Imbolc 1999 Newsletter Imbolc

Imbolc occurs each year around the 1st or 2nd of August, depending on your practice and tradition. Imbolc means "in the belly of the mother". Deep within the core of our earth, the winter is giving in, and the earth is starting to thaw. Yes, it will still be cold for a while now, and the winds will chill us in August, but nature is preparing, and gathering strength from the new sun born at Yule, to be born again at Spring.

Imbolc is a fire festival that celebrates the coming of spring. The days start to get longer, the sun’s power is increasing. It is at this time of year that the Great Mother once again becomes the young maiden Goddess.

At this time of year we must remember to be patient, and not rush the spring. We watch, we meditate, and notice the changes that indicate spring is on its way. We look to the birds who will soon choose a mate, and build nests for their young to be born. We look for the new buds on the trees that lost their leaves in the winter.

Imbolc is also known as Brigit’s Day, a day that celebrates the Irish goddess Brigit. Brigit is the patron Goddess of smithcraft, poetry and healing. Brigit is a fire Goddess, as her sacred fires symbolise the fire of creative inspiration, which is shown through her healing, smithying and poetic expressions. Candles were once kept alight in the windows of houses until the sunrise as a show of respect and awe of the fire within her.

The holiday is sometimes known as Candlemas, a time to make and bless your candles for the coming year. You might like to organise a candle making party, where as a group, you pour and mould your groups candles for the year. If you do not make your own candles, you can still take stock of your wax supplies, consecrate new candles and prepare for the year.

An old custom associated with Brigit’s day is the weaving of Brigit crosses from straw or wheat to hang around the house for protection. A bed is sometimes made for these dolls as a way of ensuring the fertility of the mind, body and spirit.

Another activity is to bless the seed that you will plant in the spring - these can be physical or mental seeds that you will plant. Plant these seeds at the appropriate time, and watch them grow thanks to the blessings of the new maiden. Imbolc is a time for purification rituals, as we clear our minds of the fog of the winter, we prepare ourselves for the crisp clarity of spring.

Colours for Imbolc include: white, red, green and black. And wearing white for the maidens aspect of the goddess in ritual is appropriate.

Earth’s Answer

Earth rais’d up her head
From the darkness dread and drear.
Her light fled,
Stony dread!
And her locks cover’d with grey despair.

"Prison’d on wat’ry shore,
Starry Jealousy does keep my den:
Cold and hoar,
Weeping o’er,
I hear the Father of the ancient men.

Selfish father of men!
Cruel, jealous, selfish fear!
Can delight,
Chain’d in night,
The virgins of youth and morning bear?

Does spring hide its joy
When buds and blossoms grow?
Does the sower
Sow by night,
Or the plowman in darkness plow?

Break this heavy chain
That freeze my bones around.
Selfish! Vain!
Eternal bane!
That free Love with bondage bound."

As above, so below -
the days are lengthening above,
the seeds are quickening below.
Welcome bird, welcome spring.
(C. Austin)