Since moving to Ireland in 2019, I’ve been following a local tradition and hanging a small cloth outside on the 31st of January, to use for healing throughout the year. But this year was the first time I USED it…
Brigid (Là Fhèill Brìghde is on the 1st February) is being honoured with a Bank Holiday this year and from now on in Ireland next Monday.
The tradition (as I understand it) goes that, just before (ie the night before) you hang out a rag or cloth (I’ve been using facecloths) on a tree or just outside and bring it in after the morning dew. Then keep it somewhere safe all year to use to heal yourself and others in your household.
This year, I’m doing several to gift to friends and loved ones (they already know I’m a bit strange).
Am sharing this blog post in case it’s something you want to do, to honour the Irish goddess Brigid and your own healing capabilities.
My experience USING the Brigid Cloth was quite strange
My head was really sore and I didn’t feel like myself for a good (pretty bad) 10 days after collapsing on the way back from the loo in the night and needing stitches where I’d fallen into the doorframe.
The hospital had sent me home with some pain meds but I didn’t want to take them. My fever was way down but the thought of last year’s Brigid Cloth popped into my head and I decided to give it a go.
I was still a bit scared going to the loo (the whole thing had been so unexpected) but I grabbed the cloth from the medicine cabinet and took it back to bed, putting it on the head wound and figuring I’d go to sleep with it balanced on my stitches and over my eyes.
I immediately felt a strange energy and, with my eyes closed, “saw” lots of dancing little silvery white shapes.
Brigid’s healing energies?
Elementals from last 31st January?
Mini hallucination from hitting my head?
Placebo Effect? (If you’d like to learn more about deliberately harnessing the powerful Placebo Effect, Dr Lissa Rankin’s Mind over Medicine is delightful.)
Feeling unworthy of healing support?
Obviously, this is not something measurable but as someone whose entire practice is based around self-care, my only deeming myself worthy of using the Brigid Cloth this year (after getting back from the hospital and still struggling with the whole head injury thing) was its own epiphany.
In other years, I’d considered using it but had worried I’d need it more later in the year and so refrained.
Having USED it this year, I feel perfectly confident that it’s all about the intention and the intention doesn’t wear off so next year, whatever comes up for healing, I’ll be supporting myself with liberal use of the new cloth.
How to do make your own Brigid Cloth
- identify a suitable cloth. Personally, I’ve been using facecloths (little towelling squares)
- wash it in advance
- on the eve of Brigid, pop it outside to benefit from St Brigid’s blessing as she passes / the goddess Brigid’s healing energies
- after dawn on Brigid itself (1st February), bring it inside
- let it dry fully then fold and put with your FIrst Aid kit or somewhere else that makes sense for you
- during the year ahead, use it as often as you feel you need a healing boost, simply placing it on the affected part of your body and consciously opening up to the goddess Brigid’s healing energies, your OWN healing capabilities and the Universal, Divine Love, Source, God/Goddess / Nature or whatever higher power you believe in and let yourself receive whatever healing is for your highest good
- let it air then fold and put away again ready for its next use
Whether or not you believe in any of this, if you’re drawn to experiment, let yourself
I trained as a Moon Mná Women’s Celtic Circle Facilitator with the delightful Dr Karen Ward soon after moving to Ireland.
This training included working with a range of Irish goddesses and sacred sites and holding a Circle each months for 13 moons. Karen Ward is also the author of the book, Goddesses of Ireland (Beehive Books, 2022).
Brigid was one of my course guides and using the Brigid Cloth is another way to remind myself that there is more support out there than I sometimes remember.
As I explain to the Feel Better Every Day online membership group when we do crystal energy cleanses or crystal coaching (as well as anyone wondering about working with crystals), you don’t have to believe in their healing energies (although I do) in order to choose something with a particular intention and then remind yourself of that intention every time you see or feel the stone (or Brigid Cloth or whatever you’re working with).
I would LOVE to hear from you
Were you already familiar with the tradition?
Any amendments to what I’ve suggested?
Are you trying it for the first time?
Any other experiences with a Brigid Cloth?
Feel free to email eve@selfcarecoaching.net to let me know.
And please do feel free to share this post on your social media etc so others who may find it helpful can read it.
With love,
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