NEW YORK — A hush settles over the room at The Meadow, the expressive arts space in the northernmost Brooklyn neighborhood of Dumbo. Men and women sit cross-legged on the floor, and the studio is quiet except for the sound of breaths. Gaelic embroidery of green fields and birch trees are strung from a branch on one wall. A colorful tapestry depicts the night sky speckled with stars and anchored by a crescent moon.
Today, a dozen people are taking part in the annual ritual of Imbolc. The tradition is dedicated to the deity and Druid high priestess Brigid, both a Celtic saint and a pagan goddess.
Saint Brigid is Ireland’s only female patron saint; she has long been admired in the Christian faith for her charitable work founding convents and monasteries on the island. In the Druidic faith, Brigid is known as the goddess of fire, healing and poetry. Today, she is recognized in both neopagan faiths and in the teachings of Christ for her Druid and Christian roots.
The celebration of Imbolc marks the change of the seasons and the start of spring. The Meadow’s seasonal circles are based on the Celtic Wheel of the Year, which is closely associated with the Druid calendar. The young and old sit in a circle on the floor of the dimly lit room around a flickering candle. Julie Flynn, the creative director of the space, passes around a tiny glass vial filled to the brim with a mixture of oil and rose petals.
“Imbolc marks the halfway point between winter solstice and spring equinox,” says Flynn. “As we honor Brigid, goddess of healing and fertility, I want you to picture your ancestors standing behind you, back and back, seven generations all supporting you. Now breathe in the oil and the flowers of Ireland, and imagine your descendants in front of you, generations on generations. Brigid is with you as we emerge into spring.”
The medicine bottle is small enough to hold in one hand and, although at first glance it may seem as though it’s a small part of today’s two-hour celebration, the participants hold the bottle with such tender care that the object’s significance is felt in the room. Brimming with Imbolc oil and crafted from wild roses grown in the Irish countryside, the vial is a central part of today’s ceremony.
The oil serves as a reminder to ground deeply and root into the present moment, providing an opportunity to plant wishes and desires for the future. Flynn continues to speak softly, leading the group in a meditation as members gently shut their eyes, some clasping their hands in their laps and some holding their hands over their hearts. She asks them to imagine they are closely aligned with nature, allowing the scent to transport them to a spring day.
One woman murmurs in understanding as others breathe deeply smelling the oil on their wrists. Flynn describes this time of year as a gentle season, asking the members to honor the days as they grow longer and look ahead to warmer times, as Brigid keeps the light alive with her flames. “Remember the trees with the strongest roots are the ones that will survive the storm,” says Flynn. “And the trees that aren’t deeply rooted are the most likely to be swept away.”