Imbolc and The Wheel of the Year

Imbolc and The Wheel of the Year

January 24, 2011 at 5:49pm

 Imbolc   It seems quite impossible that the holiday of Candlemas should be considered the beginning of Spring. when in some places  February 2nd may see a blanket of snow mantling the Mother. Or, if the snows have gone, you may be sure the days are filled with drizzle, slush and steel-grey skies -- the dreariest weather of the year. In short, the perfect time for a Pagan Festival of Lights. And as for Spring, although this may seem a tenuous beginning, all the little buds, flowers and leaves will have arrived on schedule before Spring runs its course to Beltane.

'Candlemas' is the Christianized name for the holiday, of course. The older Pagan names were Imbolc and Oimelc. 'Imbolc' means, literally, 'in the belly' (of the Mother). For in the womb of Mother Earth, hidden from our mundane sight but sensed by a keener vision, there are stirrings. The seed that was planted in her womb at the solstice is quickening and the new year grows. 'Oimelc' means 'milk of ewes', for it is also lambing season.

The holiday is also called 'Brigit's Day', in honor of the great Irish Goddess Brigit. At her shrine, the ancient Irish capital of Kildare, a group of 19 priestesses (no men allowed) kept a perpetual flame burning in her honor. She was considered a goddess of fire, patroness of smithcraft, poetry and healing (especially the healing touch of midwifery). This tripartite symbolism was occasionally expressed by saying that Brigit had two sisters, also named Brigit. (Incidentally, another form of the name Brigit is Bride, and it is thus She bestows her special patronage on any woman about to be married or handfasted, the woman being called 'bride' in her honor.)

The Roman Catholic Church could not very easily call the Great Goddess of Ireland a demon, so they canonized her instead. Henceforth, she would be 'Saint' Brigit, Patron Saint of smithcraft, poetry and healing. They 'explained' this by telling the Irish peasants that Brigit was 'really' an early Christian missionary sent to the Emerald Isle, and that the miracles she performed there 'misled' the common people into believing that she was a goddess. For some reason, the Irish swallowed this. (There is no limit to what the Irish imagination can convince itself of. For example, they also came to believe that Brigit was the 'foster-mother' of Jesus, giving no thought to the implausibility of Jesus having spent his boyhood in Ireland!)

Brigit's holiday was chiefly marked by the kindling of sacred fires, since she symbolized the fire of birth and healing, the fire of the forge, and the fire of poetic inspiration. Bonfires were lighted on the beacon tors, and chandlers celebrated their special holiday. The Roman Church was quick to confiscate this symbolism as well, using 'Candlemas' as the day to bless all the church candles that would be used for the coming liturgical year. (Catholics will be reminded that the following day, St. Blaise's Day, is remembered for using the newly blessed candles to bless the throats of parishioners, keeping them from colds, flu, sore throats, etc.)

The Catholic Church, never one to refrain from piling holiday on holiday, also called it the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (It is surprising how many of the old Pagan holidays were converted to Maryan Feasts.) The symbol of the Purification may seem a little obscure to modern readers, but it has to do with the old custom of 'churching women'. It was believed that women were impure for six weeks after giving birth. And since Mary gave birth at the winter solstice, she wouldn't be purified until February 2nd. In Pagan symbolism, this might be re-translated as when the Great Mother once again becomes the Young Maiden Goddess.

Today, this holiday is chiefly connected to weather lore. Even our American folk-calendar keeps the tradition of 'Groundhog's Day', a day to predict the coming weather, telling us that if the Groundhog sees his shadow, there will be 'six more weeks' of bad weather (i.e., until the next old holiday, Lady Day). This custom is ancient. An old British rhyme tells us that 'If Candlemas Day be bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year.' Actually, all of the cross-quarter days can be used as 'inverse' weather predictors, whereas the quarter-days are used as 'direct' weather predictors.

