Imbolc
The awakening of Spring and developing idea of a warmer future.
The Pagan Wheel of the Year is all about observing the natural cycle and season. Celebrating and settling into each Sabbat with it’s unique offerings and soothing beauty. Imbolc, Imbolg means “in the belly” or “in milk” from the Celtic Oimelc, or Oi-melg, and marks the halfway point between the Winter Solstice / Yule and the Spring Equinox / Ostara.
In te ao Māori it is the emergence of the second lunar month and called Hongonui or Here-turi-kōkā, meaning “The scorching effect of fire is seen on the knees of man” as we’ve been huddling so close to keep warm on the coldest of months, it’s now leaving the tell tale signs.
Imbolc in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) falls on the 1st or 2nd of February, here in Aotearoa, New Zealand it is the beginning of August. It is thought of as a fire or light festival falling in the zodiac air sign of Aquarius in the NH, where as it falls during Leo season here, with twice the fire power!
Imbolc is the spark, the time to ignite or reignite the flame.
I think of it as a highly feminine Sabbat and finally after the busy social events of Yule and Matariki, we have a time to work more on ourselves and focus on more inner and personal rituals.
Below I touch on why Imbolc is my favourite of all the Sabbats, share some traditional rituals associated with the season’s festivals and some more contemporary ideas which I prefer to mark this exciting time of the year.
I am the Imbolc Lioness
There's a new movement of energy. An awakening. Our days are noticeably lengthening, with all the possibilities of the new growing season ahead. My pollen and hayfever allergies are yet to steal my thunder. It's my birth month. It’s Leo season. It’s highly personal. It's my favourite time of year... August is everything to me!
My first given name Bronwyn, Bron for short is of Celtic, Welsh origin also meaning to be “In milk” or “White bossomed” “Fair blessed breast...”
While this was the most humiliating thing to me as a child. In school teachers would sometimes use the meanings of our names as an ice breaker each new year. My parents told me to simply say it means "white flower" but the baby name books never lied and I was often taunted. I might almost be over it now, 40 years on.
I will not hide. Yes, I have large white breasts befitting of the title. I have nurtured 3 children with them. And hell yeah! My lover quite enjoys them too!!
Traditional rituals performed for Imbloc
Imbolc is also known as Saint Brigid’s day; the Goddess of Hearth and Homemaking, Brides and Midwifery. While Yule is represented by the crone, Imbloc is the return of the maiden. It was traditional to place candles near the window to welcome and light her way home. We prefer to take down and reuse the fairy lights from our Yule tree as a safer alternative.
Saint Brigid, later adopted Christian, Catholic and Patron Saint of Ireland is also the Goddess of Poetry and of Blacksmiths.
Two common crafts on Saint Brigid’s Day Eve, the 31st January were to harvest reeds or bulrush and weave crosses to place above the front door for protection. Or to form a little doll, also made from reeds to represent Brigid and place her in a bed of white cloths, symbolically inviting her into the home to bless the inhabitants.
Around this time in the NH it is also the Lunar or Chinese New Year and Candlemas, the official end to the Christmas season for Christians, when traditionally they would take down the nativity and bring their candles to church to be blessed, the French celebrate “La Chandeleur” with crêpes.
It is tradition to divine the coming weather and what remains of Winter at Imbolc. Will Jack Frost be defeated by the Green Man? How much more firewood does the Divine Hag Cailleach need to gather? Will the groundhog see a shadow? - It is believed if the day is dry, crisp and clear; it’s bad news I’m afraid and there’s still several weeks of Winter ahead.
Another common age old ritual during Imbolc was to pour fresh milk on the Earth as an offering to the Mother. Often asking for gifts of fertility in return, that is any form of fertility you longed or wished for. I’m not sure about pouring dairy or sheep milk about myself, my preferred practice is creating a similar offering with a “compost tea” made instead from milky weeds, with sap rich leaves, such as dandelions, sow thistle (pūhā) and chickweed, it turns out it’s quite an effective (if slightly stinky!) alternative.
White is a recurring theme for Imbloc and it was tradition to make foods with white ingredients - especially milky, creamy things. In ancient times after the cold Winter, ewe's milk was an extremely important resource, clearly for the new born lambs, but it was also often a vital means of survival, between the life or death of young new born humans, elderly or infirm during this season of scarcity.
Whilst obviously dairy comes to mind first, with milky ideas like custards, panna cotta, yoghurt, perhaps strained labne or soft cheeses, butter cakes and scones; these needn't be the only white or milky things. Plant based milks, nut butters, tahini, hummus, porridge oats are all creamy things too and just as befitting the season. As are pastas, rice, risotto, dumplings, oat cakes or vegan cheeses. Perhaps you would like to poach some fish, chicken or pork in milk. Also think about including white vegetables or milky plants like those mentioned above.
