Imbolc

2nd Feb - Also known as Candlemas, Oimelc, Imbolg or Brigid's day.

So what is it?

Imbolc marks the beginning of spring in the Celtic calendar – it marks the recovery of the Goddess following the birth of the God.

It has its origins in Irish Gaelic history as the holiday of St Brigid’s day, Brigid being the Goddess of fertility.

The holiday itself is a fire holiday but instead of being associated with heat it is more to do with the light itself.

The days begin to lengthen and the hours of light become prominent in the year- the lighting of candles and represent the return of warmth and power that is increasing from the sun God who is now entering his teenage time.

So where does it come from ?

St Brigid was a real person and lived around AD 453 – and as with most legends within our circle pre-dates Christianity.

Legend tells us that Brigid was bought up by a wizard and had the power to multiply food and drink in order to feed the poor – this included turning her bath water into beer.

In Ireland they make St Brigid’s crosses of rush and straw and this signifies the preparation of seeds for growing in the spring ( this is still a tradition that is carried out to this day in parts of rural Ireland).

In Scotland women dress up a sheaf of oats in women’s clothing and lay them in a basket called ‘Brigid’s Bed’ along side a phallus club. They would then invoke Brigid by calling out “ Brid is come, Brid is welcome” three times. They leave candles burning all night. If in the morning there is a club shaped impression in the ashes then the year would be fruitful and prosperous. This signifies the invoking of the God to impregnate the Goddess through the night and then withdraw. If the club impression is there then the rite was successful.

In the rest of the British Isles and other parts of Europe Candlemas is used similarly to the Americans Ground hog day. If the weather is good at Candlemas then the winter will be short but if it is cold,wet or snowy then winter would last longer.

It is interesting to see how traditions differ from coast to coast and coven to coven, but we all do things for Imbolc that we see as normal but have no idea why we do them.

As spring approaches we nearly all take part in the ritual of spring cleaning, as Imbolc is a time of cleansing and taking out the old, whether physical or spiritual, we do this to cleanse ourselves ready for the year ahead.

Preperation for Imbolc.

So what can we do to prepare for the celebration, well one thing to do is what christians call spring clean. Out with the old and in with the new, give your space a tidy, clean it up , put things away, look at things in a new light.

It is traditional to switch on lights one at a time while you carry this out, celebrating the light that is being brought forth to us from the teenage god.

Prepare your altar.

Your altar should contain red and white colours, this signifies the melting of the winter snow and the waking of the new sun.

Add celtic symbols or deities as St Bridgid was a celtic legend, if you have corn sheathe crosses then add these to your altar in thanks.