Like the other High Holidays or Great Sabbats of the Witches' year, Candlemas is sometimes celebrated on its alternate date, astrologically determined by the sun's reaching 15-degrees Aquarius, or Candlemas Old Style (in 1988, February 3rd, at 9:03 am CST). Another holiday that gets mixed up in this is Valentine's Day. Ozark folklorist Vance Randolf makes this quite clear by noting that the old-timers used to celebrate Groundhog's Day on February 14th. This same displacement is evident in Eastern Orthodox Christianity as well. Their habit of celebrating the birth of Jesus on January 6th, with a similar post-dated shift in the six-week period that follows it, puts the Feast of the Purification of Mary on February 14th. It is amazing to think that the same confusion and lateral displacement of one of the old folk holidays can be seen from the Russian steppes to the Ozark hills, but such seems to be the case!

Incidentally, there is speculation among linguistic scholars that the very name of 'Valentine' has Pagan origins. It seems that it was customary for French peasants of the Middle Ages to pronounce a 'g' as a 'v'. Consequently, the original term may have been the French 'galantine', which yields the English word 'gallant'. The word originally refers to a dashing young man known for his 'affaires d'amour', a true galaunt. The usual associations of Valantine's Day make much more sense in this light than their vague connection to a legendary 'St. Valentine' can produce. Indeed, the Church has always found it rather difficult to explain this nebulous saint's connection to the secular pleasures of flirtation and courtly love.

For modern Witches, Candlemas O.S. may then be seen as the Pagan version of Valentine's Day, with a de-emphasis of 'hearts and flowers' and an appropriate re-emphasis of Pagan carnal frivolity. This also re-aligns the holiday with the ancient Roman Lupercalia, a fertility festival held at this time, in which the priests of Pan ran through the streets of Rome whacking young women with goatskin thongs to make them fertile. The women seemed to enjoy the attention and often stripped in order to afford better targets.

One of the nicest folk-customs still practiced in many countries, and especially by Witches in the British Isles and parts of the U.S., is to place a lighted candle in each and every window of the house, beginning at sundown on Candlemas Eve (February 1st), allowing them to continue burning until sunrise. Make sure that such candles are well seated against tipping and guarded from nearby curtains, etc. What a cheery sight it is on this cold, bleak and dreary night to see house after house with candle-lit windows! And, of course, if you are your Coven's chandler, or if you just happen to like making candles, Candlemas Day is the day for doing it. Some Covens hold candle-making parties and try to make and bless all the candles they'll be using for the whole year on this day.

Other customs of the holiday include weaving 'Brigit's crosses' from straw or wheat to hang around the house for protection, performing rites of spiritual cleansing and purification, making 'Brigit's beds' to ensure fertility of mind and spirit (and body, if desired), and making Crowns of Light (i.e. of candles) for the High Priestess to wear for the Candlemas Circle, similar to those worn on St. Lucy's Day in Scandinavian countries. All in all, this Pagan Festival of Lights, sacred to the young Maiden Goddess, is one of the most beautiful and poetic of the year.

Imbolc, on February 1st or 2nd, depending on tradition, celebrates the time when livestock has given or soon will give birth. Milk is flowing. Daylight is noticeably longer as light overcomes darkness. It’s a time to heal and discard mental and physical unwanted baggage and to welcome Ostara’s, the first day of spring. Many people in the United States mark February 2nd is Groundhog Day, when the little creature predicts whether or not spring will come early. If it sees its shadow, winter will last for six more weeks.

Imbolc Décor and Ambiance

Gaze at the setting sun. If you can’t see the sunset, tape pictures to walls and windows. Cover the altar with a yellow cloth. Place white, light green, pink, brown, red and/or yellow candles, Imbolc colors, in silver colored holders on it. Adorn the altar with Imbolc symbols: potted or silk crocuses, violets, heather, irises, wisteria and white and yellow flowers, paper snowflakes and/or real snow in a silver bowl, figurines of lambs and robins, seeds, clear quartz, turquoise, garnet, ruby, amethyst, garnet, onyx and bloodstone crystals. Burn myrrh, vanilla, cinnamon or blackberry incense.

