22nd Jul 2008
The festival of Lughnasad is named for the Celtic Sun God, Lugh, who’s name means “bright light”. It is called the “First Harvest” and marks the beginning of the Harvest season, which lasts until Samhain in late October. The crops that are abundant now are corn, grain, and barley. There is a traditional folk tale / song titled “John Barley Corn” which depicts how the God (manifested in the corn & grain) is cut down and ground into flour to be made into bread for nourishment of the people. This is the age old story, found in several ancient mythologies, of the Year God, who is sacrificed in order to ensure the continued survival of His people.
There were three men came out of the west,
their fortunes for to try
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn must die
They’ve plowed, they’ve sown, they’ve harrowed him in
Threw clods upon his head
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn was dead
They’ve let him lie for a very long time,
’til the rains from heaven did fall
And little Sir John sprung up his head and so amazed them all
They’ve let him stand ’til Midsummer’s Day
’til he looked both pale and wan
And little Sir John’s grown a long long beard
and so become a man
They’ve hired men with their scythes so sharp
to cut him off at the knee
They’ve rolled him and tied him by the waist
serving him most barbarously
They’ve hired men with their sharp pitchforks
who’ve pricked him to the heart
And the loader he has served him worse than that
For he’s bound him to the cart
They’ve wheeled him around and around a field
’til they came unto a barn
And there they made a solemn oath on poor John Barleycorn
They’ve hired men with their crabtree sticks
to cut him skin from bone
And the miller he has served him worse than that
For he’s ground him between two stones
And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl
and his brandy in the glass
And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl
proved the strongest man at last
The huntsman he can’t hunt the fox
nor so loudly to blow his horn
And the tinker he can’t mend kettle or pots
without a little barleycorn
Lugh is the patron God of bards and musicians, so this is a good time to focus on learning a new craft or further developing an old one. Just as the crops are now bearing fruit, this is the time to share the fruit of your labors from the year that is passing. What new skills, talents, knowledge, and wisdom have you learned this year that you can now pass onto others in your community?
Lughnasad occurs about August 1st, when the Sun reaches 15 degrees in the sign of Leo, the Lion. I personally celebrate this Sabbat each year by attending the Faerie Festival in Veneta, OR with my coven sisters. The slogan of this festival is “Live Your Legend” and this is very much in line with the Leo drive for dynamic creative expression. For three days I will be celebrating, dancing, and playing, surrounded by joyful folk dressed as faeries, elves, gnomes, and other Otherworld creatures.
Blessed Be & Happy Lughnasad!
To Celebrate Lughnasad:
-
Make a corn dolly using stalks of wheat or corn husks.
-
Bake a loaf of bread in the shape of a man and sacrifice him in your ritual. Make him a part of your feast but save a piece to offer the gods.
-
Take time to harvest fruits and vegetables from your garden with your family. If you don’t have a garden, visit one of the pick-your-own farms in your area.
-
Gather the tools of your trade and bless them in order to bring a richer harvest next year.
-
Decorate with sickles, scythes, fresh vegetables & fruits, grains, berries, corn dollies, bread. Colors are orange, gold, yellow, red and bronze.
-
Host a field day! Set up obstacle courses, water balloon tossing, 3 legged race and other fun competitions.
-
This is also a good time for making preserves, either literally or symbolically. As you turn the summer’s fruit into jams, jellies and chutneys for winter, think about the fruits that you have gathered this year and how you can hold onto them.
No Comments
5th Jun 2008
Summer Solstice is usually celebrated June 21st, but the exact timing of the Solstice varies between the 20th and the 23rd, and occurs when the Sun enters the sign of Cancer. With the Sun at it’s peak, it is the longest day of the year and the shortest night. (in the Northern Hemisphere).
According to Celtic folklore, Summer begins on Beltane (May 1st) and ends on Lughnassad (August 1st), with the Summer Solstice midway between the two. For this reason, Summer Solstice is often referred to as “Midsummer”. On Midsummer Night, the thin veil allows elves, faeries, and sprites to gather in great numbers and frolic freely, making this a great time to commune with them and with Nature.
In June, the Full Moon is called the Honey Moon, because this is the time to collect the honey from the beehives. This is also the traditional month for marriages and handfastings. It was considered taboo to get married during May because that month was set aside for celebrating the union of the Goddess and God. But after the May Day celebrations, many couples were expecting and so June became the opportune time for weddings. This is why, to this day, we call the period immediately after a wedding the “Honey Moon”.
The Goddess manifests at this time as Mother Earth, in advanced pregnancy, preparing for the first harvest. The God manifests as the Sun King, at the prime of his life and about to enter into fatherhood. Cancer, the Crab, is a watery sign that rules home, family, and close relationships. This is the best time for ceremonies relating to prosperity, peace, and good fortune for the family and community. Each year in my tribe, we honor the Goddess and God at Solstice with a community camping trip in which we all come together to commune with Nature and each other in a sacred and beautiful space.
This is a time of bonfires and trips to the beach, of staying up late and looking at the stars, of gardens overflowing with colorful blooms. It’s a time for reconnecting with family and friends and celebrating the sweetness of life.
