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Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 1, 2014 at 6:07pm

Christian Wicca

On this Imbolc day, as I kindle the flame upon my hearth,
I pray that the flame of Brigid may burn in my soul,
and the souls of all I meet today.

I pray that no envy and malice,
no hatred or fear, may smother the flame.
I pray that indifference and apathy,
contempt and pride,
may not pour like cold water on the flame.

Instead, may the spark of Brigid light the love in my soul,
that it may burn brightly through this season.
And may I warm those that are lonely,
whose hearts are cold and lifeless,
so that all may know the comfort of Brigid's love.

BB )o(

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 1, 2014 at 5:56pm

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 1, 2014 at 1:27pm

BRIGID PEACE BLESSINGS! Our Brigid's Day Imbolc Festival at Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve today is among the events observing this year's United Nation's World Interfaith Harmony Week. JOIN US in spirit wherever you may be -- use this beautiful Brighid art created by Rowan Fairgrove as you do a PRAYER for Interfaith Harmony & World Peace: http://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/events-calendar/?year2=2014

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 1, 2014 at 11:05am

Imbolc (2006)

The wheel turns again
the new year yawns and shivers
waking in the cold.

come to the warm fire
think hard on the paths we choose
as Earth starts to stir

twelve weeks till Beltaine
not much time at all really
how will we spend it?

making fast our plans?
or snuggled up together
enjoying our warmth?

at Yule we made vows,
laid plans and preparations
for the year we'd live

will it come to pass?
only we know our own truth
and can make it so.

~Aracos

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on February 1, 2014 at 11:00am

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 31, 2014 at 11:46pm

Down to the Wire--Imbolc Eve Activities

Posted by Byron Ballard

So much to do tonight and wanted to share some of the prep--traditional and otherwise--as Imbolc rolls in.

In my world, tonight is Imbolc Eve (some of you may celebrate that tomorrow).  There's still tons to do to really celebrate, so here's a partial list.  I'm sure you'll find all sorts of things to add to it.

--Leave a treat out tonight for Herself and Her Cow as they go travelling through the world, imparting Their blessing. I usually leave a drop of whiskey for Herself and a small bowl of oats for the Cow.

--Take a piece of clean cotton fabric and leave it outside to catch any moisture.  This is the bhrat and it will be used for clouties/prayers flags and for healing throughout the year (especially good for ill or tired eyes).  Most of us still have cold and frost so you won't get any dew. But it's a magical and not a literal act. At least this year.

--Make a Brigid's Wheel/Cross from cornshucks. Place it hear your hearth or above your front door, to protect the house from fire.

--Set out a Bed for Bridey.  This is fun to do with kids.  We used to make it out of a shoe box, stuffed with soft cloth.  All that travelling tonight might make Her tired, so you want to make sure you are doing your best hospitality and give Her a place to rest Her weary head.  We don't make a bed for the Cow, but I guess you could.

--This is the time of year when the house should be given a new broom.  You can leave it out with your bhrat for a nice clean (and cold) blessing.

--Make your soda bread tonight--and don't forget to cut it across the top with a sharp knife before baking. The traditional charm is (as you cut) North to South, West to East--Faeries come out! Faeries come out!  Faeries are not best pleased when baked into a loaf.

--Leave a jar of water out for Brigid to bless.

--In its guise as Candlemas, this is also a good time to bless new candles.

Whew!  Is that enough?  Eat something that's dairy and/or baked in the morning.  Make your prayers and blessed Imbolc to you!

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 31, 2014 at 10:20pm

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 31, 2014 at 10:20pm

New Jersey Pagans

Imbolc
From School of Seasons

An ancient Celtic festival considered the first day of spring. According to Blackburn, no information survives about the rituals associated with this festival, except that ewes were milked. Various scholars have derived the word Imbolc from Ol-melc (ewe's milk) because the ewes are lactating at this time, Im-bolg (around the belly) in honor of the swelling belly of the earth goddess, and folcaim (I wash) because of the rites of purification which took place at this time. All of these meanings capture themes of the festival.

A medieval quatrain fills in a few more sketchy details:
Tasting every food in order
This is what behoves at Imbolc
Washing of hand and feet and head
It is thus I say

Much of the lore associated with Imbolc was probably absorbed into the customs surrounding St. Brigid's feast day on February 1.
Blackburn, Bonnie and Leofranc Holford-Strevens, Oxford Companion to the Year, Oxford University Press 1999

February 1st is the feast day of St Brigid, who began her life as a pagan goddess and ended up a Christian saint. The great high goddess, Bride or Brigid, was a fire and fertility goddess, perhaps embodied in the stars in the constellation we view as Orion. In her temple at Kildare, her priestesses tended an eternal flame. She presided over all transformations: birth and brewing, metal-smithing and poetry, the passage from winter to spring.

In Celtic lore, she is the daughter of the Dagda, the Good God, who marries her to Bres of the Fomors. Her name may be derived from Gaelic breo aigit or fiery arrow or (the Matthews prefer) a Sanskrit derivation Brahti or high one. As Bride, the Queen of Heaven, she seems to have been a sun goddess. In one tale, St Brigid carries a burning coal in her apron. In another tale, flames engulf her body without burning her.

The legends about the goddess Brigid gradually became associated with the (somewhat spurious) Saint Brigid who founded the first convent in Ireland (where else?) at Kildare. Her emblem is a cow and many legends tell of how Brigid kept guests at her abbey supplied (often miraculously) with milk and butter. Her flower is the dandelion, whose yellow flower is the color of butter and whose stem when broken releases a milky sap. St Brigid supposedly helped at the birth of Jesus, thus she is the patron saint of midwives and pregnant women. She is also the patron of poets, scholars, healers, dairymaids and blacksmiths, recalling many of the arts under the protection of the goddess Bride.

On the eve of her feast day in Ireland, people put out a loaf of bread on the windowsill for the Saint and an ear of corn for her white cow, offerings for the grain goddess like the loaf buried in the first furrow. Wheat stalks are woven into X-shaped crosses to be hung from rafters as charms to protect homes from fire and lightning.

In Ireland, the birds known as oyster-catchers (in Gaelic they are called Gille righde, the servants of Bride) appear on St Brigid's day and are said to bring spring with them.

During the 19th century, Alexander Carmichael collected and compiled folk customs from the West Highlands, including many revolving around Bridget. On her holiday, women get together to make Brigid's crosses at night. They also dress the corn doll or last sheaf (from Lammas or autumn equinox) in a bridal gown and put her in a basket which is called the Bride's bed. A wand, candle or other phallic object is laid across her and the Bride is invited to come for her bed is ready. If the blankets are rumpled in the morning, this is seen as a good omen. Obviously the goddess whose mating brings life to the land is not the abbess of a convent but the great fertility goddess.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 31, 2014 at 10:18pm

Feb 1: Candlemas Eve
This is the official last day of the Christmas season and also the last date for taking down the Christmas greens.
Leaving them up after Candlemas is bad luck. Ceremonies for Candlemas Eve

Down with the Rosemary and Bayes
Down with the Mistletoe
Instead of Holly, now upraise
The greener Box (for Show).

The Holly hitherto did sway
Let Box now domineer;
Until the dancing Easter-day
Or Easters Eve appear.
~Robert Herrick (1591-1674)

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 31, 2014 at 9:23pm

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