Imbolc (a.k.a. Candlemas, Imbolg, St. Brighid's Day, et cetera)
(February 2--some traditions, February 1)
Imbolc is a Pagan Sabbat: a holiday celebrated by Wiccans, Witches, and many others whose religions fall under the umbrella of Earth spirituality and Paganism. It's a Goddess-honoring holiday that usually coincided with the first lactations of the livestock. This is the opening of spring and the origin of the popular "Groundhog Day."
Imbolc lore:
The Goddess recovers from the birth and the God is young. Imbolc is a purification, and a festival of light and fertility. It is a time to honor the Maiden aspect of life and to help call back the light to springtime.
Imbolc sentiments:
This is a time to celebrate the light and to honor the Maiden aspect of the Goddess, as well as the child aspect of the God. It is a time to purify, of new beginnings and such. It is a very joyous time, with much in the future to look forward to and sort of a playful feeling in the air. This is a time for making plans for the future, which will be encouraged to develop in future Sabbats.
Imbolc practices:
Imbolc is celebrated with symbolic new beginnings and sweeping out of the old. Many like to have self-dedication rituals and reinitiations at this time. Traditional activities are making candles, lighting a candle in a window and burning it until morning, using candles in magick and divination, doing a "spring cleaning" of the house, blessing seeds that are hoped to produce good plants for food and other things, re-stocking the magickal cabinet, and going out looking for signs of spring, collecting pebbles and other natural trinkets. Some people like to put a wheel symbol on their altar at this time of the year.
The Imbolc season:
Imbolc Herbs--Angelica, basil, bay, chamomile, cinnamon, red clover, crocus, dandelion, dill, first flowers of the year, frankincense, heather, myrrh, nettle, orris root, primrose, rosemary, rowan, saffron, snowdrop
Imbolc Incense--Rosemary, cinnamon, wisteria, frankincense, myrrh, basil, jasmine, camphor, lotus
Imbolc Colors--White, orange, red, yellow, pink, brown
Imbolc Decorations--Lamps, all lighting, besom (witch's broom), yellow flowers, candle wheel,
Brigit's Bed, Brigit's Crosses, iron decorations like horseshoes, seeds, wells, fire
Imbolc Foods--All dairy products, curries, onions, chives, garlic, spiced wines, seeds, herbal teas
Imbolc Sacred Gemstones--amethyst, garnet, onyx and turquoise
Spellwork appropriate for Imbolc--catalystic spells, spells for beginnings, rejuvination spells, purification spells, spells for good luck for future endeavors.
Some Imbolc Recipes:
Check out other Sabbats:
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