One approach to Imbolc involves marking the turn of seasons. At this time, you can just start to see the days getting longer. It’s no less cold, but the first signs of life appear, such as snowdrop and crocus shoots. This is the end of winter, and spring is approaching.
Decorate your altar with symbols of spring. Your ritual might include driving out Old Man Winter. Another option would be a meditation on the end of winter.
Honor Brigid
Imbolc is also known as the Feast of Bride, another name for the goddess Brigid. She is the patron of smiths, healers, and bards. These match her three faces, and three is her sacred number.
Decorate with Celtic knotwork and related motifs, including images of Brigid if possible. You might make a corn dolly to lay in a Bride’s Bed — a fun activity for young Pagans.
The Sheep Festival
The name “Imbolc” comes from Celtic history; oimelc meant “ewe’s milk,” referring to the time when ewes freshen and give birth to their lambs. This signaled the approach of spring. It also renewed the dwindling food supply with milk, butter, and soft cheese. Farmers with a large herd might butcher some of the “extra” male lambs — about the size of a rabbit when dressed, and exquisitely tender.
Decorate with images of sheep. Hold a feast with sheep’s milk cheese and lamb. Cookies in the shape of sheep are also good, though I’d suggest using cocoa powder instead of food coloring to make brown dough for the heads and feet.
The Fires of Candlemas
Yet another name for this holiday is Candlemas. In this version, candles and hearth fires represent the returning light and heat of the sun. The darkness of winter is ending, and the days are getting longer.
Decorate with yellows and reds, and of course, lots of candles! Hold a candle-making workshop. If you have a woodstove or fireplace, build a fire and celebrate the growing light.
Dairy products recall the holiday’s original purpose of marking the time when ewes freshened and bore their lambs. Sheep’s milk cheese is especially appropriate.
Lamb and mutton also reflect the older aspects of this holiday honoring sheep and other animals. Sometimes “extra” male lambs went straight onto the table.
Seeds symbolize growth. Serve salted sunflower seeds in a dish. Bake bread or rolls with sesame or poppy seeds.
Dried foods such as raisins and sun-dried tomatoes symbolize the Sun God. Serve them on sun-colored dishes.
Winter vegetables such as onions, potatoes, and winter squash are appropriate. Spring isn’t quite here yet!
Flaming foods bring Brigid’s light to the Imbolc feast. Cherries Jubilee, Crepes Suzette, and other recipes deliver a fiery finale. Please study how to do this safely!
Colors: White represents winter’s cold. Brown stands for the sleeping earth beneath the snow. Orange, red, yellow, and gold are the colors of the growing Sun God and of Brigid’s Flame.
Flowers: Snowdrops, crocus, and daffodils are the first flowers of the year. You may also find yellow forsythia blooms, fuzzy pussywillow buds, or red maple buds.
Incense: Amber symbolizes the sun. Bay, bayberry, and pine come from evergreens that retain their power through winter. Frankincense and myrrh evoke the Christian aspects of Candlemas and St. Brigit, and excellent choice for interfaith rituals.
Altar Tools: Oil lamps and candles hold Brigid’s sacred fire. Besoms sweep the winter away. Corn dollies symbolize the Goddess and invoke Her blessings. Woollen yarn or toy sheep represent the animals who helped keep our ancestors warm and fed.
Background: For this ritual, we honor Pele as the goddess of fire and volcanoes. The activities draw on Hawai'ian culture and the Huna tradition of shamanism. The whole day's celebration is a luau in February, the house blazing with heat and light and merriment.
Preparation: As people arrive at the covenstead, they are greeted with “Aloha!” and a lei. Lava lamps and candles are alight all around; music from Hawai`i plays in the background. Celebrants gather in the ritual area, dressed in tropical garb. The altar holds red and gold candles, a vase of flowers, a hollowed pineapple full of pineapple juice, a plate of macadamia nuts, and the volcano cake.
Lady Raspberry:Lights the altar candles, then delivers a traditional invocation: “E hô mai i ka `ike, mai luna mai e,” (eh HOH my ee ka EE-keh, my LOO-nah my eh).
Translator: “Grant me the knowledge from above,”
Lady Raspberry:“I nâ mea huna no `eau o nâ `ôlelo e.” (ee NAH MEY-ah HOO-nah noh EH-ow oh NAH OH-leh-loh eh)
Translator: “In the elusive wisdom of the words.”
