Imbolc blessings
Blessed Imbolc, everyone!
It's hard to believe that life is stirring under all that ice and snow. The warm temperatures
yesterday and today did help convince me.
In my snug little treetop Aerie, I have been in a frenzy of cleaning in preparation for the
sabbat. It was time to get the staleness and dust of winter out of my life. Even last night's
dinner had some of that clearing energy, as I turned out the larder and combined a lot of
leftovers into rice pilaf with lentils and chick peas, and a mixed vegetable curry in a mild
and creamy sauce.
My Imbolc celebration began at the hearth. I had saved a couple of sprigs of holly from
Yule, and in my cleaning frenzy, found a small bit of fir that had fallen behind the fire
screen when I took down the Yule decorations. As I burned these remnants of Winter, I
chanted:
Winter begone!
Welcome the Spring!
Spring isn't so far away. The cross-quarter days remind us of progress. It's easy to see
what is. The solstices and equinoxes are definitive. Progress is less easily seen, and it is
fortunate that our highest celebrations of Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh and Samhain mark
the otherwise imperceptible passage of time. We know the wheel of the year is turning,
but we would not otherwise know exactly where we are.
The rest of last evening's ritual was a personal devotion to Brigid. I have spent a few years
in Her service. I wonder if She will call my name again tonight?
Today promises to be quite busy. There's a blessing of the land that my mother and I
always gave, involving a pail of milk and a besom. I will carry on the tradition.
Then, there are candles to be made, eight pairs of beeswax tapers to be dipped so that
there is light for each Sabbat. Some years, I include the candle ends from the previous
year in the pot, but this year I want the candles to be completely new. Change is on the
air.
Bright blessings!
Athena
It's hard to believe that life is stirring under all that ice and snow. The warm temperatures
yesterday and today did help convince me.
In my snug little treetop Aerie, I have been in a frenzy of cleaning in preparation for the
sabbat. It was time to get the staleness and dust of winter out of my life. Even last night's
dinner had some of that clearing energy, as I turned out the larder and combined a lot of
leftovers into rice pilaf with lentils and chick peas, and a mixed vegetable curry in a mild
and creamy sauce.
My Imbolc celebration began at the hearth. I had saved a couple of sprigs of holly from
Yule, and in my cleaning frenzy, found a small bit of fir that had fallen behind the fire
screen when I took down the Yule decorations. As I burned these remnants of Winter, I
chanted:
Winter begone!
Welcome the Spring!
Spring isn't so far away. The cross-quarter days remind us of progress. It's easy to see
what is. The solstices and equinoxes are definitive. Progress is less easily seen, and it is
fortunate that our highest celebrations of Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh and Samhain mark
the otherwise imperceptible passage of time. We know the wheel of the year is turning,
but we would not otherwise know exactly where we are.
The rest of last evening's ritual was a personal devotion to Brigid. I have spent a few years
in Her service. I wonder if She will call my name again tonight?
Today promises to be quite busy. There's a blessing of the land that my mother and I
always gave, involving a pail of milk and a besom. I will carry on the tradition.
Then, there are candles to be made, eight pairs of beeswax tapers to be dipped so that
there is light for each Sabbat. Some years, I include the candle ends from the previous
year in the pot, but this year I want the candles to be completely new. Change is on the
air.
Bright blessings!
Athena