| Imbolc Ritual |
| Alter Decorations: White, Dark Green, Brown, Red, and Pale Pink candles, flowers, and amethyst. I like to keep my African Violets on the alter at this time. However, for the most part it is traditional to leave the alter unadorned this time of year to symbolise rest. Ritual Soap: Heather and milk based Incense: Bay, Basil, or Vanilla Cakes: Biscuits Ale: Red Wine Colours: White, Red, Green, and Blue Invocation: I am the cup, The chalice of life Ever-filled, ever-flowing Molded by what I hold Shaping what I pour I am the waters of creation. I am the sword, Givers of death and spring Ever-sharp, ever-piercing Edged by what is true Cutting what is not I am the fires of rebirth. I am the censer, Keeper of the air Ever-fresh, ever-blowing Scented by what I touch Moving with my will- I am the winds of change. I am the salt, Purifier of Earth Ever-seasoned, ever-healing, Birthed by what is rock Growing with the world I am the spice of Mother. I am the pentacle, Circle of the void Ever-changing, ever returning, Pointed by the elements Beginning with my end I am the essence of magic. (invocation taken from A Victorian Grimoire by Patricia Telesco) Activities: - updated your Book of Shadows and write any new rituals - burn the Yule greens - Make the Bride's Bed using the Corn Doll made at Lughnassadh. Dress her in white or blue and lay her in a ribbon adorned basket. LIght white candles on both sides of the baskets and the next morning remove the dress ans scatter the corn outdoors. - Leave bread and honey milk offerings for the fae. - Place three ears of corn on the door as a symbol of the Triple Goddess and leave them until Ostara. - Cleanse your alter, home, and yourself. - Make dream pillows. - Re-dedicate yourself to the craft. - Cast a circle around an evergreen tree. - Meditate - Bless a bowl of seeds and let them sit over night in the moonlight. Save these for planting at Ostara. - Place a wheel on your altar - Decorate your altar with white candles or lights (which Christmas tree lights work well!) - Fill a dsih with cut-out paper snowflakes and keep them on your altar. You can decorate with real snow but obviously it won't last; and it's a good idea to put it in a bowl with a towl or something underneath; it'll melt! - Make a crown of greenry and thirteen red or white candles to wear during your ritual - Make your own besom, or a new one, to purify ritual space my sweeping out the "old" and starting a new. - Start spring cleaning Traditional Foods: Lamb, nut bread, mushrooms, figs, raisins, rice, and red wine/port. Herbs: Heather, dried sunflower petals, vervain, violets, wheat, corn, grains, myrrh, storax, balsams, dragon's blood, dried sage, celandine, lemon, honey, dried chamomile, corriander seeds, garlic, rose hips, ash leaf or wood, hazel leaves or witch hazel, and sunflower seeds |
| Imbolc is when the Goddess rests after having given birth to the God at Yule. It symbolises the beginning of the welcoming of Spring. |
| Irish Imbolg Ritual This ritual is designed to be preformed at home. You will need a cleaned and prepared "hearth" area (if you do not have a hearth, designate a place as one). Decorate this area with fresh flowers, little shells, brightly coloured stones, feathers, and anything else that is NATURAL and lovely. You should also find a suitable small gift for Brighid. You will also need to make a small white wand that is to be given during ritual to Brighid. This wand should be about nine inches long, of white wood (such as rowan, hazel, ash or a thick bramble stalk), and straight. For this ritual you will also need: Robes, Knife, Cup, WAnd, Stone, Several candles, matches, Brighid's Bed, Brighid's Wand, Corn-Doll, personal gift, drink, and food. Centred around the hearth of the house this ritual should take place ideally when the ewes begin producing milk; but the Eve of Imbolg is acceptable. This is a "Woman's Mystery" ritual and traditionaly should only be carried out by the woman of the family. This would mean getting the male members of the family out of the house. Prepare the heart and place the bed near it. One woman who had decided should wait outside the room with the corn-dll image of Brighid in her arms. The woman appointed to carry out the main part of the ritual will then take out her Knife and carry it around the preimeter of the room to cleanse the area. Walking in a clockwise direction, Knife held out in a threatening manner, all present should visualise negativity fleeing away. Next, the Wand is taken up and carried about the room in the same manner. This process is repeated with the Cup and then the Stone. Then, each woman present should take up a candle, light it, and place it on the floor beside Brighid's Bed. Once the bed is ready the woman preforming the ritual should declare that the bed is ready to recieve the goddess. Visualise this, if a woman is waiting outside the door witht he doll, she should now enter and place her in the bed. She shall then light her own candle and place it beside the bed. Next place beside the goddess her wand. Several minutes of meditation should be spent imagining the room and house filled with light. At this point, the men of the household may return and offer their gifts to the goddess. Any requests that one may have of the goddess may be made now. Food and drink may be consumed now by all. After this point, all but the woman carrying out the ritual leave the room. It is now when she is alone tht the woman light a new fire in the hearth and meditate on Brighid. When the fire is burning well, go to Brighid's Bed and carefully remove Her wand and place it in the fire. Now, leave the room and close the door. The household should go to bed. On the day of Imbolg, the woman may take the corn-doll and hang it somewhere in the household to provide protection. The corn-doll from the previous year is tradionally taken outside and fed to cattle, but leaving it outside is probably a good interprtation. |