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The SabbatsSabbats in History and Mythology / Samhain (October 31st) / Yule (December 21st) / Imbolc (February 2nd) / Ostara (March 21st) / Beltane (April 30th) / Litha (June 21st) / Lughnasadh (August 1st) / Mabon (September 21st) Written and compiled by George Knowles
Imbolc
- Candlemas
Imbolc
is one of the four Greater Sabbats of the witch’s calendar.
A cross-quarter fire festival, Imbolc falls between “Yule” - the
Winter Solstice, and “Ostara” - the Spring Equinox.
Celebrated in the Northern Hemisphere on the 2nd February, in
the Southern Hemisphere the equivalent Sabbat is Lammas.
The main purpose of Imbolc is a celebration of the returning Sun, which
daily grows stronger lengthening the days and reducing the night.
As such, the main feature of this festival is the lighting of fires and
candles in sympathetic imitation of the Sun’s growing light. Imbolc of old was traditionally a time of purification, both physically and mentally. After the enforced indoor living of the winter months, when the home was shutdown to guard against the cold, it was a welcome relief for many people to re-open the shutters and welcome in the sunlight. While still in the grip of the last ravages of winter, plant life is beginning to revive and shoot new buds, and farm animals, in particular sheep, are producing new lambs to add to the livestock. As the Sun grows in strength, a new cycle of life returns to the earth.
In
pagan mythology Imbolc marks the recovery of the Goddess as she sleeps on after
the birth of the Sun God, and acknowledges his growing maturity as he gains
strength to become the new light of the year.
After his rest and recuperation during winter’s annual hibernation, the
Sun god’s light begins to purify the earth.
Although he is still young, he is lusty and his growing power can be felt
in the lengthening of the days. As
his power grows and warms the earth, so too do the early beginnings of spring
appear as nature rebirths itself again. The name Imbolc is derived from the Gaelic word “Oimelc” (which means “ewes milk”), and appropriately so, for this is the lambing season, a time when many of our herd animals have either given birth or their wombs are expectantly swollen. Imbolc is also known by various other names, including: Bridget’s Day (Pagan), Imbolgc Brigantia (Caledonni), Disting (Teutonic), Lupercalia (Roman – 15th Feb), Groundhog Day (America), Candlelaria (Mexican), the Snowdrop Festival, the Feast of Torches, the Feast of Lights, the Feast of Pan and Feast of the Waxing Light. However, when Christianity arrived, as they did with many of the old pagan rituals, Imbolc was re-invented and renamed “Candlemas” for when candles are lit as a symbolic reminder of the purification of the Virgin Mary. In Scotland it is known as: Là Fhèill Brìghde, in Ireland as: Lá Fhéile Bríde, and in Wales as: Gwyl Ffraed. Fire is the most important aspect of this celebration, for it was also a day dedicated to the pagan Goddess Bridget (also known as Brighid, Bríde, Brigit or Brìd). Bridget is a triple aspect Goddess (revered as Maiden, Mother and Crone), who as a Maiden ruled over - Poetry, Writing, Inspiration and Music, as a Mother over - Healing, Midwifery and Herbalism, and as a Crone over - Fire and the working arts of the Smithy. Again here Christianity intervenes, but instead of doing away with her as a pagan Goddess, they canonized her as “St. Bridget” the patron Saint of Ireland who founded a church and monastery at Kildare. It was here according to legend that the Priestesses of the Goddess constantly tended a sacred flame in her honour. “All
thoughts, all passions, all delights
Whatever stirs
this mortal frame
All are but
ministers of Love
And feed his
sacred flame”
Samuel Taylor
Coleridge (1772–1834)
In Western Europe, Imbolc was time to start preparing the fields for the first planting, and to bless the crop seeds saved and stored from the last harvest. It was also a time to consecrate and bless all their agricultural tools ready for the planting season. Of old, the success of the new farming season was of greatest importance, and as the winter stores of food were beginning to run out, rituals were performed at Imbolc to ensure a steady supply of food until the first harvest was brought in later at Lammas (August 1st). One old tradition was to drag a decorated plough around the fields followed by the villagers dropping pieces of cheese and bread into the newly turned furrows as offerings to the nature spirits. As well as the seeds, Corn dollies saved from the last harvest would also be planted in the fields in a fertility rite to encourage new growth.
Ox-drawn PloughAnother old custom was to make “Bridget’s Crosses” woven from leftover wheat stalks. These would be hung in barns and over doorways, in the home and over beds to encourage the blessings of the Goddess. Similar charm crosses were also made and exchanged as symbols of protection and prosperity for the coming year. The making of “Bridget Dollies” was another old tradition. Fashioned from leftover wheat stalks, dollies were made and dressed in women’s clothing, then placed in baskets of white flowers with a wand, candle or other phallic object to encourage fertility. Placed near the front door of the home, or sometimes near the hearth, a white candle would be lit nearby and left to burn as an invitation for Bridget to visit through the night and favour them with her blessings.
A Bridget’s Cross Charm PendantImbolc
is all about new beginnings. On the
eve of Imbolc all the home fires would have been put out, cleaned out, and
re-lit symbolic of the returning light of the Sun, and in keeping with this
symbolism, a broom made from three sacred woods, the handle from Ash, the brush
from Birch twigs and the binding cord from Willow, symbolic of the three-fold
aspects of the Goddess, was placed by the front door to symbolize sweeping out
the old and welcoming in the new. During
the evening, an especially large candle would have been lit and the family
gathered around it for a feast, during which plans and promises to be kept
through the new season would be discussed and debated until it burned out.
It was also customary at Sunset to ritually light a candle in each room
of the home in honour of the Sun’s return. After the rise of Christianity in Britain, the old pagan custom of lighting candles at Imbolc was incorporated into the Roman Catholic Church and renamed Candlemas. On the eve of Candlemas, candles were distributed to church congregations and paraded around the church in a Festival of Light. After a service to honour the purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, candles to be used in the church during the following year would be blessed and consecrated by the priest. The church practice of celebrating Candlemas continued in England until the 16th century, at which time during the Reformation it was discontinued, being too closely allied to pagan practices and the veneration of magical accessories.
The
use of candles in a Festival of Light never died out however, for in
1951 after the repeal of the old antiquated witchcraft laws still being enforced
in England, there was a resurgence of interest in old pagan practices.
This was spearheaded by Gerald B. Gardner, who founded the contemporary
form of Witchcraft known as the Gardnerian Tradition, which was quickly followed
by numerous other traditions. Common
among all such traditions are the initiation rituals, many of which take place
at Imbolc - it being a traditional time of new beginnings.
Today one of the main features of many coven initiations is a procession
of candlelight leading the initiate into the circle, from which their new
beginnings as a Witch will take place. Imbolc
then is a time to spring clean both your mental and physical abilities, to take
stock of your life and make a fresh start. By
planning ahead and planting new seeds (ideas) now for the future, who knows what
new opportunities will grow from them. As
the Sun grows stronger in the sky, so too should you look forward with optimism;
and as your seeds (ideas) mature, so may you realise your hopes and dreams. “I feel again a
spark of that ancient flame”.
Virgil (Publius Vergilius Maro) 70–19 BC -Aeneid bk. 4, l. 23
End.
Written and
compiled on the 7th January 2009 © George Knowles
Best wishes and Blessed Be
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