Imbolc Celebration

Take a walk before sunset. Look for signs of spring’s arrival, robins, crocuses or, for those who live in the country, lambs. Put lit votive or pillar candles in every room in your home. Place brooms by the front, back and/or side doors to symbolize sweeping out the old and ushering in the new. Gaze into the candles’ flames. Feel renewed strength, creativity and energy that is the promise of the coming spring. Get rid of emotional and physical clutter. Acknowledge the past and the future while visualizing a more positive time. Give thanks for what will happen in the present year.

Plant seeds indoors in anticipation of sunnier days ahead. Tend to them as they grow into seedlings that can be transferred to outdoor gardens. As the plants mature, they symbolize hopes and dreams that will materialize in the future. Just before sunset, turn on all electric lights in your home for several moments to celebrate the days growing longer and the joy that will happen.

Imbolc Feast Recipes

Traditional foods include dairy products, lamb, curries, onions, scallions, garlic, bell peppers, raisins, spiced wine, ale, mead and herbal teas. Greens are featured because they symbolize spring’s imminent arrival.

• Cheese Crusted Onion Soup: Sauté 3 1/4 cups thinly sliced onions in 2 teaspoons salad oil until golden brown. Stir in 1 cup sherry or port and blend well. Add 1 1/2 quarts beef bouillon. Bring to boil and simmer for 1 hour. Put the soup into heat resistant serving bowls. Sprinkle croutons and crumbled bleu cheese over the soup. Top with a thin slice of Swiss cheese. Broil until cheese is golden.
• Filled Peppers: Remove tops and seeds of 4 large bell peppers. Sauté 1 1/2 cups ground lamb, beef or turkey with diced peppers’ tops, 1 minced garlic clove and 1/2 teaspoon curry powder until meat is cooked. Fill peppers with the meat mixture. Pour 1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce over filled peppers. Bake in 325 degree oven for 1/2 hours, adding more tomato sauce if needed.
• Barley Pilaf: Sauté 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms and 3 scallions in 1 teaspoon salad oil until browned. Add 1 cup pearl barley and 3 cups chicken bouillon. Boil. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until barley is tender and bouillon is absorbed.
• Green Salad with Creamy Dressing: Toss 4 cups mixed salad greens, 2 sliced hard boiled eggs and 1/2 sliced green pimento stuffed olives together. Dressing: Blend together 1 cup salad dressing, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup chili sauce, 1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 2 tablespoons half and half cream. Chill overnight.
• Raisin Pudding: Beat together 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix, one pinch each ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, 2 cups cold milk and 1/3 cups raisins for 2 minutes. Chill overnight.

Imbolc Afterglow

Relax, reflect on the day’s activities after enjoying the feast. Discuss plans for Ostara, the first day of spring. Seeds, both physical and mental, have been planted to symbolize hopes and dreams that will happen in the future.

Talk about whether or not the groundhog saw its shadow. This tradition has Pagan roots. Imbolc was also the Festival of the Goddess Brigit, whose snake emerged from hibernation to predict the weather. The Palatinate people of Germany and Switzerland replaced the snake with hedgehogs, another hibernating animal. If the hedgehog saw his shadow, he retreated to return to hibernation which meant there would be six more weeks of winter.

The Pennsylvania Dutch from the Palatinate region brought this tradition to America. The hedgehog isn’t native to America, so it was replaced by the hibernating groundhog also called woodchuck. Residents of Punxsutawney Pennsylvania have celebrated the day’s tradition since the 1800s. Phil, its resident groundhog, is probably the most famous of the prognosticators. He emerges from his burrow amid a crowd of celebrants who wonder whether or not he’ll see his shadow.

Bask in the afterglow of Imbolc celebration and feast.

In Light

Raven M.s.D.

  

The Vernal Equinox and Its Lore

Ostara eggs are common during the Spring Equinox.

