C is for CUUPS (PBP)

(I apologize that this post is a day late and rather short--I am working this morning. I'll just say it's been a hell of a week and leave it at that.)

CUUPS stands for the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans. The following comes from their website, which can be found here: CUUPS is an independent affiliate of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) honoring goddess-based, earth-centered, tribal and pagan spiritual paths. UU Paganism is a liturgical and theological community under the umbrella of the Unitarian Universalist Association. Membership in CUUPS is open to Unitarian Universalists and those in sympathy with Unitarian Universalist Purposes and Principles.

Years ago, my husband and I moved to an area where there was a UU Church (The Unitarian Universalist Church of the South Hills, AKA Sunnyhill). I had been a solitary for many moons and was rather lonely and wanting a spiritual community to be a part of so I decided that I would check it out, knowing that there was an active CUUPS group (Spiritways) within their congregation. I am now a friend of that church, and have been attending and leading rituals and Lifecraft classes as part of Spiritways for several years now.

I am the only Norse/Northern Tradition pagan in Spiritways currently, but these folks are quite welcoming (as UU's are notorious for), so I feel very comfortable there.

Imbolc/Brigid altar (Pagan Blog Project)

Blessed Bridget, comest Thou in
Bless this house, and all of our kin
Bless this house, and all of our kin
Protect this house and all within

~Imbolc/Lisa Thiel

B is for Baldur (PBP)

Baldur (also Balder, Baldr) is a god of light, purity, joy, innocence, beauty, and forgiveness in Norse mythology. He is the son of Odin and Frigga. His wife is the goddess Nana. Their son, Forseti, is the god of justice. Baldr was beloved by both the gods and men, and was considered to be the best of the Aesir.

Go here for the story of Baldur.

PBP: B is for Brigid

(Artwork by Susan Falcon-Hargraves)

Brigid is the patroness of healing, poetry and smithcraft. She is also called Brigit, Brigid, Bride, Brighid, Bridget, etc. She comes from Ireland but is a pan-Celtic deity who was so widely honored and beloved that the Catholic Church canonized her as St. Brigid, Her name means, "bright one," or, "bright arrow." She is the daughter of The Dagda, or, "The Good God." Brigid is a triple goddess. Her festival is Imbolc. She had an exclusive female priesthood at Kildare and an ever-burning sacred fire. She is a goddess of fire, fertility, the hearth, arts and crafts, martial arts, healing, agriculture, inspiration, learning, poetry, divination, prophecy, smithcraft, animal husbandry, love, witchcraft, and wisdom.

Some of the symbols and associations for Brigid include fire, rowan, blackberries, shamrocks (which represent both Ireland and Her triple nature), milk, lambs, shields, wells, and the heart. The symbol most associated with her, however, is Brigid's cross:

I plan on changing my altar this weekend in preparation for Imbolc and will post a picture after it is finished and talk a little more about my experiences of working with Brigid. I have a beautiful depiction of Her by the artist Emily Balivet.