Brigid’s Day (Imbolc) Deep Rest Retreat – Emergence
with Christine Valters Paintner, Deirdre Ní Chinnéide, and Nóirín Ní Riain
Friday, January 30, 2026
4-6pm Ireland
11am-1pm Eastern
8-10am Pacific
The earth’s belly is beginning to awaken, new life is stirring, seeds are sprouting forth.
Program Description
This mini-retreat is part of our four part Deep Rest series exploring the energy of seasonal turning points and the gifts of deep rest. Register for one of all of the mini-retreats. See the retreats for Autumn Equinox, Samhain, and Winter Solstice.
We live in times when it often feels like everything is coming undone. The Celtic hinge points of Autumn Equinox, Samhain, the Winter Solstice, and Imbolc offer the wisdom of living into a rhythm that honors the importance of times of rest as essential to our personal and collective wellbeing.
Brigid’s feast day is February 1st which in the Celtic calendar is also the feast of Imbolc and the very beginning of springtime. The word “imbolc” means “in the belly.” The earth’s belly is beginning to awaken, new life is stirring, seeds are sprouting forth. In many places the ground is still frozen or covered with snow, but the call now is tend to those very first signs of movement beneath the fertile ground.
In the Celtic imagination Brigid is the first sign of life after the long dark nights of winter. She breathes into the landscape so that it begins to awaken. Snowdrops, the first flowers of spring are one of her symbols. She crosses thresholds of time and space and the stories of her as abbess, midwife, healer, prophet and more often break the boundaries of linearity.
Join us as we break open Brigid’s invitations of emergence and awaken to the seeds stirring in the earth through music, poetry, teaching, meditation, and reflection.
We will turn on closed captioning during the live Zoom session (which you are able to turn off in your settings if you find distracting) as well as provide a video recording with closed captioning available and a text transcript of the session within 24 hours. You will be sent a notification when this is ready to view.
You have lifetime access to all online programs.
Your Guides for the Journey
Christine Valters Paintner
Christine Valters Paintner, OblSB, PhD, REACE is the online Abbess and director of AbbeyoftheArts.com, a virtual monastery exploring contemplative practice, creative expression, and ways to nourish an earth-cherishing consciousness. She is a spiritual director, teacher, pilgrimage guide, Benedictine oblate, and author of numerous books on spirituality and the arts. Her deepest belief is that the earth is the original monastery–a wisdom guide and mentor in living a soulful and vibrant life. Visit the “About Christine” page for more information.
Deirdre Ní Chinnéide
Deirdre Ní Chinnéide is trained as a psychotherapist / spiritual director and workshop facilitator. She has worked all over Ireland, the U.S.A. and Europe including Bosnia and Kosovo. The Aran Islands with its unique history, culture and natural beauty provides a special setting for the retreat work, and was the place of inspiration for Celtic Passage, a journey of the heart which she leads through music, reflection and prayer. Deirdre divides her time between the Aran Islands and the mainland offering retreats, workshops and performances of spiritual music and also works part time with Partners in Faith, a Catholic adult faith education programme working in marginalised areas in Ireland.
Deirdre has also co-authored the book Journey to the Well: Connecting to Celtic Ways and Wisdom. Visit Dierdre’s website here.
Nóirín Ní Riain
Rev. Nóirín Ní Riain PhD is an Interfaith Minister (One Spirit Interfaith Seminary), an internationally acclaimed spiritual singer, theologian, writer, musicologist, and Celtic Spirituality expert. Rev. Ní Riain performs weddings, naming ceremonies, concerts, lectures, and gives workshops all over the world. She lives near Glenstal Abbey, County Limerick, Ireland. Visit Nóirín online.
Registration
Please be careful to enter your correct email address when you register.
$30
Reduced Fee
- Includes partial scholarship
- Select this only if you require financial assistance
$60
sponsorship fee
- Includes added donation to support scholarships
- THANK YOU for supporting our scholarship program!
If you are in need of additional financial assistance please fill out our Scholarship Request form.
$160
Deep Rest 4 Part Series
- Includes Autumn Equinox, Samhain, Winter Solstice, and Brigid's Day Retreats
Terms and Conditions
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