Weaving for Wellness: how will you spend your St Brigid’s Day?

As January draws to a close, and the ‘slight stretch’ begins to rear its head, we find ourselves somewhere between Christmas and the dawn of a new year. Reluctant to let go of the cheerful light just yet, many towns and houses have retained the sparkle of festive lights for the month of January, to illuminate the way until brighter evenings arrive.

Often tempted to look ahead before the glimmer of the past has even faded, many (including myself I must admit!) are already looking forward to the ‘new’ bank holiday, which is only around the corner. It occurred to me that a return to simplicity is often a welcome activity after the busyness of Christmas.

Anyone who enjoyed a quiet and peaceful day of weaving crosses in school way back when might guess where I am going with this one.

In with the new, and the old

Last year, Ireland celebrated its first St Brigid’s Day bank holiday, in honour of St Brigid, one of three patron saints in Ireland, alongside St Patrick and St Columcille. Often associated with wisdom, will, and kindness, many of the tales told about St Brigid convey a sense of calmness, courage, and creativity.

Founder of a monastery in Kildare, stories recount how Brigid, or ‘Mary of the Gael’ as she is often referred to, sat by the bedside of a sick pagan Chieftain, and in a quest to calm and sooth him, picked rushes from the floor and wove them into a cross. Since then crosses have traditionally been made from the same native rushes which still frequent the Irish soil, and hung in homes as a sign of protection.

Although the bank holiday in honour of St Brigid’s Day is new, the traditions and the memories which, for many, surround it are somewhat older. Connecting with traditions and memories from the past can be a welcome addition to our wellbeing routines, as in so doing we are reminded of events once enjoyed, events we might even be inspired to revisit.

A time to reflect

Although it is not long since the country took some time out to celebrate the Christmas season, Christmas can be a busy time and many may still be catching their breath. Pressure to buy, to entertain, or to feel cheerful in the face of stresses and strains can take a toll.

January can equally feel like a tricky time for people, as dark mornings and evenings can seem to prevail, and the pressures of life sometimes cannot be addressed through new year’s resolutions alone, despite the news and social media feeds around us telling us they can.

Wherever you find yourself this month, taking some time to reflect can help to slow us down, helping us to step rather than slide into a new year. If the notion of ‘new year’s resolutions’ feels too stressful for you, the ‘Feast of Saint Bridget’ might serve as a welcome reminder that not only is a new year upon us, but a new season is gently approaching.

Letting nature take its course

With the promise of this new season ahead, reminders of days spent gathering rushes and crafting crosses may also be with many of us. A tradition that spanned many Irish schools, these simple yet beautiful crosses would often be the fruit of a day’s labour on the 1st of February each year, and perhaps for many made a welcome change to the usual class schedule!

I for one can’t think about St Brigid’s Day without remembering how it felt to step carefully across the wet and marshy grasses beside the stream near home, gingerly leaning forward to grasp at the rushes surrounding it which would become tomorrow’s crosses.

I can still recall the slippery sensation of the thick grasses, slipping from my grasp, threatening to send me flying into the nearby water. It was a thrill that only a child might feel, who mistook the trickling stream to be a deep ocean that might swallow her up!

Often the act of and walking the fields and collecting rushes was as enjoyable as making crosses from them the next day, and this is something that can be important for us to remember, even if our cross making days are behind us.
Nature can serve as a great companion to our wellbeing, whether we are picking rushes or simply taking a short walk around the block during our lunch break.

A final thought...

Whether you find yourself making crosses, reminiscing about childhood fun, or simply enjoying the small evening stretch this week, this time of year can be an opportunity to begin to set our wellbeing rituals in motion, as we look forward to new beginnings ahead.

Emma Coonan (pictured above) is an Accredited Psychotherapist with IAHIP and ICP, Lectures in Psychotherapy, and is a qualified Adult Education Trainer. After leaving Coláiste Phobal Roscrea, Emma studied English and Media in Maynooth University, before combining her Psychotherapy training with experience in the corporate world. Emma focuses on applying Psychotherapy practices for everyday living, through developing resilience, stress response, and mindfulness practice.