Caller for Stone: “I invoke the realm of Stone and the principle of ike (EE-keh), which means: Reality is what you make of it. Aloha! (ah-LOH-ha)”
All: “Aloha!”
Caller for Wind: “I invoke the realm of Wind and the principle of kala (KAH-lah), which means: There are no limits. Aloha!”
All: “Aloha!”
Caller for Fire: “I invoke the realm of Fire and the principle of makia (mah-KEE-ah), which means: Energy flows where attention goes. Aloha!”
All: “Aloha!”
Caller for Water: “I invoke the realm of Water and the principle of manawa (MAN-ah-wa), which means: Be here now. Aloha!”
All: “Aloha!”
Caller for Plants: “I invoke the realm of Plants and the principle of aloha (ah-LOH-hah), which means: Love is sharing happiness. Aloha!”
All: “Aloha!”
Caller for Animals: “I invoke the realm of Animals and the principle of mana (MAH-nah), which means: Everything has power. Aloha!”
All: “Aloha!”
Caller for People: “I invoke the realm of People and the principle of pono (POH-noh), which means: Do what works for you. Aloha!”
All: “Aloha!”
Lady Raspberry:Delivers an introduction of the ritual, its focus, and its intent.
Speaker 1: Presents the poem“Pele’s Mercy”. O Pele, have mercy on us! O lady moving in the form of fire, Your sulking is so great Yet your lava moves slowly.
Your name is famous Everywhere! Weeping, we ran From the land we loved.
Hi`iaka raised in the bosom of Pele, The one that I loved, Lead the Queen of the Earth To her destination.
The fire glitters As her lava moves slowly; We turn to the top To see the unforgettable beauty.
This is the end of the song: Answer, O Pele, to your name To the heavy heart of the multitude Who love the land!
Sir Malachite:Leads the drumming while others drum and dance to raise energy.
Speaker 1:Blesses the pineapple juice and the plate of macadamia nuts, then hands them off to be passed around the circle during the storytelling.
Sir Malachite:Presents the myth of Pele’s journey to Hawai`i, which demonstrates the virtue of persistence, especially in the face of challenging family dynamics.
Hear now of Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes, daughter of Haumea, the goddess of fertile ground and Ku-waha-ilo, the earthquake god. As a child, Pele got along well with her five brothers, but not with her older sister Namaka, the goddess of water and the sea. But Pele would never play in the waves with the other children. Her uncle Lonomakua, the keeper of the flame, saw this and understood that like him, Pele’s spirit burned with a fierce fire. He taught her his secrets. But because volcanic eruptions threatened to consume their island home, people complained constantly about Pele and her temper. They did not understand that lava creates and destroys at the same time, and that passionate creative people are worth the challenge of living with them.
After Pele seduced her sister’s husband, Namaka flew into a rage. Pele and her brothers ran to their canoe. Lonomakua gave Pele a magical digging stick and helped them escape. Pele followed a star in the northeast that shone like a faithful spark through the darkness. Her brothers paddled for a long time. At last the weary voyagers came to a beautiful island.
There on Kaua`i, Pele thrust her magical digging stick into the ground to make a home for herself. But her angry sister had followed them! Every time Pele tried to dig a pit, Namaka would flood it. So they left Puu-o-Pele, the Hill of Pele, and ran back to their canoe. Next they came to O`ahu, where Pele dug another hole in Ke-alia-manu, whose name means White Bird. Again Namaka filled all of Pele’s diggings with salt water, dousing her fires. Again Pele fled. Namaka chased them down the chain from one island to another.
Finally the five brothers dragged their canoe onto the broad black beach of Hawai`i. They had come to the end of the island chain; if Pele could not make a home for them here, they had nowhere else to go. So Pele took her digging stick and hiked deep into the jungle. There she found lehua flowers as red as flame, and she put them in her fiery hair. Wreathed in clouds, the mountain Mauna Loa lifted Pele onto its shoulders.
Exhausted, Pele thrust her magical stick into the ground one last time – and this time, she succeeded! Great puffs of smoke and fumes rose into the air as lava poured from the hole. Namaka foamed and snarled around the beaches, but she could not get anywhere near Mauna Loa, the highest mountain in the world when measured from its roots on the seafloor. So Pele and her brothers live on Hawai`i to this day.
