2/1/2007 - Imbolc Rituals

Here are some ways one might choose to celebreate Imbolc, or if you wish to do something but do not know what to do, perhaps the below will help give you some ideas and guidence, but by all means a person might choose to celebrate the ceremony in whichever way feels right to them.

Ritual 1

Tools:

Preparation:
Sweep area, moving in deosil direction. Outline your circle with white cord Angelica leaves. Place Pentacle Candle Wheel in the center of altar. Place the lt. green taper Goddess candle to the top left of altar and the lt. yellow taper God candle to the top right of altar. Put the white flowers in the basket as bedding for the Bride's Bed, then place the Brideo'ga atop the flowers. Place the basket in front of the Goddess candle, to the left of the Pentacle Candle Wheel. Place the acorns in front of the God candle, to the right of the Pentacle Wheel. Place the tea lite in the bottom of potpourri holder, and put holder at front center of the alter. Place white pillar candle in the middle of the cauldron, fill cauldron about 1"-2" with snow or crushed ice, and position on floor in front of altar. Put the container with potpourri where it can be reached easily. Place the rest of your tools and props according to personal preference. Bathe or shower for purification. Ground and center. When ready, put on some soothing music associated with this Sabbat and your ritual.

Cast circle by holding out your right hand and tracing over the cord or leaves in a clockwise direction. As you trace over the outline envision flames of pure white rising up along the perimeter. When the beginning and the end join the circle is complete. Step up to the cauldron and light the white pillar candle, saying:

Call Quarters. As this is a time to honor Mother Earth as she wakes from her winter's recovery of giving rebirth to the Sun King at Yule, start with North, the element Earth. Pick up the container of potpourri, step up to the altar and pour some into the holder, saying:

Put the container back where it was. Light the white candle at the North point of the Pentacle Candle Wheel. Continue, by waving your hand over the potpourri as if to create a breeze on which to carry the scent, saying:

Light the white candle at the East point of the Pentacle Candle Wheel. Light the tea candle in the bottom of the potpourri holder, saying:

Light the white candle at the South point of the Pentacle Candle Wheel. Pour some water into the holder with the potpourri, saying:

Light the white candle at the West point of the Pentacle Candle Wheel. Remove the white candle from the top point of the Pentacle. Since Akasha is the omnipresent, it need not be invoked. Light the candle and invoke the Goddess and the God by lighting the lt. green Goddess candle and the lt. yellow God candle with the white candle. Place the white candle back in the top point of the Pentacle Candle Wheel, saying:

Light the inner cross points of the Pentacle Candle Wheel, starting with the cross point to the right of the North point. Light all 5 cross points in succession, saying:

Take a couple of the acorns from in front of the God candle and place them in the Bride's Bed with the Brideo'ga. Light the three aspects of the Goddess candles. All aspects are white because She is the Triple Goddess appearing as the Maiden, pure, and renewed. Step back from the altar and contemplate the light that is brought about by the re-union of the God and the Goddess saying:

Now is the time for meditation and any spellworkings. Spellworkings associated with Imbolc include those for fertility, defining and focusing on goals for the future, organization, health, and protection. Next, celebrate with Cakes and Ale (Poppyseed Cakes* and Spiced Tea*) Ceremony, saving some for the wee Folkes, outside. Thank the God and Goddess for Their presence snuff their candles. Thank and release the Quarters, saying:

Snuff each of the white candles at the directional points of the Pentacle Candle Wheel, starting with the candle at the top point first, then the West point and working in a widdershins direction. Snuff the inner cross point candles also in a widdershins direction. Finally snuff the three aspects of the Goddess candles. Step back from the altar and face the cauldron with the white pillar candle still burning brightly saying:

Release the circle. Clean up, place the cauldron from the floor onto the middle of the alter. Let the candle burn out by itself. Place the potpourri in a spot where its scent and blessings fill the house. You are done.

Ritual 2

Imbolc is traditionally a time for purification, which has given rise to spring-cleaning! Brush those cobwebs away and start afresh.

As this is a time of rebirth and new beginnings it's also an appropriate time for thinking about what you'd like to accomplish, for making attainment goals, choosing a new skill to learn.

Make an offering of milk to the earth as a token of fertility, just pour the milk on to the ground.

Bring the Light in to your home! Lighting candles in every window is traditional, as is leaving them to burn down. Obviously this isn't always practical, or safe, so I tend to only do this in the room I'm spending time in.

Make a Brigid's Cross a in her honour, and as a symbol of protection for the coming year. You can use grasses, reeds, straws or rushes, whichever you have available. If the stalks won't bend easily then pre-soak them for a short while in water, it will make them more flexible. Full details are shown here:

It could be fun to make the candles that you light in your windows after dark. You should be able to buy kits or basics for candle-making at a local craft shop, and probably many places online.

In keeping with the early stirring of Spring aspect of the festival, plant a seed in a pot. The pot can be decorated by hand, with whatever symbols you find appropriate. Suggestions would be the Sun, lit candles, or Brigid's Cross.

Ritual 3

An evening feast is in order, since Imbolc represents a return to liveliness and all the bounties of Nature.  Americans might best grasp the concept of Imbolc by thinking of it as a Thanksgiving celebration for what is about to happen.  Celebrants can be happy feasting, knowing that winter is passing and that food will once again be growing and plentiful.  The feast begins with a short prayer, or toast:

Blessed be the earth, and all who dwell upon it.
We give thanks for the season now departing from us,
For the blessings it has bestowed upon us,
And upon those with whom we share this world.

 Blessed be the new season.
We pray that it will be a time filled with peace,
With abundance, with prosperity,
With wisdom,
With love.

Blessed be all who share this feast.
Let us now prepare for the time ahead
By opening our hearts, and our minds, and our spirits.

Blessed be.