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Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 3, 2014 at 4:19pm

Wicca Teachings

For a house Blessing this Imolc, use 7 Bay Leaves in half a glass of Salt (rock salt or sea salt) to bless your house and dispel any negative energy.

Bay leaves are used in Spell work for protection, exorcism, psychic vision, good dreams and repels negative energy.

Salt absorbs negative energies, bad spirits and bad feelings, it is probably the best known tool used in protection magic.

Putting these two together is like a super spell that will get rid of any stale or negative energies that are surrounding you or your home. This spell has been done for thousands of years by the Celts, Druids and ancient Romans at the beginning of Spring.

You can put as many cups with salt around the home as you wish or just have one in the centre of your home to keep any bad, stale or negative energy away.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 2, 2014 at 8:49pm

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 2, 2014 at 8:18pm

Witch

Brigid

In Irish mythology, Brigit or Brighid ("exalted one") was the daughter of the Dagda and one of the Tuatha Dé Danann. She was the wife of Bres of the Fomorians, with whom she had a son, Ruadán. She had two sisters, also named Brighid, and is considered a classic Celtic Triple Goddess.

Stories and symbology that survive in the persona of Saint Brigid may be related. St. Brigid was associated with perpetual, sacred flames, such as the one maintained by 19 nuns at her sanctuary in Kildare, Ireland. The sacred flame at Kildare was said by Giraldus Cambrensis and other chroniclers to have been surrounded by a hedge, which no man could cross. Men who attempted to cross the hedge were said to have been cursed to go insane, die, and/or to have had their penis ("dingle-twang") wither.
The tradition of female priestesses tending sacred, naturally-occurring "eternal flames" is a feature of ancient Indo-European pre-Christian spirituality. Other examples include the Roman goddess Vesta, and other hearth-goddesses, such as Hestia.
Brighid was also connected to holy wells, at Kildare and many other sites in the Celtic lands. Well dressing, the tying of clooties to the trees next to healing wells, and other methods of petitioning or honoring Brighid still take place in some of the Celtic lands and the diaspora.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 2, 2014 at 7:27pm

Imbolc brings us the first glimmer of spring, the Earth is beginning to stir from Her long winter's sleep. It is a time for new beginnings, and many of us cleanse and purify our homes and sacred spaces in preparation for Spring.  Bring out the sage smudges, floor washes, incense, moon water, brooms, dusters, and mops!  Open the doors, open the windows, out with the old and in with the new!

 

Once purified you may now create a Rowan twig charm to protect your home or sacred space. February is the Celtic tree month of Rowan and is associated with Brigid, the principle Goddess of Imbolc. The Rowan is a tree with powerful protective magick, and is ideal for this charm. You will need 2 small twigs about 6" in length.  If Rowan is unavailable however, you may use twigs or small branches from any tree.  You will also need red thread, string or wool.

 

Wrapping the thread around the crossed twigs is a form of binding or knot magick. In this case you are binding the power of your intention (protection) into the Rowan's Cross with each turn of the string. As you wind the string, strongly visualize the cross filling with protective energy.

 

 

Glue or tie the two twigs into a cross and then knot the string around the center. Wrap the yarn around one stick, then turn the yarn deosil and wrap the yarn around the next stick.  Be sure to wrap each loop snugly against the previous one.  Continue wrapping until you are satisfied with the results. Leave about 6 inches of yarn to make a loop. Take a quilter's needle and tuck the end into the back of the God's Eye to secure. 

 

 

Hang your completed Rowan's Cross in your home or sacred space for protection throughout the coming year.

©Rowan Morgana 2014

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 2, 2014 at 7:21pm

The Old Crones Corner

Imbolc Buttermilk Biscuits ☽○☾

One item we bake for Imbolc is Buttermilk Biscuits. This is a simple recipe and similar to an Irish Soda Bread. You can also substitute Wheat flour if you choose, for a more hearty biscuit.

Ingredients:

2 Cups of All purpose flour
1/4 Teaspoon Baking soda
1 Tablespoon Baking powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
6 Tablespoons Butter, softened
1 Cup Buttermilk
A little bit of extra flour for your hands and work area

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 450°F.

