A contemplative look into Brigantia’s birth.
(Image description: A photo of a lighting bolt striking the water. The sky is dark and thick with clouds. The lightning reflects on the waves as they move.) Credit: Photo by Clayton Malquist on Unsplash
For the full moon, I did a 15 minute lectio divina meditation with Brignatia’s prayer beads. I had been intrigued in an aspect regarding Her birth after reading an entry for Athena and the epithet Tritogeneia, which translates as “born from the head”. Now, in Greek myth, this title refers to Athena being born near Lake Triton or being born from Zeus’ head.
However, Athena and Brigantia aren’t a one for one comparison of deities. Many of Athena’s myths don’t feel like Brigantia’s character, but a lot of the epithets feel right for Her. Also, I was drawn to the tri part of the epithet, which made me think of the number three.
During the meditation, I saw a lighting bolt coming down from the sky to the ground or sea, with Brigantia appearing out of it fully formed. In the same instance, I felt like it was a metaphor for the World Tree and how Brigantia’s wisdom has connections to all three realms within it, causing Her to be a liminal figure. I’m also reminded of how humans get “flashes” of insight, which inspire us toward various ideas and creations.
Athena is also given masculine traits, which in turn could relate to Bregans, Brigantia’s masculine form. This point wasn’t directly felt during the meditation, but mentioning it felt important and could be worth further contemplation.
As it isn’t stated who Brigantia’s father is, Taranos is sometimes considered as a possible candidate. I lean toward a different possibility. Athena was also syncretized with the Egyptian goddess Neith, who was said to be self-created and not born from any parents. However, the lightning could also stem from Taranos’s mind, so it’s open to interpretation. This idea still fits very much in the realm of UPG (unverified personal gnosis), but it feels like it aligns in a mystical sense. The comparison between goddesses isn’t too much of a stretch with Brigantia’s epithet Caelestis belonging to Tanit, a goddess of Carthage also connected with Athena and Minerva.
In honor of this gained knowledge, I wrote this prayer to Brigantia.
Thriceborn One of Lightning
Hail Brigantia,
Thriceborn One of Lightning,
Exalted Scion of the Head,
Liminal Traveler of the Realms,
You are birthed from the Elements,
gifting its wisdom to the minds of mortalkind!
Patroness of Insight and the Arts,
You bless us with the sparks of inspiration,
our ideas as offerings to You!
Hail to You, Blessed Lady of Creation and Innovation!
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