Imbolc

Hello, my fellow travellers I hope you are all keeping well now that the dark cold winter is slowly moving away and the days start to very slowly get lighter.

I want to now move on to the third part of working with the Wheel of the Year, Imbolc.  This year it occurs around the 31^st January – 2^nd February and marks the midway point between the Winter Solstice (Alban Arthan) and the Spring Equinox (Alban Eiler). 

 

Imbolc

To our ancestors it also marks the beginning of spring as recognised in the old Celtic tradition.  Most of us in this modern age think of Spring starting at the spring equinox, this was not so in days gone by.  Though the cold dark nights are still with us, there is a little hope as we see the light of the days start to last just that little bit longer. 

Imbolc is one of the four fire festivals and what better time to have a fire than now.

Imbolc celebrated the lactation of ewes or the milking of cows.  In the days past when our ancestors walked this Earth milk was known to contain many healthy nutrients necessary for sustaining life during winter months when food supplies ran low. 

Imbolc is also associated with the Goddess Brigid, the Goddess loved by Poets, she was the master of both healing and smithing.   She is a Goddess of the solar deity and as such she brings with her light, inspiration and all things associated with the sacred element of fire.  In Welsh folklore Brigid is named Ceridwen and holds the important role as the mother of the great bard Taliesin.

 

Herbs

As we know working with herbs was part of the Druid way. Herbs were used for medicinal purposes, in food and as offerings. For this spoke of the wheel I will give a short list of herbs associated with Imbolc and a brief idea of their uses. A list of herbs are as follows, and as always care should always be taken when working with any herbs.

Cinnamon – Associated with meditation; defence; creativity; divination; energy; power; protection; success; astral projection; healing; lust; money; purification.  Burned as incense to raise spiritual vibrations.  Good for sachets or amulets to bring passion.

Angelica – A very powerful protection herb.  It has many uses which include Divination; music; weather magic; teaching; decision making; rituals of death and dying to provide protection for the deceased. Creates a barrier against negative energy and fills you with a good, radiant energy. Removes curses, hexes or spells that have been cast against you. Enhances the aura. Gives you a joyful outlook on life. Sprinkle crushed leaves around the four corners of a house to ward off negativity and purify the house. Burn for meditation, protection, divination, exorcism, healing/health, and visions.

Chamomile – Associated with Love, money, purification, destressing, meditation, and restful sleep.  It can be sprinkled around the house to remove hexes, curses, and spells. Use in incense for sleep and meditation.  Sprinkle around your home to ward against psychic or magical attack. 

Dandelion – Associated with the Calling of spirits, second sight.  It can be used in divination; wishes; calling spirits; healing; purification and defeating negativity.  Use to get rid of bad habits. Use in sachets and charms to make wishes come true. Use in dream pillows for sleep protection. Bury on the northwest side of your house to draw good luck. To dream of dandelions betokens misfortune, enemies, and deceit.

Blackberry – Associated with Healing, money, protection

 

Crystals

Crystals are another thing that some people choose to use/work with, as with everything on my Druid journey I look at things and see if it is something I would like to work with or not, everyone’s journey is their own there is no right or wrong way, I have picked seven crystals that link closely to the Imbolc and these are

Amethyst - This is a purple stone and is a good choice for anyone that has difficulty accepting new ideas or is afraid of change. Amethyst supports us throughout the decision-making process by bringing common sense to the forefront of our minds and providing spiritual insight. It is a very beneficial stone to use in meditation due to its strong connection with spiritual matters and ability to help us focus our scattered thoughts. Amethyst can be used to improve motivation and in setting realistic goals for yourself.

Peridot - Peridot is an effective crystal for supporting us through the process of releasing guilt and other burdens from the past and leaving negative patterns behind. It can help you to see the lessons in your past experiences and mistakes and move past these, leaving jealousy, resentment, guilt, and anger behind. This process can make it easier to move forward in life and in understanding your destiny. Peridot can be used in learning to take responsibility for your life and the choices you have made, even when they ended badly.

Moss Agate - This is a stabilizing stone that will help anyone to see the beauty that is present around them. It has strong connections to abundance and will benefit anyone who works with plants or in agriculture. Moss agate can be planted in fields to help to ensure the success of the year’s crop. Crystals can also be planted in vegetable patches, gardens, and plant pots to keep the plants healthy and productive. Sickly plants may also benefit from a moss agate crystal being buried close to them.

Onyx - gives strength even in the most difficult and confusing of times. It will inspire you to take a positive view of the future and take control of your life and the direction you wish to go. This common crystal boosts self-confidence and can help you to feel at ease in life. Some people believe that onyx has the ability to store the memories of whoever wears it and that these can then be discovered by others gifted with psychometry. This makes it a useful crystal in healing past life memories or trauma. Onyx can be used to alleviate worries and fear over making decisions while also helping us to make wise choices.

