Interested in honoring St Brigid's Day aka Imbolc? Here's a few suggestions.
We stand at a threshold.
In so many ways!
Not least, between winter and spring.
And what better way to honor thresholds than through St Brigid’s Day, which in Ireland is on Imbolc, the traditional time in the Celtic Wheel of the Year between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. ? They say that Imbolc is the season to Brigid is both from the Old Traditions as well as a Saint in Catholicism - so perhaps it is not surprising that she is the Goddess of the Thresholds!? Really, she is a bit of everything, going betwixt and between a wide range of worlds, identities, and possibilities. She is the fair maiden tending the sacred fire; the warrior-smith-goddess who works with fire and metal and anvil to create weapons and cooking knives; the mother who was in between Christian and old Druid traditions; she whose lauder is always full of fresh butter and milk and bread; she of water as well as fire; she of mead and drink and dance and celebration. She who was accompanied by a white cow.? Indeed there are those who say that she would travel around the farms all over Ireland with her white cow and bless animals and always have some extra oat bread for the hungry.
Here’s some possible activities you might want to do:?
- Bake some Oatmeal Soda Bread - recipe at the end of this series!?
- Visit some local cows. Can you make them an offering of cornmeal??
- Honor that which is in the womb - both literally and symbolically.
- Gather with us on Imbolc to sing and paint and share
- Craft a St Brigid’s cross.?
- Gather friends together to have a feast and sing some songs
Here’s some other resources (from Shannon’s website)
St. Brigit’s Oatmeal Soda Bread (recipe from Shamrock and Peach)
- 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats (pulsed to fine)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra to knead the bread).
- 3-4 Tbsp seeds (e.g., sunflower, pumpkin, and flax seeds)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 2/3 cups plain yogurt
- 1 egg (beaten)?
How to make it:
1.) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2.) Grind the oats in a food processor until they are fine.?
3.) Combine the ground oats, flour, seeds, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.? Sift the baking soda into the dry ingredients.?
4.) Beat the egg and combine it with the yogurt.? Make a well in the center and stir in the wet ingredients with a knife until the dough comes together.?
5.) Transfer the dough to a floured surface and turn it with hands to shape it into a round, kneading once or twice if necessary, being careful not to overwork the dough.
6.) Transfer the bread to a lightly greased baking sheet.? Use a knife to mark the bread with a deep cross.? Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.
7.) Transfer to a wire wrack to cool and then wrap up the bread in a kitchen towel (this will help keep the bread moist).
8.) Best enjoyed straight away with Irish creamery butter.
