celebrating imbolc: what, when, where, why & how.

If you are new to 'The Wheel of The Year', then it may seem a little overwhelming, as there are eight festivals during the year to get one's head around. Do not fret, as I am here to help you with the navigating of it all. I will help you by breaking it down. In this blog post I will focus on the first fire festival of the year, Imbolc.

Key Words: Inspiration, new beginnings, ideation, wellbeing, regeneration, home, goals, planning

what is Imbolc?

Imbolc is one of the sabbats on the Wheel of the Year. It is also named Oimelc, which means ewe's milk. Imbolc is pronounced, “Im-Bulk” or “Em-Bulk”. Imbolc means "in the belly", which refers to the pregnancy of ewes and cows. This Sabbat emphasises milk due to it being the source of food that kept people alive when the harvested food began to run out. As mentioned above, Imbolc is the first fire festival of the year. The days are beginning to get longer, as Mother Nature begins to wake from her slumber. It is time for rebirth. This Sabbat is dedicated to the Celtic triple goddess Brigid who is the bringer of spring, healing and fertility.

Due to it’s popularity, Imbolc was reworked into Christian celebrations. This celebration is called Candlemas. Brigid is referenced as St Brigid.

when is it celebrated?

Traditionally, Imbolc is celebrated in the northern hemisphere on the 1st of February, though some people will celebrate it from the 31st of January to the 2nd of February. In the southern hemisphere, it is celebrated on the 1st and 2nd of August. For the accurate date of Imbolc (according to the yearly seasonal changes), head to my Instagram page - The Cosmic House Witch - and check out my stories on the 1st & 2nd of August.

where is it celebrated?

All over the world, Witches, Wiccans, Druids, Pagans, and other spiritual people who celebrate Imbolc, recognise and celebrate Imbolc.

why is it celebrated?

"Imbolc, or Brigid's Day, is the celebration of the earth waking up and warming up; it is a preparation for spring. Winter is coming to an end and the sun king is becoming stronger. We are celebrating that the days are beginning to become brighter and we are preparing and planning what needs to be done for when new life comes."

"It is time to honour the Triple Goddess, while she is in her maiden form and is warming up the cold earth with the seed of spring gathering in her womb."

- 'Wicca' by Harmony Nice

how can you celebrate it?

Suggested ways to celebrate Imbolc. You don’t have to do them all. Just what resonates with you.

• Clean, declutter & tidy your house/space. Make space and create positive energy to welcome in new life, things and experiences.

• See a therapist. To work on freeing your mind of clutter.

• Practice divination. Awaken the psychic in you again. Practice divination (especially fire scrying) and strengthen your psychic abilities. Whether it be tarot cards, oracle cards, palmistry etc.

• Light candles (white, green or yellow). Welcome in the sun god as he awakens by lighting a bonfire or candles.

• Visit the river. Go to a river nearby and cleanse yourself in the running water or stand near it and allow the sounds of the river and Mother Nature to cleanse and invigorate you.

• Create talismans. Create talismans that you will carry with you or place in your home for the rest of the year. A popular talisman is the Brigid Cross or a sun wheel. I have found a great YouTube video about How To Create Amulets & Talismans.

• Create a Brigid doll. This is created to bring luck into your home. Use grass, reeds and sticks to create a Brigid doll. I have found a great YouTube video about How To Craft A Brigid’s Doll. After you are finished with the doll, bury it in Mother Earth or burn it for good luck and to welcome the sun as it begins to wake up.

• Make cheese. Imbolc is related to canning and preserving food, especially milk. It also provides the opportunity to connect with our ancestors who practices similar activities. I have found a great YouTube video about How To Make Cheese.

• Clear emotional baggage and/or set emotional boundaries in relationships. This will help you to move into positive new beginnings, and to help release any karma that you may have attached. I recommend reading, ‘Setting Boundaries’ by Dr Rebecca Ray.

• Clear, clean, cleanse, (collect new items for) your altar. Don't forget to also clear, clean and cleanse your altar. Create a Imbolc altar. Gather new tools to enter into the new season with. I will do a blog post about this in the future. But a good sage spray or clearing incense will do the trick after you have dusted your altar.

• Begin planting seeds in your flower/herb/veggie garden. It is now a good time for planting the seeds for your floral/herbal and/or veggie garden for the coming Spring. Just after the new moon is also a good time to begin planting seeds.