Selenite - This beautiful translucent stone is regarded by many to be one of the most useful healing crystals. It has a very gentle vibration that helps to bring clarity to anyone who uses it. Selenite can be used to create a protective crystal grid around your home or other space. This will create a calm and safe space free of negative energies. This crystal can be used in helping us to see how we can resolve any current or past life issues that are holding us back. It is also a good choice for scrying for insights into the past and future. On a psychological level, selenite helps to clear confusion and improve judgment and insight.

Moonstone - Known by many as a stone of new beginnings, moonstone is perfect for this time of the year. It has strong connections to the moon, intuition, and fertility, and brings receptive feminine energy to all situations. Emotionally, this crystal stabilizes the emotions, improves emotional intelligence, and helps us to leave behind old emotional patterns that no longer serve us well.

Sunstone - Sunstone brings light, energy, luck, and good fortune to all who own it. It can be used to help remove other people's hold over you on a mental or emotional level, including possessive or intruding parents and past partners. It can also be used in cutting tie to anyone from the past whose behavior may still have a negative effect or who bring no good into your life. Sunstone is an empowering crystal that is ideal for anyone who finds it hard to say no to others' requests and demands. The sunny energy of this stone is believed to be helpful for those struggling with seasonal affective disorder and can help to increase feelings of self-worth and confidence.

 

Ogham

The celtic tree alphabet, Ogham is its own language, written, it can be seen in ancient stones. It has a link with the Celts, I have been studying Ogham since the start of my Druid journey due to its association with trees and obviously my love of trees. I have just started doing my blog on working with trees, a great and favourite subject of mine and Ogham will form a part of this so stayed tuned for more on this later

Because of where Imbolc falls on the calendar there are three trees/plants associated with it within the Ogham.

The first is Birch, the Celtic Ogham name for this is Beith (roughly pronounced Beh), Birch is associated with magic done for creativity and fertility, as well as healing and protection.

The second is Rowan, the Celtic Ogham name for this is Luis (roughly pronounced Loush), this is associated with astral travel, personal power and success. It is said a charm carved into a Rowan twig will protect the wearer from harm.

The third is Ash, the Celtic Ogham name for this is Nuin (roughly pronounced Nwin), this is one of the three sacred trees for us Druids (Oak, Ash, and Thorn). It is associated with magical potency, prophetic dreams and spiritual journeys, the Ash can be used for making magical tools and are said to be more beneficial than tools made from other woods.

 

Working with this part of the Wheel

When we look at working with this part of the wheel we have to think about what it means and its relation as a whole to the rest of the wheel. When we look at the world outside, we see the beginnings of the lambing season and the start of new life being brought to the world, this is a very busy time for farmers.  Looking at the wheel then, and working with it we look at the start of new things for us, all of the ideas that have been floating around our minds over the dark nights since Winter Solstice can now be looked at and put into motion.  We can look at what seeds we want to plant for the coming year.  In a nutshell it’s a time to plan your hopes and dreams.

AgainI have been looking at this, as just an outline for this time of year, and I hope you have enjoyed reading it.  This is a time to try things, why not try making a Brigid’s Cross, or writing a poem to her.  Walking through the woods and looking out for Snowdrops also comes to mind.  Taking time to be outside and noting the changes, it is a good way also to get inspiration.

I hope you are enjoying these little snippets of working with the wheel, there is so much more to each of these than I could possibly put down, besides your path is your own and it is a very important thing for you, it is for you to discover what you are about and what you want to do, I aim purely to sow some seeds, how you care for them and grow them is a personal thing.  Take pride in who you are and what you want to be, you can never be told you are wrong your path is yours.

As always I will end on one of my poems, I have been thinking about this and I have written one in honour of Brigid and this part of the Wheel.  I have called it simply Imbolc.

 

Imbolc

As winter slowly bows its head

And shuts its frosty eyes.

A bright and warming springtime sun

Arises in the skies.

The frozen webs that cling to trees

Glisten in the light

And early flowers start to show,

Awakened from the night.

The birds they sing a welcomed song,

And hop upon the ground.

Where snow once laid and hid the food

Now scattered all around.

A blackbird sings a song so sweet,

As it flies from tree to tree

The robin lands upon the grass

A worm he hopes to see.

The leaves are carried on the wind,

That through branches gently blow.

To clear the ground for flowers

That will slowly start to grow.

The Goddess Brigid’s turned the wheel,

To waken up the spring

That fills the Earth with colours,

That all the flowers bring.

The newborn lambs by mothers stand,

The first ones of the year

Suckling gently getting milk

Imbolc now is here.

 

 

As always my friends thank you for bearing with me, I hope you find this interesting, let me know if you are enjoying this blog.

Take care my friends, stay safe

Blessed be /|\