After so many of you enjoyed the low-energy ways to celebrate Samhain and Yule, I have decided to continue this little series for everyone who just doesn’t have the energy or time for big celebrations and rituals. Remember that your path is exactly that: only yours. Your practice isn’t worth less or means less just because it might be different to the ways others are able to celebrate. Have a blessed Imbolc my dear friends.
-Honey purifies and stands for beauty and prosperity, so you might want to stir an extra spoon in your morning tea or enjoy it on a nice piece of toast.
- Imbolc is a good time for beauty and selfcare magic and another way to benefit from the honey would be to mix it with some oats and milk and apply it as a face mask. Do something nice for yourself, maybe even draw some sigils onto yourself while applying it.
- Today we want to invoke the sun, brightness and happiness and invite them in our home. Citrus fruits represent just this. You might put some lemon in your water, snack on an orange or get yourself some sweet lemonade.
- Take a nice bath and try to use the time in there to reflect. What do you want in your life from this moment on? What brings you hapiness? A good idea would be bath additives with flowery or fresh scents, like lavender, roses or other flowers you enjoy.
- Imbolc is about celebrating light and the sun, so watching thesunrisewould be a nice way to start the day. If you can’t make it up early, you might want to watch a video of a sunrise or light a nice candle to welcome the sun’s returning.
- Integrate flowers in your day. It can be something that takes a little more time like planting some flowers in nice pots or your garden, but it may also be as simple as wearing clothes with a floral pattern, apply nail stickers with flowers on them or wear any colorful jewelry that might remind you of flowers.
If you are panicking because you think you’ve missed Imbolc, it’s ok. While the 1st of February is the traditional date, the astrological date is always when the sun reaches 15° in the sign of Aquarius. This year, the astrological date is the 4th of February. So take a breath, and do what you can when you can. You haven’t missed anything.
PAGAN PILLS | Brigid, la dea di Imbolc creata dai Druidi
PAGAN PILLS | Brigid, la dea di Imbolc creata dai Druidi
Oggi 1 febbraio si celebra il festival pagano di Imbolc di origine celtica che in Italia corrisponde alla Candelora. Il significato preciso è: la luce che torna dopo il buio dell’inverno. Nuova vita, nuovo inizio. Viene sottolineata l’importanza di lasciarsi tutto quello che non serve (relazioni tossiche, persone inutili, ansia e altro) alle spalle.
Fairy festivals take place at crossover points in the seasons. Equinoxes and solstices are determined by the position of the Sun, but the other four festivals are celebrated when the time feels right, so the dates given below are approximate.
There are other festivals too,such as Christmas Eve,Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Any human festival that touches on old traditions,from Ramadan to a Japanese Flower Festival, is a fairy feast. If you celebrate these festivals and make the effort to tune into what concerns the fairies, you will draw closer to their world. If you celebrate a special meal, remember to leave a little outside afterward for the fairies
1. Imbolic -
February 2 in the Northern Hemisphere/July 31 in the Southern Hemisphere
Imbolc means “in the belly,” and this is the time when life stirs in the belly of the earth. Frost sparkles and the pale light lingers each evening,bringing the message that spring is on the horizon. Imbolc is the delicate crossover point from winter’s depths into the New Year. It is a feast of lightness and brightness,but also a time of cleansing,to make way for the new. The Hag, who is Dark Goddess or Dark Fairy, gives way now to the Maiden, who is young and radiant.
Fairies love neatness and good housekeeping,so it is a good idea to have a late-winter sort-out,in preparation for fresh activity. While the fairies are busy coaxing snowdrops and crocuses out of the winter-hard earth,do something creative of your own,such as knitting,painting,or writing poetry. Ask the fairies to lend you a little of their magic by leaving them an offering,such as a piece of wool or a verse written just for them.
This feast is also called candlemas,sacred to St.Bridget,who was the successor to the pagan goddess Bride (pronounced “Breed”). Bride was the keeper of the sacred flame,which represents eternal life. She is the patroness of poetry,smithcraft,child birth, and healing, and is a very powerful fairy indeed. Invite her into your home by lighting as many candles as you like, in your windows and around your house. Ask her to bless your projects for the coming year,and pledge a special act of caring for the natural world in return,to seal your pact as the year waxes.
