Imbolc

As we move towards February Brigid the Celtic goddess has her festival, known as Imbolc (Irish: I mbolg, in the belly) Oimelc (the lactation of ewes). That’s the substance of Imbolc, the end of winter, as the flow of milk heralds the return of the life-giving forces of spring.

In Britain February is the harshest month of the year. In Scotland this period was called Faoilleach, the Wolf-month or ’marbh mhiòs, the Dead-month. Signs of the end of winter begin to appear. Lambs are born and the grass begins to grow, the first spring bulbs flower.

The holiday is a festival of light, reflecting the lengthening of the day and the hope of spring. In many laces all the lamps of the house are lit for a few minutes on Imbolc. Traces of the festival of the growing light can even be traced to modern America in the Groundhog Day custom on February 2. If the groundhog sees his shadow on this morning, it means there will be six more weeks of winter. An old couplet goes: If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year.

The old woman of winter, the Cailleach, is about to be reborn as Bride, the young maiden of Spring. Young girl she may appear but she has the power of a deity. Brigid is the ‘Exalted One’ known throughout Europe with similar names, possibly coming from Vedic Sanskrit, where brihati means divine.

In Ireland she is the daughter of the Daghda of the Tuatha de Danaan. A woman of wisdom, the source of oracles. She has two sisters: Brigid the Physician and Brigid the Smith, all aspects of the one goddess of poetry, healing, and metal working. A goddess of dying, weaving, brewing she is the provider of plenty bringing natural bounties for the good of people.

She has two oxen, Fea and Feimhean, whose memories are still locked to the landscape of County Carlow and Tipperary. She is the guardian of Torc Triath, king of the wild boar, who named Treithirne, in West Tipperary. These three totem animals raise a warning cry if Ireland is in danger.

Bride put her finger in the river
On the Feast Day of Bride
And away went the hatching mother of the cold.
— Carmina Gadelica

From Brighid's feastday onwards the day gets longer and the night shorter, as the effects of the winter solstice lessen. The mystical truth was that Brigid brought back the light. On the eve of Là Fhéill Bhrìghde (St.Brigid’s Day), the Old Woman of Winter, the Cailleach, journeys to the magical isle in whose woods lies the miraculous Well of Youth. At the first glimmer of dawn, she drinks the water that bubbles in a crevice of a rock, and is transformed into Bride, the fair maid whose white wand turns the bare earth green again.

There are other versions of this story, and today we must adapt these to make our own celebrations. Like so many pagan festivals and traditions the Christians took up these legends, and created Candlemass and Saint Brigid.

Esbats and Sabats

The next Esbat at Carlford Coven will be on Saturday 14th January 2006, by invitation only. As this is the Moon of deepest winter we call it the Wolf Moon, recalling a time when our ancestors gathered closer round the hearth fire for protection as well as warmth, and could hear the howling of hungry wolves who had come closer to the habitations of man, perhaps hoping to find food to survive.

As the light of the newborn year slowly increases it is a good time to look back and learn from our experiences, bid the past farewell and let it go, in order to receive the Solar Year that has just begun.

At this Esbat we will be consecrating Wands, Brides Crosses, Candles which are to be used at the Imbolc Sabbat, and other tools.

We will be empowering Springwater from our favourite source which is about three miles away, which we will collect on the waxing of the moon.

The Next Sabbat will be on Thursday 2nd February 2006. The Celtic Cross Quarter Festival of Imbolc. We will be celebrating the first signs of the return of Spring with Brighid the Triple Goddess as the three daughters of Dagda; the Three Blessed Ladies: Poetess, Smith and Physician. We will ensure that the old year is swept away and the new welcomed in with Fire, Springwater and Milk. Our young Bride from last year will be our guest once again.