A Response from Moi Toboi to Myo-TAO

Brigid, the hearth goddess of the Celts. She is also known as Brigantia and was synchronized with Minerva in Gaulo-Roman faith. They ancient celts kept an eternal fire for her and she was said to have invented keening (a kind of weeping-singing) after the death of her son. She was said to be married to the god Bres, though in CG"s stories where she is most like the hearth goddess she is married to the Smith. She is the mother of Ruadan the daughter of the Dagda and the sister of Aengus, Bodb derg, Cermait and Aed. She is associated with many things such as the hearth, the dawn, wisdom, smithing, poetry, and domestic animals to which she has the king of boars king of wethers (sheep), and two oxen named Fe and Men who graze on a plain that bears her name. Animals with red ears and white bodies are at times associated with her, she is highly associated with both high places (high flames, high levels of thought, the highlands, etc) and the festival of Imbolc whose version of Candlemas was highly associated with St. Brigid a clear Christianization of an important goddess. She was at times honored at wells where pieces of cloth were tied to trees to honor her. Her version of St. Brigid is the patron saint of Ireland. She is often considered a triple goddess due to her supposed sisters of Brigid the healer and Brigid the smith. Her name may mean strength or the high one and her name became the modern name of Bridgette. What is your favorite thing about Brigid?

This is a short write up on Brigid, I will be sure to revisit her in the future, but wanted to get something out on her pre-imbolc-TAO

Sainte Jeanne d'arc by Paul de la Boulaye 1909

Portrait of Henry Wentworth Monk by William Holman Hunt

The Parthenon by Frederic Edwin Church 1871

An impressive show in honor of the European bear cult-TAO https://vimeo.com/96173175

February by John Leighton

Groundhog Day is my 3rd favorite Holiday, I love Punxsutawney Phil. I love the emphasis on PA Dutch/German/American culture. I love just the whimsy and fun of the holiday-TAO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKQhYPcNhx0

Punxsutawney Phil, a regional American animal god. Known as the seer of seers, the prognosticator of prognosticators, the eternal prophet groundhog. He is said to be at least 134 years old and traces his origins to a Pensylvania Dutch tradition that has been passed down for centuries and continues from a German tradition involving badgers. He is not the only animal observed on Groundhogs day, but is by far the most famous of these prognosticators. Hence the title. He is taken care of by a group of elders who have a leader who can speak to him through the use a magic cane and two handlers who are the only ones allowed to interact with him physically at the ceremony. Essentially a fraternity of "priests". He is known worldwide via the film with Bull Murray. In Pennsylvania Dutch Lore (Urglaawe Heathenry) the Groundhogs and its burrows are pathways to the other realms such as that of the gods essentially a liminal space. Making Phil a messenger of the gods in a way. He is presented yearly on February 1st on his abode of Gobblers knob where in full on ceremony on top of an old tree stump in front of thousands of people his prediction is made. If He saw his Shadow winter will be 6 more weeks but if he doesn't he predicts an early spring as he did this year. Which is then read from prepared scrolls to mark the occasion. He is named after the Pennsylvanian town he is from but for fun his name essentially means town of the sandflies and friend of horses. The entire ceremony does rely on suspension of disbelief but it is said there is only one Phil and all others are imposters. So how old is he really? and whose to say he could not return in spirit as he is needed year by year. For the Groundhog lord of weather and greatest of prophets is said to be eternal. What is your favorite thing about Punxsutawney Phil?

I wrote this about a year ago, and will write a longer lore post for Subscribestar/Patreon, look forward to a full article in the next Europe & Diaspora on the Groundhog and this wonderful American Holiday.-TAO

The King Groundhog Statue at Groundhog Lodges

A Totemic Statue of a Groundhog likely Orphie another Pennsylvania Groundhog whom the Punxy crowd has labeled an "Upstart" one key differences is that Orphie's inner circle wears nightshirts with their top hats rather than the formal attire or hunting clothes that Phil's crowd wears.-TAO

General Beauregard Lee, former Confederate general and current most famous Groundhog of Dixie. Boasts a 60% success rate twice Phil's-TAO

Gen. Beau leaving his Southern Mansion to give the Weather Prognostication for Georgia-TAO

Beau and Phil have a conversation-TAO