Hello my darklings! I can’t wait for spring. Spring is around the corner. I’m dreaming up what I want to grow this summer. The spring equinox occurs next month, around the 20th or the 21st. The long, dark days of winter will surrender to the fierce fresh energy of spring. The winds blow harder, but that is what ushers in the change of the seasons. Bring it on.
Now would be a good time to start your seeds. I suspect my herb seeds are getting old. I want to get herb transplants from a garden center. I don’t have the room to install a grow light. I think it’s more expensive to buy herb transplants, but the people who sell you the herb transplants have done the hard work for you of starting herbs from seeds. I sprinkled in some herb seeds in a pot, but they did not grow. That’s how I know my seeds are old. I may just put all the seeds into a seed bomb and toss it out into the compost. Then buy fresh seeds or grab herb transplants.
If you are eager to grow herbs from seeds, now is a good time to start. There are a few ways you can start herbs from seed. A good way to test the vitality of seeds is to spread seeds onto a damp paper towel, put the damp paper towel into a labeled ziplock bag and set it somewhere warm. Wait a few weeks and make sure the paper towel doesn’t dry out. Or just put the seeds in a pot under a grow light and wait. Either way, a few seeds should sprout. They are the strongest seeds. You can be confident they will grow into a healthy herb. That is what you want. Save the strong seedlings and snip out the weak ones.
Keep your seedlings in full sun at a south facing window or under a grow light. Make sure the soil is moist, not sopping wet. Plants like moist soil. Do not let the soil get that fungus or powdery mildew. Take care of them. This is the most important phase for the seedlings. They have to grow strong and healthy. Keep an eye on them.
When they have grown to at least five to six inches, and have leafed out, you could transplant them into bigger pots. However, be careful because most plants do not like their roots to be disturbed. If you do transplant, be very gentle. If you want to give them an extra boost of magical energy, you could hang a clear quartz or moss agate crystal above the plants, or put the crystals into the soil. Be sure not to crowd the plant or hurt the roots. Keep the crystal a few inches from the plants.
If you wish to fertilize your herb seedlings, do research first on when and how much. Do not add too much fertilizer when they are in their early phases of growing. If you boil eggs, save the water you use to boil the eggs in and add that to your plants. Fill a jug with water. Wait until the full moon phase and leave the jug where it can absorb the full moon energy. Next morning, add that to your plants. Leave the jug in the sun to grab some magical solar energy. Save your rain water. Leave a clear quartz crystal in the jug. Just make sure you do not lose the crystal!
Here is another magical boost for your plants tip! Stand next to your beautiful magical herb plant pots. Hold your hands around the pot/s, soften your gaze and concentrate. Send them positive energy and welcome the seedlings to your plant family. Breath on them – our breath is sacred! Imagine a white shower of your magical energy is radiating to the plants from your hands to the plants. Yes, the plants do sense this. They will grow better!
Before you know it, spring will arrive and you will be transplanting them outdoors! Be sure all chances of frost are passed first.
I want to grow herbs on my boyfriend’s deck. He doesn’t mind. The plants do get sun, but I plan to grow herbs that would grow in shade. I want to grow chamomile in my mother’s garden. Her garden is a full sun garden. I want to grow herbs in pots, but the pots can’t take up all the room on the deck. The herbs I want to grow in pots on the deck are: apple mint, (love it), basil, purple basil, sage (maybe clary sage!), chives, parsley and nasturtiums. I want to grow the following herbs to attract bees to my flowers and herbs for pollination: lavender, lemon balm, Johnny-jump-ups, pansies and calendula. Those flowers and herbs are sure to attract bees and other eager little pollinators. I may add gemstones such as clear quartz and moss agate, maybe a fairy statue or other knick-knacks. I cannot wait!
I hope that this post inspires you to start your herb seedlings! The next turn in the Wheel of the Year is Ostara! I am as excited as you for spring to return. Blessings
Imbolc is upon us! We can all take heart that the first of the three spring Sabbats has arrived. Today’s post is all about herbs of Imbolc. Imbolc is the midpoint between winter and spring. Imbolc honors the spring Goddess Brigid. Herbs can be celebrated during this season, especially herbs that correspond to purity, fertility and the transition from winter to spring.
