Imbolc
- Festival of Lights
A Few Facts About Brigid
Bridget's Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bit9ViI3neI
Song to Brighid
I Am the Goddess
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8Mz0UteSmA
Imbolc
on the Celtic calendar is usually celebrated on February
2. "Imbolc" comes from the Gaelic
"oimelc," which means “milk.” Some animals
begin to lactate about this time of year, hence the
name. The sun has begun its gradual ascent from the
shortest day of the year, when she is at her lowest
point in the sky. The days now slowly continue to grow
longer, and by the time of Imbolc we are half way
between the Winter Solstice or Yule and the Spring
Equinox or Ostara.
Many
of our ancestors lived in more northerly areas than we
do now and they often endured longer, harsher winters
than the relatively milder ones we may have now. To see
just what I mean, next time you are around a globe, find
where your location is, (for most of our readers, this
is in North America) and follow the latitude to the
eastern hemisphere. Compare the latitude where your
ancestors came from to where you are now. If you’ve
never noticed before, see how much farther north most of
Europe is compared to the latitudes of much of the
United States.
Also,
a greater proportion of our ancestors were involved in
agriculture in some degree, or in other industries
directly or indirectly related to raising, gathering,
harvesting or making food, clothing, tools or other
items of necessity. Regardless of how they survived,
none of them had many of the amenities or conveniences
we often take for granted. They were directly subject to
the forces of nature far more than many of us are now.
Because of this our ancestors were compelled to be more
attuned to the cycles of nature, as those cycles
affected their crops, food gathering, and very
survival. As Imbolc approached they keenly learned to
observe the gradual changing of the seasons and the slow
advance towards spring. They gauged their food supplies,
rationing for the rest of the season until new crops in
field and woods could be and harvested. The birthing of
animal stock brought welcomed milk and cheese to the
hungry winter households, which are still symbols of
this holiday.
Today,
many have become oblivious to all but the most dramatic
changes in weather, mainly because the food supply at
the grocery store is not defined by local weather or
seasons. But we Pagans still carry on the tradition,
looking to the subtle changes of nature around us,
noting the Sun is growing a deeper gold and the Sunrays
slant larger and brighter into our rooms. Even during
more frigid winters, if one tunes into Mother Earth, one
can detect the slow but steady advance in the season.
For example, the past few years here in Central Ohio,
towards the end of January there has been a brief warm
up or thaw before another round of harsh, cold weather.
Each year, including this one, I haven't been alone in
noticing how there were a few small flocks of birds
migrating--in a northerly direction. I hadn't expected
to see any this soon in the season, with at least one
more round of more severe winter weather on the way.
Another example, last year in a local news broadcast,
Ohio fruit farmers talked about how some fruit crops may
have already been ruined by the freezing of some early
blossoms during the latter half of the winter. And our
winter last year was colder and longer than many we have
recently had. Despite near record frigid weather there
were still some early blossoms trying to come out. No
matter what part of the country you may be in, during
this period of the year, if you but tune to Mother
Nature, you will find signs, subtle and faint, but
manifesting Spring coming nonetheless. Our ancestors, in
celebrating this holiday, were likely even more alert to
such subtle changes, observing them in wonder and awe
similar to what we feel today. They raised their prayers
to our ancestral divine powers for these important time
signs and thanked the Gods and Goddesses for reminders
of another blessed Spring just over those snowy hills!
For
those following the Celtic Pagan or Druid tradition,
Imbolc is dedicated to the Goddess Brighid. Goddess of
the hearth and of healing, a patroness of crafts and of
poetry, Brighid was so beloved that the xtians, when
they imposed their alien creed upon the Celtic peoples
of the British Isles, were unable to eliminate reverence
for her. They could not turn people against her with
defamatory demonizing as they had done with other
Deities, nor could they exile her into virtual oblivion
by deceiving people into believing that she didn't
exist. So, they tried to co-opt this beloved Goddess by
turning her into a Catholic saint, and by attempting to
convert the Brighid's Cross emblem associated with and
sacred to her and with this holiday, into a purported
christian logo.
