Imbolc
(August 1st)

     Imbolc (also known as Candlemas) is the festival that celebrates the stirrings of spring, when seeds sprout, snows melt & the ground begins to warm.  For the Celtic & French St Bridget or St Blaize the Goddess of the sacred water.  Imbolc is the word for 'ewe's milk' & this is time of lambing.

     The God is young at this time & the Goddess in the form of Mother.


The Imbolc Altar

• Lots of Candles in different colours
• Use any colours you may see in the natural world at this time
• New season flowers (although we do not do this in our house as cut flowers symbolize death) so we use silk ones

Family Activities

• Watch the sun rise and the sun set
• Plan the coming garden
• Organize & order seeds
• Make a sun wheel wreath (plain wreath wrapped in yellow ribbon)
• Make bees wax candles (pre made kits are great for this)
• Collect & paint stones
• Make wands to wake up the ground

Incense

• Rosemary
• Basil
• Peppermint
• Sage

     Mix all dried plant parts together and burn small amounts on coal tablets.  Be warned that plant material smells very different when burnt and is sometimes not as pleasant as you might expect.  If you don't want to burn them place them in a small wooden bowl and use as an altar or table decoration.  


Oil

     Always use true essential oils and essential oil mixes when working with energies as these carry the right vibration for the purpose.  Fragrant oils won't work as well & can be very harsh.
     To make a simple Imbolc mix put two drops each of the following in 10ml of carrier oil (Jojoba, grapeseed, olive oil) then shake well.

• Basil (be very care with this essential oil it is very strong & can be toxic)

• Peppermint
• Rosemary
• Sage (be very care with this essential oil it is very strong & can be toxic)

Ritual

     You Will Need:

• Bowl of water
• God & Goddess Statue or Candles as Representation
• Floating Candles (one for each person to light)
• Cauldron or Fire Proof Dish & tea light or coal tablet
• A White Pillar Candle
• A Bell
• Rosemary &/or Bay Leaves

     You Are Ready:

The below is only a short version of the festival, it is the way our household celebrates Imbolc, there are many more formal & longer versions of rituals that can be performed for this festival.   Check out the Helpful Links for books that might be helpful.

• We usually hold our ritual after the sun goes down.  
• We prepare a feast (as with all festivals food is an integral part).  
• When this is done have everyone gather round the altar or the feast table.  
• Before you set the table for the feast gather everyone around place a bowl of water on the table & fill with floating candles or have votive candles around the bowl.  
• Make you craft items & then clear the table (leave the water bowl & candles).
• Set the table with the feast & begin the ritual.  

1. Perform the ritual of casting the circle
2. Have the incense burning in the background.
3. Have a cauldron or fire proof dish with a tea light or a coal tablet in it.
4. Also have a pillar candle ready.
5. Each person lights a floating clandle
6. Also light the coal tablet or tea light.
7. Ring a bell or gently tap a wine glass that rings
8. Recite: Welcome to the season of Imbolc.  This is the turn of winter the deepest cold of the seasons where, although ground is cold, new begins unfold.
9. Ring the bell again.
10. Take a bay leaf or some rosemary leaves hold them & visualize new life germinating within the earth.
11. Crush them & drop them into the cauldron.
12. Recite: The God grows stronger with each day yearning for the beginning of the fertility cycle. Days grow ever longer & warmer.
13. Then Light the pillar candle: Blessed Gaia, let this candle rekindle the passion of our goals for the year.  Goddess Brigit/Gaia let our creativity draw from you.
14. At this point you can go outside & point the wands to the ground to wake it up & then to the sky symbolic of the as above & so below.  
15. Close the circle with the closing part of the casting circle ritual.
16. Begin the feast