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IMBOLG
Oimelc (“ee-melc”), is known in Modern Irish as Imbolc (pronounced the same). It is one of the major fire festivals and is a Cross Quarter holiday. This is the festival of the lactating sheep. In the gaelic, Imbolc/Imbolg (pronounced "IM-bulk") means 'in the belly' (of the Mother). Most of the cattle and sheep have either given birth or their wombs are swollen and ready around this time of the year.
Being one of the first festivals of Spring, Imbolc is geared towards the return of the Fire Goddess, Brighid. This goddess is another aspect of the Triple Goddess, yet she herself has 3 aspects. And these three aspects are all depicted as being the same age, and not the “Mother-Maiden-Crone” trinity, and so she is often called The Three Mothers or The Triple Brigids. It is said that she breathes life into the mouth of the dead Winter to get him to open his eyes to the tears, the smiles, the sighs and the laughter of Springtime. The cold trembles for its safety on the day of this most Holy Goddess. She is honored as the Maiden and the Bride on this Sabbat. Celebrations of banishing the winter and welcoming the spring abound on this day throughout the Irish countryside. This seasonal holiday marks the recovery of the Goddess after giving birth to the Sun God. Finally recovered, she awakens and then Spring begins at last, bringing with it the first blossoms of new growth and hopefully the last of winter.
Marking the center point of the dark half of the year, Imbolc is also known as the festival of the Maiden, for from now until March 21st, it is her season to prepare for growth and renewal.
At the ancient Irish capitol of Kildare, there is a sacred shrine set up in Brighid's honor. There, a group of 19
priestesses keep a perpetual flame burning in her honor. Considered the goddess of fire, patroness of poetry, smithcraft, and healing, this holiday was originally marked by the kindling of the sacred fires. Her name means 'The Exalted One.'
Brighid also symbolizes the fire of birth and healing, the fire of the forge, and the fire of poetic inspiration. This goddess, known to christians today as Saint Brigit, was so revered that the celtic people refused to give her up, when the catholic church came along and tried to force them into refuting their old beliefs. So instead the church claimed she was a missionary and that the Irish people were simply confused, and thus the Goddess also became a Saint.
Prior to this occurence, the olde ways of celebrating were by feasting on cake and ale and giving gifts of butter and roasted meat to those neighbors too poor to be able to afford their own. Home hearth fires were extinguished and re-lit. A besom was placed by the front door to symbolize sweeping out the old and welcoming the new. Candles were lit in every window in every room, and left to burn until morning.
The people also created straw brideóga or small Corn dollies from oat or wheat straw and placed them in baskets with white flower beddings to symbolize Brighid. The young girls then carried them to each of their neighbors homes, and some form of gift was bestowed upon the bearer from each household. On occasion, a young girl dressed in white was representative of Brighid instead. This girl might hand out a Brigid’s Cross as she stopped at each household. These crosses of rushes or straw were made on the eve before and hung inside the house, and sometimes even in the byre and the stables, in honor of Brigid and to gain her protection. The crosses, themselves, are not traditionally Christian crosses, but appear to be symbolic of the sun.
It was said that at this time of year, Brighid herself traveled the countryside, blessing the people and their livestock. In return, the celtic people left an offering of cake or bread and butter outside on the windowsill for her.
A sheaf of corn was often left as well, as an offering of food for the white cow, whose milk had nourished her since she was a child, and was often found traveling with her.
One of the stories told about 'Saint Brigit', who is of course, also the goddess, Brighid, was that as a child, the villagers noted a glowing fire coming from the house where she and her mother lay sleeping, yet not a spark touched either them or the house. It simply glowed like the burning bush of the Old Testament and was gone by morning.
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Deities
All Virgin/Maiden Goddesses, Brighid, Aradia, Athena, Inanna, Gaia, and Februa, and Gods of Love and Fertility, Aengus Og, Eros, and Februus.
Symbolism of Imbolc:
Purity, Growth and Renewal, The Re-Union of the Goddess and the God, Fertility, and dispensing of the old and making way for the new.
Associated with Imbolc
Brideo'gas, Besoms, White Flowers, Candle Wheels, Brighid's Crosses, Priapic Wands, and Ploughs.
Herbs
Blackberry, Celandine, Tansy, Violets, Coltsfoot, Angelica, Basil, Bay Laurel, Blackberry, Heather, Iris, Myrrh, and all white or yellow flowers.
Foods
Butter, Peppers, Onions, Garlic, Raisins, Sunflower seeds, Poppyseed Cakes, muffins, scones, and breads, all dairy products, Spiced Wines and Herbal Teas.
Incense Basil, Cinnamon, Violet, Bay, Wisteria, Vanilla, Myrrh.
Colors White, Pink, Red, Yellow, Light Green, Brown.
Stones
Amethyst, Ruby, Onyx, Bloodstone, Garnet, Turquoise. |
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