Imbolc at Sophia's Portico
Tonight I attended an Imbolc ritual with my mother-in-law with a group called Sophia's Portico. Its a bit of an interesting group, its a feminine spirituality group run by retired nuns and yet very new age-ish. Their rituals seem to be Wiccan-inspired but aren't full on Wiccan rituals.
We made Brigid's crosses, burned last year's crosses, and then in to the ritual area where we were given a bit of a briefing, created a circle, lit candles from a candle lit from Brigid's flame, called five directions (four corners and center), and were blessed with a mixture of water from Brigids's well, Mary's well, and the Castalian Spring. Then Brigid was invited in and a woman entered the room carrying the Brideog and brought her around for everyone to touch before placing her in the bed. Then people were given a chance to share a relevant song, poem, story, etc. while wearing Brigid's mantle. We adorned the Brideog with trinkets and shared herb bread before opening the circle and heading home.
I hung up my crosses and left out some bread & butter and my piece of healing cloth from the last ritual I attended on the bushes by the front door. I'm debating about the cross above the front door though because its above my Hecate shrine and it just doesn't feel like it belongs there. Not sure where to move it to though, maybe outside. >.>
We made Brigid's crosses, burned last year's crosses, and then in to the ritual area where we were given a bit of a briefing, created a circle, lit candles from a candle lit from Brigid's flame, called five directions (four corners and center), and were blessed with a mixture of water from Brigids's well, Mary's well, and the Castalian Spring. Then Brigid was invited in and a woman entered the room carrying the Brideog and brought her around for everyone to touch before placing her in the bed. Then people were given a chance to share a relevant song, poem, story, etc. while wearing Brigid's mantle. We adorned the Brideog with trinkets and shared herb bread before opening the circle and heading home.
I hung up my crosses and left out some bread & butter and my piece of healing cloth from the last ritual I attended on the bushes by the front door. I'm debating about the cross above the front door though because its above my Hecate shrine and it just doesn't feel like it belongs there. Not sure where to move it to though, maybe outside. >.>