Activities for Midsummer
-
Create a Midsummer Altar : Images of the pregnant Mother Goddess and the Sun God. Some sort of fire on your altar is important, use candles or votives. Use fresh fruits as a reminder of the earth’s bounty. Use flowers of gold, orange and yellow, roses are traditional also. Use gold or yellow cloth, oak leaves, acorns, stones, and herbs.
-
Stay up from sunset on Midsummers Eve to sunrise on Midsummers Day.
-
Herbs harvested during Midsummer were believed to have healing properties, and the healers would gather the herbs they needed to heal throughout the year.
-
Bonfires are also burned during the night on Midsummer. On this fire, traditionally, nine herbs are thrown on the fire St. John’s Wort, Rue, Vervain, Mistletoe, Lavender, Feverfew, Meadowsweet, Heartsease, and Trefoil or Clover. Even if you do not burn an actual fire for this Sabbat, you can blend these herbs and burn as incense at your altar or sacred space.
-
Light fireworks to celebrate the sun.
-
Watch Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
-
Sit around a bonfire and play drums and other instruments, sing songs, and tell stories of the sun, the Gods, and heroes.
-
Find a U-pick farm and spend the day picking berries to make a fruit pie.
-
Leave an offering of seeds or nuts drizzled with honey for the faeries.
-
Woman should adorn their hair with flower wreaths.
-
Gather wildflowers and display in your home.
Read previous Summer Solstice entries : June 21st, 2007
No Comments
9th May 2008
Beltane, also known as May Day, occurs on May 1st. Beltane may be translated as “fires of Bel” or “brilliant fire” and is named after the god Belenus. In the ancient Celtic calendar, there were only two seasons : Summer and Winter. Beltane marked the beginning of Summer and Samhain was the beginning of Winter. These two holidays, along with Imbolc and Lunasa, make up the four Cross Quarter holy days around the Wheel of the Year. Beltane marks the midpoint in the Sun’s progress between the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice. During each of these, the veil between the worlds is thin and it is much easier for us to sense and interact with beings and energies from outside of our physical reality. With the veil so thin, it is a very magical time. You may even be able to spot a faerie or two if you keep your mind and heart open.
Beltane is a fertility rite that represents the union of the Goddess and the God. It occurs when the Sun is at 15 degrees in the sign of Taurus. Taurus is the earthiest of earth signs, and is associated with fertility, growth, lust, and pleasure. The Beltane celebration is all about good food, good company, and good sex. In ancient times, all rules of fidelity between married couples was suspended for the eve of Beltane, and any child born from a Beltane eve union was considered to be especially blessed. Ancient kings required Hieros Gamos, (also called The Great Rite) which was a union with a Priestess representing the Goddess, in order to rule. Although in some circles the Great Rite may still consist of an actual physical union, nowadays it is often performed symbolically using a chalice (as the womb) and a blade (as a phallic symbol).
Beltane celebrations also include a Maypole dance. This is also a symbol of the Divine Union, using a tall pole (as the phallic symbol representing the God) and colored ribbons (as a symbol of the Goddess). The ribbons are attached to the top of the pole and each participant holds a ribbon and circles around each other. As the ribbons weave together covering the pole, it symbolizes the union, and also symbolizes weaving together the intentions of the community. Bonfires, music, and feasting are also prominent components of a Beltane celebration.
As the weather warms up and the flowers are in bloom, this is a time of great joy, renewed energy and passion. It’s a time of tremendous growth as everything is coming alive again. You may be feeling the urge to sing and dance, to begin tending your garden, going for long walks in Nature, or spending time laughing and playing with the ones you love. It’s time to dust off the last remnants of winter’s sleep, get outside, and enjoy the sunshine. The good life starts now……
Read previous Beltane entires : May 1st, 2007
No Comments
11th Mar 2008
Spring Equinox / Ostara (March 20-23) 
Ostara is one of the four solar holidays in the Pagan Wheel of the Year. This is one of two points along the Wheel where the Day and Night are exactly the same length. It is also called “Ostara” or “Vernal Equinox”. It is a fertility festival, where we celebrate growth and birth. If Solstice was the conception, and Imbolc the pregnancy, Ostara represents
the physical birth of new life. Things that have only existed as concept or theory now begin to take actual form as we are inspired towards practical action. The Equinox occurs at the moment when the Sun moves into the sign of Aries. At the moment of the Vernal Equinox, night and day stand in perfect balance, with the balance about to shift towards increasing light. The energies of Nature subtly shift from the dormant, hibernation of Winter to the ecstatic expansion of Spring. It is a time of great fertility, new growth, and newborn animals. The Goddess blankets the Earth with fertility as she bursts forth from Her Winter’s sleep.
This Sabbat gets it’s name from the Teutonic goddess of spring and the dawn, whose name is spelled Oestre or Eostre (pronounced “Es-tra”). In Greek traditions, Eos is a sky Goddess who offers us dawn’s hopeful renewing energy. Stories tell of Eos’s intense beauty, which inspires passion. Her name is connected to the direction “East” which represents new beginnings, spring, and the color yellow. The Goddess at this time is in her maiden form, as patroness of the woodland animals, virgin huntress, and archer.
