Imbolc
July 2nd
For Celtic pagans, this festival is more likely to be known as the Feast of Brigid. This Goddess was so revered in Ireland that she remained as a Christian saint after paganism was stamped out.
Imbolc is a spring festival of lights and fire, known by many names depending on which religion or tradition you follow. The Greeks, Romans, Celts and Britons had their own versions of Brigid, and so their own versions of this festival that is so intimately associated with her. The Goddesses Minerva, Isis and Brigantia are all believed to be one and the same with Brigid. She is the patron Goddess of smithcraft, poetry and divination (prophecy). I personally think this represents the strengths she gave to those for whom she was the Goddess - not only the physical attributes associates with all of those things but the spiritual ones too. I read somewhere (I think it was chalicecenter.com) that what all these things had in common was transformation, and I think that was an important insight. Imbolc is the transforamtion of winter into spring.
Light and fire are the main components of this festival. Just as there are three harvest festivals, so there are three spring festivals - Imbolc, Ostara and Beltane. Whilst it seems unlikely that spring can be on it's way (not so bad here in Auckland but February in England? Awful!) this is a time of year when we can begin to look forward to burgeoning life and when we know we are past the worst and most dangerous part of the winter. At Yule we celebrated the re-birth of the God, and now we can see the effect His birth is having on the land around us. The days are longer, the air is a little bit warmer (in these days of man-made climate change that might not actually be true - why don't we all see what we can do about that?). Candles and fires are traditional at this time of year as they represent the growing light and show that we are welcoming that light back into our homes and our lives.
So now we have a time for renewal and growth, to put into practice the new self we created when we banished all our negativity at Samhain. In Celtic tradition, Brigid became a Goddess of Justice and of Peace and attempted to bring together two warring factions in Ireland. I often wonder if this time of year, when Wiccans tradtionally initiate new members, when Valentine's gifts are abundant and so on, is a reflection of that. Despite what we did at Samhain, spring is always a time to shed old baggage and begin anew - 'spring cleaning', so to speak. Perhaps we should also sit back and think why we're so angry at someone, or if that grudge is really necessary. Clearing out the cobwebs feels good, and I think it's important not to forget that when you are judging someone, it is by your standards, and therefore you are also judging yourself. Light a candle and meditate on it. Light always makes you feel good.
