* An excerpt from: The Goddess Lives, poetry, prose and prayers in her honour. Agnes Toews-Andrews.

It was near the 2004 commencement of the vernal equinox, and I was leading a new moon circle on Quinte Faery Isle, (Prince Edward County) Ontario. The night was translucent and cold. Patches of snow lay in shady corners of the field where we stood. The stars were close. I felt like a part of them, although that winter I had rarely been sleeping outside under the gigantic inexplicable Universe. My journey was progressing though, on my chosen planet, Earth. I had been finding that I was sharing this home with a myriad of curious life forms, aside from those that scientists have agreed on. And goddesses of folklore seemed to materialize in the astral for mysterious reasons. I was also discovering that my inherent genetic lineage was rich, vital, and I was intimately connected with other realities. I had discovered that Earth was home to many keys to the galaxies, and it was more than simply my home.

This night felt exceptionally powerful for me as a Reiki Master, and I could feel that power in my root and crown chakras as my group of women met in a large meadow beside a gigantic maple tree, not yet leafed out. My new moon group were a diverse group of women who usually came together for full moon celebrations.

A medicine wheel had been created and I had given instructions to participants to wear white. We were chanting and drumming to the east, then to the north, as the traditional Mayan teachings indicate. As I turned to face the north, I felt an unusual power emanating from that direction. This power became a brilliant White Light, and suddenly manifested into the shape of a woman. Instinctively I said, “Welcome Brede,” to my women’s group. Goddess Brede is also known as Brighid or Brigit in some cultures. She was tall and buxom, with long gray braids that dangled over her shoulders, although I've felt she had flaming red hair at one time, an off red cloak draped her large frame. Golden Light emanated from her crown chakra.

Earlier, this new moon night had me philosophizing about the “13 Spirit Grandmothers of Time” instructions I had received. They said the new moon was to be celebrated by women only. It was a feminine time when we were to align ourselves with stellar and solar power. It was empty-one’s-womb time, and we were to gravitate toward what the stars and cosmos could impregnate us with. Then, we would implant that wisdom into the Earth, belly to belly. New spirit, new life, new Light/information could then be accessed. The Spirit Grandmothers say that men will have a hard time with this teaching, but that is the way it was before the patriarchal society began taking over women’s ceremonies approximately 5,000 years ago. So, it was women only at my new moon circles, and suddenly a mythic Celtic goddess had manifested into our midst.

I felt that Brede unexpectedly wanted to grant us gifts, so we silently and reverently walked around the circle one more time and then stopped to face north again. My white silk scarf blew across my face with a sudden breeze and touched my face ever so softly. I felt grounded, connected to the Earth and the cosmos. The other women were beating their drums and silently observing. I was captivated and in awe of my connection to all things and beings, and soon we were part of and wholly immersed into Mother Earth’s heartbeat. As we stood in the dark of night under the stars, observing, the stars raced along the elliptic. Mars was in Virgo, Saturn was in Libra, and Venus in Capricorn. As I waited, open to receiving from Brede, I received messages for everyone. One message was for a woman to utilize her gift of storytelling; for another, it was the gift of moving; others were inspired to write, and some were to explore their painting abilities. I received the message to work with crystals. Having Brede in our circle impelled each of us to seek the inspiration that she promulgated this spring equinox, and everyone was excited and grateful to have received a suggestion to work with something new or something we had forgotten about.

Brede, also known as the Old Wise Woman, is known and honoured in many cultures around the world. Women’s circles in North America celebrate her at three festivals, namely, Imbolc: Feb 2^nd —half way between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox, and at Beltane, May 1^st—half way between the vernal equinox, and at the summer solstice in June. Not only do we welcome Brede’s inspiration in the spring, but she is also celebrated as the goddess and wise woman who inspires us to bring to consciousness the mother-daughter dialectic. Since the 1960’s, women’s circles around the world have been consciously striving to release the “mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of us all” paradigm, working to end this destructive energy and to “support creativity and liberation for women and our daughters.” I felt blessed that Brede had manifested in our women’s circle on this vernal equinox new moon eve, and I was immediately open to her suggestions.

When I returned home to my cottage near Oak Lake, the stars twinkled and I stopped at the lakeside, walked to the beach to face south and said a prayer. I was pleased to be learning more about whom and what I could access from this third dimension. At home, I picked up my huge 12-inch, clear quartz crystal cluster, a gift from a Californian crystal teacher when I opened my first healing and paranormal center, “The Alternate Ark.” This crystal had told me years earlier that her name was “Joy.”

I sat with Joy for some time, contemplating my new life, my twin flame, if we would connect, what I should do with my life, and how best to disseminate my knowledge. I was transported to the Pleiadian star system where, encircled by Corinthian-like columns and a huge pool from which Blue Light emanated, I received the message that I must keep the faith. 

*Brede Painting: Jane Iris