On
the Norse calendar this holiday is known as Charming of
the Plow. It gets its name from the custom of preparing
tools for the coming planting season by mending what
needed to be, and by blessing (or “charming”) tools and
implements to hopefully ensure more success during the
coming year. The Goddess Nerthus is honored at this
time. A Goddess of the Vanir race of Deities, Nerthus is
revered as a primal Mother Earth Goddess. Before
spring's rebirth is the gestation and initial stirring
of life during the month in which Charming of the Plow
and Imbolc are celebrated.
While
some celebrate Charming of the Plow the same day as
Imbolc (which makes more sense because of its half way
point between Yule and Ostara), others do so on February
14 (Horning 14 on the Norse calendar), along with a
feast and blot (ritual) honoring Thor. Thor with his
mighty Mjollnir is revered as the champion of Asgard and
Midgard against the continual threats of the frost
giants or Jotuns and the powers of chaos, darkness and
destruction they represent. In the Norse-Germanic
cosmology symbolized by Yggdrasil, Asgard is the realm
of the Aesir Gods and Goddesses, while Midgard is the
realm or world of us humans. "Midgard"
translates from Old Norse into English as "Middle
Earth," and it is from Norse-Germanic lore that
Tolkien got this term which readers and fans of his
epic Lord of the Rings may recognize as meaning
the forerunner of what is our own world. An advancing
frozen tundra which a winter landscape can appear to be
can be seen to symbolize the advance of Jotun frost
giants, encroaching upon and appearing to threaten to
destroy our world. A retreating winter season can be
seen as representing Thor driving back these forces of
chaos, destruction and death. February 14 is also a date
on which a feast in honor of the Norse God Vali may be
held. Many people today may recognize this date more as
Valentine's Day.
Gandalf
Even though we may not kindle an
actual flame these days, we can still turn to the
healing goddess first thing in the morning and ask
her to accompany us throughout the day. I remember
this while I enter the kitchen, heat up the teapot,
and keep this prayer in the kitchen to recite as my
recipe for the day:
"KINDLING THE
FIRE"
This morning, as I kindle the
flame upon my hearth, I pray that the
flame
of Brighid may burn in my soul, and the souls of all
I meet today.
I pray that no envy and malice,
no hatred or fear, may smother the flame.
I pray that apathy and contempt,
greed and arrogance may not pour like cold water on
the flame.
May the Fire of Brighid spark
the love in my soul, that it may burn brightly
through the day.
May I warm those that are
lonely, whose hearts are cold and lifeless, so that
all may know the healing comfort of Brighid's love.
May my own Flame burn brightly,
my hands work my goddess crafts, and my words be her
poetry to all who listen today.
Each day it is important to me -
to light a candle at some point as a tribute to the
goddess, my faith, and to renew the ancient flame of
the Goddess in my life, to say her name
aloud. How many centuries was this simple
freedom not even possible? Will the threat of
violent faiths once again attempt to snuff the
goddess flame from us? It is ever so much more important
to rekindle daily
our beautiful love and faith in the ancient
powers! In the quiet of the evening I love to light
a candle to blessed Brighid, and recite this prayer
to her:
Lighting Brighid’s Fire
As it has been, so it shall be
Your sacred flame is tended by me
And we who are Keepers of the Flame
Shall evermore honour your name.
Burn Brighid’s Fire, burn so bright!
Goddess grant your vision unto me;
Guide my wandering faith tonight
With your sacred flame!
Rowana, ban Drui
Walk in Wonder, Think in Wisdom,
Live in Truth, Believe in Magick!
Opening Invocation For Imbolc Rite:
At this time of year, we are feeling the very first
stirrings of spring, the sun’s rays reach farther
into our homes. This is the time of Imbolc, the
Feast of Light, the Feast of Brighid, and many other
names by peoples who follow the turnings of the
seasons of Mother Earth.
by Rowana the Druid
From
an Imbolc ritual led by Rowana which I assisted, inspired
by the Carmina Gadelica, from which Rowana adopted and
composed this invocation:
Blessing of
the Goddess
:
Brighid, Every day and every night
That I say a
prayer to Brighid,
I shall not be
killed, I shall not be harried,
I shall not be
put in cell, I shall not be wounded,
Neither shall
the Goddess leave me in forgetfulness.
No fire, no
sun, no moon shall burn me,
No lake, no
water, nor sea shall drown me,
No arrow nor
dart of fay shall wound me,
And I under the
protection of Brighid,
And the Powers
of my
ancestors.
Charming of the Plow invocation for
Nerthus, Norse Germanic Goddess of this holiday:
Nerthus, Nerthus, Nerthus, Earth Mother!
May the High Gods Freyr and Njord
Grant you fields to increase and flourish,
Fields fruitful and healthy,
Shining harvests and shafts of millet,
Broad harvests of barley.
Hail to you, Earth Mother of our people!
Bring forth Nature's golden bounty
Filled with life preserving goodness,
The sustenance of your people.
From an Imbolc ritual led by
Rowana which I assisted:
In Ages long ago,
We walked with the
High Ones.
We worshipped by Oak
and Ash,
By Grove and Well,
On hill and glade,
On ship deck, and
the shores of new lands.
We knew the secrets
of life and the Universe,
That stirred our
blood and reached the skies,
Whispered to us by
the High Ones who gave us life.
Close were we to the
magic of nature
And we walked with
magic in all our ways.
Now as kindred of
like paths, we are meet again!
Now we stand in a
time that is our time
And our hearts reach
through all time
To Renew our faith
in the olde ways
And the olde powers
of our hearts.
We call to the
Powers of Healing
At this time of cold
and freezing.
We call to the
Powers of Poetry and Telling
While we live close
to one another -
Reach out to each
other with our words
And retell the Olde
lessons of our People.
We call to the Power
of Fires and Smith Crafting -
That FORCE which
first spoke to our ancestors,
Teaching them to
fashion survival from the bones of Mother Earth
Leading us to fashion all
forms of tools and beauty
As our hands wait
for Spring’s return…
And we ride the
Wheel of Life as it turns.
We gather to be
revitalized by each other.
We gather to honor
the powers we believe in.
We gather to honor
Brighid, the Great Goddess
Of healing, of the
hearth’s fire, of poetry and crafting
And we honor and
respect other powers
That sing in the
hearts of those Who meet here.
High Ones! Hear
us! Be With us!
Rekindle and Empower
the ancient spark of magic within us!
From blot or ritual for Thor and
Vali, celebrated either during or around the time of
Charming of the Plow, by some more on Feb 14 (Horning 14):
The sun will not tarry, now changes the light,
Nor colors that marry the Day to the Night.
Cold wither is waning as each year before,
Relinquishing strength to the High God Thor.
For today has no brother in yesterday's tide,
And tomorrow no other alike it does hide.
This day is a token of oath and behest
That never shall be broken through ill days and blessed.
Here we pay honor to Vali and Thor
As the ancients before us in old days of yore.
On Sun, you now rise and wax!
From winter you soon will be free!
Amidst all that you gain how gainful are we.
O witness of darkness wide over the earth,
Rise up on the morrow to look at our mirth!
Dark are the days of winter each year,
and good is all growing save thraldom and fear.
The world will not wither and die
While yet the Sun hovers aloft in the sky.
As Thor drives back the cold winter chill,
The seasons keep turning,
Keep turning they will.
Epiphany
I gave myself to Odin,
And I found a
deeper meaning to life.
I gave myself to Thor,
And I discovered a
strength unknown to me.
I gave myself to Freyja,
And knew true love
for the first time.
I gave myself to Balder,
And realized there
was goodness within me.
I gave myself to Frigga,
And I felt the
comforting arms of a mother.
I gave myself to Idunn,
And I rediscovered
my youthfulness.
I gave myself to Tyr,
And I was no longer
afraid to fight.
I gave myself to Njord,
and became aware I
had wealth enough.
I gave myself to
the Gods of Old,
And I found my true self !
- Glenn Bergen, Copyright, 2013