When Spring Equinox comes around and that explosive Aries energy comes roaring in, things really start moving and getting underway. I consider the Equinox to be the true “New Year’s Day” because it is the start of the Astrological Year, in the sign of new beginnings. At this time we think of renewing ourselves. We renew our thoughts, our dreams, and our aspirations. We think of renewing our relationships. This is an excellent time of year to begin anything new or to completely revitalize something. No longer time to sit back and dream – it’s time to get up and take action! If you made New Year’s resolutions in January have they stuck? If not, this is a great time to re-evaluate your goals, make any necessary changes, and then re-commit yourself to the task.
One important thing to keep in mind is that whenever you are creating changes in your life, small steps are better than no steps. I for one have at times become trapped in the “all or nothing” mentality. This keeps us in a cycle of reaching for grandiose ideals which quickly are shown to be unrealistic and then we just give up completely. Instead, start small. Choose a few small changes that are most important. Then commit to doing at least one of those things each day. If you feel like doing more, that’s a bonus, but as long as you are meeting your commitment, consider yourself a success and CELEBRATE. That is what creates the joyful energy that will attract ever more abundance and success into your life.
Origins and Meanings of Common Ostara Symbols
Eggs : Many of the myths hold that the egg is sacred to life on earth. It represents life just as a circle can represent eternal life. The golden orb of its yolk represents the Sun God, its white shell is seen as the White Goddess, and the whole is a symbol of rebirth. It’s traditional at this time to decorate eggs (a symbol of fertility) and begin tending your garden.
Planting Seeds : Spring is a time of the Earth’s renewal, a rousing of nature after the cold sleep of winter. Seeds are like eggs. While eggs contain the promise of new animal life, seeds hold the potential of a new plant.
Rabbits : The rabbit is an enduring symbol of fertility and desire. Rabbits or hares co-exist with the moon as sacred symbols of vitality, fertility and the life-force. A rabbit’s gestation period is approximately one month, and it tends to be the first animal to give birth in the springtime. This evolved into the tradition of the Easter Bunny delivering baskets of eggs and goodies to children on Easter morning.
Light/Dark in Balance : This is also a time to reflect on the balance of light and dark within us. Just as the Universe as a whole carries within it these two energies, we, as sparks of the whole, carry them within. This Sabbat, at the time that the year is balanced between the light and dark halves of the year, we are reminded to acknowledge, accept, and honor all aspects of our whole being. It is through acceptence of All That Is, that we find inner peace. One important thing that I keep in mind when doing rituals, spells, or meditations for world or personal peace is that what we resist persists. If we reject or disallow the dark aspects of ourselves (and our world) they are given more power over us. The key is to accept and allow all things to exist, while simultaneously directing our creative energies in the direction of that which we wish to manifest.
Gardening : Celebrate Ostara and the Spring Equinox as a time of new beginnings, of the Earth’s renewal, and of taking actions for future growth, both in our gardens and in our lives. It’s a time to say goodbye to the old and make room for the new. Physically, it’s an appropriate time to tend gardens, plant new seeds, and clean up our yards.
Ostara Correspondences
Colors : Pastels, Lemon Yellow, Pale Green, Grass Green, Pale Pink, White, Violet, Robin’s Egg Blue
Plants / Herbs : Crocus, Daffodils, Lilac, Bluebells, Violets, Jasmine, Iris, Narcissus
Incense : Jasmine, Lavender, Lily, Honeysuckle, Violet, Willow, Iris, Peony, Sage
Stones : Aquamarine, Rose quartz, Moonstone, Clear quartz, Jasper
Animals : Deer, Bear, Rabbit
Spellwork : Growth, Communication, Fertility, Abundance
Foods : Eggs, Fruits, Leafy Vegetables, Honey, Sprouts, Seeds & Nuts, Figs, Candies
Suggested Activities for Ostara
- Create a Spring Altar including images of rabbits, birds, butterflies, colored eggs, and fresh flowers. You can create your own nest out of twigs and lay your decorated eggs in it. You might also have a bowl of colored jellybeans.
-Take the seeds you blessed at Imbolc and plant them, setting the intention that as the new plant grows, so will your intention grow and blossom.
-Color and decorate eggs and baskets (for natural egg dyes, see below). Try decorating them with magical symbols. Ideas you can use include runes, astrological symbols, elemental symbols, the Theban alphabet, zodiac/planetary symbols, lunar & solar symbols, stars, spirals, pentacles, Egyptian hieroglyphs, God/Goddess symbols, and more!
- Invite your family and friends over for an Egg Hunt! Use several plastic eggs. Choose a starting point and then have each egg contain a clue that points to the next egg (clue). At the end, after you’ve followed all the clues, have all the baskets hidden in one place. Fill the baskets with goodies, symbols of spring, etc. Try to create a small ritual around your egg hunt. Make this a child-friendly event by casting a simple circle together and giving children seeds to scatter as offerings at the quarters.