“In between the middle of the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox lies the Celtic festival of Imbolc. Dating back to pre-Christian times, Imbolc celebrations revolved around the Goddess Brigid. Ancient Celtic mythology explains that she was born with a flame in her head and immediately drank the milk of a mystical cow upon birth, which is where her common symbols of a flame and dairy originated from. She also represents fertility, and many women would travel to her sacred wells (the most popular one in Kildare, Ireland) to drink their water in hopes of conceiving shortly after. During Imbolc celebrations, those celebrating would light bonfires and make dairy-rich meals in honor of Brigid.
Now, Imbolc coincides with Saint Brigid’s feast day. Historians have shown that when Christianity was spreading throughout Ireland, the church was having a difficult time convincing pagans to let go of their gods and goddesses. Thus, Brigid was “reborn” into Saint Brigid, and her representations (i.e., fertility, the flame, and dairy farmers) were kept the same.” Credit given to https://www.herbstalk.org/blog/imbolc-traditions-rituals-and-herbs-for-the-pagan-holiday
Chamomile, lavender, rosemary, milk thistle, bay laurel and white heather are good choices. Let’s take a closer look at how they can be used and what they represent.
“Imbolc Herbs
1. Rosemary Rosemary is a classic herb for purification and protection, making it perfect for Imbolc. As we move away from the cold, dark months of winter, rosemary can help cleanse your space and prepare it for the lighter days ahead.
Uses:
Burn rosemary as incense to cleanse your home or altar.
Add it to a ritual bath to purify your energy.
Place sprigs of rosemary around candles on your altar to invoke clarity and focus.
2. Lavender Known for its calming and uplifting properties, lavender is an ideal herb for Imbolc rituals that center on healing and renewal. It helps open your heart and mind to new beginnings.
Uses:
Use lavender in sachets or charm bags for peace and relaxation.
Add dried lavender to your ritual fire or candle magick.
Brew lavender tea during your Imbolc feast to encourage tranquility and connection.
3. Chamomile Chamomile embodies the sun’s gentle energy, making it a wonderful herb to symbolize the returning light of spring. It’s also known for luck and prosperity.
Uses:
Sprinkle chamomile petals on your altar as an offering to Brigid.
Use it in spells for abundance and success in the coming season.
Create a chamomile infusion to wash your ritual tools or cleanse your altar.
4. Angelica Angelica is a powerful herb associated with protection, healing, and blessings. Its vibrant energy aligns perfectly with Imbolc’s themes of renewal and hope.
Uses:
Use angelica root in protective talismans or charm bags.
Scatter angelica around your home for blessings.
Add it to an anointing oil for Imbolc rituals.
5. Bay Leaves Bay leaves are a versatile herb tied to wisdom, manifestation, and purification. They can help you set powerful intentions for the year ahead.
Uses:
Write your wishes for the year on bay leaves and burn them in your ritual fire.
Add bay leaves to a simmer pot for cleansing your home.
Place them under your pillow to inspire prophetic dreams during Imbolc.
6. White Heather White heather represents new beginnings and protection, aligning beautifully with Imbolc’s energy of transformation.
Uses:
Use white heather in altar arrangements or wreaths.
Incorporate it into spells for hope and new opportunities.
Add dried heather to herbal incense blends for Imbolc rituals.
7. Milk Thistle Milk thistle is connected to healing and renewal, aligning with Brigid’s nurturing energy. Its connection to milk also ties it symbolically to Imbolc, which celebrates the lactation of ewes.
Uses:
Add milk thistle to offerings for Brigid.
Use it in rituals for physical and emotional healing.
Include it in a tea or tincture to nurture your body and spirit.
How to Incorporate Herbs into Your Imbolc Celebrations
1. Create an Imbolc Simmer Pot: Combine herbs like rosemary, chamomile, and bay leaves with cinnamon sticks and orange peels. Simmer them on your stove to fill your home with cleansing and uplifting energy.
2. Herbal Sachets: Fill small bags with dried herbs like lavender, rosemary, and chamomile. Carry them for protection, peace, or renewal throughout the season.