Ostara, also called the Vernal or Spring Equinox, is a powerful Sabbat that honors the God in his aspect of Lover. He will soon join with the Goddess.

The Vernal Equinox, also called the Spring Equinox, Ostara, Eostre, and Eostar, is celebrated around March 21st. Its exact date can be found on many calendars, often marked as the ‘first day of spring.’ It is one of the two days of the year when light and dark are equal, and so it is a time of balance.

The Themes and Practices of the Spring Equinox

This festival takes its most common  name, Ostara, from the Saxon goddess Eostre. She is the goddess of desire and of love, both the morning and the evening star. She searches for her lost lover, ready to do battle to secure his return.

Many set aside some time at dawn on this day. This time is usually reserved for the contemplation of the return of spring and all that this means for the world. Fertility of animals, crops, and humans is celebrated. The balance of darkness and light, and so female and male, is acknowledged. It is also a time when the mother-daughter bond is at its height, as illustrated by the myth of Persephone and her mother Demeter.

The Christian holy day of Easter is based upon the festival of Ostara, and is observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the Vernal Equinox.

As a part of the Wheel of the Year, the Spring Equinox is the time when the God begins to leave His childhood behind as He moves toward adulthood. At the same time, the Goddess senses that Her lover draws near, and begins to seek Him out.

Some symbols associated with Ostara include:

• Colored eggs;
• Baskets;
• Rabbits and hares; and
• Brightly colored ribbons.

The Feast of Ostara

Traditional foods at this time include meats such as hare or rabbit, and possibly ham or fish. Seasonal vegetables can also be served, including sprouts, shoots, and a variety of early spring greens. Eggs and cheese are also common.

Some feasting suggestions for this holiday include:

• Hot crossed buns;
• Chili eggs;
• Tender baked white fish;
• Spring sprout salad;
• Baked sandwiches;
• Pasta with goat cheese;
• Omelets;
• Gammon ham; and
• Eggs and artichoke pie.

Beverages For the Vernal Equinox

There are several beverages suitable to Ostara. Red wine, symbolizing blood, is very common. Milk, eggnog, or Honey Mead are also appropriate. Mint wines also make a lovely addition to an Ostara feast.

Celebrating Ostara

There are many ways to celebrate the Spring Equinox. Since Ostara is, in many ways, an ancient version of Easter, you can use many of the same traditions, perhaps modified only slightly. Consider holding an ‘Egg Hunt.’ Dye some eggs red to symbolize fertility and resurrection and hide them well, indoors or out. Have your family and friends hunt for these, anointing a winner at the end. The winner is the Spring Queen/King for the day.

Children usually love crafts. Have them create ‘Wheel Charms’ to represent balance. You can also choose to celebrate this Sabbat with an Ostara Ritual. Magick would typically not be worked during this ritual, as Sabbats are celebratory in nature.

Dressing for the Vernal Equinox

Fancy dress can be a wonderful way to experience the magick of Ostara. You may wish to wear ritual robes, or you might prefer something simpler. Either way, try to wear something special, perhaps in the traditional Ostara colors of silver, green, or lavender.

The Vernal Equinox is a time of celebration and balance for the world. It is a time of merriment and a chance to welcome warmth back to the Earth.

Ostara The Fertility Goddess

by Raven Dolick on Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 5:20pm

Pagan Ostara Celebration

Ostara is a time of awakening. Celebrated at the spring, or vernal, equinox, it signals the beginning of the rule of the sun. Light takes over from dark.

Ostara is a time of awakening. The Goddess begins to stir in February at Imbolc, and by Ostara, the awakening is complete. It is finally spring, and everything and everyone is coming out of hibernation and experiencing a rebirth with the coming of the sun. Even in northern climates the chill is receding. While it is not possible to go barefoot yet in circle, it is probable that you can leave the Arctic boots at home and perhaps even the winter coat. It is the perfect time to work some sympathetic magick to receive the Goddesses many blessings.

