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Here I feature ways to mark and celebrate The Wheel Of The Year. Read how the most primal and ancient traditions still connect to our 21st Century lives
Imbolc is marked on 1 February and celebrates the beginning of Spring , when the first shoots of new life begin to grow out of the cold Winter earth. It’s about halfway between Winter Solstice and Ostara (Spring Equinox.) This is a time of freshness, of new beginnings and purification It’s also the celebration to honour Brighid, the goddess of the hearth and keeper of the sacred flame. She is a Triple Goddess-Mother, Maiden and Wise Woman- but at Imbolc, she’s represented in her Maiden aspect.
In the Christian faith February 1st is marked as Saint Brigid’s day. The goddess Brighid was incorporated and identified by early Irish Christian monks with St. Brigid of Kildare, who became one of Ireland’s patron saints. It’s fascinating that our ancient goddess was a bridge between the pagan and Christian worlds, However, I celebrate that in wider modern culture she’s loved and recognised as our Goddess again and that Her traditions are honoured.
Imbolc Traditions
Brighid was one of the most widely worshipped goddesses in Celtic Britain and known as the guardian of wells and springs. She also has an affinity with fire and is Keeper of the Flame. As Bríghid is a goddess of water, well dressing is associated with honouring the goddess and in particular the ‘Maiden’ aspect which is represented in Brighid. The ritual of Pagan well dressing originates as sacrifice and tribute to goddesses of wells and springs to honour them. By doing so the hope was to ensure a continued supply of water. Modern well dressing ceremonies still take place in the British Isles. Even though some of these began to develop more Christian themes, it was still an incorporation of the ancient pagan rituals into those celebrations. Pictured here is a beautiful example of a yearly Imbolc ceremonial well dressing at the sacred Chalice Well, in Glastonbury, England.
Symbols of The Goddess Brighid
The St Brighid’s Cross is traditionally woven during Imbolc. These three-armed crosses represent the triple-aspect goddess and are made to mark the arrival of spring. They would be-and still are- hung above a hearth, in a kitchen or near the front door of a house to protect the home from dark energies and from fire.
The St Brighid’s Cross is traditionally woven during Imbolc. This three-armed cross represents the triple-aspect goddess and is made to mark the arrival of spring. They would be-and still are- hung above a hearth, in a kitchen or near the front door of a house to protect the home from dark energies and from fire.
As she is considered a Goddess of fire, Brighid is symbolized by flames. In modern indoor and domestic settings we can pay homage to her by lighting a white candle and invoking the element of fire.
The colour associated with Brighid’s Maiden aspect is colour is white. Hence the tradition of a ‘bride’ (the name derives from Brighid) wearing white as a symbol of maidenly purity on her wedding day, Two other symbols of Brighid are also white- the swan and the snowdrop. As Winter ends in the Northern Hemisphere, swans can be seen returning from their migrations. Swans were thought to accompany Spring and also to usher it in. Snowdrops pushing through the cold earth are the first signs of returning life.
An Imbolc Ritual
This is a very modern and simple way of honouring the Goddess Brighid and asking for Her energy, protection and presence in your life and your home, It honours her aspect as a goddess of fire and of one who protects hearth and home. I like to carry out this ritual at midnight on January 31st just as it turns to February 1st and Imbolc.
In this ritual we’re issuing an invitation to Brighid. We are humbly asking her to enter our home and to offer us her protection. To prepare for this ritual you will need :
White candles or tealights placed in the main room of your home along with something with which to light them
White flowers placed in your main living space (cut or potted)
An optional addition is a Brighid Cross placed above your front door, or close to it- but don’t worry of you’re not able do that
This ritual is also about inviting the light back in to banish the darkness, just as Spring ends Winter. After you’ve placed your unlit white candle, make your way through the house and extinguish or turn off the lights in each room until you reach the front hallway or front door. (you can and should carry a light or torch with you while you do this so that you can safely see where you’re going in the darkness)
When you reach the door and the rest of your home is in darkness, stand quietly, take a few deep calm breaths to centre yourself and when you feel ready, invite the Goddess to enter :
Lady in white, please bring your light into my life and bless my home
Whether you choose to issue the invitation out loud or just as a thought, you will be heard…
You should then open the door so the Goddess and her energy can enter and close it behind her. As you do so, visualise Brighid just as you see her. As she enters, close the front door and visualise Her moving through your home and blessing each room. As she does so, follow her and switch the light back on in every room in turn until you reach the main room in which you previously placed the candle and flowers.
As you light the white candle, visualise the Goddess receiving the flowers you placed there, as an offering. Bid her your heartfelt love and thanks for her presence as she makes her way from your home. Spend some time looking into the flame of your candle and making any wishes and affirmations. Extinguish the flame gently when you’re ready. Your Imbolc ritual is then complete.
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