Author: Nidara

A look at my current altar.

(Image description: A photo of a light skinned hand with a long strand of yellow prayer beads is coiled around it. A yellow tassel hangs off the end, with a dark background behind both.) Credit: Photo by Nilantha Ilangamuwa on Unsplash

I’m away from my usual Brighid shrine while visiting a loved one. I opted to limit how much I could pack, due to my own chronic health issues and as a challenge. There’s often an abundance of “stuff” seen within Paganism/Polytheism, and I thought it would be better to see how I could adapt with the limited number of spiritual items I had with me.

This might not be a preferred approach, but it should be interesting to explore during my visit. For privacy purposes, I will only describe the items in the travel altar, but they won’t be directly shown.

The first item I wanted to include in my travel altar is a prayer scarf. This idea was inspired by a presentation during Toutâ Galation’s 2022 Comreton Calleios. A light green scarf was thrifted, but it has never actually been worn outside my home. However, by my increased usage of it, I strengthen the bond between it and myself. The light green color reminds me of the of the colors ascribed to Brighid’s mantle and a color that could be associated with water, which are affiliated with Brighid and Nodens.

The veil can function as a focus to align myself with the three realms and the World Tree/axis mundi. Rituals, practices, and even offerings would be envisioned, depending on what’s available to me.

The next two items are prayer beads that could represent the deities in question, but they also function as tools for connecting with the divine. The Brighid bracelet includes nine star beads and four oak leaf charms, representing Brighid’s (or Brigantia’s) celestial ties and the seasons/ festivals (Brighid of the Seasons). The star beads are meant to represent nine epithets for Her, each used for a prayer. Different colored glass beads serve as reminders of what each bead stands for each prayer.

The prayer beads for Nodens are actually intended for Nuada, but with strong likelihood that He was imported from Ireland (or vice versa), I think there’s some leeway for the prayer beads’ use. Additionally, the craftsperson, Hearthfire Handiworks, mentions they can be used for any deity of your choice. A prayer card was also included. The beads feature silver beads that remind me of water, which reflects His ties to mist, rivers, and other aspects of the weather. A triskele, Celtic knots, and a silver hand also feature in the prayer beads.

Some other tools I have included are a journal, a couple pencils, and the Brighid oracle deck I have mentioned in previous posts. Another aspect I considered while packing these items was that I might find or buy holy items during the time I’m gone. There might not be anything I find that serves a purpose, but life has a way of surprising you occasionally. Additionally, Nodens’ shrine is still a work in progress, so I’ll see what He will want me to incorporate into His space. Art for both deities may shed some light on what They would like to have me dedicate to Them.

For the next few months, many of the posts on here will be about adapting to using my travel altar away from my usual sacred space.

Prayers for travel.

(Image description: A photo of a small, gold-colored compass on a rustic wood surface.) Credit: Photo by Chris Lawton on Unsplash

Brighid,

Lady of Sacred Paths,

guide me on my trek

and keep me within Your mantle.

May I find a home for Your flame,

May Your hammer aid in transforming this path.

May Your inspiration open my mind and my heart to new possibilities.

May Your healing hands strengthen my body for the work ahead.

Nodens,

Mist-Walker,

protect me with Your sword

and aid me in facing all forms of weather.

May You offer dreams of the proper path.

May my spiritual eyes be sharpened on this trip.

May my body endure despite its difficulties.

May Your clouds offer me their blessings.

As it was,

as it is,

as it ever shall be.

A seasonal poem in the deep of summer.

(Image description: A photo of a window with rain hitting it in a dark room. Two lit candles and an incense burner are on the windowsill, the flames reflecting on the glass.) Credit: Photo by allison christine on Unsplash

Rainy Day Longing

The sun’s cloak is heavy, ever-present

draped upon everyone and everything,

home the only refuge.

Cicadas calling

and spiders seeking shelter,

the dog days endure.

Long-missed rain tugs at my heart,

the tease of overcast days

with no release in sight.

How I wish to hear

the roll of thunder

and the clash of lightning.

The gentle drumming

that plays for hours,

with tea as my companion.

Winding trails of droplets

sliding down the windowpane,

like wayfarers on the final stretch.

Memories of the last storm

become a yearning in my heart

and a prayer on my lips.

St. Brighid’s tamed fox still has more to teach.

(Image description: A photo of a red fox with a white belly sits on a mossy fallen tree in the middle of a forest.) Credit: Photo by Federico Di Dio photography on Unsplash

Into the Woods

Follow the fox, She said

into the wilds, where

trees wind and green abounds.