3. Herbal Offerings: Place dried herbs on your altar or around Brigid’s effigy to honor her and invoke her blessings.
4. Herbal Candles: Roll candles in herbal blends before lighting them for your rituals.
Imbolc is a time to reconnect with the cycles of nature and prepare for the growth and abundance of spring. By working with these magical herbs, you can enhance your rituals and deepen your connection to this sacred sabbat. Blessed Imbolc and bright blessings! “
Ginger root is suitable for Imbolc. Imbolc is a fire festival and ginger is a fiery root. I want to include a few crystals that correspond to Imbolc as well. Blue lace agate, clear quartz crystal, selenite, snowflake obsidian, rose quartz, lepidolite, carnelian and amethyst would be perfect on your altar. This could be a good time to refresh and declutter your altar (I know I need to). Use the above herbs and gemstones for an extra magical boost to your magick! Be sure to include a Brigid’s cross.
Imbolc is almost here! I have had a huge creativity streak lately. I usually feel exceptionally creative when Imbolc rolls around. Imbolc is the first of the three spring Sabbats. I am very relieved. That brings us all closer to spring, for those who live in the Northern hemipshere.
I sewed myself a blue skirt the other day. The project took two days to complete. The challenge was sewing the yoke to the skirt.
My new homemade blue skirt
I have a new sewing project in mind. I bought a few meters of beige cotton knit fabric that I originally intended to use for the nightgown. It was too heavy for a nightgown. I still have the fabric. Then inspiration struck! I now intend to sew myself a Renaissance outfit. I have a sewing pattern for it, but the pattern is not in the right size. I’m ordering the pattern in the right size. Once I have the pattern, then I can sew the garment. The pattern is shown in the photo below:
I decided against sewing a dress from the beige knit fabric. They require such precision and a million fittings. A peasant blouse is so easy to sew. For once, I think I will choose sewing something easy instead of complex.
The garment will consist of a beige cotton knit peasant blouse and a skirt, a bodice and an overskirt. I have a long brown cotton skirt that I made from the original pattern. That would look good with the pattern. I already have fabric and brown thread for the bodice. I found the brown velveteen fabric in my fabric stash. I bought a meter of brown cotton for the lining and I found interfacing in my stash. I just need several d-rings ( my skills at inserting eyelets leaves much to be desired). I want to add the peplum to the bodice as well as embroidered trim. I bought plenty of brown ribbon to lace up the bodice. I am glad that this project is not costing me a lot of money. I already own most of the supplies I need. I do have to buy dark blue bias tape for the bodice. I love Fabricville, but I love the trims and ribbons on Etsy. I noticed that in the largest photo on the front of the sewing pattern shows the model wearing a bias tape that is a darker color, so I want to do the same. The dark blue color brings out the pink color of the bodice. The variety and quality is much better on Etsy.
I bought a few meters of beautiful cream white organdy lace on Etsy. I have yet to decide how I will use it with the blouse and skirt. I am sure I can figure it out. I do believe that the outit will look amazing! I’m relieved that I thought of ways to use up the fabric that just sat in my stash. I have so much beige fabric that I could sew the overskirt and skirt from the same fabric. Or I could make the overskirt brown too. It could go either way. I’m happy to get the pattern in my size because figuring out how to grade the original pattern would have been such a headache. I am not that skilled! The pattern was hard to find in the sizes I wanted. I may sew the lace to the overskirt and to the sleeve hems! That would look romantic and a great way to use up the lace.
The lace organdy fabric
The beige and browns are earthy colors. I have all of the remaining winter and spring to work on it. Maybe I will try learning a new skill such as machine embroidery! I have to practice before I would consider doing machine embroidery on the brown velvet. Sewing a trim to fabric is easier. That would look great though. Winter is a season to turn inward and be reflective and spring is the wild, untamed transition of new life and birth. I still see earthy browns and beiges as pertaining to spring. The mud is softer and tiny buds emerge from the soil. I ordered a nice brown embroidered trim from Etsy. I can’t wait for it to arrive.
I sewed a mock up of the bodice pattern. I am glad I did as I could determine how much fabric I really needed to make the bodice. The brown velveteen fabric is lovely. I cut out the material last night very carefully. Now sewing the bodice will be much easier. I sewed the overskirt too. I wore the long brown skirt, the overskirt and the beige peasant blouse to the Imbolc Ritual. I had no time to sew the bodice. But now I have lots of time.
