About halfway between the winter solstice (Yule) and the spring equinox lands the day of Imbolc: The feast day of Brigid. Imbolc reminds us that winter is ending and spring is coming soon. The sun gets a little brighter, the earth gets a little warmer, and the days are getting longer. It is the marking of the stir of new life, it's a promise of renewal and awakening.
May the stirring of life underground, stir new dreams into life within you. May the flames of inspiration and new growth be ignited within your Being.”
— IMBOLC BLESSING
History
Imbolc is one of the four major fire festivals that mark the in between of the Equinoxes and the Solstices. Even though on the surface it is still winter the day of Imbolc marks the transition and into spring. The word Imbolc means "in the belly" in the old Irish Neolithic language, which symbolically refers to the early pregnancy stage of Mother Earth.
Imbolc was celebrated all across Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, with each region having slightly different variations in name and customs. After Christianity was established in Ireland, the festival was mixed in with a celebration of Saint Bridget, and transformed from a pagan one into a Christian one. Christians used Brigid as the focal point of their celebrations to smooth the transition, as Imbolc had previously been associated with a goddess by the name of Brighid. Essentially, Bridget and Brighid were the same person. There were numerous ways of celebrating Imbolc varying amongst the Celts, but what was the same was that they all had rituals to welcome the spring, say farewell to the winter, ward against evil and promote health and well-being.
Customs
As all Sabbats, Imbolc's celebrations involved hearth-fires, special foods, divination or watching for omens if the weather permitted. What the festivities revolved around were the lighting of candles and fires to symbolize the return of the Sun. Another part of the traditional rituals involved the so-called Spring Cleaning in order to banish the old, cleanse and welcome the new cycle. As well as on other Gaelic festivals, on Imbolc too were visited holy wells in order for the people to pray for health and abundant year. After which people would leave offerings - coins or clooties. The water from the wells was used to bless family members, homes, livestock and the fields.
Rather than a huge bonfire at the center of the festivities, Imbolc was more about the home and each home’s hearth. Every home in the community would have their own fire burning through the night, If for some reason lighting a fire was not possible, it was replaced with candles.
There was a belief that the weather could be predicted on the day of Imbolc. They thought, because one of their folklore creature called the Cailleach, if the weather on Imbolc was good the winter would last longer and if the weather was bad, the winter would very soon be over. That was because, if the winter was to last longer the Cailleach would need a good day to go out to collect firewood for herself. If the weather was bad it meant she would be sleeping and wouldn't need more wood, so the spring would arrive soon.
Special foods were also part of the festivities, usually consisting of bannock – a flatbread cut into wedges – as well as dairy products and meat. On this day were also planted seeds.
Brigid
The festival, celebrating the coming of spring, was thought to be linked with Brigid in her role as a fertility goddess.
On Imbolc Eve, Brigid was said to visit households and bless the inhabitants. Families would have a special meal on Imbolc Eve, typically including food such as colcannon, sowans, dumplings, barmbrack or bannocks. Often, some of the food and drink would be set aside for Brigid.
A bed would be made for her in order to invite her into the house, a white wand, usually made of birch, would be set by the bed, representing the wand that Brigid was said to use to make the vegetation start growing again. Before going to bed, people would leave items of clothing or strips of cloth outside for Brigid to bless. In the morning people would look for some kind of mark on the ashes of the fire as a sign that Brigid had visited. The clothes or strips of cloth would be brought inside, and believed to now have powers of healing and protection.
Brigid's cross
In Ireland and Scotland, the young girls and women of the communities would make a doll-like figure known as Brídeóg (also called a 'Breedhoge' or 'Biddy') from rushes or reeds and clad in bits of cloth, flowers or shells. In the Hebrides of Scotland, a bright shell or crystal called the "guiding star of Brigid" was set on its chest. Then the girls all wearing white with their hair let down, while singing a hymn to Brigid would visit every house in the area, and were gifted either food or decoration for the Brídeóg. Afterwards, they would feast with the Brídeóg set in a place of honor, and put to bed with lullabies.
In many places, only unwed girls could carry the Brídeóg, but in some both boys and girls carried it. Sometimes, a girl would take on the role of Brigid and would be Escorted by other girls, going house-to-house wearing 'Brigid's crown', carrying 'Brigid's shield', and 'Brigid's cross'.
In Ireland, Brigid's crosses were made at Imbolc and then hung over doors, windows and stables to welcome Brigid and for protection against fire, lightning, illness and evil spirits. The crosses were generally left there until the next Imbolc.
Today, some people still make Brigid's crosses and visit holy wells dedicated to St Brigid on 1 February.
Today, neopagans still celebrate Imbolc in some parts of the world, some following the traditions and others implement some contemporary elements in the celebrations.
Stay tuned for the next part, focusing mainly on the celebration of Imbolc.
Blessed Imbolc, Witches!
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