Post by aiyanna on Mar 9, 2005 21:47:44 GMT -5
IMBOLC: The earliest whisperings of Springtide are heard now as the Goddess nurtures Her Young Son. As a time of the year associated with beginning growth, Imbolc is an initiatory period for many. Here we plant the "seeds" of our hopes and dreams for the coming summer months.
Imbolc is one of the four greater Sabbats, celebrated on February 2nd. It is to celebrate the first stirrings of spring from the depths of winter. This is when the first buds can be seen appearing on trees, when the days are quite visibly longer than they were around Yule, and when there are the first days of semi-bearable temperatures.
The word Imbolc literally means "In Milk." This is because it is the time when the cows and goats generally begin lactating in Western Europe.
The festival is sacred to the Goddess Brigid (pronounced "Breed, " often spelled "Brid"-the Celtic triple Goddess of Inspiration, Healing, and Metalwork. As well, she is a patroness of midwives (in much the same way as Hecate was to the Hecats in Greece) indeed, the Christianized version of Brid, " St. Brigid", was said to have been Jesus' midwife (and when Brid was occasionally stomped on by the patriarchy, it was said that she was Jesus' maid when he was schooled by the Druids).
Her chief symbol is Brid's Cross, which somewhat resembles a Swastika. This is not meant to have any negative connotation, however.
Below can be found an Imbolc ritual for solitary use. If you have a group and wish to celebrate this holiday with more than one person, an excellent ritual can be found in Janet & Stewart Farrar's "Eight Sabbats For Witches." Alternately, in their book "The Witches' Goddess, " an excellent ritual for Brid is given. This is a fabulous rite, one which I, myself, hope to implement this Imbolc.
Imbolc is one of the four greater Sabbats, celebrated on February 2nd. It is to celebrate the first stirrings of spring from the depths of winter. This is when the first buds can be seen appearing on trees, when the days are quite visibly longer than they were around Yule, and when there are the first days of semi-bearable temperatures.
The word Imbolc literally means "In Milk." This is because it is the time when the cows and goats generally begin lactating in Western Europe.
The festival is sacred to the Goddess Brigid (pronounced "Breed, " often spelled "Brid"-the Celtic triple Goddess of Inspiration, Healing, and Metalwork. As well, she is a patroness of midwives (in much the same way as Hecate was to the Hecats in Greece) indeed, the Christianized version of Brid, " St. Brigid", was said to have been Jesus' midwife (and when Brid was occasionally stomped on by the patriarchy, it was said that she was Jesus' maid when he was schooled by the Druids).
Her chief symbol is Brid's Cross, which somewhat resembles a Swastika. This is not meant to have any negative connotation, however.
Below can be found an Imbolc ritual for solitary use. If you have a group and wish to celebrate this holiday with more than one person, an excellent ritual can be found in Janet & Stewart Farrar's "Eight Sabbats For Witches." Alternately, in their book "The Witches' Goddess, " an excellent ritual for Brid is given. This is a fabulous rite, one which I, myself, hope to implement this Imbolc.