I was fortunate to have lots of elastic for the sewing project. I made an elastic casing at the neckline, sleeves and the bodice hem. I sewed an elastic casing for the overskirt. I chose it that way because the ribbon was lost in the casing. I find elastic easier to work with. The fabric for the overskirt was very slippery. I sewed in a zigzag stitch for the hem of the overskirt. I also changed the length of the hem for the brown skirt. I still tripped in it. I felt so feminine when I wore it and I recieved lots of compliments.
Sewing the bodice was more work than I anticipated. I am glad I made the mockup. I knew how much material to add to the pattern. I cut out the brown bodice fabric, first checking that I was cutting on the grain. The outer material of the bodice is brown velveteen. The lining is a brown broadcloth cotton. I set them aside. When I was ready to work on it, I moved on to the next step – adding the interfacing. That was a royal headache. I even cut out a second front bodice section. I had trouble deciding if I wanted the main bodice section to have the dart sewn in, or if I would add that to the extra material in the bodice. I decided to go with sewing the darts in the main bodice front section. The interfacing was a royal headache. Once I had the right sections interfaced – and that was a headache in itself, I set it all aside again. When I was again ready to sew again, I pulled it out. I set up my sewing machine and all my tools. I had to stitch carefully. I did not want to mess up the bodice. It is harder to correct when working with velveteen. I stitched the front and back corset sections together. I trimmed the interfacing to help conceal it. I sewed the lining to the bodice. I sewed it all carefully and slowly. I feel I have more control over it all that way.
Sewing the bias tape to conceal the raw edges was also a headache. The bias tape wanted to roll out. I also had to seam rip the bias tape and bodice fabric to reduce the bulk. It looked better when that was done. I snipped all the stray threads. There were many times during the course of sewing the bodice that I wanted to scream from the hilltops. I matched the seams of the front center bodice sections together. The front center sections of the bodice met evenly once the bulky seams were trimmed. I am very handy with a seam ripper. Then the next step that I dreaded was installing the grommets. That almost gave me a stomach ache. Okay I had originally purchased d rings to use for the lacing, but I decided to master a new skill and try my hand at setting in the grommets. I had survived interfacing, sewing the bodice sections together, and endured sewing on the bias tape – I could survive this.
I bought black grommets in a little kit. I practiced hammering in the grommets on spare fabric. When I was confident I could do it on the bodice, I gathered an awl, a screwdriver, a seam ripper, scissors and the kit. I marked where I wanted the grommets to be set in. This is why it is good to not skip the step of adding the interfacing. The fabric is strengthened by the interfacing. It also means it is harder to poke an awl through the fabric. I poked twice with the awl, then the screwdriver to enlarge the hole I created. I twisted the screwdriver in the hole a few times. I used a seam ripper to help tear the hole a little larger – but not too much. I want the grommets to crimp or ‘eat’ the fabric, but not make too big of a hole. Then I set in the larger grommet piece. I had to set ten pieces in. Okay once the grommet piece was snug in the hole- pushed in from the right side of the fabric, then I set the other piece from the wrong side. I pushed them together (not hard), to make them meet. I set the fabric down on the cutting board, face down and I positioned the tiny hammer tool on the grommet, and hammered the grommet into the fabric. I was amazed that I did it right. I did it right nine more times. I also had to make sure the grommets were truly across from each other on the bodice sections. I hammered in the grommets so hard that the impressions of the grommets are left in the wood. The grommets stuck to the wood. I tugged firmly and gently and they released from the wood. The grommets were done right. I wanted to add a lovely brown and gold trim to the bodice. I pinned the trim onto the bodice and sewed slowly and carefully. I used that for the casing for the boning. I set in the grommets where the boning was supposed to go. I am not changing that. It is fine. It was so much work. It was all so much work.
The reason why I have written so much here about the colors and textures of the fabric is because there are no guarantees at first when sewing. I want the fabrics, colors and textures to harmonize, synergize. It all has to blend and look great, not just hand sewn. I want it all to look store bought. That is how the pattern should look in the end. That means it depends on me to do my very best sewing. There is no room for error. The result is something I can be proud of. So I like to work out the details as I am sewing or before I even start sewing. I put a lot of thought into my sewing projects. Okay, okay, I am obsessive with my sewing projects. I have no idea what comes over me. I should get just as obsessive about my other creative projects, but that’s just me. Imagine what I could accomplish! ha ha. Perhaps I can wear the brown corset with my new blue skirt!
