Bride Meditation


Bride is a goddess who is creative, independent, and yet nurturing. When we do the meditation, you may ask her a question and she will answer it. She is a contact to be encouraged and nurtured.

The first thing I want you to do is get into a comfortable position. Make sure you are as comfortable as you can be and that your clothing is loose and not binding. Some people like to lie down when meditating, but I often find that it's easier to fall asleep (which in itself isn't a bad thing and the dreams you can have are amazing) but I prefer to prop myself up so that I am neither lying down or sitting upright. Also, if you do keep on falling asleep during meditation perhaps it would be better if you change to another position like comfortably sitting in a chair or in the lotus position. I do believe, however, that you should find a position that is comfortable to YOU! Also, if you do fall asleep you should not worry because it was meant to happen and perhaps you should try the meditation again some time.

Take three deep breaths and on the third deep breath close your eyes. I want you to feel totally relaxed starting with your head. Feel the muscles in your face start to relax, especially with your jaw area. Do not clench your teeth and feel the stiffness fade away. Continue to feel the relaxation in your neck area. Feel it relax and all the day's tensions leave your body. You are now relaxing your shoulder and arm muscles. Feel them go slack and become as light as air. Feel your torso relax and your heartbeat slow. Breathe deeply and slowly. Do not think of things that have happened today only think of the here and now.

Let your back relax and all stress leave your body. Let your legs relax and feel weightless. Breathe slowly and relax your whole body... Close your eyes and prepare for a journey to another time and place where Bride still resides in her fire temple. Let the surroundings fade to be replaced by another scene...

You find yourself walking on a path through hilly, yet open, farmland. It is a very early spring evening and you can smell the scent of fresh grass. The air is clean and smells a bit damp. It is cool and you can still see your breath as you breathe out. Cattle and lambs are grazing and it is quiet except for the gentle bleating and moos of the sheep and cows. It is early evening there and it is not quite dark.

The bright orange sun is just starting to set on the horizon and the sky is pink with just a hint of dusky purple. You can still see well enough to make your way along your path. Even though you have never been here before, your feet seem to know the way as if you've done this hundreds of times. You seem to have a purpose and your feet move effortlessly over the spongy grass of the pasture. Everything looks vaguely familiar and you continue...

Up and down the hilly countryside you walk until you come upon a knoll. As you look out over the horizon you see one building near a grove of oak trees. From a distance it resembles a great temple and it is richly illuminated. In the gentle breeze you seem to hear your name being called. The voice that is calling is very gentle, feminine and very persistent. The voice is mysterious yet soothing and almost musical. At first you hesitate to follow the gentle voice. What if you misheard? You carefully listen and unmistakably it is your name that the voice is calling. Keeping in mind that you can return home whenever you wish, you decided to follow the soothing sound, which seems to be coming from the great temple...

As you follow the voice down the hill and move closer to the temple, you notice the hall is illuminated more brightly that anything you have ever seen before. The light seems to be coming from within the temple and you notice that even though the brightness of the light should hurt your eyes, it doesn't. You gaze upon it with ease.

The soothing feminine voice beckons you inside. As your eyes adjust to the brightness of the room, you see a great hall and off to the side a door leading to another room. The hall is plain but beautiful with a wooden beam roof and a stone floor. Part of the floor is covered with straw. The voice continues to call and you seem drawn to the huge oak door. Upon inspecting it, you notice that the door is open a crack - the voice gets louder and more insistent. You feel confident and secure, and pushing the door open you notice that there is a large rectangular room and your eyes are drawn to the opposite end where there is a large pit recessed into the floor. In the pit is a blazing fire.

This room is not a kitchen and this is not a pit for cooking as there are no cooking utensils near by. There is wood and peat stacked up near the walls of the room. The room should be unbearably hot, but is of a comfortable temperature.

You then notice two women in the room. Both of them seem ageless - neither young nor old. They are dressed in varying shades of brightly dyed plaid and wool and are both wearing amber and blue glass jewelry. One is tending the fire and the other is seated in a large high backed chair close to the fire.

The woman tending the fire adds more wood, looks up and says, "Oh, there you are. We've been expecting you. Bride awaits. Come, follow me". You are then brought to the fair haired woman who sits in the chair. Her head is bowed, but she slowly looks up at you.

Your eyes look into her eyes and in them you see the wisdom of the ages. You then realize that the spark of creativity, life and passion is within all of us. The only words she speaks are, "What will your flame of growth be during the next wheel of the year? What skills will you use in the coming year? " Think carefully, for it is useless to try to deceive Bride. You hear, in the depths of your soul the answer of the question you have come to ask. This message or suggestion is for you alone and is for no one else to hear.....

(Five Minute Pause)

Once you are satisfied that you have the answer to your question, you rise to your feet. You thank Bride for her wise counsel. You make farewells to the fire tender and promise to bathe in the light of the fire. You feel energized and softly walk out of the room and close the door behind you.

You walk through the great hall and into the cool night air. As you start on your journey home you look back at the temple and notice that it is slowly dissolving into a swirling mist. It has disappeared into the cool night air! You then start to become aware of your physical body. You feel your legs on solid ground, your arms are starting to feel heavier and you are aware that you don't feel as light as you are. Slowly and deliberately close down your inner perceptions and return.....

Slowly open your eyes and stretch and yawn if you feel you must. Place your hand on the solid floor and feel it beneath you - ground any leftover energy by feeling it course through your body and down into the ground. Shake your limbs and return to the to the here and now - the mundane world in which you reside.

by Doreen Motheral
Celtic Crossroads