Rituals of Imbolc

Welcoming Imbolc: Ideas to Inspire

The view from my Reading Room

I must confess, I was supposed to have these Imbolc ideas written to go with the Imbolc Blessings post. Then got lazy and never posted it, so alas, here I am writing on a snowy day all about the Spring. The weather has been so weird this Winter. It was 9 degrees Celsius yesterday now today it is cold and there is a snowstorm going on. This is probably the first "real" storm we have had all Winter. I am not sure if the Gods are just being good to us on the East Coast or if there is something more sinister at play causing this warm and unusual weather. Snow or no snow, I wanted to talk a little about Imbolc.

I have always liked this Sabbat. Imbolc is all about hope, which is something we sure could use a lot more of in this world. When February 2nd comes around normally we would be in dire need of some sign of Spring or a message from the universe to let us know it is going to be okay. At this time in the year many of us are in the deepest part of seasonal depression and are struggling to stay positive. Imbolc comes to help cheer us up and give us a little nudge by reminding us that beneath the snow and cold, the Earth is coming alive.

Can you believe that in some parts of the world, little flowers are starting to poke their way through the snow? Or that birds are starting to make their way home? Even though we can't see it with our human eyes, nature is getting ready for the next season. We need to have faith that before long the sun will be kissing our faces with warmth once more. I don't want to go into the history of Imbolc or go into it too deeply, simply because there is information all about the Sabbats all over the Internet. I recommend doing some deep reading on this Sabbat if you are not familiar with what I am talking about here, because I think you will be excited about what you discover!

Growing up as a Wiccan- at the time (I really don't know what to call myself these days) I was very lucky in the sense that I had a group of like minded friends and even a family member (my dear magickal witchy Aunt Donna) to celebrate the Sabbats with me. We would all gather together, do a ritual and then have some delicious potluck food. I cherish these memories. These days our group has changed, people have gotten married, older, busier and new magickal people have come into our lives. We do not gather like we used to but I find comfort in knowing that we all share these same candlelit recollections.

Today I want to share with you some of the Imbolc activities I have done in hopes that it inspires you to make some Imbolc memories for yourself. Even if we are a few days late!

Here are some things to do on Imbolc:

• If you consider yourself a kitchen witch, why not try your hand at some bread making? You can make a simple dough (who I am kidding, is there a "simple" dough out there that actually tastes good?) break it into three sections and then braid them together. Your bread is going to come out looking AMAZING and everyone will praise you for your mad kitchen skills! When you braid the dough together infuse it with your awesomeness so anyone who eats it gets a blessing from you.
• Make some candles! This was always my favourite part of Imbolc. I used to go down to Michael's- I know, not the most new age kinda place, and buy some beeswax sheets and some wicks. Then I would heat the wax up with a hair dryer and roll them into candles. You can get creative with different colours or designs. There is pretty much no mess and they come out looking beautiful. You can add herbs, oils or even gemstones to your candles. I went to go do this last year and was told that it was so cold they were not getting any beeswax shipments in but other years I have had no problems getting the wax.
• Make a bed for Bride. Imbolc is heavily associated with the lovely, beautiful, inspiring Goddess Brigid. Back in the day people would make a little bed for Bride and put it beside their hearth. They would create an effigy of her from corn husks (or whatever you have on hand) and then would put her in bed for the night. It is believed that Brigid would visit in the night and bestow blessings on your home. You can also make an acorn wand representing the God and put that in the bed too. This is a great way to bring some fertility magick into your house.
• Take a bowl of milk and leave it out or pour it outside as an offering to the nature spirits. If you have a garden, I would recommend pouring your milk there. If it wont freeze (which is what happened to mine) you can leave it outside as a snack for any animals making their way through your yard at night. Almond milk, coconut milk etc. also work fine! Doing this is supposed to bring good luck to your garden and a fruitful harvest.
• Corn husk dollies and sun wheels are another great Imbolc craft to get you into the spirit of Spring. Here are some lovely links to help guide you: dollies and sun wheels also known as Brigid's Cross. Happy witch-crafting!

We will be back in full Tarot mode in my next post all about that infamous Death Card.

***Cue spooky noises.***