis, 1994; Gray, 1983). Brigid is the raging voice of the roaring fire, the comforting crackle of hearth flame, the calming song of the babbling brook, the strong and healing words of the poet, or the waling cry of keening is sorrow. She is the voice who will not be silenced, the shout that finds a way to be heard. The poetry of Brigid is the music of life. We hear her voice in the warning cries of animals. She sings with the musicians. Her stories fill our minds with hope, strength, and inspiration. She teaches us to speak up for ourselves, our people, and for those who would be outcasts in the eyes of the oppressors. Brigid is the voice of nature, domesticated animals, and Awen. ## Woman of Healing Brigid is a source of healing. She is called on to protect women, pregnancy, childbirth, and to bless the child once born. The faithful call on her for healing and visit her wells for restoration. We don't know much about the practices of the ancients, but her name is invoked throughout the Carmina Gadelica for healing and blessing. I have noticed a difference between Brigid the Healer and Dian Cecht. The latter jealously protects his knowledge of medicine to the extreme of killing his own son, Miach, and scattering the herb lore of his daughter Airmed so only he would have the knowledge of healing. Dian Cecht walls off access to healing. Brigid's healing waters are free for everyone. There is something to say there about medical care for glory, honor, and fame, and healing for the restoration of the people. ## Woman of Smithcraft Brigid is the flame of the hearth, the forge, and the sun. She is the goddess of the crafts that make life possible. # Mother, Wife, and Daughter of Sencha ![[Brigid three armed cross 2.png]] The three Brigids of the Ulster Cycle may be the closest thing to the triple goddess of Wicca. They are the Mother, Wife, and Daughter of the judge Sencha mac Ailella. The issue is these might not be names, but titles, since both Sencha's mother and wife are called Brig Brethach at different times, even though they are different people. If they are titles, they could indicate a person who is acting as one aspect of the triple goddess. ## Brig Brigiu (Brigid the Hospitaller) Brig Brigiu is the Mother of Sencha mac Ailella. > [!quote] Morgan Daimler. Pagan Portals - Brigid: Meeting The Celtic Goddess Of Poetry, Forge, And Healing Well (p. 10). > Brigid the Hospitaller is associated with providing hospitality to those seeking it. The word ‘brigiu’ is used in old Irish legal texts to denote wealthy land owners who had to provide food and shelter in the manner of a hostel, whose honor price was equal to a king’s, and who often served as mediators or judges in disputes (eDIL, n.d.). Through this aspect we may see Brigid associated with generosity and hospitality. When I was a child, there was a lot of discussion of the idea of noblesse oblige: "nobility obligates." At the time it meant that those how had money, wealth, and power had a social obligation to help those less fortunate than themselves. In many ways, I see this idea in Brig Brigiu. Brigid is associated with hospitality and generosity, and was responsible for the provision of her people. Whether this is an aspect of Brigid, or a role we play in living her gracious hospitality to the world is a moot point. Maybe it is one, both, or neither. The call of Brigid of Healing to take care of others is strong regardless. ## Brig Brethach (Brigid of the Judgments) Brig Brethach was the wife of Sencha mac Ailella, though the title is sometimes given to his mother. The name is also found in Brehon law and may be associate with the Brigid of the Poets. The more I meditate on Brig Brethach, I see here as the prophet voice of the poet. She is the one who speaks truth, proclaiming justice, and overturning injustice and unjust rulings. Brig Brethach reminds us that our poetic voice isn't just for beauty, hope, and inspiration. We are called to pronounce justice and truth, beyond our bias and cultural pressure. ## Brig Ambue (Brigid of the Cowless) Brig Ambue is the daughter of Sencha mac Ailella. > [!quote] Morgan Daimler. Pagan Portals - Brigid: Meeting The Celtic Goddess Of Poetry, Forge, And Healing Well (p. 11). > Brigid of the Cowless tends to be strongly associated with warriors, particularly those on the fringes of society. The word ‘ambue’ in Old Irish literally means ‘no cows’ and was a term used to classify people without property, land, or family, as well as foreigners (eDIL, n.d.). Brigid of the outcasts, the poor, the orphan, and the foreign, she is also associated with the warriors and war bands of Ireland. This connects her to the Smithcraft aspect of Brigid. Since Brigid lost all four of her sons to violence, it invites us to contemplate how this aspect of goddess relates to our modern world. Our task is not simply to reconstruct the faith and practice of our ancestors, but to restore it to a living and modern incarnation. I can't help but think of the homeless, the refugees, the unemployed, and those forced to live is squalor so billionaires can run up the score boards rather than be a benefit to society. We have a duty to stand up for the downtrodden and the outcast, whether we count ourselves among them or not. --- # Sources - Daimler, Morgan. Pagan Portals - Brigid: Meeting The Celtic Goddess Of Poetry, Forge, And Healing Well. Collective Ink. Kindle Edition.