-Till soil and prepare your garden space. Plan your magical garden on paper.
- Go out and collect wild flowers if they are out in you area. Take a Nature walk and see how many native plants and flowers you can identify in your local area. If you find something you don’t recognize, take a picture or a sketch and then look it up and learn about it.
- Pick up litter at your favorite park or beach. Help the earth rejuvenate by getting rid of the mess. Even an hour of cleanup can make a big difference.
- Draw sprouting leaves on an egg and bury it in your garden to help stimulate your plants.
- Give a potted plant to friends or family for their garden or window sill
- Prepare and enjoy an Ostara picnic feast!
- Read the story of Demeter and Persephone.
Decorating Eggs with Natural Dye
You create your natural dye with a mix of water, vinegar and foods or spices that give a strong color. To make 4 cups of dye, you’ll need 4 cups of water, 2 tbs of white vinegar, and your dye material. Most spices only require a tablespoon or so, but if you are using chopped fruit or vegetable matter, you’ll need a few cups.
Experimentation is the key!
Bring everything to a boil, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool, then strain. Dip your hard boiled eggs into the dye for at least 15 minutes. Longer dying = darker color.
Pink - beet juice, cranberries, raspberries, red cabbage
Orange - onion skins, paprika
Dark Yellow - tumeric
Light Yellow - lemon peel, carrot shavings, cumin
Light Green - spinach
Blue - blueberries, grape juice
Light Brown - coffee, tea
Dark Brown - chili powder
No Comments
29th Jan 2008
(Pronounced Im-bolc), also known as Imbolg, Oimelc, Brigids Day, Saint Brigids Day and the “Festival of Lights” is celebrated on February 1st. It represents the first signs of the coming spring and the waning of the winter months. It is a time of hope, when we begin to feel the creative inspirations coming to life in our souls, and we begin to anticipate the warmer, lighter weather that spurs us into action. This inspiration has been dormant through the winter months, just as a seed lies dormant under the frozen ground covered with snow.
To most people who celebrate the Winter Solstice, it represents the birth of the Sun. To me, it makes much more sense to think of the Solstice as the “conception” of the Sun and Imbolc as the pregnancy. Imbolg, in Gaelic means “in the belly”. The seeds of spring are buried deep “in the belly” of Mother Earth, waiting for the ground to warm up enough for them to come to the surface. For now, they are safely sheltered from the harsh winds and cold rains. Imbolc is that time during the pregnancy known as “the quickening” – that magical moment when the Mother first feels her baby move inside her.
The seeds buried deep in the earth mirror the seeds of our dreams. We have visions, ideas….all the things we want to create, achieve, experience, and learn in this coming Year. We know that when the time is right, these seeds will sprout and blossom. For now, though, they are still held close, sheltered inside, until the time is just right.
“February is the time of stirring deep within, when the seeds of new growth begin to awaken. It’s the time to shut out the world and find the creativity amidst the quiet. When we find stillness, we make room for creativity. The strongest step you can take towards restoring your creativity is to remove distractions. Turn off your cell phone, landline, answering machine, computer, television, even music. You can choose not to live in a state of constant crisis. Although it can trigger short bursts of creative energy, a state of perpetual crisis is counterproductive to the long term creative process. Learn when to use chaos to spur creativity and when to use quiet.” ~ from Llewelyn’s Witches Calendar
In Celtic cultures, one of the most popular candle lighting customs was to have the youngest girl, representing the virgin Goddess, enter carrying a circle of lit candles, called a candle wheel. This was a symbol of the wheel of the year being warmed and lighted again by the returning sun. Later it was adopted that the youngest virgin girl, would wear this as a circlet on her head.
Traditionally, this time of year was important because it was the time when farm animals began to give birth and lactate. The cows and ewes would begin to produce milk, which was plentiful, and geese began to lay eggs. This was celebrated because at this time of year, food was scarce and the return of spring meant the return of abundance and sustenance for the communities. Honey was offered to the gods and smeared on the lips of babies as protective magic. This is why, our ancestors gave an offering of milk and honey that would either be left out overnight or poured on the step as an offering to the God and Goddess to encourage more bounty.
Another important aspect of Imbolc revolves around cleansing and purification. This is why spring cleaning is associated with this holiday and why many pagans burn their greens from Yule at this time. This is also a time to let go of things that we no longer need, to make room for new blessings to enter our lives. This is not only a time for physical cleansing and purification, but can be used for spiritual purification and cleansing as well. This is a time to take inventory of relationships and jobs and a time to let go of people and material possessions that no longer serve our spiritual needs.
Though in early February the days were growing noticeably longer, this was still a dark time, and candles were the only means of lighting the long nights. If there were enough candles, a celebration of light was held, with each window of a house being lit on this night. This was a time to make and bless the candles to be used throughout the coming year.
