1

Sain the participants by praying at the east, south, west and north, followed by a prayer directed at the heaven above you and the earth below you. The traditional position for this sort of prayer is “orans”- with your arms raised at the shoulder, elbows at right angles and palms open.

Bless every sight that You place in front of me; bless every sound and every taste; bless every scent that You place in front of me, and bless what I touch with Your own blessing.

May Brighid wrap me in Her mantle and surround me with Her flame; may She raise the cup of Her Imbas to my lips so that my veins run with fire.

Oh Brighid of poetry, fill my day with beauty. Be like the sun in the sky to light the path in front of me, and cast a blessing on all I see.

I am placing my mind and my body in Your hands, oh Brighid, from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet. Kindle my mind and my thoughts with the spark of Your poetry; light my body from head to toe with Your eternal flame.

Foster-mother of the depths of my heart, be like the sunrise in my inner nighttime. Cast a sunbeam of rose and gold across the surface of my ocean; spring forth above the depths of the water as all the world joins in song.

Behold the foster-mother in the morning sky and praise Her with harp-strings as She nurses the earth; Her smile is soft and gentle and Her eyes are tender; let the day be a song to Her, and every day of the world.

 

2

Prepare a drink of milk with honey in it, then anoint the young adult’s palms and face with it and give them a little of the honeyed milk to drink, with these words:

I bathe your palms in the milk of Brighid, in the honey of Brighid, in the blessing of Brighid, and I place the nine powers of Brighid in your mind and your heart:

The power of enchantment, the power of virtue, the power of faith, the power of great deeds, the power of elegance, the power of character, the power of courage, the power of charm.

 

3

The young person then recites these words:

Brighid of the Earth, bless me with prosperity, bless those I love with prosperity, bless all the world.

Brighid of the Waters, bless me with health, bless those I love with health, bless all the world.

Brighid of the Sun, bless me with beauty, bless those I love with beauty, bless all the world.

Brighid of the Clouds, bless me with wisdom, bless those I love with wisdom, bless all the world.

Brighid of the Winds, bless me with vitality, bless those I love with vitality, bless all the world.

Brighid of the Stones, bless me with strength, bless those I love with strength, bless all the world.

Brighid of the Spirit, bless me with illumination, bless those I love with illumination, bless all the world.