• < Previous Event
• Next Event >

Comment

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 17, 2013 at 3:05pm

Candlemas, Imbolc, Groundhog Day and the Lady

This is one of those cool holidays that like Christmas has inspiring pagan and inspiring Christian rites to go along with it.  Other holidays may have both pagan and Christian observations, but one or the other is less inspiring, boring, depending on the holiday.  Like Valentine’s Day — the pagan observations are far more exciting than the Saint day observations.  St. Patrick’s Day is like that too — pagan part more inspiring than Christian saints day observations.  The reverse is true for Easter, whose pagan observations aren’t as sublime as its Christian elements. Candlemas / Imbolc has the best of both worlds.  Both pagan and Christian rites are awe-some-awe-inspiring.

A Fellowship of Isis member named Denise aka GreenElfMom@aol.com writes:

My Imbolc poem for you all  Daylight lingers longer, the days a little warmer.  The Lady lights her candles; the God as Stag King rambles in the Sacred Wood. His cry stirs our Life's Blood.  We turn our faces sunward. Again we're filled with wonder as the land begins to waken from the Death's Sleep it had taken.  Let us reach out, hand to hand, every woman, every man, to circle with the sun on the Cycle now begun.  Happy and Blessed Imbolc to all!        --Elf/Denise

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 17, 2013 at 3:05pm

Imbolc most commonly is celebrated on February 2nd, since this is the cross-quarter day on the solar calendar, halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox in the northern hemisphere. Among agrarian peoples, Imbolc has been traditionally associated with the onset of lactation of ewes, soon to give birth to the spring lambs. The Christian Church of course sought to introduce an alternative festival and so the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple celebrates an early episode in the life of Jesus, and falls on or around February 2nd.

In the modern Irish Calendar, Imbolc is variously known as the Feast of Saint Brigid (Secondary Patron of Ireland), Lá Fhéile Bríde, and Lá Feabhra — the first day of Spring. Christians may call the day "Candlemas" or "the feast of the Purification of the Virgin.

One folk tradition that continues in certain places on St. Brigid's Day (or Imbolc) is that of the Brigid's Bed. The girls and young, unmarried women of the household or village create a corn dolly to represent Brigid, called the Brideog ("little Brigid" or "young Brigid"), adorning it with ribbons and baubles like shells or stones. They make a bed for the Brideog to lie in. On St. Brigid's Eve (January 31), the girls and young women gather together in one house to stay up all night with the Brideog, and are later visited by all the young men of the community who must ask permission to enter the home, and then treat them and the corn dolly with respect.

(source: Wikipedia)

nb. This has been written with the hope that it might be appropriate both for Christian groups to use, and also as a means of reaching out to those on the fringes, those who seeking after spiritual fulfilment but attracted more to the ancient pagan rituals and customs of this time of year

Read more at: http://www.faithandworship.com/Imbolc_praying_though_the_Celtic_yea...
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 17, 2013 at 3:03pm

Imbolc: Festival of Lights by Selene Silverwind

Celebrated on February 2, Imbolc is one of the four fire festivals, and another Greater Sabbat. An alternative date is approximately February 4, when the sun is at fifteen degrees of Aquarius. On this day the goddess has recovered from childbirth and is maiden once more. She awakens from her slumber and the earth reawakens with her. The god is a young, growing boy, but not yet at the peak of his power.

Imbolc is literally translated as “in the belly,” because spring is in the belly of the mother. It is also known as the festival of lights because on this day it is traditional to burn candles in every window from sundown to sunup to welcome the sun, although some people now choose to light every lamp in the house for a short time. It is also known as Oimelc, meaning “in milk” or “ewe's milk,” because at this time of year, lambs are born. In the old days, the milk produced by sheep was used to sustain people through the rest of winter. Finally, this holiday is also known as Candlemas.
Imbolc Traditions

A corn dolly is a common symbol at this time of year. It represents the maiden as she prepares to become the bride. Traditionally, the one made at Lammas is now dressed as a bride, but a new one can be made specifically for Imbolc. The dolly is said to protect crops and is a symbol of fertility. While she is called a corn dolly, she is actually made out of wheat or other types of grain, although some Wiccans use cornhusks.