2. Spring Equinox-
March 21 in the Northern Hemisphere/September 21 in the Southern Hemisphere
The fairies are very busy at the Spring Equinox,looking after all the flowers that are newly blooming.Scandinavian fairies become active now: the Russian cellar fairy,The Domoviyr,casts off its skin and grows a lighter one for summer; and the Russian Rusalki,or river fairies are glimpsed by lakes swollen with melted snow.
A tree planting project is a very fairy-friendly activity at this time. A seasonal blitz on the garden is also called for. While you are hard at work, digging and pulling away at dead winter twigs, it is easy to go into a kind of trance. This, coupled with the spell of the natural world around you,can create the perfect state of mind to catch a glimpse of fairies.You can be sure they are near you,helping you with their energies.Plant some seeds of your choice and, as you put them in the earth, close your eyes and make a special request for fairy help. Visualize the fairies tending your seeds,giving them their love and care. Ask out loud for the fairies to help you,and sing or hum and you plant. Touch the soft soil with your bare hands and make real contact with the earth.
Place water in a pottery or glass jug (plastic or metal is best avoided) and leave it out in the noon sunshine. Ask the fairies to bless it. Imagine them dancing around it and coming up to touch it with their glimmering fingers. Use the water to give your houseplants a special spring blessing.
The Green Man is a powerful nature spirit that has been sensed by many people. He is represented in numerous churches as the Foliate Mask (a face made up of leaves),and one theory about his presence is that the masons who fabricated him had hidden sympathies with the old nature- worship. He is making his appearance now on some new park benches and monuments. However, you can make contact with the real Green Man out alone walking through the woodland. Ancient and wise,he is watching you. Catch a glimpse of him behind tree trunks or in the lacework of budding branches. Hear his footfalls behind you as you walk. He is the very breath of Nature, and his strength is bursting forth in springtime.
3. Beltane -
April 30 in the Northern Hemisphere/October 31 in the Southern Hemisphere
Of all the festivals, Beltane is the most flagrantly joyful and sensuous as Nature is bursting forth with beauty and excitement. This was the Celtic beginning of summer, and also marked an important transition for the people of Fairy, for it was the time when the Milesian Celts landed on the shores of south-west Ireland. With this, the last of the magical peoples,the Tuatha de Danann, receded from the the world of humans into the Hollow Hills and became the people of the Sidhe.
However, they and the other fairy folk have not gone very far. You will find them dancing in a bluebell wood or skipping in the sunshine,sheltered by a greening hedge. Beltane is the time when good fairies reign supreme and bad fairies retreat. Fairies are very active now and may try to steal butter,or some of the ritual fire that used to be ignited on hilltops and is still lit by modern pagans.
This is the maypole season, but instead you can always dance around a friendly tree. Link hands with friends, and you may find yourselves spontaneously re-creating the kind of things people used to to do when seeing fairies was commonplace:lingering,walking,and talking, in the open air, away from television,computers,and other modern distractions.
There are many tales of beautiful fairies marrying mortals. Such tales usually end in tragedy, for fairy and human can never truly be joined. Better to borrow some of the fairy enchantment by performing a little magic of your own! Rise early on May Day and wash your face in the dew or simply walk in it. As the rhyme says: “The fairy maid who, the first of May Goes to the fields at break of day, And walk in dew from the hawthorn tree, Will ever handsome be.”
Welsh legend tells how the hero Pwll saw the Lady Rhiannon riding past him at Beltane and, after pursuing her, he eventually won her. Rhiannon is one aspect of the Fairy Queen,riding on her white horse between the worlds. As you sit quietly outside,on a bank in the late spring dusk,listen for the sounds of her horse’s hooves,and open your eyes to the shimmer of her sea-blue cloak. When Rhiannon touches your heart, she will fill it with love and inspiration.