Eating seedy things like multigrain breads, crackers, hemp seeds, dukkah, trail mix / scroggin or muesli is also encouraged at this time of renewal. Sprouting seeds like peashoots, alfalfa, broccoli and radish or microgreens for your meals. Chia seed pudding reminds me of frogs spawn, which is also beginning at this time, at least in the NH. I regrettably know very little about the habits of Aotearoa, NZ frogs. Use your seeds in multiple ways, not only for eating, but include them in magical forms of Art Witching or offerings to nature.
Ritual and Prompts that most resonate with me
August, I think is the best month to make an effort to enjoy the sun rise, (Whitinga o te rā) Especially if you have to head off for the day. The mornings are still often clear and crisp. Besides during June and July the sun rises too late, rising after 8am and by September it will already be rising too early, for me at least, before 7am.
Begin Spring cleaning; especially around the hearth; kitchen, pantry and laundry. Cleanse and redecorate, and by redecorating I don't mean purchasing a whole new set of everything, but try moving things about so you notice them again. Creating a change in the air. Think also about personal spaces, your writing desk, bedroom vanity, reinvent your spaces to inspire and welcome the new season.
Embellish your things; and home with feminine touches, or symbols that resonate and are special to you. Decorate your home with white flowers, paper whites and snow flakes. Delicate white flowers are some of my most favourite. Did you know? It actually used to be considered very bad luck, inviting ill fortune to bring Snowdrops; Galanthus nivalis inside. Honestly, they don’t like being inside or last at all long after being picked anyway. Our beloved Saint Brigid’s virtuous, purifying and cleansing presence however broke that particular spell, and all is well to enjoy them indoors now if you want to.
Awaken all the senses; by trying some “new to you” things, or revisit some things you once enjoyed, that have been on the back burner. Create some new habits, variety is after all the spice of life and changing things up will make you more aware. Try a new route - walking, biking, bus or by car. Try a new scent, on your person or in your home through soaps, perfumes, incense, candles, create scented sachets to place with your clothes or linens, or sand cubes of cedar to ward off those pesky moths. Perhaps put out some different towels in the bathroom, if you have them. Or change up your dinner table, with a different lesser known cloth, placemats or swap out some of your plates or glasses for ones less regularly used.
Create a new playlist; perhaps choose something a little more classical or whimsical that you would normally to lift and lighten your mood.
Observe the changes; take a drive to find the first new lambs, look out for yellow blooming forsythia and wattles; Acacia, perhaps your sinuses have already alerted you?! Catkins and blossoms are beginning to burst; hazels, birch and pussy willows.
Consider crafting; a new besom or broom. Repair and/or give some love to an older one. Give the handle a new lease on life with some oil or beeswax polish or up-cycle your besom with some floral, Romani style or folk art like painting, or pyrography and symbols that are special to you. The same love, care and new lease can be given to many of your tools in preparation for the warmer months, kitchen tools, wooden boards and spoons all benefit from a lick of oil. Home and garden, personal writing or artist tools. Perhaps you may like to embroider the cuff of your garden gloves for the coming season, with small details of flowers, bees and good luck charms.
Create a new garden sculpture, wind chimes or bunting, we'll soon be spending a lot more time outside, so now is a great time to think ahead on how you would like your outdoor spaces and rooms to be. Will you require an outside studio to read, write or paint to honour your practice? How will you invite and cultivate hygge feelings outdoors?
Around this time new seed catalogues begin arriving, take stock of what seeds you have and begin ordering more of what you would like to grow, share any excess seeds with friends and family. It may be warm enough to sow some where you live, but for me inland, it's a way off yet. Starting now would just be doomed to leggy sad failures.
Typically, when I began writing this post it was threatening to snow, 4 degrees Celsius not quite cold enough, but very grey, wet and occasionally sleety. Imbolc isn’t quite Spring, it’s the flickering start. By cultivating it’s fire (like all Leo’s it loves a little pampering!) you can bring out it’s best and invite the warmth in.
Is celebrating Imbolc new to you? How do you invite and welcome the warmth back?
Do any of my suggestions and prompts ignite your excitement for the season?
Let me know in the comments. This post is free, so feel welcome to share it with anyone you think might enjoy it too. Thanks as always for being here, wishing you much warmth.
Seasons Blessings 💫
Bron
It’s so lovely to learn more about you, and I love the meaning behind White Flower. Though I’m on a different hemisphere to you and the sun is rising at 5am in England. I do like to wonder out in nature and explore the changes of the trees and flowers, but spring is a magical time for change.