In Scotland Bride’s day was celebrated with a feast following a procession when a dressed doll was taken around the village. Originally this was a sheaf of corn that was dressed in clothing like a doll. The “doll” was placed in a basket, Bride’s bed. Candles were placed by the bed. At home, Bride’s bed was made near the hearth and women would take a drink of milk and honey and make a wish. Brigid’s Crosses were usually made from rushes or, less often, straw. It contains a woven square in the center and four radials tied at the ends.It was traditionally believed that a Brigid’s Cross protects the house from fire and evil.
The Goddess Brigid
Imbolc is dedicated to the Celtic Goddess, Brigid. She is an ancient Goddess of healing, smithcraft, poetry, art, and all forms of creativity and inspiration. She is the fierce protector of women & children – a maiden warrior, midwife, herbalist, and healer. She is one of the few Goddesses that survived the conversion towards Christianity.
The Roman Catholic church, during the times when they were trying to recruit the pagan people to Christianity, took this holiday, and its symbolism and created the Christian holiday, Candlemas, also celebrated on Feb 2nd, which was a day to bless all candles. At this time, they also adapted Brigid, who was too popular with the pagan people to just be abandoned, and made her Saint Brigit, who is said to have been the midwife to Mary during the birth of the Christ child.
Into the 18th Century, her sacred flame was tended, at first, by priestesses, and later by nuns, when the shrine became a convent, at Kildare, Ireland. These nineteen virgin priestesses were called Daughters of the Flame. Today these same sacred fires are tended by nineteen nuns. No man was ever allowed near. In fact, these women had other women in the village bring them their necessary supplies so they wouldn’t have to deal with men. This no-men policy infuriated the Catholic church. Because they would not submit themselves to inspection by a priest, the Bishop ordered the sacred flame to be extinguished. Even so, Brigit remained Ireland’s most popular saint. And in 1993, the Brigidine sisters of Ireland rekindled her flame at Kildare.
Brigid is the Goddess I feel most closely connected to. She represents creative fire, passion, and inspiration. As a writer and an artist, when I’m feeling like I need a creative boost, I call upon Brigid. She is also a warrior Goddess and a protector of children. She teaches me to have courage and passion. She inspires me to stand up and be a warrioress when the need arises and the cause is just. In addition to the Sacred Flame, her symbol is a healing well. It was said that people came from all around the country to drink from her sacred well, thus ensuring long life and vitality.
Brigid teaches us that to be alive is to be creative – that our energy must move – it must flow – it must be expressed in some way in order for us to be balanced, healthy, and whole. I connect to Her so strongly because of our shared connection to the elements Fire and Water. Being a Triple Fire Sign, I know what it’s like to be burning within with a creative passion that feels like it might blow you apart. And being so connected to my more Watery side, I’ve learned how to temper that fire so it doesn’t burn so hot that it burns itself out.
Fire is the element of chaos, crisis, and destruction. It’s also the element of transformation and passion. Water is the element of quiet stillness, of healing, soothing, nurturing, and gentleness. Both of these elements purify and cleanse, just in different ways. Fire will come in and destroy all that was there, leaving everything in ashes. And only then, can what is most authentic rise up and be reborn in it’s truest form. Water comes in and washes away what is old and worn. It’s true that water can be harsh and cruel as well. Just think of a tsunami. For me, though, water has always been the gentle, soothing force that balances out the raging inferno. The chaos and the quiet, working side by side, shaping and molding me – showing me how to burst and flow, expand and contract.
Brigid, Goddess of Fire and Water, I am your faithful Daughter.
Blessed Brigid, firey and bright,
Fill me with your healing light,
Blessed Brigid, who tends the flame,
And hears me when I call Her name,
Goddess of healing, poetry, and art,
Inspire me and lift my heart,
On fire may you set my soul,
With you, I am balanced, whole
Activities for Imbolc
- Create an Imbolc Altar : With the promise of spring and rebirth in the air, you may want to include a statue of the Goddess Brigid on your altar. Red, pink and white candles are appropriate. Use a small set of lights to brighten your altar and acknowledge the fire festival. You can include a small bowl of seeds and sprouts as a symbol of fertility and rebirth. Also include a Brigid Cross and bowls of milk and honey.
- Thoroughly clean your altar and/or temple room. The concept of spring-cleaning comes from Imbolc. Cleanse and consecrate the house from top to bottom. Ritually sweep each area with a broom and sprinkle areas with salt or herbs. Clean out cupboards, closets, and drawers. Wash your windows, curtains, and walls. Clean out and straighten up the garage. I like to get in the mood by opening up all the windows and turning on some energizing, uplifting music. I dance and sing as I clean and fill the space with positive energies. Once the room is clean, purify the space even more by smudging with sage. Take your unwanted clothing, shoes, linens, and household items and either have a garage sale or donate them to a local second hand store or charity. Help your kids go through all their clothes, toys, and books as well. This is a great activity to do with kids, because it teaches them that letting go of things is a natural part of life.
- Burn the evergreen boughs that decorated your home during the Winter holidays.
- Bless the seeds for this year’s garden. Hold the seeds in your hands. Talk to the seeds. Bless them with growth and happiness. Fill them with love. Store them in a safe place until the Spring Equinox, when you can plant them.
- Place a besom over the front door to symbolize sweeping out the old and welcoming the new.
