Posts Tagged: Imbolc
Imbolc – Early Spring Celebration
Imbolc, pronounced without the ‘b’ as ‘Imolc‘, is from the Druid tradition In England. It is an early Spring Celebration around the 1st and 2nd of February to mark the clearing of Winter debris, the first ploughing, and the sowing of new seeds.
As the snowdrops begin to emerge, it is a time of the first stirrings of Spring in the womb of Mother Earth as the Goddess returns to the land bringing milk for the newborn lambs.
It is a quarter-day fire festival, similar to Samhuinn, Beltane, and Lughnasdh, although the emphasis is on light rather than heat as the longer days become more noticeable. This was represented by candles standing in a dish of water to symbolise the rising light of Spring emerging from the creative feminine waters.
With the emergence of the first spring shoots from Mother Earth and the ewes birthing their first lambs, it is a time to honour the feminine; all women and the Mother Goddess. To the Celts, she was known as Brighid, Brig, Brigit, Brighde, or Bride, and was associated with sacred fire, the fertile earth, healing, and the art of smithing. Such was her power as a Light-Bringer amongst the people, she was later revered as a Christian saint.
The Celts, Druids, Aztecs, Tibetans, and Greeks all recognised the great importance of this time. In the Eleusinian Mysteries, the carrying of torches celebrated the return of Persephone to the light. In Roman times, candles were carried in the streets to celebrate the Goddess Februa, the mother of Mars. The Church had been unable to stop the pagan custom of bearing candles through the streets of Rome, so they assimilated it into Christianity.
For Christians, it is the time of Candlemas, when the infant Yeshua was forty days old and taken to the Temple to be presented. Simeon took the infant in his arms and declared him ‘A light to lighten the Gentiles’ (Luke 2.22-23). In Monestaries every monk would take a candle from the Sacristy and the abbot would consecrate, sprinkle with holt water and cense each one. The Catholic Church took the 2nd February for Candlemas Day and dedicated it to the Virgin Mary with candlelight processions throughout the churches.
White candles can be used to represent the themes of white lambs, milk, and snowdrops combined with the waxing of sunlight. It is also the time to start a fresh start in our lives and just as we can plant seeds of herbs and flowers in our gardens, we can plant the psychic seeds of our hopes and dreams.
Clear out the old and give your psyche a Spring Clean with a Shamanic Healing either in-person at our healing room in central Petersfield, or via a Distance Healing Session, which is just as effective at bringing permanent changes in our health and behaviour.
Regenerate Yourself on Imbolc 1st February 2024
In Shamanic tribal cultures, the Medicine Wheel represents the changing seasons and natural cycles of the year. Our ancient Celtic ancestors were deeply connected to the land, the seasons, and the natural world and honoured these times with rituals and ceremonies. By following this cyclical way of life we too can be aligned with the rhythms and patterns of nature that can offer us their wisdom and support our well-being.
In England, as the great wheel turns we now find nature slowly re-emerging from the deep hibernation of Winter. The 1st of February marks the Ancient Celtic festival of Imbolc (pronounced Im-molk), the first of eight celebrations held throughout the year to herald the change of the seasons.
Imbolc is a cross-quarter or mid-season festival halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. It marks the change in energy as the light starts to illuminate the end of the long, dark Winter to activate a new cycle of life, bringing the first stirrings of Spring.
Mother Earth is pregnant with the seeds of summer’s fruits, so Imbolc represents regeneration as the light returns to warm the land and nurture the new growth. As such it is linked with pregnancy and the Goddess Brigid in her role as a Maiden and fertility goddess. She rules the fire of the hearth as well as the fire of imagination through poetry and crafts. She also blessed other skills that required the use of fire, like blacksmithing.
Imbolc is symbolised by snowdrops and milk; the first plants and foods of early Spring. Ancient farmers used it to mark the start of Spring when the first baby lambs were born. They ensured lambs were born before the calves because they could survive better and provide much-needed milk after the long winter.
Over time, this day was absorbed by Christianity as the feast of St Brigid, Ireland’s Mother Saint, and one of Ireland’s three patron saints.
As nature starts to wake up, the new Spring energy invites us to celebrate a point of both seasonal and psychic transformation. We can use this phase to activate a new cycle on a personal level to bring in creative energy for new ideas and behaviours.
To clear the way for the new growth of our intentions we can start with purification, cleansing, and clearing away stagnation that built up over the winter months.
- Open all the windows and sound cleanse each room by clapping loudly in each corner, or ringing a bell to shift stagnant energies which have built up over the long winter.
- Burn sage with all of the windows open to remove unwanted energy and attract the new.
- Spring clean and de-clutter your home.
- Light a fire or candle in every room.
- Make a list of the old things you want to let go of and burn it.
- Collect snowdrops for the windowsill.
- Drum, dance, recite poetry, and sing songs.
- Brainstorm, create a vision board, and journal, to plan your new activities, ideas and ambitions for the coming year.
- Plant seeds for new skills and hobbies: join a choir, take a class, or learn to paint or draw.
If you would like assistance with clearing out old patterns of behaviour and limiting beliefs, book a Shamanic Healing Session with Rose: https://www.roseautumn.com/shamanic-healing/
Some altar items for inspiration:
- Incense. Myrrh, frankincense, and musk are good for creating a ritual space;
- Basil, rosemary, and cinnamon are good for uplifting energy;
- Red or orange candles;
- Sun symbols;
- Snowdrops (first flower of spring);
- Something woollen or a sheep figure;
- A triskele or other triple goddess symbol;
- Early greens like wild garlic;
- A blue cloth represents flowing water;
- Crystals with solar or passionate associations: citrine, garnet, amber, sunstone.
The other festivals are:
Spring Equinox, or Eostre, 21 March
Beltane, 1-2 May
Summer Solstice, or Litha, 21 June
Lughnasadh, or Lammas, 1-2 August
Autumn Equinox, or Mabon, 2 September
Samhain, 31 October-2 November
Winter Solstice, or Yule, 21 December
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