In a time when few legends yet walk the Earth, all can see Pele dancing in her island home. Sometimes she even leaves her crater and takes the form of an old woman with a white dog, or a young woman in a red dress. So be polite to strangers in Hawai`i, for you never know – you might be talking to a goddess!
Speaker 2: Activates the lava in the volcano cake. As it erupts, she says: “Mahalo, Pele! Thank you for joining us here today. Aloha!”
All: “Aloha!”
Caller for People: “I release the realm of People and thank it for bringing the principle of pono (POH-noh), which means: Do what works for you. Aloha!”
All: “Aloha!”
Caller for Animals: “I release the realm of Animals and the principle of mana (MAH-nah), which means: Everything has power. Aloha!”
All: “Aloha!”
Caller for Plants: “I release the realm of Plants and the principle of aloha (ah-LOH-hah), which means: Love is sharing happiness. Aloha!”
All: “Aloha!”
Caller for Water: “I release the realm of Water and the principle of manawa (MAN-ah-wa), which means: Be here now. Aloha!”
All: “Aloha!”
Caller for Fire: “I release the realm of Fire and the principle of makia (mah-KEE-ah), which means: Energy flows where attention goes. Aloha!”
All: “Aloha!”
Caller for Wind: “I release the realm of Wind and the principle of kala (KAH-lah), which means: There are no limits. Aloha!”
All: “Aloha!”
Caller for Stone: “I release the realm of Stone and the principle of ike (EE-keh), which means: Reality is what you make of it. Aloha!”
All: “Aloha!”
Lady Raspberry:Extinguishes the candles, then says, “Repeat after me…” “Aloha kâua,”
All:“Aloha kâua,” (ah-LOH-ha KOW-ah)
Lady Raspberry:“aloha ‘oe,”
All:“aloha ‘oe,” (ah-LOH-ha OY)
Lady Raspberry: “a me aloha hou!”
All:“a me aloha hou!” (ah meh ah-LOH-ha HOH)
If necessary, repeat this sequence until people are confident with the words.
Translator: “Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again!”
Lady Raspberry: “Aloha kâua, aloha ‘oe, a me aloha hou!”
All: “Aloha kâua, aloha ‘oe, a me aloha hou!” After the ritual concludes, everyone shares a Hawai`ian styled potluck feast. Following the feast will be a showing of the movie Lilo & Stitch.
Ritual for Imbolc 2007
Background: This ritual honors the Celtic goddess Brigid in Her three aspects as Smith, Healer, and Bard. Three people each represent one aspect, forming a Triad to lead the ritual. The number three is sacred to Brigid and forms a unifying theme throughout.
Preparation:Smith dresses in red, Healer dresses in green, and Bard dresses in blue. The Triad set up the house as sacred space. The ritual takes place in the dining room, entirely by candlelight. Participants also bring one candle each, and water (in a resealable container) to pour into the bowl, which will already have some of the well water in the bottom. The adjacent living room, somewhat more dimly lit, provides a place for other people to gather and for them to center their thoughts before the ritual. There will be music including “Drive the Cold Winter Away” playing softly in the background. The Triad are baking a braided load of bread for the potluck; and this should still be in the oven when other folks arrive, so that the house smells of baking bread.
Healer:Begins ritual by using remote control to shut off the sound system. Healer, Bard, and Smith stand around the altar, forming the Triad. Healer leads the Triad in the opening chant:
Smith’s hammer, Healer’s leaf, And Bard’s word of power Banish the winter’s grief In this magic hour.
As they feel ready, coveners enter the ritual space from the west and gradually fill in the circle around the Triad. When everyone is in place, the Triad draw out the last line of the chant, thus signaling the ritual’s opening.
Smith:Steps forward and lights the gold candle, which he then hands to the person standing in the westernmost part of the circle.
Westerner: Passes the candle to the person standing north of her, saying:
Hand to hand, the circle is cast, As the quickening light is passed.
Others follow suit, casting the circle by passing the candle clockwise.
Smith: Once the candle returns to the westernmost person, the Smith declares the circle cast, and replaces the candle on the altar. Then the Smith takes his place at the dancing waters bowl, describing its purpose in this ritual and its symbolism for this holiday. He begins to stir the water with the ladle.
Westerner: The westernmost person steps forward to pour her water into the bowl, saying a few words about the origin and significance of the offering. The person to the north goes next, and so on clockwise around the circle. (Couples may perform this part of the rite together, as a two-person unit.)
