Imbolc Page
February 2nd in the Northern Hemisphere
August 2nd in the Southern Hemisphere
This is the fire festival. It is an ancient term that means "in milk" and in Gaelic means 'in the belly'.
Prounced "IM-bullug" or "IM-bulk"
Imbolic marks the recovery of the Goddess after giving birth to the God and the beginning of the hunting season. The days are also getting longer. It represents a new beginning and spiritual growth. It is a time of purification and fasting. Brigid the Celtic Fire Goddess is honored, so she will keep everyone warm on the long cold and dark nights of this time of year.
Also refered to as: Brigantia, Brigid's Day, Oimelc, Candlemass, Lupercalia, Feast of the Waxing Light, Feast of Pan, the Feast of the Torches, Lady Day.
Colors associated witht his holiday are red and white
Herbs and fruits associated with this sabbot: rowan, snowdrop, flowers
Traditional Practices: Lighting all the lamps in the house to honor the sun's rebirth.
Items needed:
a handfull of wheat stalks
warm water
clothespins
clear or red thread and needle
perserverance
Directions:
Soak wheat stalks in warm water until pliable
Fold one stalk of wheat in half, leaving the kernels sticking out
Fold another one the same way, and thread through the first one. It now looks like a long "L"
Fold the third the same way, and insert through the second wheat stalk. It now looks like an L with a tail
Fold and insert the fourth stalk through the third
Use the clothes pins to help keep the shape as you weave more wheat
Continue folding and threading the wheat stalks until you have several wheat woven through each "arm"
Allow to dry with the clothespins in place
Using the thread and needle, sew the stalks together - this is cheating, but I find that it's necessary!
Hang over the fireplace or stove.
Engraved Oil Lamp
Items needed:
electric engraver
safety glasses
wine bottle
oil lamp adapter
gold paste
fast food napkins
Directions:
Determine the design you wish to engrave; practice using the engraver on spare bottles. Be sure to wear your saftey glasses!
Freehand engrave the design onto the bottle - don't worry if it's not perfect - it's not supposed to be - and the imperfections give it character!
wash the bottle, rinsing off the dust
using the gold paste and the napkin, rub the paste into the engraving, removing any excess with the napkin or by scraping off with a utility knife
Fill with oil lamp fuel and insert adapter.
Brigid Bed -You will need: a basket, wood box, or doll cradle, padding to make receptacle like a bed, figure to represent the goddess Brigit, figure to represent the god and nuts/acorns. Dress up the basket, box, or cradle like a bed, and make it comfortable. Put it by the fireplace or the most desirable, warm spot in the house, as if you were waiting for a visitor to lie in it. Place the Goddess doll (see Seasonal Goddess Doll Project) in the bed. You can make a god figurine by making a fruitwood wand with a pinecone attached to the end, decorated with ribbons, or any male-oriented symbol that works for you. Leave an aromatic, hot snack out for her by the bed. As you invite the spirit of the goddess to inhabit the bed, ask for her blessings of fertility and healing.
Crown of Lights -You will need: cloth for a skullcap, red or white dripless tapers, circle of flexible wire, evergreens and holly, red ribbon. Begin with a circle of wire a little larger than your head. Around that, wrap greenery and holly, tying it on with red ribbons, spiraling it around and around. As you go around, remember to leave spaces for candles to stick up. Tie the ribbon so it will have streams hanging down your back. Now put on the fireproof skullcap and mold the crown to your head. Attach the ends together and then put the candles in and light. Be careful about your surroundings!
Sacred Well - You will need: chicken wire, flour and water (for glue), newspaper strips (for paper mache), stone textured spray paint, a large pot or cauldron. First, mold the chicken wire in the shape of the large pot or cauldron. The finished well will be placed over the cauldron so it will resemble a well. Mix the glue by putting flour and water together until it is a thick consistency. Cover each strip of newspaper in the glue and apply it to the chicken wire frame. Continue this process until the entire frame has been covered with paper and then let it dry. Once dry, spray paint with stone textured paint and let dry. Fill large pot or cauldron with water and then slip the well frame over the pot/cauldron. Decorate with Brigid crosses and stones.
Hand Dipped Candles - You need to obtain the following supplies: 2-4 pounds of Paraffin Wax (the kind used in canning) or beeswax (which is usually expensive). Candle wick (available at most hobby and craft stores) oils and herbs (for scent and magickal goals) candle dye (also expensive) or crayons (for color), wax paper, a wooden spoon, a double broiler. Begin by melting the wax in a double broiler. If you don't have one, you can use a large pot filled half full of water and a large coffee tin with the wax in it, sitting inside the pot. Heat the water to boiling first and cut up your wax so it will melt quickly. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat down and place the tin of wax inside of it. Keep the water hot enough to keep the wax melted but not so hot that the paraffin catches fire (which it has been known to do over high heat). While the wax to melting, stir with a wooden spoon (never use metal) & make sure it all is completely melted. Also, while the wax is melting, mix the herbs (if more than one) in a small bowl. After the wax is completely melted and been checked, break the crayons up and put them into the wax. Keep stirring until all of the crayons have melted and the color is even and smooth, with no streaks. Keep in mind that the candle will be a shade or so lighter when dry. The more crayons - the deeper and richer the color, so experiment. Next, add the herbs to the wax. Empower with your energy and magickal intention while mixing the wax. Stir with the wooden spoon until it is thoroughly mixed. Next add 10-20 drops of essential oil (please, no synthetics when making candles for magickal or ritual use) to the wax until it smells strongly of the fragrance intended. Now your wax is ready. Start with a long piece of wick - twice the size of your desired candle length plus 3 inches (you will be making 2 candles at once). Bend the wick in the middle and hold it by the bend. Dip the wick into the wax and then lift back out. Getting started is the hardest because the wick will float on top of the wax until it has enough wax on it to weigh it down. Allow it to get completely cold between dippings when you first start.
After your candle has started to take shape you can speed up the process a little. I keep a pan of cool water nearby and dip the candles in the water after each dipping in the wax. While this speeds up the process a little, candle making is a slow process but very well worth the time and energy you put into it. Keep dipping the candles and allowing them to cool & then dip again. When you have achieved the proper size, hang them to dry until the wax has set but the candles aren't too hard. Then roll them on the wax paper to smooth out the shape. Once the candle shape is too your liking, dip 1 or 2 more times to make sure your candle is smooth. Trim off any excess wax to make a bottom with a sharp knife. Cut the wick and hang your candles to dry. You are done!
Candle Wheel - You will need: Craft wreath, eight white candles, ivy leaves or vines, glue gun. Either drill thick holes into the wreath so that candles can be placed
inside, or just secure them with screw-bottom candleholders or glue gun glue. Place the ivy leaves around in a decorative fashion. The eight candles are symbolic of the eight spokes of the year, and spinning the circle into motion at Imbolc is important. In ritual, the candles can be solemnly lit with a cauldron or bowl placed in the middle
of the candle wheel. The cauldron or bowl can have the Wish Tree in the middle of it, with water all around it, and have new pennies thrown into it while cementing the wishes. Also the tree and the candle wheel can be toasted.