In other news, I have renewed the contract with Baynam Books Press for The Cult of the Spider People. The edits are done and now I look forward to seeing the new version! The editor/ publisher Crystal Baynam is changing the front cover of my book. The Bone Chillers #1 will be removed. Ah well. The new version is much better edited.
I ordered a sample of an aesthetic scrapbook sample in the mail. It is not what I thought. The blue book is so tiny. The stickers look great. I will use it in my brown hand bound poetry journal.
I look foward to receiving the sewing pattern in the mail. Once I do, I shall post all about it here and I will post more about Imbolc too! Let me know more about your own creative endeavours in the comments! I look forward to it.
I recently completed my Advanced Monograh Project. I’m so happy it’s done. It was a lot of work. Today’s post will focus on how I compiled all the monograohs into one document.
First off, I had to write the mongraphs. I did research various books about the herbs. It was fascinating. I researched the modern day herbal books and the more classical books. I put each monograph into its own document and then something happened. I became inspired! I wanted to compose a book of my monographs and borrow the artsy style of the Herbal Academy.
That changed everything. For the front cover, I found an older print of dandelions and scanned it in color, then I printed it out and mounted it on a piece of parchment paper. It looked beautiful! I added the words Monograph Project to the page and played around with the fonts. I included the page about identifying the shapes of leaves and flowers to the book, my list of local native plants I identified on the nature trail, a table of contents and a small introduction.
I added an old in color monograph print of the herb to each monograph. I used Helvetica font for the title for each monograph. Getting Microsoft word to do what I wanted it to do was much easier said than done. The fonts, the font size and the spacing did not have any interest in doing what I wanted it to do. The headings were a whole other monster. When I was finished writing each monograph, I compiled it all into one big document.
I decided on making the headings such as taste and energetics, uses, safety and dosage into a larger font than the text about the herbs. The monographs were written in 11 size font. I decided that would be too hard for my eyes. I changed the font to size 12 for all the text. Okay I changed the fonts to size 12 about twenty times. I printed the document out in black and white, then I proofread the entire collection.
I found herbal clip art and printed them out in color, thyme, dandelions and rose leaf clip art. I glued them to the pages of the monographs when it was printed out in color. I even learned how to adjust the size of the clip art and insert it into the footer. I changed my mind several times of where to place the page numbers. I ensured the headings, the spacing for the headings and that the headings were all consistent, the pagination was consistent, and the sizes of the font were all consistent. Again, easier said than done, but I managed. Then once the proofreading was finished, I finally printed the document in color.
The result? It was amazing. I am so happy with it. I bound the book at Staples. The pdf is stored on my desktop and the monographs are all stored in the Advanced Monograph folder if I ever feel like adding more information to the individual monographs.
I learned a lot from completing the project that I thought I could never finish. I did and I feel so good about it. My new project is sewing myself a nightgown. It has its challenges.
The next turn in the Wheel of the Year is Imbolc! Finally! Imbolc is the first Sabbat and heralds the arrival of an early spring. I love Imbolc. I shall post more about it as we get closer to Imbolc.
A powerful snowstorm blew in at the Atlantic provinces here, creating record amounts of snow. Over three thousand people lost power which thankfully I was exempt from. The Cape Breton provinces received the most snow, a total of 150 centimetres in some areas. The amount of snow was unreal. It is really bad and I just hope that things get better.
Imbolc is here, along with the record-breaking snowfall. I cooked Guiness Stew, a new recipe. Beer broth took some adjusting too, but it is delicious. I encourage you all to try steak soaked in beer broth at least once or several times in your life- with more Guiness and rustic bread. Let the stew steep as that really draws out the flavours.
I worry for those in Cape Breton in regards to the storm. They need food and are not able to get to work. Now the climate change deniers can look me in the eye and tell me that climate change isn’t real. It is. The polar ice caps are melting. We received a winter’s worth of snow in a weekend. That is not normal. I keep filling the bird feeder. As soon as I do, they are right there at the feeder, pecking for seeds, the poor things. I have to stock up on more seed. I refuse to see them starve.