Smith: After all waters have been combined in the bowl, the Smith lays ladle on the altar and rejoins the circle.
Healer: Steps forward to take his place at the bowl. He explains this portion of the ritual, the charging and sharing of the waters. Then he begins to rub the bowl’s handles, making the metal sing and the waters dance.
Westerner:Steps forward to commune with the waters. After her, the person to the north follows suit, and so on clockwise around the circle.
Healer:When everyone has communed with the waters, the Healer returns the bowl to tranquility and then rejoins the circle.
Bard:Steps forward to take her place at the bowl. She describes the dispersal of the waters and how this relates to her aspect of the goddess. Then the Triad recite the poem "Brigid's Braid," each person reading the lines of their own strand.
Westerner:When the poem begins, the Westerner steps forward to refill her container from the bowl of waters. After her, the person to her north follows suit, and so on clockwise around the circle. (Couples may perform this part of the rite together, as a two-person unit.)
Bard:Once everyone has refilled their containers, the Bard steps back into the circle.
Smith:Steps forward to take the gold candle from the altar and hand it to the Westerner.
Westerner:Hands the candle to the person standing to the south of her, saying:
As these words of peace are spoken, The circle is open, but unbroken.
Others follow suit, releasing the circle by passing the candle counterclockwise.
Smith:Once the candle returns to the Westerner, the Smith takes the candle and snuffs it, then replaces the candle on the altar, saying:
“The circle is open, but unbroken. Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again.”
At this time he also snuffs the rest of the candles on the altar. Candles burning elsewhere in the room remain lit.
Someone turns on the electric lights in the dining room and kitchen. All head to the kitchen where the potluck feast is laid out on the bar. The Bard says grace. The Smith slices the bread and anything else that needs to be cut, and places the serving utensils in the dishes. The Healer serves the food to everyone else. The feast commences, and all is done.
* * * Tools
Brass candleholder with gold candle Ladle & funnel Nine-point iron candleholder Nine new red candles for candleholder Matches Snuffer Chinese dancing waters bowl Well water
* * *
Note: The water-sharing that forms the central part of this ritual is a version of the water-sharing practiced by the Church of All Worlds.
Ritual for Imbolc 2012
Prior to this ritual, we made a variety of firestarters as our Imbolc craft. The ritual includes a blessing for them, but would also work with candles or other items relating to fire. The framework uses the Three Realms from Celtic tradition, and honors the goddess Brigid. There is also recognition of the full moon since it coincided with our celebration of Imbolc on this occasion. Caller for Land: "I call to the Realm of Land, from which comes the fuel for all fires. Lend your support to our ritual today. Hail and well met!"
All: "Hail and well met!"
Caller for Sea: "I call to the Realm of Sea, from which comes the water that keeps fire in moderation. Lend your control to our ritual today. Hail and well met!"
All: "Hail and well met!"
Caller for Sky: "I call to the Realm of Sky, in which dwells the fire of the sun. Lend your light to our ritual today. Hail and well met!"
All: "Hail and well met!"
Caller for Sky:Lights the gold candle, then hands it to the next person, saying:
Hand to hand, the circle is cast, As the quickening light is passed.
Others follow suit, casting the circle by passing the candle clockwise.
Caller for Land:Delivers statement of intent.
Caller for Sea:Reads the Charge of the Star Goddess in honor of the full moon.
Caller for Sky:Places firestarters in center of circle, then says, "Imbolc honors Brigid, keeper of the sacred flame. We charge these symbols of fire with the energy of this sabbat, that they may light our way through the coming year."
We will kindle fire This is our desire Circle turn and Fire burn and Magic leap the higher!
Caller for Land and Caller for Sea:Present cakes & ale.
Caller for Sky: "I give thanks to the Realm of Sky for lending your light to our ritual today. Hail and farewell!"
All: "Hail and farewell!"
Caller for Sea: "I give thanks to the Realm of Sea for lending your control to our ritual today. Hail and farewell!"
All: "Hail and farewell!"
Caller for Land: "I give thanks to the Realm of Land for lending your support to our ritual today. Hail and farewell!"
All: "Hail and farewell!"
Caller for Sky: Takes the candle and passes it to the next person, saying:
As these words of peace are spoken, The circle is open, but unbroken.
Others follow suit, releasing the circle by passing the candle counterclockwise.
Caller for Sea:Snuffs the candle, then replaces it on the altar, saying: “The circle is open, but unbroken. Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again.”