Imbolc is celebrated on 1/2 February and is the time of the year where the days grow longer and when spring starts to manifest.
In this day celebrations are made to honour the Goddess, Woman and the coming Spring.
Fire and purification are an important aspect of this celebration. The lighting of candles and fires represents the return of warmth and the increasing power of the Sun over the coming months.
To celebrate this day many activities can be performed such as:
- planting seeds (herbs and flowers) and also psychic seeds (hopes and dreams),
- a 1-3 day of water fast for healing and renewal,
- make up a bed for a visitor,
- fix something broken,
- cleaning up fields and home,
- putting out food (glass of milk and a slice of bread with butter) as an offering to the Goddess, so we can be blessed by Her,
- Dancing as many hours as you can to cleanse and renew your body,
- ...
On Brigid’s Day, Selena Fox, (http://www.mhtc.net/~selena/index.html) recommends:
“Do a self purification rite with Elemental tools–
cleanse your body with salt (Earth)
your thoughts with incense (Air)
your will with a candle flame (Fire)
your emotions with water (Water)
and your spiritual body with a healing crystal (Spirit)
Bless candles that you will be using for rituals throughout the year.
Invoke Brigid for creative inspiration.
Take a Nature walk and look for the first signs of Spring.”
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Nineteen Candles Are Lit For Brigid
Note: Here are the 19 priestesses represented. In a dedication to Brigid, an invocation for healing, or prior to initiation where Brigid will be asked for blessing, or in celebration of Herself, spelled candles so imbued might be used. Packets of the 19 may be made for Bridgit dedicants, also, and so blessed.
Your first candle lit is your sunrise birth: the flame of your house reaching Ceugant's brow.
Second is the spark of your union with Bress, son of Elathan.
Third is the pillar of fire, as you took the veil, rising high and clear.
Fourth are brothers, Dagda the father, Broadb the Red, Medar, Ogma, and Aenghus.
Fifth is eternal life's spring: that sings your name, in crystal gaze.
Sixth is the flame on your Altar, that never dies.
Seventh is the grove at LLandwynwn, on Mora's shore, where lovers tryst.
Eight is the strength of your oxen of Dil - Fea and Fernea, the red and the black.
Ninth is the sigh of your breath, as new life grows from old, your bridge of truth.
Tenth is a milk white cow, of redden ears, the Earth Mother's nectar, sweet.
Eleventh is a girdle, that spans night and day, yet heals all and remains.
Twelfth is a veil of truth, in flowering thorn, your weary path.
Thirteen is your son Ruardan, to be reborn.
Fourteenth is the white light of the flowering word, born at sunrise - the molten sky.
Fifteenth is the grove at Kildare, with solid oak and crystal spring.
Sixteenth are the shrines throughout Aibion, in Church, Well, and Wall.
Seventeenth is your will, of black iron, forged in the determination of one thousand eyes.
Eighteenth is a healing - the white dog at the protal, the chalice of your smile.
Nineteenth is a clarach which spells - hours, days, and signs, all in a silver bough.
Your last is your first, the begining of the turning sea, the ending of the three. The dancing sun in the hearts of all! The candle that never dies!
by Colin Murray, found in Philip Carr-Gomm's The Druid Way
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Imbolc Blessings to All!!!
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