I hope that the long black boards can finally be adhered to my altar this weekend. The weather must cooperate. It will just be such a game changer and I can’t wait to have my altar off the floor. It will make such a difference in here, because I will be able to store stuff underneath the altar and no longer need to kneel on the floor. I wear a lot of black and my cat has white fur- need I say more?
I bought a set of queen-sized black linen bed sheets to match the black blanket I bought from Killstar. I swear I sleep better with darker sheets. I also got some white magazine holders and have now happily arranged papers and magazines. It looks so much more organized and coordinated. I am on a mission to get more organized, even if it takes the rest of my life. I am making progress though.
Imbolc may be the first of the three spring Sabbats but spring is a long way off here yet. Imbolc occurs on February 2nd is the second Sabbat of the Wiccan year. Seeds stir under the soil and animals slowly emerge from their long hibernation. Imbolc is the cross-quarter day between Winter Solstice and the spring equinox. Candlemas is also celebrated on February 2nd. The God returns and strengthens his power. The Goddess gave birth to the God at Yule and returns her maiden role for spring.
Imbolc is an old Irish word for the birthing of the first lambs of the season, and is often times translated as “ewe’s milk.” The Celts revered the Goddess Brighid for her talents with poetry, healing and smithcraft.
We will discuss Imbolc more in the upcoming posts.
Spring is in the air. It must be because I have a pot of parsley and a pot of basil on my windowsill. I also am trying to get the rosemary cuttings to grow new sprouts. Imbolc is almost here! I love that. Imbolc is the first of the three Spring Sabbats. I can’t wait to start sprouting herb seeds. Tomorrow I will buy seed starting soil! Oh I can’t wait.
For those of you who wish to learn all about Imbolc, you have come to the right place. Stir the cauldron!!
Imbolc
Imbolc, or Imbolg, is one of the lesser-known festivals of the ancient Celts, but it was one of the four most important festivals in the Celtic calendar. For this ancient society, the year revolved around two main points; on the one hand, since the Celts were an agricultural society, everything was based around the harvest.
On the other hand, they also had an in-depth knowledge about the alignment of the sun and stars, which history suggests had great significance for them. So their calendar was neatly divided up into four quarters, with a festival to celebrate reaching each one. The year started with Samhain at the end of October, when the harvest was in full swing, to prepare for the onset of winter.
In Celtic philosophy, light must always follow dark, so this is why their year began on such a somber note. Bealtaine at the beginning of May marked the coming of summer, the beginning of sowing crops, and the light half of the year, and was the biggest and happiest celebration. In between were Lughnasa in August, marking the beginning of the harvest, and Imbolc in February, to celebrate the beginning of spring.
What was Imbolc about?
Simply put, Imbolc was a celebration of the end of winter and the impending light half of the year.
The hardest part of the year was over; adverse weather, cold temperatures, food rationing, and of course, no warfare (an integral part of Celtic society) would soon be a thing of the past.
Farmers were getting ready to go back to work, preparing animals for breeding, warriors were picking up their weapons again, and the political and social aspects of life that had been put on hold for winter were also beginning again.
The name Imbolc originates from ‘i mbolg’, which translates as ‘in the belly’. This refers to livestock breeding season, particularly the pregnancy of ewes, which was one of the focal points of the celebration.
Because the festival was so associated with this, it’s timing often varied – it could be anywhere from mid-January to mid- February depending on the weather and the animals’ behaviour.
It also appeared to have a more spiritual significance for the Celts too, as it’s no coincidence that more than a few megalithic monuments around Ireland are perfectly aligned with the rising sun around the dates of Imbolc and Samhain.
Imbolc was celebrated all across Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, with each region having slightly different variations in name and customs. Wales also had a remarkably similar version of the festival known as Gwyl Fair y Canhwyllau.
After the onset of Christianity in Ireland, the festival was tied in with a celebration of Saint Bridget, and transformed from a pagan one into a Christian one.