4. Midsummer -
June 22 in the Northern Hemisphere/December 22 in the Southern Hemisphere
This is one of the most magical times of the year, when fairies are very active and visible, playing pranks and even, it is said, stealing away the young and beautiful to join them in the Hollow Hills. The sun is now at the height of its strength and this is an important crossover point,such as the fairies love. For at the Midsummer Solstice the sun stands still, before beginning to recede as we move into the waning half of the year.
Flowers are colorful and luxuriant, and one radiant day seems to merge into another, as late dusk meets early dawn. At no time is the natural world more inviting. Take part in it by going on quests -long walks to sacred spots,evening camping out with the minimum of equipment,to draw close to the mystery that is all around, and to the Fair Folk in particular.
The rose is possibly the most sensuous bloom of all, and at midsummer it is often at its most gorgeous. Roses in the garden are especially likely to attract fairies. Distil water from rose petals and add it to your bath, asking the fairies to lend you some of their enchantment and to help you attract love. Brew tea from rosebuds and drink it,to increase your psychic powers.Plant a rose bush with a friend, to affirm the loving bound between you and invite the fairies into your life.
St.John’s wort is a herb known to break any negative fairy enchantment and drive away depression. Pluck some on Midsummer’s Day and carry it, to keep cheerful.
Look out for water nymphs by streams, or for undines for water elementals on the seashore- or for even the Lady of the Lake herself,rising from the luminous depths.In olden times, these beings were said to have no souls. It is closer to the truth to say that they do not have human morals. Conventions often conceal or feelings, but the beauty of the water fairies opens us to our unconscious tides; see them and let yourself be transformed.
5.Lammas-
July 31 in the Northern Hemisphere/February 2 in the Southern Hemisphere
Lammas is “Loaf Mass,” a christian version of a much older festival known as Lughnasadh, or the “Feast of Lugh.” Lugh was a Celtic god,lord of the Tuatha de Danann, and his name means “bright one.” Lughnasadh is a major fairy festival, and many fairies become active during this period,such as the Russian Polevik, who kicks sleepy harvesters awake. It is also a time when fairies move about in preparation for winter,and processions of them may be seen as a line of twinkling lights moving between the hills in the countryside.
At Lammas, the fields are golden with corn and splashed with red poppies. It is hazy,lazy time of holidays and abundance,but there is an underlying theme of death,for the Corn Spirit must be sacrificed in order to reap the harvest. If you walk out into a field of ripe wheat, you may sense the anger of the nature spirits as what is to be taken from the earth,even thought that is a part of the natural cycle of life.Gather up some ears of wheat and tie them into a bunch with red thread,to make a charm for the coming winter to hang over your hearth. At the same time,pledge an act of caring for the earth,such as clearing a derelict site in your neighborhood or garden, or planting and tending a herb, as payment for what you-and all of us- take from it.
At home, bake your own bread, using the rising of the dough as a spell to ensure that everything prospers in your life. While you are kneading the bread dough, say to yourself “As this dough swells, so may my fortunes increase.” Ask for your own personal Brownie, or house fairy, to come and help your bread rise- and remember to leave some breadcrumbs outside afterward,for the fairies.
Some say that Lugh is lord of the waning year, and his dance- through the waving,whispering corn- is a dance of death. If so, it is a reminder that all things come in cycles,and that everything is united in love and beauty. Stand at the edge of a sun-kissed wheat field and see the shimmer and sway that betrays the presence of Lugh. Take a few moments to feel respect for the earth in your heart, and understand the meaning of the Wheel of Life.
6. Autumn Equinox (Mabon) -
September 21 in the Northern Hemisphere/March 21 in the Southern Hemisphere
At the Autumn Equinox, Nature stands poised between light and dark,but darkness is gaining. The veil between this world and the Otherworld is at its thinnest, and all manner of spirit visitations are more frequent now.
The hedgerows are beaded with berries,and mist lingers in the hollows. Sometimes the wind whistles in from nowhere and tosses baring branches. On other says, the mellow sun caresses the fields with slanting fingers. It is a time for reflection, but also for industry. In days gone by, preserves would be made for winter store and the help of the Good Folk would be sought by country people.
