Sabbats ~ Imbolc/Imbolg (Wheel of the Year)

Merry Meet,

As Imbolc is coming up very soon I've have been working towards my Imbolc entry for my B.o.S and it's been quite an interesting journey!  This is the first post of the Sabbat series, I won't count my Yule post as I didn't include the associations or correspondences.  I may come back and add a bit more to the history and culture section of Imbolc another time, but other than that I am really happy with what I've done so far.
Click for Ostara

Imbolc

Celebrating the Sabbats

 2^nd  February

(Sun is 15^o Aquarius)

History, Mythology & Culture

The reborn light from Yule is now a flame of warmth for the people and the land.  Imbolc, one of the four major Sabbats (fire festivals) is the festival of Brighid, and the word Imbolc means “in the belly”.  (Brighid is the Celtic fire/sun Goddess - sphere of influence: poetry, inspiration and divination and associations with fertility, the hearth, home and metal-craft.)  The first signs of Spring are apparent, the trees are budding, along with certain flowers (like snowdrops).  In a mild year the first lambs are likely to be born about now.  Imbolc is the quickening of the year, a time of promised fruitfulness, the harvest to come. 

The Goddess moves from the aspect of the Wise One, the Crone and returns once more as the Maiden, dressed in white.  The God who was reborn at Yule is now full of strength, vigour and sexual potency – his pursuit of the Maiden starts at this festival.

In Ancient Rome, the festival of Pan would require the Priests of Pan to walk through the streets, clad in goatskin, whipping people (especially women) to increase fertility.

In the British Isles there are wells dedicated originally to the Goddess Brighid, these were then associated with the Christian St Brigit.  The nearby “wishing” tree will have scraps of fabric tied to its branches, and many people will make offerings to the Goddess in hope that She will grant their wish. 

In Celtic tradition, the time between Hallowmas and Candlemas is ruled by Cailleach (or Cailleach Bheur) a Scottish Goddess who is depicted with her wand in hand, she has a wild venomous temper and starts Winter off by washing her plaid in a whirlpool.  

Associations

Goddess Role: Maiden

Goddesses: (Virgin, Maiden, Fire) Brighid, Demeter, Ceres, Hestia, Vesta, Hecaté, Carmenta, Hathor, Freya, Sekhmet, Nut, Corn Maiden, Idunna, Artemis, Diana, Frigg, Rhea, Cybele, Gaia, Tellus, Nyx, Nox, 

God Role: Young Lord

Gods: (Sun, Fire, Children) Oak King, Hephaestus, Vulcan, Surtur, Bel, Dagda, Goibniu, Ra, Frey, Bran the Blessed, Nuada, Baal, Geb, Manannan Mac Lir, Zeus, Jupiter, Bes, Angus Mac Og,

Planetary: Saturn, Uranus

Celtic Month: Rowan, Ash

Animals: Sheep, Lambs, Deer and Burrowers - Badgers, Groundhogs, Rabbits etc

Birds: Robin

Symbolism & Focus:

Returning Light, Youth, Fertility, New Growth, End of Winter, Purification, Candle Magic, Offerings to Deity.

Other Names:

Candlemas, Oimealg, Imbolg, Brigantia, Lupercus, Disting, Luercalia, Groundhog Day

Altar & Magical Correspondence

Altar Cloth & Candles: Light Blue, Brown, Yellow, Pink, Light Green, Red

Stones: Quartz, Opal, Moonstone, Aventurine, Sunstone, Turquoise, Onyx, Amethyst, Garnet

Flowers: (All white, yellow & light blue flowers) Snowdrops, Blossom, Daffodils, Hyacinth, Crocuses, Jasmine, Lotus

Herbs: Bay Leaves, Myrrh, Frankincense, Dragons Blood, Basil, Angelica, Cinnamon, Rose Petals, Fennel, Thyme, Chamomile, Rosemary, Heather, Clover, Dill

Food & Drink: Dairy produce or foods with dairy ingredients: Milk, Yogurt, Cheese, Cream, Eggs etc.  Also seeds to represent growth: Pumpkin, Sesame, Sunflower, Poopyseed, Linseed etc.  Curries and other dishes with ingredients of: peppers, onions, leeks, shallots, garlic, chives or raisin.  Spiced wines, herbal teas, honey and all food symbolic of the Sun.