A candle blessing is usually included in any Imbolc ritual. To do this, candles in a variety of sizes and colors are placed in a basket. During the ritual, Brighid is called on to bless the candles for the coming year. Unused candles from the previous year can be reblessed for the next year. Some people save their candle drippings throughout the year, and then melt them into one large candle to be burned at Imbolc.

Because Imbolc honors new life and the return of life in its earliest stages, candles to be used over the course of the following year are blessed and many Wiccans choose to be initiated or to dedicate or re-dedicate themselves on this day. Imbolc is one of the few sabbats that is rarely open to outsiders. Most covens or working groups choose to keep this celebration a private one.
Imbolc Associations

White is the most common color associated with Imbolc. It is a symbol of innocence and purity, and represents the state of the goddess as maiden at this time of year. White is also the color of snow, and in many areas the earth is still covered with snow, although the land is showing signs of reawakening. White cloth, sheafs of wheat, and stones known as fairy crosses are often used to decorate altars. Warm foods are often consumed, because during Imbolc, it is still very cold in most places.

The most common goddess to be honored on Imbolc is Brighid (February 1 is her Catholic saint's day). In some places they still burn fires to honor her on this day. The god's role is usually quite small at Imbolc, if he is honored at all.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 17, 2013 at 3:03pm

Other customs of the feast of Brighid included the fashioning of sun wheels, or bride's crosses of straw, which were hung over thresholds. These were considered especially protective against fire and lightning. Grains from the sheaves used to fashion Brighid's dolls and crosses were blessed and saved; these would be added to next year's seed, with an invocation to Brighid to protect the crops.
Because Brighid was believed to roam the countryside on her night, it was also customary to leave cakes and a bit of ale outside the gates for her. A linen cloth might also be left draped over a hedge, in imitation of the saint's cloak; this she would bless as she passed by, and the cloth would be protection against all manner of disease, especially in livestock.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 17, 2013 at 3:03pm

Imbolc by Jennifer Emick
Imbolc means “in milk,” and refers to the lactation of livestock in preparation for the birth of new babies in the spring. Imbolc is celebrated on February 2, in the midst of one of the coldest months of winter. All the same, it is a celebration of the coming of the light and the promise of new life to come. The “darkest part” is over, and the weather will only become brighter and warmer. Although it may not seem so, winter is ended and spring has begun.
The western tradition of Groundhog Day is an echo of Imbolc rituals past, likely brought to the New World by immigrants from Ireland and England.
Imbolc was sacred to the goddess Brighid, mother goddess of the Celts. Brighid was goddess of fire, thresholds, and transformation, and so mother and protector of crops, pregnancy, and sexuality. Brighid was the patron of the arts, especially poetry and metalworking. The festival of Imbolc was a festival of lights, celebrated as an encouragement of the sun to ensure fertility in the coming season. Brighid was the daughter of In Dagda, the “Good God.” She was wife to the giant Bres, and mother of Ruadan (“Red-Haired”).
As with the other great festivals, Imbolc was a time to rekindle sacred fires, especially those of the hearth and the forge. The Church was as eager to embrace this as it was the other ancient festivals, and the day was christened “Candelmas,” where it was literally a mass in honor of the lights of the church. The old wax and partially burned candles would be removed from the church, and new candles would be blessed and set in place. Overall, it was definitely a good time of year to be a candle maker.
Brighid
As discussed, the great goddess Brighid, through her absorption into the Irish church, became St. Brigid of Kildare, by legend a powerful abbess whose miracles not so coincidentally coincide with the powers of the goddess whose name she bears. St. Brigid was extraordinarily important to the Irish; she was counted in Irish legend as the foster mother of Christ and is seldom left out of any Irish prayer. She has a special affinity for fire, and is often invoked in prayer as a charm against house fires. The saint's miracles likewise correspond with the powers of the goddess — she is the patron saint of poets, blacksmiths, newborns, and herdsmen. St. Brigid's feast day is celebrated, not surprisingly, on February 1, the feast of Candlemas, where the bride's doll and the fire wheels are still constructed in her honor.
Brighid fulfils a special role among the Celts, being the only goddess who was a mother, a daughter, and a spouse to the gods, fulfilling all of the roles of the divine female. Both the goddess and the saint were said to have two sisters also named Brighid, making them both triple goddesses of sorts.
A traditional custom of Imbolc was the creation of corn dollies, effigies created with leftover grain saved from the previous year's harvest. The dolls would be dressed in finery and often paraded in procession about the village. The dolls represented the resurrection of the crops, as well as the return of the goddess from winter sleep. After her procession, she would be placed in a representative marriage bed to encourage the return of her mate, the sun god. This custom continued well after the mantle had been passed from pagan goddess to saint.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 17, 2013 at 3:02pm