- Consecrate your gardening tools and ritual tools.
- Make and/or decorate candles. Bless the candles you will be using throughout the coming year.
- Place a lighted candle in each and every window of the house, beginning at sundown on Imbolc Eve (February 1), allowing them to continue burning until sunrise. Make sure that they are well seated against tipping and guarded from nearby curtains, etc. If you are not able to use real candles use those candle lamps sold at crafts and department stores for the Christmas season.
- Clean and restock your magical cabinet. Check your oils, herbs, and incense. Discard oils that have “turned,” changed smell, or have a disagreeable odor. Discard herbs that are a year old. You can save these older herbs for craft projects if you so desire, but herbs that are a year old have usually lost their potency for spells and works of magic. Discard incense that has lost its smell or acquired the smell of neighboring incense due to improper storage. If you haven’t already done so, store your oils, herbs, and incense in tightly sealed glass jars or glass containers. Glass is preferable to plastic because it prevents the mixing of scents and the loss of potency. It’s best to use dark containers to protect oils, herbs, and incense from sunlight, but it is okay to use clear or light-colored glass if storing them away from light in a closed cabinet, closet, or drawer. Make sure to label and date your oils, herbs, and incense for future use and for ease when it comes time to restock again.
- Perform rituals for initiation, transformation, new beginnings. Invoke Brigid for creative inspiration. Reflect upon and reaffirm spiritual vows and commitments you’ve made.
- Take a Nature walk and look for the first signs of Spring.
- Tie tiny strips of fabric in trees near a stream and ask Brigid for her influence in your life. Use cotton strips and the birds will use them for nesting or they will bio-degrade over time
- Meditate as a family. Have everyone explore what it would feel like to be a seed deep in the Earth, feeling the first stirrings of life. Lie on the floor and put out tendrils. Stretch and bloom.
- Have a bardic circle where everyone brings poetry, songs or a short story that they have written to honor Brigid.
- Lead the family on a parade around the outside of your home, banging on pots and pans or playing musical instruments to awaken the spirits of the land.
- Decorate with evergreens to symbolize the winter, and the first spring flowers to symbolize the coming of spring. Remember that snowdrops are sacred to Brigid.
- Do some weather divination. The American holiday, Groundhog day, also coincides with Imbolc, and it is based on a form of Celtic weather divination. In the American tradition, it is said that if the Groundhog comes out of it’s hole on this day and sees it’s own shadow, there would be six more weeks of winter, but if he didn’t, spring would come early. This can be traced to the traditional poem: “If Candlemas day be fair and bright, Winter will have another flight. If Candlemas day be shower and rain, Winter is gone and will not come again.”
- Hang or refill bird feeders or place saucers of seeds outside. Make sure to keep your bird feeders filled with seed and birdbaths or saucers filled with fresh water. You can also make a special treat for birds by coating pinecones with sticky peanut butter and rolling them thoroughly in birdseed. Tie string or twine around the pinecones and hang from branches, clotheslines, swing sets, porches, or anywhere in your yard accessible to birds.
- Create a rite of healing and purification in your bathtub. Light white candles, and ask the Goddess (or specifically, Brigid) to bless the water. Let yourself soak in the healing water, and focus on the candle flames while you meditate on Her healing qualities. If you have a fireplace, dry off at the hearth, asking for Her blessings with the Element of Fire. Brigid is the Goddess of Fire and Water; thus, you have invoked both of Her properties in your rite.
- Since the Goddess Brigid reigns over Fire, Art, and Healing, the following skills, arts, crafts, and activities are very appropriate expressions for Imbolc:
Knitting
Crocheting
Sewing
Needlecraft
Woodworking
Scrapbooking
Tie-dying
Weaving
Brewing (ales and meads)
Divination
Singing
Poetry
Gardening
- And last, but certainly not least, prepare and enjoy an Imbolc feast !
No Comments
14th Dec 2007
Winter Solstice occurs each year as the sun moves into the sign of Capricorn, the goat, which symbolizes the persistence and patience it takes to get through the dark days of winter. This year, the Solstice falls on December 21st at 10:08 PM (PDT). The word “Solstice” means “sun stands still” and as everything seems to slow to a crawl, it feels as if time does actually stand still, giving us the quiet space and time we need for deep reflection. This reflection time is essential to allow the awareness of who we truly are and what we truly desire to emerge, slowly bubbling up from the depths of our subconscious. As we let go and allow this process to run its course, waves of emotion come up from the deep, to mix and churn within our consciousness. Out of this great cosmic pool of potential explodes the bright spark of new energy.
Goddess Creation Story
Alone, awesome, complete within Herself, the Goddess, She whose name cannot be spoken, floated in the abyss of the outer darkness, before the beginning of all things. And as She looked into the curved mirror of black space, She saw by her own light her radiant reflection, and fell in love with it. She drew it forth by the power that was in Her and made love to Herself, and called Her “Miria, the Wonderful”.