Ostara Celebrated During Lent on the Vernal Equinox

Ostara is celebrated during the Christian Lent, which leads up to Easter. Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring. Ostara is celebrated on either March 21 or March 22, depending on the position of the sun. On that day, day and night are equal. On the following day, night begins to recede, growing shorter until, at the summer solstice, day reaches its peak.

For early pagans, it was not only a time to look at what the sun was doing, but also a time to look at the moon, to gauge the ideal time for planting. Looking at the equinoxes and at how the sun moves across the sky, you can draw a lot from that and you can apply it. Yes, it’s an equal balance of day and night. [The sun is] on the upsurge, so we’re going towards the high point. You can see how the season flows from the sun perspective and from an earth perspective, too. It’s within that time frame that farmers are looking to plant. Depending on how they farm, they may be looking at the moon cycles. There is a way of looking at the seasonal cycles for planting.

Ostara Celebration Based on Moon Goddess with a Hare Totem

Planting at this time links to the idea of fertility, birth, rebirth and growth. Ostara, also known as Eostre, is a fertility goddess, and her totem animal is the hare, a symbol of fertility. Ostara and Easter share some common symbols, which originated with the pagan Goddess Ostara. Ostara/Eostre is also associated with eggs, which symbolize birth and life potential. As a moon goddess associated with fertility, Ostara is also connected to reproduction cycles.

At Ostara we have to make sure that the goddess has awakened: If you personify Ostara or Eostre as such, it is the earth mother waking up again to the horned god who is now a youth prancing around, looking to sew his wild oats. What happens at Ostara is that you want to make sure that she has awakened. So you want to make a little noise and stomp on the ground with the expectation of Beltane coming, where the lady then finds her mate and they go a maying.

Using Sympathetic Magick for Manifesting in the Coming Season

Sympathetic magick is based on the principle of correspondence, where a sympathetic connection allows one object to stand in for, or represent, another. Reiki healers make use of this principle when doing distance healings using a teddy bear or photograph to represent the client receiving the Reiki energy.

During one Ostara ritualI hosted, eggs were used in sympathetic magick to aid in manifesting what participants would like to reap from the coming season. Each person receives a dyed, hard-boiled egg and a marker with which to draw symbols on the egg. When the ritual is completed, people take home their eggs and either consume them or bury them.

Ostara is a beautiful time, full of promise and renewal. As the days pass, they lengthen and become warmer, allowing plants to spring up from the earth and trees to bud. You can take advantage of this time to work some sympathetic magick to boost your abundance, whether that abundance comes in the form of wealth or ideas. The joy and celebration peak at Beltane, the next ritual after Ostara, and one of the two most important Sabbats (Samhain is the other).

Imbolc is one of the Greater Sabbats and is celebrated on February 2. The Goddess begins to awaken, even though winter still holds sway in the north. Celebrating Imbolc can help to chase away the chill and grey associated with Winter. But in the Wheel of the Year it becomes an exciting time to wake up the Goddess of Spring.

Copyright RavenStar Enchantments. All rights reserved.

Raven Dolick M.s.D.

The Sabbat of Ostara — Decorating Eostre's Eggs

by Raven Dolick on Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 1:56pm

Decorating eggs is a common craft in the spring.

Easter eggs, originally called Eostre's eggs, are common crafts in the spring. Though there are kits available for this art, some may choose natural dyes.

The decorating of eggs to celebrate the coming of spring is a tradition that stretches back to the legend of Eostre’s Bunnies. Often called Easter eggs, these fun crafts are an excellent way to celebrate the Spring Equinox. Commercial kits are available for this art, but natural dyes can also be used and a more personal expression for me.

Egg-Decorating Kits and Their Value

Around the time of Ostara, you can go into almost any store and purchase a kit to dye your Ostara eggs. These kits include dyes and stickers and many little things to make your egg decorating experience complete. The colors are bright and resilient, and most kits are fairly inexpensive and easy to use, and come with specific directions. These artificial dyes, however, are not always very good for the environment.