Absorb the atmosphere of the season by going blackberrying. In Celtic countries, there may be a taboo on eating blackberries, because these belong especially to fairies. However, as long as you gather them with respect and do not denude the bramble bushes, they will hardly object. Better still,leave out some of your homemade blackberry pie or wine for them,so that they will bless you. When this month ends, leave the blackberries alone and move on. Also look out for a bramble bush that forms an arch-so much the better if it faces east/west, for that mirrors the passage of the sun. Crawl through this three times on a sunny day to be healed of physical ills, especially rheumatism and skin troubles.
At this mysterious time, pay honor to Queen Mab. Her special gift is to bring dreams and visions to birth within us. She is really one of many manifestations of the Goddess, in her autumnal guise of wise-woman and Lady of Magic, and she is linked with ancient ideas of sovereignty- for the king drew his power from the land, and Mab presided.
Preferably at the Full Moon closest to the equinox,place good-quality wine in a stemmed glass or chalice,and take it into the garden or a secluded place.Raise the glass to the Moon,say, “Mab, I honor you”and pour some of the wine onto the earth. Drink a little and say, “Mab, I drink with you,” Then return home,light a bright-green candle beside your bed,gaze at the flame and say, “Mab,give me wisdom,” Place some jasmine or rose oil on your pillow,extinguish the candle-and drift into Fairyland. This is a little ritual that you can repeat during any Full Moon if you wish.
7. Samhain -
October 31 in the Northern Hemisphere/April 30 in the Southern Hemisphere
Samhain means “summer’s end” and is pronounced “sa-wen.” This ancient Celtic festival at the official start of the winter was later Christianized as Halloween- a time when the dead were remembered. There was always a sinister aspect to Samhain,because certain sacrifices had to be made in order to survive the coming cold weather. Animals had to be slaughtered,and some say that human sacrifice took place to propitiate the spirits. Sacrifice,however, is a corruption of nature worship,for life is hard enough as it is and all we have to do is show respect.
Barrow mounds,shrouded in mist,are particularly eerie places at Samhain. Draw close,if you dare,and sit quietly.Do you hear the strange,far-off noise of fairy music,or the sound of knocking? Maybe the mound will open for you and unearthly light will stream over the barren fields.After Samhain,the earth is given over to the powers of darkness and decay.No crops or berries may be harvested after this time,because the Phooka, a malevolent Irish Fairy,blights them. The true meaning here,of course,is that death and decay have a place in the natural order,requiring due honor and respect lest they get out of hand.
Traditionally, this is the start of the story telling season. While the wind whistles around the eaves or the mist comes down outside,gather family or friends around your hearth- preferably with a real fire burning in it. If you do not have an open hearth,substitute a collection of large,burning candles. Sit round and speak of times gone by and people who have passed over to the other side.Ask the Beloved Dead to be present, if you wish(but note that this is not a seance,and the Beloved Dead are invited,not summoned). Laugh,share funny stories,feast,and drink.
Cerridwen is the Underworld Goddess and the Fairy Hag most associated with this time. In her magic cauldron,she stirs a brew that confers inspiration and transformation. Simmer up a hearty soup of root vegetables or pumpkin, to share with friends,then light a black candle and ask Cerridwen to guide you through the darkness into the light. You will be both safe and wise.
8. ❄️ Yule - ❄️
December 22 in the Northern Hemisphere/June 22 in the Southern Hemisphere
Yule is the Midwinter Solstice, when the sun again appears to stand still,as it did at midsummer,but the season is poised for the return of light. Celebrations of Christ’s birth were moved to coincide with the much more ancient solstice.
As you deck your Christmas tree,remember that the evergreen is a powerful symbol of the enduring life in Nature. Of course,is has a fairy on top of it,confirming that it is a festival of the Fair Folk,who also rejoice in the sun’s rebirth. Decorating your tree is an important magical act,for the decorations are fairy charms. Each member of the family should hang at least one special charm of their own,to enable a wish to come true.
Jack Frost is an active fairy in the cold weather,painting windows with intricate lacework. In Russia he is called Father Frost,the soul of winter,covering the trees in ice. Do not shrink from the frost fairy-go out and wonder at his works and he will reward you with hope and joy,just as in Russia Father Frost brings presents for the children on New Year’s Day.
