The Pagan Heart
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January 2005 Issue
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Oimelc - An Fheill Bhride
By Rhiannon NosTylluan
In the depths of winter when summer is a fading vision and the frozen land before you is barren and white, life begins to awaken. Snowdrops and crocuses push through the thawing ground, slowly waking from their slumber. Animals slowly begin to waken from their winter repose. Life springs forth as the wheel turns. There are so many celebrations during the month of February that there isn't enough space here to do them all justice. A few festivals that are celebrated this time of year are Up-Kelly-Aa, a Scottish fire festival honoring the sun goddess (celebrated at the end of January), and Februalia which is dedicated to the Roman goddess of fire and the hearth. Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty and creation has a festival sacred to her held this month. Next we have a two day celebration of Artemis/Diana/Diwitsa a Roman and Slavic goddess of creation known as the Feast of the Old Greek. The solar festival known as the Feast of Vali is celebrated in Norse traditions marking the end of winter and the survival of community. Honoring Vali the son of Woden, this feast celebrates loyalty and kinship. You will begin to see a common thread amongst these traditions. This brings us to Oimelc or Imbolg, the Feast of Flames festival also known as the Feast of Brigit. This fire festival celebrates the growing strength of the young sun. As fire is connected to the heat of the sun, the Celtic Goddess Brigit is the natural focus of this sabbat. A triple goddess, she is a deity of fire, fertility, childbirth, protection and the governess of inspiration - thus quite appropriate for this first celebration of spring. There are two common translations for Imbolg or Oimelc. Imbolg is commonly translated as "in the belly" and Oimelc is thought to literally mean "ewe's milk" as this is the time of year when female sheep begin lactating in preparation for the birth of their babies, thus one of the names given to this Greater Sabbat. At this point in the year, the Goddess represents the midwife and the teacher. Our attention is focused on life and growth. It is a time to be inspired and allow our projects and goals to start taking shape. The snake at this time is a great symbol of renewal of the earth; a shedding of the old and the growth of something new. This is the time of year to perform any divination, protection magick and house cleansing. As in many Pagan celebrations and rituals, the symbols, plants and animals used play a major role in helping individuals connect with deity. For Oimelc, and the celebration of one of its alternative names (Feast of Brigit) it makes sense to work with the things sacred to Brigit. Celts, whose livelihood was dependent on their flocks, celebrated the "Good Shepherdess" Brigit who watched over the sheep during lambing season. Hence, the sheep is sacred to Brigit, to Oimelc. Bears and badgers have also been associated with Brigit, possibly because they come out of hibernation around the time of this first thaw celebration. There are quite a few other animals linked with Brigit which including a white cow with red ears, the fish, the snake, the boar, and a few birds including the swan and the vulture. Many plants are sacred to Brigit. One of the more well-known is the blackberry. It represents prosperity as well as aids in healing stomach ailments. Oak trees are likely the most sacred to Brigit. The story goes that Brigit was raised by an "oak-priest" (Druid). These trees are also connected with the Dagda, Brigit's father, making the correlation quite obvious. Rowan trees are associated with protection and also the tree assigned to the month of February in the Celtic tree alphabet. Grains and hops are associated with Brigit as ale and beer were her favorite drinks. A mild state of intoxication was thought to open the mind allowing inspiration to flow more freely. All early spring flowers are aligned with Oimelc, though the Dandelion was a favorite of Brigit's, gaining the name of bearnan Bride, "the little notched [flower] of Bride". There are many symbols linked with Brigit and Oimelc. The Brigit's Cross is a popular symbol most likely once a sun emblem but it may also have represented the four quarters of the year. Creating Brigit's Crosses or sun wheels out of wheat and hanging them over the hearth or doors and windows is a common tradition for Oimelc. Another symbol is that of nine white stones. These originally represented priestesses of the goddess, and then grew to symbolize Brigit's nine virgin attendants. Brigit is a triple goddess so the stones are also representative of the nine faces of the goddess. As the patroness of wells, water is sacred to Brigit as well. Water represents divination, healing and cleansing, including access to the knowledge of the otherworld. Fire is one of the most important symbols of Oimelc. Fire is purifying. It gives warmth. It heats the metal of smiths. Fire represents the eternal flame of Brigit, symbolizing the pillar of flames that was seen at her birth. That Brigit may once have been a sun goddess could mean the flames also represent the sun. Red and white are the colors most commonly chosen to celebrate Oimelc. Some view the white as a representation of the snow covered land and the red as a representation of the birthing-blood of the ewe's as baby lambs are born. Others view the red as the fire of Brigit's eternal flame. In many Wiccan traditions white symbolizes the Goddess in her Maiden form, and red the Mother (menstrual blood and birth). Generally celebrated around the calendar date of February 2nd, it is probably more appropriate to have your Oimelc ritual and celebrations closest to the time of the first thaw in the area that you live in. As there is no absolute proof of what day these celebrations were held, we must remember that these ancient cultures were very closely connected to the seasons and rhythms of the earth; a specific date on the calendar as we know it today was probably not likely. There are many traditions and customs available to us allowing for the creation of our own unique Oimelc celebrations. How do you celebrate the season in your home? What are some things you can do to create rituals and traditions to last the years in your family?
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Secondary Article - New Year's Day
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