Christians used Brigid as the focal point of their celebrations to smooth the transition, as Imbolc had previously been associated with a goddess of a very similar name, Brighid. Essentially, Bridget and Brighid were the same person! As with all Celtic festivals, Imbolc involved a host of unique customs and rituals to welcome the spring, say farewell to the winter, ward against evil and promote health and wellbeing.
Imbolc was similar to Samhain and Bealtaine in that fire played an integral part of the celebrations, although not on the same scale. While at Samhain bonfires were lit to ward off evil spirits and at Bealtaine they served to offer protection and growth, at Imbolc they were symbolic of the sun’s return.
Rather than a huge central bonfire at the centre of the festivities, Imbolc was more about the home and each home’s hearth. Every home in the community would have their own fire burning right through the night, and during medieval times when homes consisted of actual wood and stone buildings rather than the wattle and daub huts of the Celts, all of the fires in the house were lit for the night. If for some reason that was not possible, it was sufficient to have candles lit in every room instead.
The Celts were always concerned about the weather (something that has lasted up until the present day with modern Irish people!), so Imbolc was an important time to read omens and attempt to predict the weather for the summer. An unusual but widely popular omen was if the weather was especially bad on the day of Imbolc, which meant a great summer was on the way. This is because one of the more malicious creatures in Irish folklore, the Cailleach, would spend the day of Imbolc collecting firewood for herself if winter was to last a while longer.
To do this, she would obviously need a bright and dry day to collect her wood, so if Imbolc was wet and windy, that meant the Cailleach had gone to sleep and winter would soon be over.
Visiting wells was another important custom for Imbolc, particularly holy wells. Visitors would walk around the well in the same direction as the sun traversed the sky at that point on the land, praying for health and wealth for the year.
Offerings were left at the well once this was done; usually coins or ‘clooties’ (pieces of cloth). Special foods were also part of the festivities, usually consisting of bannock – a flatbread cut into wedges – as well as dairy products and meat.
The early Celtic version of Imbolc was not all that different from the festival in early medieval times when Christianity was taking hold in Ireland. One of the goddesses the Celts worshipped at this festival was Bhrigid, the daughter of Dagda (the chief Celtic deity) and one of the Tuatha De Dannan, the first inhabitants of Ireland.
She is associated with many things, most significantly poetry and fertility, but such activities as healing, smithing, arts, and crafts, tending to livestock and serpents also make the cut. She is credited with creating a whistle for people to call to one another through the night.
Some legends claim that while one half of her face was beautiful, the other was horribly ugly. She is thought by many to be the Celtic equivalent of the Roman goddess Minerva and the Greek goddess Athena.
Saint Bridget, on the other hand, was not a mythical goddess but a real woman, born in Dundalk, County Louth, around the 5th century AD.
During her lifetime she became a nun, founded numerous monasteries and performed her fair share of miracles, becoming one of the foremost advocates of Christianity in Ireland. After her death, she was made one of Ireland’s patron saints (and the only female patron saint), along with Patrick and Columba. So it was a natural progression for Imbolc, the pagan festival worshipping the goddess Bhrigid, to become the Christian festival in honour of Saint Bridget. February 2nd was chosen as the permanent day of celebration.
For the Celts, Bhrigid represented the all-important light half of the year, so her presence was much revered during the festival.
On Imbolc Eve, it was claimed that she would visit the most virtuous homes and bless everyone who slept in them, so people would leave pieces of clothing, food, or other tokens outside the entrance for her to bless, or to entice her into the home, It was Bhrigid’s role as a fertility goddess that was most important here, but for the medieval people of Ireland, her healing powers and general protective sense were as important as well as her fertility.
The majority of Imbolc traditions regarding Bhrigid or Bridget come from this time. While the tradition of leaving small tributes to Bridget on the doorstep continued for several centuries, several others sprang up too.
Celtic Inspired Torc Pendant – Celts believed the ancient Torc provided the wearer with a mystical form of protection
Ashes from the fire that was left to burn all night long would be smoothed out and left to see if a mark from Bridget appeared, to confirm that she had visited the house. Sometimes a makeshift bed would even be made up next to the fire, in case the saint wanted to rest a while.
This tradition was particularly popular in the Isle of Man and Scotland, where there were several short rhymes to go along with the tradition, acting as a call to the Saint to come and visit – generally, they were some variation on the phrase ