What is Imbolc?
Imbolc Celebration
Imbolc is a Celtic fire festival celebrated annually on February 2nd, and is one of the pagan sabbats on the wheel of the year. But just what is Imbolc exactly? Here you will learn all about the origins of Imbolc, as well as Imbolc rituals, traditions, recipes and more.
Celebrating the Celtic goddess Brighid and the forthcoming spring, Imbolc is the original Candlemas. Learn about this beautiful festival and how you can integrate it into your own life to help you live closer to Mother Earth and her turning wheel of seasons.
Photo Credit: Snowdrops via Wikimedia Commons
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.All content copyright of the author. First published January 2013.
What is Imbolc, and when is it Celebrated?
The Origins of Imbolc
In the northern hemisphere, Imbolc is generally celebrated on 2nd February. However, this can vary. Some celebrate Imbolc on February 1st, others on the 2nd, while author Cassandra Eason states in her book, The Modern-Day Druidess, that "Imbolc is celebrated from sunset on 31st January to sunset on 2nd February."
Others shy away from the Gregorian calendar altogether, choosing to celebrate when the first signs of spring appear, such as the first snowdrops peeping through in the United Kingdom. In the southern hemisphere, Imbolc falls on July 31st.
Photo Credit: Ewe and Lamb in Scotland. Copyright of the author
Imbolc is primarily a pagan festival, celebrating both the goddess Brighid and the promise of forthcoming spring. It holds transformative power, with traditional rituals including cleaning the house, making changes and dedicating oneself to new magical goals for the coming year. This is where the concept of 'spring cleaning' came from!
Imbolc, pronounced "Imm-aulk", literally translates as "in the belly of the mother", while its Celtic name, Oimelc, means "ewe's milk". It marks the first signs of spring, when the ewes would start lactating for their newborn young. This was a significant event in past times, as it meant dairy products returning to the diet of village folk.
Photo Credit: Lamb licensed from JupiterImages Corporation.
The new agricultural season begins, and the Crone of winter starts to give way to the Maiden of spring. However, there are still several weeks of winter to go, so many Imbolc rituals often focus on keeping that promise of spring alive in our thoughts, so as to keep spirits high.
The celebration is known as the festival of Brighid, as it honours this Celtic goddess.
Imbolc Celebration - Beautiful Video Explaining and Depicting the Meaning of Imbolc
Imbolc, Festival of Brighid
Photo Credit: Brighid's Healing: Ireland's Celtic Medicine Traditions
Imbolc is also known as Brighid's Day. Brighid, pronounced "Bree-ed", is a Celtic goddess, often considered a Triple goddess. This is because of her three aspects as goddess of healing, goddess of smithcraft, and goddess of inspiration and divination, rather than the usual Maiden, Mother and Crone aspects. She is a fire goddess associated with both sun and moon, and her sacred flame was tended at her healing well in Kildare, Ireland by nineteen priestesses, until this became a Christianised shrine to St. Brigid, later tended by nuns. Brighid is thought to be one of the Tuatha De Danann, and is half-sister to the god Aengus.
There are many myths and legends surrounding Brighid, and you can read about some of them in the article Who is Brighid?, such as the tale of her hanging her cloak on the sun's rays, her connection with Archangel Michael, and her associations both as Celtic sun goddess, and later, patron saint of Ireland.
There is also much to be learned from the animals, birds and trees associated with Brighid, such as the symbolism of her four sacred animals - the bird of prey, the cow, and snake and the wolf. The article link discusses these and numerous other animals, birds and trees that are connected to Brighid, and their meaning.
Learn More about the Goddess Brighid
Imbolc - The Origins of Candlemas - How a Celtic Goddess became a Saint
Photo Credit: Saint Brigid licensed from Fotolia
When the church Christianised the pagan festivals and deities, Brighid was merged with the real Christian figure of Saint Brigid, and her festival became Candlemas.
Saint Brigid lived from the mid 5th century until 525AD. Various legends tell of her being the daughter of a druid, and midwife to the Virgin Mary.
As with Brighid, she is associated with healing wells, and when Pope Gregory declared monasteries to be built upon pagan sites, Brighid's sacred place at Kildare was turned into a community of nuns, who guarded the sacred flame for centuries, never letting it burn out.
Many offerings are placed at the shrine of St Brigid's Well, and it is unsurprising to find she is also known as "Mary of the Gael", as statues such as this one below are very reminiscent of Mother Mary.
Photo Credit: Statue of Saint Brigid taken at St Brigid's Holy Well
Candlemas was introduced to the eastern Church in 542AD, and is celebrated on February 2nd. It commemorates the purification of Mary in the Temple of Jerusalem, exactly 40 days after the birth of Jesus. In Biblical times, Jewish women were only permitted to return to the Temple 40 days after giving birth to a boy, and 80 days after giving birth to a girl, where they would then be purified of sin, and the child presented to the congregation.
The Church procession that takes place today at Candlemas is representative of Christ's entry into the temple. Priests bless all the candles that will be used during the coming year, and some are handed out to the congregation. Many people also bring their own candles to be blessed. Some of these candles are then lit and carried in a procession. It is also tradition to light candles in house windows on this day.
Imbolc is also associated with weather lore, and it is interesting to note this traditional rhyme of Candlemas, which continues to borrow from its pagan origins by offering a prophecy on the weather conditions of the remaining winter.
If Candlemas be fair and bright
Winter has another flight
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain
Winter will not come again
So in other words, a fair-weather Candlemas is bad news for the rest of winter!
Songs for Brighid, Sacred Goddess of Imbolc - Beautiful Video Showcase of the Goddess Brighid
Imbolc Traditions
Because of the association with Brighid and women, Imbolc would often see the women of the house taking part in rituals or meditations, while the men of the house had to sleep elsewhere for the night.
On the eve of February 1st, folk put out a piece of cloth, material or ribbon for Brighid to bless, for it is says that she walks amongst the towns and villages on this night. If the cloth is marked in the morning, it means she has blessed the household.
A traditional Imbolc custom is to light white candles and invoke Brighid for her healing and wisdom. Another is to make a Brighid's cross (below).
Photo Credit: White candle for Imbolc - copyright of the author
Photo Credit: St Brigid's Cross via Wikimedia Commons
Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
HOW TO MAKE A BRIGID'S CROSS
You can buy Brighid's or Brigid's crosses but is is customary to make your own, both for Imbolc and Candlemas. You will need straw or reeds, or construction paper if you cannot get your hands on natural materials. This step by step tutorial on how to make a Brighid's Cross uses easy-to-follow diagrams and also suggests the child-friendly version of using pipe cleaners if you are crafting with small children!
MORE IMBOLC RITUALS, CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
Other traditions associated with Imbolc include the initiation of new witches or druids into their Craft. Many would choose Brighid as their goddess guide.
Cleaning the home physically, and spiritually in the form of house blessings, are commonplace events. Use the power of Imbolc to clean and bless your home, dedicate yourself to new goals, and sweep out the old energy you wish to be rid of!
As with all pagan festivals, cooking seasonal foods associated with the particular celebration is commonplace. Traditional Imbolc foods include bread, milk, apples, garden produce that has been stored over winter, and oats.
For more information on celebrating Imbolc, the article Imbolc: Festival of Brighid talks about Imbolc rituals, recipes, attending fire festivals, traditional house blessings and spring cleaning, and much more.