Imbolc

Design your own ritual to welcome the Maiden Goddess. She is the bride awaiting  the returning Sun God,  the quickening of the year, the first fetal stirrings of Spring in the womb of Mother Earth. Spring lies within sight and the seed is prepared for sowing. It is a fire festival, but emphasis is put on light rather than heat -- light as it begins to pierce the gloom of winter. Think of your directions, questions and needs and focus on them.

 This is mainly a Celtic celebration. The word from which February comes means purification or purgation. 'Imbolc' means, literally, 'in the belly' (of the Mother). 'Oimelc' means  'milk of ewes', for it is also lambing season.

A traditional Imbolc pastime: Making Dream pillows. These are small pillows filled with a variety of herbs depending on what the desired result is. It is then placed under the pillow of the  person to be affected. For Imbolc, herbs to be used are mugwort, rosemary, and hops, or  lavendar, mugwort, and rose. Cotton material should be used for the pillow, as it is a natural  plant fiber. Colors for the pillow material are as follows:

White:         Meditation
Lavendar:    Physic growth/Divination
Purple:        Intuition/Spiritual development
Light Blue:  Meditation/Understanding
Yellow:        Clairvoyance/Divination

Other traditional activities include making candles for the coming year, infusing them with color, power, herbs, and scent depending on the magickal purpose. Bless candles that you will be using for rituals throughout the year.

Imbolg is the traditional time to collect stones for new magick circles and general  magickal use. Imbolg is also a traditional time for Witches' dedications, rededications, and initiations.

Foods in tune with this day (linking your meals with the seasons is a  fine method of attuning with nature) include  foods  from dairy products and spiced with onion, leek, garlic, shallot, and/or olives. The wine may be spiced and the food may contain raisins. Bread puddings and creamy soups are typical.

Candles are white, yellow, pink, sometimes red

Incenses to be used alone or in combinations include Chamomile, myrrh, heather. Also benzoin, vanilla, dragon's blood, carnation

Plants and herbs are Ash Tree, Heather, dried sage, celandine, lemon, honey, dried chamomile, coriander seeds, garlic, rose hips, ash leaf or wood, witch hazel or hazel leaves, sunflower seeds, dried sunflower petals, vervain,violets, wheat, corn, grains, myrrh, storax, balsams, dragon's blood, benzoin, mastic

Stones to use include Clear quartz, citrine, yellow tourmaline,green tourmaline, rose quartz, hematite, lodestone, ruby, garnet, red zircon, pearls

Animals and mythical beasts for this time of year are sheep, goats, dolphin, whale, mermaid, otter, unicorn, and eagle.

Altars can be decorated with white flowers. Have a white votive candle within the cauldron. Lay your besom upon the altar.

Goddesses honored at this time represent the maiden.  These  include Brigid in her maiden aspect, Lugh, Bran, Brigit, the Dagda, Diancecht, Go Ibniu, Manannan mac Lir, Nuada, Cernunnos, Bel, Mab, Ma cha, Nantosuelta, Ogma, Rhiannon. Aphrodite, Juno, Kuan Yin, Aradia, Diana, Demeter, Persephone.

Gods honored at this time include Thor, Cernunnos, Groundhog, other creatures emerging from hibernation; young Sun

Chakra is the

The element is water for purification.

Cast spells for fertility and protection in your life. Imbolg is a good time to get your life in
order, spiritually,mentally, emotionally, and physically.

On Imbolg Eve, it is customary to leave food and drink out for Brigid -- buttered bread, milk, grains, or seeds. Also leave buttered bread in a bowl indoors for the faeries who travel with the Lady of the Greenwood. Next day, dispose of it outside as the "essence" has been removed.

If you have no plans for a ritual, but would like to do someting simple to honor the time of year, here is a gesture. Tonight, before you retire, leave a slice ofbuttered bread outside your door as an offering to Brighid, as a request forher protection in the comming year. She is the Goddess of poetry, healing andsmithcraft- as well as flame,herbs and the hearth.

Prayers to Brighid

These are some prayers to Brighid  adapted from prayers to the Irish Saint Brigid.

"KINDLING THE FIRE"

This morning, as I kindle the flame upon my hearth, I pray that the flame of Brighid may burn in my soul, and the souls of all I meet today.
I pray that no envy and malice, no hatred or fear, may smother the flame.
I pray that indifference and apathy, comtempt and pride, may not pour like cold water on the flame.
Instead, may the spark of Brighid light the love in my soul, that it may burn brightly through the day.
And may I warm those that are lonely, whose hearts are cold and lifeless, so that all may know the comfort of Brighid's love.

Brighid, preserve the fire, as You preserve us all.
Brighid, may its warmth remain in our midst, as You are always among us.
Brighid, may it rise to life in the morning, as You raise us to life.