By far the best-known and most powerful fairy at Yule is Father Christmas himself. Today we know him by his robes of red and white, but in the past he also wore green and other colors. As we have seen,red is the color both of life and death, and many fairies wear red caps. The hearty red of Father Christmas is a sign that he is an Otherworld being-very much alive,but not of this earth. He is recognized all over the world, as Kris Kringle in Germany and Pere Noel in France. In Brazil he is Papa Noel,and in China Dun Che Loa. He is the essence of Yuletide mystery,joy and renewal,and like many traditional fairies, he comes in and out via the hearth.
When all is quiet on Christmas Eve, get ready to welcome Father Christmas- light a candle and look at the stars. Pledge a gift for a friend and one for the world, and ask for a special gift to answer your heart’s desire. Write your wish on a piece of paper and “post” it up the chimney if you have an open fire. If not, burn it in the candle flame. Can you hear those sleigh bells?
As the first proper Sabbat of the Spring and the (ostensibly, depending on your system) first Cross-Quarter of the year, Imbolc represents the time of the Wheel when the seasons begin to turn from winter to spring, snow and ice beginning to mely, and the first vestiges of life start to pop up from beneath the blanket of winter. (Your results may vary - I live in New England where everything is still metaphorically dead as doorknobs on February 1st!).
Imbolc marks the time when winter begins to seep away, when greenery first begins to poke its head through the stillness of the Dark Half of the Year, and, of course, themes of light abide throughout.
Neatly tucked between Yule (the Winter Solstice) and Ostara (the Spring Equinox), Imbolc is the transitory celebratory day positioned exactly between these two climes. Though “Imbolc” and Sabbats are typically associated with Wiccan tradition, secular & non-Wiccan witches can observe and celebrate these days as mathemetical nature festivals marking the turning of the year.
Imbolc Dates, 2022: Sunset February 1st to February 2nd
Associated Colors (for altars and decorating, etc): White, Cream, Light Blue (Periwinkle), Green & White, Silver
Symbols:Melting snows, evergreens, lights and candles, melting ice, & white flowers
Scents: Vanilla, Benzoin
Herbs: Angelica, Myrrh, yellow, white or blue Flowers, snowdrop, rowan, the first flowers of the year; to burn: basil, bay, benzoin, celandine
Colors for Ritual Wear:White
Magic for Imbolc
As a time of renewal and rebirth, these themes are key to any spellwork or ritualcraft engaged in on Imbolc. Though many might advise you that Sabbats are really days for celebrating and not a lot of heavy-lifting spellcraft ought to be done, I tend to disagree - especially, at least, when it comes to Imbolc and Litha. Here, Imbolc is the perfect time to state new beginnings and begin any cycles of renewal or rebirth you have in mind! The pull of the natural passing of the seasons (again, adjust as applicable here) is a magnificent tide for ebbing or renewal magics.
Other topics or purposes suitable for Imbolc include: Health, omen observation, animal kinship, safety, improving finances, awakening, light, fertility (not just literal - gardening or creative endeavors could fall under here), initiations and self-dedications, turning focus inward, centering power, and attending to the self.
Foods of Imbolc
As a big advocate for lavish feasts on Wheel days, Imbolc is a prime time for preparing seasonally appropriate food! Dishes or courses may include:
Observing Imbolc Sabbat rituals (as appropriate to your traditions)
Wearing a crown of lights, or carrying candles/tapers, during invocations & rituals.
Renewing vows of magic, initiation, and dedication to the Craft, one’s coven, etc.
Burning of the Yule Greens (for some)
Leaving buttered bread for the Fae who travel with the Lady of the Greenwood on Imbolc Eve (I personally Do Not Eff With the Fae but - for those who do!)
Place three ears of corn over the doorway for/to represent The Triple Goddess and leave til Ostara (for the Wiccans/Those Who Eff With the Triple Goddess in the room)
Cleanse your magic working area with rosemary or vervain
Walk in the snow (as applicable)
Light a candle in every room of the house, or all the lights, even just for a few moments, after sunset on Imbolc.
