Book of Hours – First Hour: Rising Prayers
Children of Brighid perform three sets of prayers on a daily basis: rising prayers, prayers of thanksgiving and prayers before sleep. The elements of the practice can be varied to accommodate individual needs. For instance, offerings can be made at any of the three hours, practitioners can change the order of the prayers depending on their schedules and practitioners without sufficient time to recite all of the prayers may recite a selection of them.
Optional: Gabhaim Molta Bride, Sloinntireachd Bride
1- Three Sisters Prayer
Brighid of poetry, bless my heart with poetry, and allow me to see Your poetry in all the things of this world.
Brighid of healing, bless my heart with healing, and allow me to extend Your healing to all the beings of this world.
Brighid of smithcraft, forge my heart with Your hammer, and allow me to create on this day as You Yourself do each day.
2- Flame-Lighting Prayer
I will light my candle as Brighid lights it; Her candle is the sun and Her altar the earth. And as this little candle lights my room, may Her great candle light the universe.
Hail to you, oh foster-mother! Your love is a flame. Give me the strength to bear Your tenderness; give me the power to bear Your light. Let my heart become like a perpetual fire tended by the priestesses of all my thoughts.
Hail to you, oh woman-comrade! Hail to you, oh trusted friend! I will share my confidences with You today for I know You will comfort me; I will kindle my heart with Your light until I glow like gold.
3- Rising Prayer
Sun of the morning and queen of the daytime, maiden of flowers and hope of the dawn! May you bless me with sunlight and all fruitful blessings; may you bless me with love like the warmth of Your fire.
Oh sun of the morning, Your smile is beautiful and the glances from Your eyes are the beams of sunlight; when You step out from the bed of the ocean all the earth smiles in gratitude; when You walk out upon the fields of the heavens, all the earth sighs with joy.
You brought me out from the night, oh Brighid, and delivered me safely to the morning. May You shepherd me now through the daytime hours and deliver me again into the night.
Oh Brighid of the sunrise, Your face is beautiful, Your eyes are like the fire of heaven and Your kiss is like mead; on this day and on every day may you bless us with poetry; on this day and on every day may You bless us with love.
I am bending my head in prayer beneath the eye of Brighid, the rising sun among the white of the clouds, the smiling glory of the day. Pour the honey-sweet milk of Your poetry into the chalice of the morning; allow me to taste Your milk in each passing moment.