Their ecstasy burst forth in the single song of all that is, was, or ever shall be, and with the song came motion, waves that poured outward and became all the spheres and circles of the worlds. The Goddess became filled with love, swollen with love, and She gave birth to a rain of bright spirits that filled the worlds and became all beings. But in that great movement, Miria was swept away, and as She moved out from the Goddess She became more masculine. First She became the Blue God, the gentle , laughing God of love. Then She became the Green One, vine-covered, rooted in the earth, the spirit of all growing things. At last She became the Horned God, the Hunter whose face is the ruddy sun and yet dark as Death. But always desire draws Him back toward the Goddess, so that He circles Her eternally, seeking to return in love. All began in love; all seeks to return to love. Love is the law, the teacher of wisdom, and the great revealer of mysteries.
In many cultures all across the world, this time is a celebration of rebirth, the return of the light, and the birth of the Sun/Son. The names and faces may vary somewhat, but the essence of the story is the same. As the Divine Mother goes deep into the dark void of herself and dances the dance of Creation, we hold the light as a sign that warmth and life will always return, no matter how dark.
As the Wheel once again returns us to where it all began and the Goddess re-creates the Universe anew, we are given the chance to go into our own void and re-create ourselves anew and emerge into a new life. Each year, at this time, I feel the contractions of my soul moving through, like I am being turned inside out – taken apart piece by piece and put back together again in a new way. It’s customary to hold an all night candle lit vigil with loved ones and wait for the first rays of morning light to appear.
When the Sun comes up, we greet it as a symbol for the new life that has been conceived within the darkness of the Mother’s womb. We allow its bright rays to warm our hearts and know there is always hope. Change is inevitable, but struggle is an option. What kind of world will you re-create this time around? May we sit in stillness and allow our heart’s vision to emerge; of who we are and who we want to be after another turn of the Wheel. May the new born light of the morning inspire us to keep our hope alive throughout the winter and months to come.
For more information about Winter Solstice, including ways to celebrate, click here.
No Comments
23rd Oct 2007
Compiled by Twilight, Spiral Path student
Samhain was a time for divination and magic, the Druids would foretell the future on this powerful night.
Many of the customs were performed by young people divining for their future husbands and wives - apples often figured; their connection with fertility is widely recognized.
An old belief is that by peeling an apple on Hallowe’en and keeping the peel in one piece, then throwing it over your shoulder you will discover the initials of a future lover.
By candlelight go alone to a mirror and eat an apple before it, whilst combing your hair. Your future love will be seen in the glass over your shoulder.
Ducking or bobbing for apples was a marriage divination. The first person to bite an apple would be the first to marry in the coming year. ‘Dookin’ for apples’ is thought to have originated from a Druidical rite associated with water.
Young girls would stick apple pips to the outside of her cheek, with each one standing for her sweethearts. The last pip that stayed stuck was her true love.
Here is the link for more interesting Samhain tidbits:
http://www.new-age.co.uk/celtic-festivals-samhain.htm
No Comments
11th Oct 2007
This is the first year since observing the holy days along the Wheel of the Year that the festival of Samhain will have real personal meaning for me. In past years, having never experienced the grief that comes from a close loved one dying, I found it difficult to truly connect with this holiday. Having a general fear of my darker side, I would often gloss over its deep significance until it was passed and then regret not engaging that powerful energy more. This year is different for several reasons. First, I’ve come to realize that death, whether it happens to someone we know or not, is ever present in all our lives all the time. Things are always ending. Relationships, friendships, jobs, etc. Things are constantly changing and wherever there is a beginning, there is also an ending. It’s natural. Secondly, I have actively engaged and confronted many of my own shadows this year, making the dark seem much less scary and much more familiar. I am deep into the process of owning all those repressed and denied parts of myself that I’ve kept hidden in the closet, bringing each aspect to the light one by one and integrating them into the big picture of “who I am”. And finally, the main reason this year is different for me is I have been personally affected by the passing of family members to the Other Side. Just before Thanksgiving last year, my husband’s mother passed away. She was a wonderful, loving wife and mother, and deeply beloved by her family. Helping my husband through this gave me a first hand experience into what the grief process looks like. Not even a month later, my Great-Grandfather also passed away. Watching my Great-Granny and my Grandmother each confront their feelings taught me much about how each of us goes through our own process in our own way, and everything is in perfect order. The most important lesson I learned from all of this is that no matter what, life goes on. Nothing stops. Everything is always in a constant state of motion. Ending, Beginning, Transformation…..Being face to face with the reality of death for the first time in my life has left its mark, changing my perspective on life forever.
Personal Samhain Ritual – Compost!!
This is a ritual that recognizes the power of the Earth to take something that is dead and recycle it into something that can nurture and sustain new life. On a piece of paper, write down a list of anything you are ready to let go of. Old negative thought patterns and beliefs, relationships that are no longer working in your life, jobs, friends, struggles…. Write them all down and put as much emotion and energy into it as you can, literally infusing the paper with these things that you are choosing to now let go of. Then, choose a spot outside – this can either be a pre-built compost bin or if you don’t have that, any pile of grass clippings, leaves or other plant material will do. Put your paper on the pile (you may even want to burn or shred the paper first) with the intention that these things are now gone from you and are back in the arms of Mother Earth, to be broken down and re-used. You can take this concept a step further and actually clear out your physical space, donating or giving away items that you’ve outgrown.
