Brighid Devotional (Elemental Cross)

I’m always tinkering with the words, but here’s the current version:

[touch forehead]
By Brighid’s Eternal Flame I am inspired and find courage
[touch heart]
By Brighid’s Warming Hearth I am warmed and made gentle
[touch abdomen]
By Brighid’s Deep Well I find wisdom and vision
[touch both shoulders with the hands and bring around front, as if putting on cloak]
By Brighid’s Green Mantle I am healed and protected

Thanks be to you, Brighid
Exalted Goddess, Beloved Saint
For your many blessings

Background information:

One thing that the AODA‘s First Degree curriculum (outlined in The Druid Handbook by John Michael Greer) is the development and daily practice of a personal “Elemental Cross”.  Visually it reminds me a lot of the points of the cross gesture that I’ve seen Catholics do; I’m not entirely sure what it’s called, but they touch the head, the heart, and then the two shoulders.  This is part of their Sphere of Protection ritual, which I haven’t really done myself in full, but I did like the version of the “Elemental Cross” that I developed.  (It’s quite different than their recommendations, but I must still give credit for the idea to AODA.)

I incorporated images that I have often seen associated either with the Irish goddess Brighid/Brigit and with the related St. Brigit, namely:

• the Eternal Flame that burns in Kildare (once tended by priestesses, now tended by nuns), and I also associate her fires with the inspiration behind poetry and smithcraft, both of which are associated with her
• the hearth that is associated with the goddess Brighid (she was a goddess of “home and hearth” among other things, and there are many traditional prayers for Brighid to bless the hearth, to protect the home when the hearth is smoored, etc)
• the healing wells that are associated with St. Brigit (and the holy wells associated with the goddess, which I believe were associated with visions)
• the green mantle that the goddess Brighid spreads over the land at Imbolc to bring spring and new life — closely linked with a mantle that one may leave out on the Eve of Imbolc for Brighid to bless as she passes by, which will then be bestowed with healing powers

In addition, I often tag the title “Exalted Goddess” to my prayers to Brighid, as her name means “exalted one”.

Throughout the short prayer I include Celtic virtues (gentleness, wisdom, etc) or messages of security (healing, protection, etc), which makes the prayer flexible. I can highlight certain virtues I am currently focusing on embodying, or different messages of security that I need to hear and feel.

For those familiar with the ADF, I incorporated this very short ritual into Brigantia’s Devotional from their Dedicant’s Program, right before the “thanks be” stanza.  It took me a little while to figure out a daily devotional ritual that would work for me, that I connected with, but after some minor edits and additions to Brigantia’s Devotional I think I’ve figured out a good one for me.