In a large bowl combine all of the dry ingredients and mix them together well.

Cut the Butter into small pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Add in the Buttermilk and mix together just enough so that everything is combined.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and with floured hands lightly pat it down until it is about a half inch thick. Fold the dough over a few times and press it down to about an inch thick. Use your hands, do not use a rolling pin.

Cut the dough into rounds. If you don't have a biscuit cutter, use the opening of a drinking glass.

The remaining dough can be reshaped to make a few more biscuits. The trick with these biscuits is, the less you touch or work the dough before baking, the fluffier they will be.

Place the biscuits on a baking sheet with the sides touching.
Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until a very light golden brown.

You can also freeze the uncooked biscuits for up to a month. When you are ready for them, just place them frozen on a baking sheet and bake at 450° for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Makes about 10 to 12 biscuits. Serve with Honey or Honey Butter.

Honey Butter ☽○☾

4 Tablespoons of Butter - softened
1 Tablespoon of Honey
A sprinkle of Cinnamon - optional

Whip the Butter and Honey together and you are all set to go.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 2, 2014 at 7:20pm

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 2, 2014 at 10:05am

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 2, 2014 at 8:45am

Kathy Bruce

on thys blessed Imbolc eve ~ a prayer to Brigid ~
An Tri numh (The sacred Three) A chumhnadh, (To save,) A chomhnadh, (To shield,) A chomraig (To surround) An tula, (the hearth) An taighe, (The house,) An teaghlaich, (The household,) An oidhche, (This eve,) An nochd, (This night,) O! an oidhche, (Oh! this eve,) An nochd, (This
night,) Agus gach oidhche, (And every night,)Gach aon oidhche. (Each single night.) Amen.... ~
from Alexander Carmichael's Carmina
Gadelica, published 1900.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 2, 2014 at 8:27am

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 2, 2014 at 8:15am

Imbolc is an ancient festival, Celtic in origin, and considered one of the greater Wiccan sabbats.  It is celebrated on the night of February 1st in the northern hemisphere. 

The primary purpose of Imbolc is to celebrate Spring's impending replacement of Winter.  In this sense, Imbolc may be seen as a spiritual alternative to the secular celebration of New Year's Eve. 

At New Year's Eve, we often see the image of old, bearded Father Time replaced with a young baby.  Father Time represents the old, outgoing year, and the baby celebrates the year just born.  At Imbolc, we have similar imagery; an old crone represents the outgoing year, and turns things over to a young maiden. 

Fertility, of course, plays a part here.  The frozen earth is incapable of growing things, just as the old crone has grown incapable of producing offspring.  This barrenness is replaced by the warm return of Spring, making the earth once again fertile, symbolized by the fertile young maiden.

How to Celebrate Imbolc

An evening feast is in order, since Imbolc represents a return to liveliness and all the bounties of Nature.  Americans might best grasp the concept of Imbolc by thinking of it as a Thanksgiving celebration for what is about to happen.  Celebrants can be happy feasting, knowing that winter is passing and that food will once again be growing and plentiful.  The feast begins with a short prayer, or toast:

Blessed be the earth, and all who dwell upon it.
We give thanks for the season now departing from us,
For the blessings it has bestowed upon us,
And upon those with whom we share this world.

 Blessed be the new season.
We pray that it will be a time filled with peace,
With abundance, with prosperity,
With wisdom,
With love.

Blessed be all who share this feast.
Let us now prepare for the time ahead
By opening our hearts, and our minds, and our spirits.

Blessed be.

Imbolc Menu

The table should be set with white candles.  Since ewes begin lactating at around the time of Imbolc in many locations in the northern hemisphere, the sabbat is connected with ewe's milk.  For this reason, some sort of dairy product - cheese, for example - should be included in the feast.  Other than that, there are no specific food requirements, except that food should be plentiful!  Something green and fresh, such as a salad, would indicate the coming of spring, but since winter is yet with us, the main fare should be hearty, served with a nice, crusty bread.  Mead, ale, spiced wine or non-alcoholic equivalents would all be appropriate beverages.

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