Natural Dyes for Decorating Eggs

Many Pagans prefer natural dyes for decorating their Ostara eggs. These dyes are better for the environment and allow you to decorate eggs the way our ancestors did. In addition, plant material can be used to imbue individual eggs with specific magickal tasks.

Of course, there are downsides to natural dyes. It is almost impossible to produce colors as rich and dark as commercial dyes, and the finish tends to be fragile. In the case of most natural dyes, it is quite easy to scratch or rub the color off the eggs. Natural dyes also take more preparation, and drying times will also be increased.

Preparing and Using Natural Dyes for Decorating Ostara Eggs

Before you begin dying eggs, you’ll have to choose your plant material. I have personally used the following materials to produce these colors:

• Carrots — yellow;
• Daffodils — yellow-green;
• Dandelions — orange;
• Heather — pink;
• Bracken — green;
• Red cabbage — blue, like a robin’s egg;
• Blueberries — blue; and
• Beets — blue-violet.

There are other options, of course. I have used grapes that  produce decent colors, and raspberries will also make an excellent dye. Think about what plants stain your fingers when you touch them. These plants usually make good dyes. Experiment and see what works. However, make sure you’re using only non-toxic plants. You don’t want to make yourself or your family ill.

When you’ve gathered you plant material (you will need a generous amount), add it to 3-5 cups of boiling water. Reduce heat slightly (to a low boil) and wait until the water takes on a very deep version of the shade you want. Stir occasionally. You may need to add more plant material to achieve the desired shade.

When ready, strain out the plant material and bring the water to a light simmer. Add a pinch of salt, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of cream of tartar. These will help to set the dyes. Mix well and remove from heat, allowing the mixture to cool.

Place your hard-boiled or hollowed eggs into the dye until they reach the desired shade. This may take some time, so be patient. Once removed from the dye, the eggs will have to completely dry before you handle them. Remember that natural dyes might rub off on your hands, so keep handling to a minimum.

Dying your own eggs is simple, whether you use a commercial dye kit or natural dyes. Experiment, have fun, and enjoy Ostara, Easter, the Spring Equinox, or any other spring holiday you choose to celebrate.

Copyright RavenStar Enchantments - All rights reserved

Raven Dolick M.s.D.

A Chillicothie Roma Caxcarone for Spring Equinox

by Raven Dolick on Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 6:51pm

Copyright RavenStar Enchantments - All rights reserved

A Caxcarone is an old roma tradition where we would take the yolk from an egg shell and fill it with gifts and magick. Here is my Families way to make one for Spring Equinox.

Love Spell for Ostara

A cascarone is a hollowed-out egg filled with certain things such as herbs, rice, or other grains. Make one by poking two small holes in either end and gently blow into one end. The yolk and white of the egg should slowly emerge from the other end. Wash out the shell and let dry before proceeding.

Fill the egg with an herb associated with attracting romantic love. Some of these include:

•Yarrow;

•Apple blossom;

•Lavender;

•Rose petals;

•Daisies;

•Willow;

•Rosemary; and

•Lemon verbena.

Herbs connected to desire may increase the effectiveness of the spell. Consider adding:

•Dill;

•Cinnamon;

•Clove; and

•Damiana.

You may use any combination you like, but do not fill the shell more than three-quarters full. Begin decorating your egg using dyes, paints, jewels, stickers, or anything else you desire. Focus on your intent as you decorate your egg.

Make sure you seal the ends of the egg with wax or tape and save it until Ostara. Traditionally, you would break the egg over the head of your love, but this may not be appreciated! As an alternative, visualize the face of your love clearly, holding the image in your mind. Break the egg into a flowing river, visualizing the contents finding their way to your beloved. My familia would do this for parted husbands and loved ones away or at war.

There are many other spells that might involve eggs. Eggs can also be used for divination or simply for decoration. The possibilities for using eggs to celebrate the Vernal Equinox are limited only by your own creativity.

Have fun

Raven

Other copyright’s by Dr Raven Dolick MsD/Chovihano:

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