Brigid

Disclaimer: I received an eARC from netgally in exchange for a review. However, I did purchase the book because I was going to do so anyways. Also, Courtney Weber is a good friend of mine.

I am new to Brigid. I've heard a lot about her, many of my friends devote energy to her and there are many rituals dedicated to her around Imbolc. Since Courtney wrote this book, I felt it was time to see just what she was all about. Needless to say, I'm pleasantly surprised. Brigid has a lot more to offer people than just using her as a goddess head for Imbolc rites.

Brigid is a multifaceted goddess who has roots in Celtic, Christian, and Hoodoo lore. Originally the goddess of the hearth, smith, and springtime, she was elevated to Saint status so that the incoming Roman empire in the British Isles could keep the locals under control. Brigid's domain is wide and she's not just the crafts-hearth-happy goddess that many think her as.

Courtney did her homework for this book. You get a bit of historical lore, and location for Brigid in her homeland of Ireland. You also get to read tales and snippets from the traditional myths discussing the goddess. Most of each chapter and each section begins with a short tale about Brigid and how she fits into being a goddess of war, or of springtime, etc. I loved this because it ties her into the culture AND makes a potential devotee think about the source material and how it can relate back to modern applications. Courtney also weaves practical magic into the book by giving you meditations, rituals (for groups and solo work), and spells to help bring creativity, focus, and other aspects of Brigid into your world.

BOTTOM LINE: If you want to know more about Brigid, the “roles” she takes, and have a good foundation (and breadth) of spells, meditations, and rituals to devote to Brigid, then this is the book for you. A side note, author Lunaea Weatherstone is coming out with a book on Brigid this fall and I'm looking forward to seeing her perspective of Brigid and how the two books work together.