• Plant seeds in wild places. Go out into the wild and plant seeds as well! Encourage and help Mother Nature to thrive just as she does for you. Check out if you can plant a tree somewhere. Check out the Carbon Neutral website for their plant a tree program. You can pay for them to plant trees for you.

• Leave food out for Brigid. This is to welcome her energies into your home. I recommend leaving out some milk or cheese or any of the traditional Imbolc foods (see below).

• Go for a walk and look for signs of spring. This great for practicing mindfulness and gratitude of what life gives us. Find some blossoming nature for your altar. *Though if you are Australian, look out for those magpies. Walk in areas where the magpies have gotten to know you over time. They remember faces. I find that I don’t get attacked near my home. But it does depend on the magpie.

• If you are a new witch, use this Sabbat for a self-dedication or ceremony. Hold a private ceremony for yourself or with your local coven.

• Journal. See below for some journal prompts.

  What am I most excited about for the future?

  Which areas of my life need a good cleanse or declutter? How will I achieve this in the coming month?

  Who and/or what inspires me and why?

  What do I want to give birth to creatively in the future?

  What do I need to improve on with my overall wellbeing? How can I make improvements?

  What are my top 3 goals for next year? What are the steps to get me there?

  What has been getting in the way of my goals? How can I overcome these obstacles?

• Meditate. Here is a great link to a Imbolc meditation on YouTube.

• Burn any evergreens from Yule decorations & celebrations. This is a symbolism of saying goodbye to winter and using it to create warmth and light for the growing spring.

• Hang a white cloth or scarf outside of your home for Brigid to infuse with healing energy. Wear this scarf or use the cloth for rituals for healing during the coming month.

• Perform cleansing & intention setting spells/rituals. Imbolc is the perfect time to practice cleansing and intention setting spells & rituals as Imbolc marks a new beginning and the energy infuses intentions with growth and prosperity. Here is a great YouTube video for Imbolc Spells.

magickal tools and items that represent Imbolc.

Moon Phase

Imbolc is represented by the waxing crescent moon phase. This phase is the beginning of the moon phase cycle. It reflects Imbolc’s energy with new beginnings, planting seeds, planning, preparing, goal and intention setting and the like.

Zodiac Sign

Imbolc is represented by Aquarius. Aquarius reflects Imbolc’s energy with it’s innovation, ideation and future thinking.

Food and Drink

• Dairy or Dairy Replacement

• Seeds - including foods that involve seeds in it’s recipe.

• Oats

• Garlic

• Peppers

• Onion

• Olives

• Baked Goods

Crystals

• Amethyst

• Green Opal

• Yellow Tourmaline

• Kyanite

• Citrine

• Moss Agate

• Garnet

• Green Adventurine

• Bloodstone

• Quartz

• Citrine

• Ruby

• Turquoise

Herbs

• Basil

• Blackberry

• Rosemary

• Coriander

• Bay Leaf

• Snowdrops

• Lavender

• Cinnamon

• Angelica

• Witch hazel

• Camomile

• Lemongrass

Incense

• Vanilla

• Lavender

• Spring Flower Scents

• Carnation

• Myrrh

• Bay

• Basil

• Rosemary

Items

• White altar cloth

• Candles (White, Gold, Yellow, Green)

• Crystals (see above for suggestions)

• Brigid Cross or other talismans

• Brigid Doll

• Brigid Statue

• Waxing crescent moon elements

• Aquarius elements

• Maiden Goddess Statue or other staues that represent Imbolc

• Snowdrop Flowers and/or white flowers

• Ribbon (White, Gold, Green, Yellow)

• Swan feathers or white feathers

• Picture of the Sun and/or sun wheel

• Sheep decorations- wool, stuffed toys, statues of sheep

• Incense (see above for suggestions)

• Runes - Wunjo, Uruz, Kenaz, Sowilo

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post. I hope it was helpful to you. Please feel free to share and like it if you liked it. Find out how I celebrated Imbolc in a previous celebration. Click on the play button below:

RESOURCES:

• 'Wicca' by Harmony Nice

• 'The Complete Grimoire' by Lidia Pradas

• ‘Understanding The Wheel of The Year’ by Cassie Uhl

Do you celebrate Imbolc? How will you be celebrating it? Let me know in the comments below.

Blessed be

Cassie xx

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