It's Imbolc, and that's the Sabbat where many Wiccans and Pagans choose to honor the Celtic goddess Brighid, in her many aspects. However, other than having a giant statue of Brighid on your altar, there are a number of ways you can set up for the season. Depending on how much space you have, you can try some or even all of these ideas -- obviously, someone using a bookshelf as an altar will have less flexibility than someone using a table, but use what calls to you most.
Colors

Traditionally, the colors of red and white are associated with Brighid. The white is the color of the blanket of snow, and the red symbolizes the rising sun. In some traditions, the red is connected with the blood of life. Brighid is also tied to the color green, both for the green mantle she wears and for the life growing beneath the earth. Decorate your altar with a white cloth, and drape a swath of red across it. Add green candles in candleholders.
The Beginnings of New Life

Altar decor should reflect the theme of the Sabbat. Because Imbolc is a harbinger of spring, any plants that symbolize the new growth are appropriate. Add potted bulbs -- don't worry if they're blooming yet -- and spring flowers such as forsythia, crocus, daffodils, and snowdrops. If you don't have much luck planting bulbs, think about making a Brighid's crown as a centerpiece -- it combines flowers and candles together.
Celtic Designs

Brighid is, after all, a goddess of the Celtic peoples, so it's always appropriate to add some sort of Celtic design to your altar. Consider adding a Brighid's cross or any other item incoporating Celtic knotwork. If you happen to have a Celtic cross, don't worry about the fact that it's also a Christian symbol -- if it feels right on your altar, go ahead and add it.
Other Symbols of Brighid

Cauldrons or chalices -- she's often connected to sacred wells and springs
A small anvil or hammer -- Brighid is the goddess of smithcraft
A Brighid corn doll and Priapic wand
Sacred animals such as cows, sheep or swans
A goddess statue
A book of poetry, or a poem you've written -- Brighid is the patroness of poets
Faeries -- in some traditions, Brighid is the sister of the Fae
Healing herbs -- she's often connected to healing rites
Lots of candles, or a cauldron with a small fire in it

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 17, 2013 at 3:00pm

Spring is Coming!:

Imbolc is a holiday with a variety of names, depending on which culture and location you’re looking at. In the Irish Gaelic, it’s called Oimelc, which translates to “ewe’s milk.” It’s a precursor to the end of winter when the ewes are nursing their newly born lambs. Spring and the planting season are right around the corner

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 17, 2013 at 3:00pm

To the Romans, this time of year halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox was known as Lupercalia. For them, it was a purification ritual in which a goat was sacrificed and a scourge made of its hide. Thong-clad men ran through the city, whacking people with bits of hide. Those who were struck considered themselves fortunate indeed. This is one of the few Roman celebrations that is not associated with a particular temple or deity. Instead, it focuses on the founding of the city of Rome, by twins Romulus and Remus, who were suckled by a she-wolf -- in a cave known as the "Lupercale".

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 17, 2013 at 3:00pm

The Feast of Nut:

The ancient Egyptians celebrated this time of year as the Feast of Nut, whose birthday falls on February 2 (Gregorian calendar). According to the Book of the Dead, Nut was seen as a mother-figure to the sun god Ra, who at sunrise was known as Khepera and took the form of a scarab beetle.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 17, 2013 at 2:59pm

Christian Conversion of a Pagan Celebration:

When Ireland converted to Christianity, it was hard to convince people to get rid of their old gods, so the church allowed them to worship the goddess Brighid as a saint -- thus the creation of St. Brigid's Day. Today, there are many churches around the world which bear her name.
Purification and Light:

For Christians, February 2nd continues to be celebrated as Candelmas, the feast of purification of the Virgin. By Jewish law, it took forty days after a birth for a woman to be cleansed following the birth of a son. Forty days after Christmas – the birth of Jesus – is February 2nd. Candles were blessed, there was much feasting to be had, and the drab days of February suddenly seemed a little brighter.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 14
• 15
• 16
• 17
• 18
• Next ›
• Page