Magical Workings:

Activities:

¶      In a group celebration the Maiden will be chosen to wear a crown of lights and a white robe or cloak

¶      Visit a sacred wishing site and make a wish.  Offerings include strips of fabric, plaited grasses, small posies of flowers, and strands of your hair – anything that can eventually find its way back to the Earth

¶      Go outside and draw Feminine & Masculine symbols within a circle on the ground with your finger

¶      House purification

¶      Wrap black ribbon around small amounts of straw, each bundle represents things to rid yourself of, burn them in the cauldron

¶      Burn the evergreens from Yule in the cauldron

¶      Light a candle in every room to signify the strengthening light

¶      Vision-quest with the wolf spirit animal

¶      Add a circle of white candles to your altar, each one to represent a goal for the year to come.

¶      Banish Winter by burning paper snowflakes.

¶      Empower ice to banish negativity.  Once the ice is melted, so has the negativity, pour away from home.

Bless your pet and give them a protective amulet for their collar or cage.

¶      Offer milk to the Gods, then pour somewhere for animals to use.

¶      The planetary alignment of Saturn and Uranus gives magic performed during this time the ability to make sudden changes.

Craft Ideas & Activities

¶      Make a crown wreath of lights for the ritual celebration.
A child’s crafting could be made of felt or card for example.

¶      It’s traditional to keep the Yule tree and evergreens until this festival so that they can be burned on the Imbolc fire.  Since this can be an issue for some, another idea would be to collect the Christmas and Yule cards and make them into give tags, and any that cannot be transformed could be given to a local playgroup as pictures.

¶      This is a great time to plants bulbs and flowers and sow seeds (make sure the frost has passed), remember seeds can be started indoors.  Another option is to grow herbs or small plants indoors and nurture them.  Think about the herbs your use the most in your magical practice and check that they will grow happily on a window sill.  Many seeds can be planted around this time of year, start them off indoors in small trays.

¶      Make candles.

¶      Make a Brighid doll from corn / straw & ribbon or wax.

"Goddess Aspect Change" Ritual

 Items required:

¶     A black or dark red candle
(To represent the Crone aspect of Goddess)

¶     A white candle
(To represent the Maiden aspect of Goddess)

¶     Wear a white robe or cloak if possible

Do your usual ritual set up, call upon the elements as well deities.

Light the dark candle and say:

“This light is the light of the Crone

The Wise One who has ruled over the winter months

The resting time”

Spend a little while thinking of all that has happened since your Samhain celebration, most importantly what you have learned.

Light the white candle and extinguish the dark one whilst saying:

“Now it is time for the Crone to turn away

And become once more the Maiden

Lady of Spring and of promise”

Again, spend some time thinking about what you would like to begin in the new season.

  

End the ritual as you normally would.

Kate West

Brighid Prayer

         Items required:

¶     One white or pink candle

¶     Rose oil

Anoint the candle with rose oil.  As you light it, make your wish and then say the prayer:

“My Lady Brighid, Goddess of fire,

Bless my intentions and grant my desire.

From Summer’s sunshine through Winter’s snow,

You kindle the spark and make hearts glow.

O Gracious Goddess I now ask of thee,

To grant to me power, love and purity.”

Lady Sabrina

From Dark to Light

        Items required:

¶     One white candle (One for each person)

¶     One black candle

Light the single black candle (which has a trimmed wick to give the shortest of flames) and say:

“This is the festival of Imbolc and the first signs of returning life tell us that Spring is on its way.  Let us light the path for the new season and say farewell to the old.  Blessed Be”

Light the white candle from the black one and say your wish aloud for the coming season.  

(Light white candle from the candle of the person next to you.)

Extinguish the black candle

Once white candle is lit say (together):

“We welcome the coming Spring.  Blessed Be.”

Leave candle somewhere safe to burn whilst you enjoy your Sabbat feast.

Kate West

☮ ❤ & ツ