The fox, once tamed

to do tricks for mercy’s sake

never stopped being who it was.

Kings pass, but nature goes on

so does the fox, leading me

past story-laden stones and moss.

The destination is unknown,

but the fox as navigator

leads true down the changing path.

The shifting hues in its fur

liken to the smith’s flames

ever-roiling and ever-transforming.

I wonder, where is it leading me?

its guidance my only compass

leaving me adrift on an uncertain trail.

The fox strolls onward, knowing

its swaying tail the only gesture

to say, such is trust.

I follow, trustful

of the sacred uncertainty

of what lies beyond.

A poem about chronic pain and the sacredness found within.

(Image description: A photo of orange lightning emerging out of dark storm clouds. A small, foliage-covered island is seen on the horizon, while the clouds and lightning reflect in the smooth water below.) Credit: Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

Currents of the Storm

Coursing through my nerves,

there’s a storm a-brewing

one of many, teaching.

‘Tis one of the rhythms,

bolts and zaps singeing me

from within, its mark unseen.

Tempted to curse my luck

with the way this illness

limits me, like a weight.

Weak, useless, tired

my mind its own enemy,

downed and defeated.

I recall His own pain,

the loss and struggles

He must’ve felt.

Yet, I persevere,

feeling the currents

in Nodens’ blessed rain.

In the endless battles,

His rainfall cleanses me, despite

the storm’s arcs within.

Finding ways to celebrate Brighid in the peak of summer.

(Image description: A photo of the sun shining brightly through some tall trees.) Credit: Photo by Patrick on Unsplash

Midsummer begins today, and it also marks the second anniversary of this blog! It’s a small accomplishment, but I am happy to see it through this far. I’ve had my own obstacles while writing posts for it, but I do it to show my devotion to the deities in my life.

While the summer solstice is celebrated with bonfires and merrymaking, it’s difficult to do so when the heat index is in the triple digits. There’s also been a lack of rain that makes the prospect of having a fire risky. On top of that, summer is my least favorite season because of the rising temperatures.

On the plus side, the days will now become incrementally shorter and darker (huzzah!), but the cooler days of fall and winter still seem like a long ways off.

Now, apart from paying rent to Manannan Mac Lir, I don’t know of any other deities underneath the Celtic Polytheistic umbrella that are specifically honored during the summer. Bonfires are lit during the summer solstice in many places in Europe, and some Polytheists can choose to honor specific deities during this time of year.

However, where does this leave Brighid? She’s sometimes noted as a solar goddess, when those qualities refer more to Her shining warmth and radiance than any direct affiliation with the sun. Her main association are with Imbolc and St. Brigid’s Day with celebrations for the later half of winter and early signs of spring. There is the mention of Brighid of the Seasons in the Carmina Gadelica, and the Clann Bhríde Book of Hours lists the day as a way to honor the three Brighid sisters.

If anything, the summer solstice could be seen as a strengthening of Brighid’s fiery aspects. Her healing, inspirational, creative, and protective blessings might be viewed as multiplied, and that’s worth celebrating while staying cool as possible. Working on a craft, ensuring the safety of the hearth, practicing self-care or looking after your health all seem like good ways to honor Her at the midpoint between spring and fall.

My summer celebrations will stretch into the latter part of the week, since my next flamekeeping shift starts around the time of St. John’s Eve (a time when the summer solstice would’ve been observed). As mentioned, conditions are almost too dry to have a bonfire, but tending Her flame feels like an excellent substitute. I’m not entirely sure what I will do during that time, but I will figure it out soon enough.

If you’re a long-time reader, thank you for sticking around this long. To any new readers, I hope you enjoy what I offer here. Have a safe and joyful solstice, wherever you are!

A prayer to honor Nodens as my practice develops.

(Image description: A single, silhouetted figure stands in a field covered by a heavy fog. A treeline can be seen faintly in the distance.) Credit: Photo by Jakub Kriz on Unsplash

Nodens,

Dweller in the Depths,

Silver-armed,

Healer,

my heart sings

with the connections I have found.

Between there and here,

then and now,

I follow the thread

in the vast tapestry.

It feels like parts of my past

aren’t so hidden.

There is a longing for a land,

to which I have never been.

May my heart lead me

on a melody to where

the past lies.

Praise to You, Nodens!

Thoughts on deity imagery and its connection to Polytheistic Monasticism.

(Image description: A photo of a drawing of a Brighid’s cross, a harvest doll, and garlands featuring snowflakes and flowers. Three colored pencils are near the illustrations, along with pink flowers.) Credit: Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash

Within different forms of modern Paganism and Polytheism, depictions of deities lean toward a more medieval or ancient appearance. There’s nothing wrong with these images, but I have been wondering about the relationship between this issue and Polytheistic Monasticism.

A standpoint some people may have with Polytheistic Monasticism is that there aren’t explicit historical references to contemplative practices of ancient druids, monks, nuns, priests/priestesses/priestx, or fill-in-the-blank term for clergy. However, the movement doesn’t have to include a strictly reconstructionist aspect to it. Similarly, deity art can be inspired by what we do have from ancient cultures and bring those aspects into the contemporary era.

As an aside, this is where modernity can dip into Pop Culture Paganism, which has been and is a controversial topic within the larger Pagan and Polytheist community. If it’s anything taken from television, comics, books, or movies, it can considered too secular or too simplified to be considered sacred.

Sometimes, something sacred doesn’t have to be overly complicated. You might hear a deity’s presence in a modern song without any specific mention of Them within the lyrics. I also think of Courtney Weber’s use of a Brigid action figure on her altar in the book, Brigid: History, Mystery, and Magick of the Celtic Goddess.

What I took from that is it was a stepping stone in her path with Brighid, not meant to box Her into a caricature or a stereotype. There was some element of Brighid she saw in a small statue made of plastic, rather than stone or wood. The stone icons that are still here represent a moment in time and a mason’s choice of attributes they wanted to capture for themselves or a patron.

The inspiration for this post came from window shopping on Etsy for deity images and noticing how illustrations of Brighid and other deities tend to favor archaic clothing styles. I did come across an image of a punk version of Brighid that caught my eye, due to its uniqueness.

On the other hand, depictions of Nodens or Nuada are very rare. That either leaves me to make do with what’s available or create my own icon of Him to reflect the imagery of what came before and also how He reflects the current day.

For both deities, I imagine this can be a contemplative experiment of sorts. I have to find the aspects of each and then let myself be guided to how They want to be depicted while also making something that resonates with my sense of sacredness. I feel that both the deity in question and the devotee need to be in sync to be able to make a holy icon for that point in time.

Everyone is going to have their own viewpoint of how they wish to relate to a deity, ancestor, or spirit. Perhaps deities choose to appear in modern forms in order to reach possible devotees, or They desire to evolve with the times. If some or all are capable of shape-shifting, then depictions of Them don’t necessarily have to reflect Them in the context of a ritual or a statue from thousands of years ago. They aren’t static figures stuck in a bygone era that only relate to us through the practices of people who lived numerous generations ago.

From a documentary about the recent bank holiday for St. Brigid’s Day in Ireland, I recall more than one person commenting on how Brighid is like a mirror, as they could see themselves in Her in one way or another. Why not consider this as an overarching concept when we welcome Them into our sacred spaces and make sacred art to place within our shrines?

A poem inspired by finding hope in adversity.

(Image description: A photo of a hand holding a lit firework with sparks coming from it.) Credit: Photo by Cristian Escobar on Unsplash

Arrow of Joy

When stories speak of You

turning back the streams of war

‘pon the battlefield in prayer and song

I wonder, searching

What of the war with the self?

Or the conflict from others?

What aid can I find to persevere?

In days of endless dread

what hope can be found in the dark?

I see within the dark

a glint of hope that stirs

my heart, piercing.

Hardest crystal

vibrant and many-hued,

yet painless

It burns with passion,

filling the head and heart

with ideas and joy aplenty.

It defends against despair

true to the soul

the tip aflame, ardent.

Joy strikes my heart,

a friend through uncertainty

a companion despite the woes,

The conflict is long, yet

with sparked joy

I can carry on, dauntless.

A poem about the reality of monastic paths.

(A photo of a rainbow passing through a lit-up cloud against a dark, overcast sky. Silhouetted trees are seen at the bottom of the image.) Credit: Photo by Dewang Gupta on Unsplash

Longing for Pilgrimage

Destination unknown, but there

In the distance, desired for

the holy site beckoning

Distractions and setbacks

glint in the distance

or waylay the trek

The sight of oak trees

with their messages of strength

and windy reminders of mutability

Everything in its own time,

like the ebb and flow of tides

a monk’s path is ever-winding

Doubt may cloud the sky

but rain isn’t a constant

and rainbows shine through

The heart travels on

the compass point swaying

but it remains ever-true