Take a bath of renewal
Meditate or inquire of your deities - there is a tradition amongst those who call upon a Goddess in the Wiccan fashion to inquire of them, then recieve their answer overnight on Imbolc during which no word must be uttered, which I admit is incredibly appealing (as someone who loves, loves, loves ritual!)
Imbolc is a wonderful time for peacefully looking inward and starting anew - I hope you find what you’re looking for, and have a wonderful and lovely cross-quarter day! (Remember: If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, flip the Wheel - February 1st/2nd would be Lammas for you!)
Sources for this post include: Ann Moura, Deborah Blake, Scott Cunningham, Patricia Telesco, Titania Hardie, Ellen Dugan
[Part of the Let’s Talk… Sabbat Series: Lammas|Litha | ]
Imbolc means “in the belly”, and it is the time when life stirs in the belly of earth. It is a feast of lightness and brightness, but also a time for cleansing, to make way for the new. It is sacred to the celtic goddess Brigid, as she is associated as a deity with spring, fertility, healing, light and poetry.
Rituals to celebrate:
With people, have a walk outside and look for signs of spring’s return.
️In the kitchen, bake poppy seed muffins.
Get crafty, by weaving a Brigid’s cross.
Dress up, using white and bright outfits to celebrate the return of light.
Write in your journal, how you plan to take care of nature and the environment this year.
Meditate, about what healing means to you.
Other ideas to celebrate:
Start planting your garden.
Declutter and clean your living space to prepare for spring.
Light white candles to invite the sun to come back.
Who is celebrating Imbolc today?! ❄️Here is a spread for you lovelies to incorporate into your sabbat rituals and celebrations! ✨
1. The bird - Messages the universe is communicating to you at this time 2. The Goddess Brigid - Blessings you are receiving/will receive 3. The butterfly - Transformation that will occur during this time
Imbolc marks the first stirrings and flutterings of life in earth’s soil after a long winter. This spread uses the qualities of Brigid, a spirit of healing, poetry, and music, a patron of artists, poets, craftspeople, and livestock, to inform questions of what stirs inside you. This spread is cast in the shape of a Brigid’s Cross.
Here is how my reading for myself went:
1. What am I dreaming of? (The Fool) Independence, being successful in marching to the beat of my own drummer. I’d like to take risks and embark on new adventures that allow my soul to grow.
2. What is possible? (5 of Wands) The path to what I desire will not be without obstacles, but I am more than capable of overcoming them. I should be cautious about allowing problems to seem bigger than they are and not be so easily discouraged.
3. How do I start? (3 of Wands) Assess my plans. Take time to evaluate before moving forward. Careful thought will be my friend. If necessary, revise my goals based on the current situation.
4. Why must I do this now? (King of Pentacles) It’s important to take charge and take control. Push through barriers and I will find success. If I hesitate, I risk losing out on what I could gain.
5. Why is the journey essential? (7 of Pentacles) This journey has the ability to teach me the value of patience, planning, and perseverance. I am often a person to jump into things without thinking and abandon plans before completion because I have to road map on how to complete them. If I take the advice of this reading and put careful thought and planning into this endeavor, it can teach me the value of patience and planning, traits I lack.
6. What is my secret weapon? (4 of Cups) My secret weapon is also my greatest downfall. My daydreaming and wild imagination will aid me well in this pursuit, but I must be incredibly careful to not allow myself to fall into a rut of dreaming instead of doing. It is important to be productive as well as imaginative.
7. What gift does Brigid offer me? (Queen of Cups) Brigid gifts me with a gentle and imaginative, and loving nature. She allows me to do everything with kindness and love, and that will attract kindness, love, and success into my life.
8. How can I honor and thank her? (8 of Swords) I can honor and thank her by not squandering these gifts and allowing myself to be overwhelmed by perceived isolation or obstacles. I should trust my intuition and have faith in my own ability to move forward. No one can confine me but myself.
9. What is Brigid’s message to me? (The Empress) Trust my instincts. Trust my connection to the earth. I am creative and worthy and part of a larger whole. Continue to live with love and nurturing and I will be successful and happy in life.