Family Samhain Ritual – Ancestor Night
This is something you can do either on your own or with family. Gather together old photos of your loved ones who have passed on and create an “ancestor altar”. Spend time in this space remembering and telling stories of those who have come before you. In my family, we are fortunate to have five living generations in the same city, so we have many many years of combined wisdom and stories to share at our gatherings. This is a wonderful time to do something thoughtful for the elders in your life. Honor them by allowing them to share their stories with you. Recognize the opportunity you have to get a first hand account of your family’s history and give it your full attention.
For more information about Samhain, including ways to celebrate, click here.
No Comments
22nd Sep 2007
This time of year is an “acquired taste” for me. It’s all about endings, and beginnings have historically been easier for me to navigate than endings. Being a lover of the sun, I’ve always felt a sense of sadness as the first storms of Autumn come rolling in, covering the sky in that gray impenetrable cloak. Although, over the years, I’ve come to enjoy and appreciate the gifts of this season. The vibrant colors as the leaves turn, the deep quiet that descends after the hustle and bustle of summer vacation (in my house, three pre-teens and their friends pretty much take over for those three chaotic months); the low lying bright orange harvest moon, the abundance of fresh veggies from the garden, and those wonderfully vivid late summer sunsets. Here in the Pacific Northwest, warm sunny weather often extends late into September – giving us Summer’s last stand before the rains come again.
Autumn Equinox occurs around September 23rd, when the sun enters Libra, the sign of balance. September is also the 9th month and in numerological terms, “9” is the number representing the completion of a cycle, a time to wrap everything up. Libra, being a social and very much “partnership” oriented sign, influences this time of year. As the days become noticeably darker, we tend to gather together those nearest and dearest to us and take refuge in each other’s company. We naturally feel the need to nurture our connections to others, to our families, tribes, and communities. We feel an inner desire to share ourselves with others, to extend a hand in support, to show each other that we are not alone.
This is a time to ask the questions – how can we best share our harvest? Our harvest can be the physical harvest of our gardens, and also the harvests of our time, creativity, love, support, guidance, friendship, and the offering of spiritual wisdom that we have gained during our journey. When we give a piece of ourselves from a true state of Divine love, that love is always reflected back to us in abundance, in some form or another.
How have our dreams from Spring manifested? Look back at your intentions. Reflect and learn from your experiences. What wisdom will you carry into the next cycle? What seeds will you gather in store for next year? This is the time to give thanks not only for the blessings that have already manifested in your life – but also for the unknown blessings that are currently on their way to you, ready to spring into creation when the time is right.
For more information about Autumn Equinox, including ways to celebrate, click here.
No Comments
4th Aug 2007
The Celtic festival of Lughnasad (Loo-nuh-suh) is celebrated August 1st. It marks the first grain harvest (especially corn, which is representative of all grains) and honors the Sun God, Lugh, who like other Sun Gods is sacrificed yearly to ensure the harvest. The traditional song, John BarleyCorn tells the story of the God’s sacrifice :
They let him stand ’til Mid-Summer’s Day
When he looked both pale and wan;
Then little Sir John grew a long, long beard
And so became a man.
They hired men with their scythes so sharp
To cut him off at the knee;
They rolled him and tied him around the waist,
And served him barbarously.
Lughnasad is a time of outdoor festivals. A favorite of my tribe is the Faerie Festival in Veneta, OR. Two days of dressing up in costumes that reflect who we truly, dancing to some great music, browsing the handcrafted wares of the vendors and mingling with other “beautiful freaks”! This was the first year we had 4 (of the 5) generations represented at the Festival, with the attendance of my grandmother.
The weather report this year called for rain all weekend, but we knew better. With that many magical folk gathered all together, we could shift anything. And we did. It was beautiful blue skies and hot sun – so hot in fact that my sister and I got nice and lobstery red! Shannon, my daughter, enjoyed herself as usual. She hung out at the Children’s tent and made a corn dolly and a flower wand.
The highlight of the weekend for me was late in the second day – Shannon and I started blowing bubbles and some kids gathered around us to chase after them and pop them. Then, a gentle, but powerful breeze started blowing and when we hit it just right, the bubbles were enormous! We had quite a large crowd around us at this point, kids and adults. I started sending out intentions of love with every bubble and watching as they rained down on the crowd gathered near the stage. It was such great fun – I can’t wait until next year when the festival is extended to three days!
Back at home, our veggie garden was in full bloom. This was our first year, so we planted a bit more than we thought would make it, just in case. By July, our fridge was literally overflowing with cucumbers, beans, tomatoes, and zucchini. I ended up having the kids help me pick the extras and deliver them to the neighbors. We had bright beautiful sunflowers and lots of fragrant herbs. All in all, it was an awesome first year, and it will only get better next year.
For more information about Lughnasad, including ways to celebrate, click here.
No Comments
« Previous Entries
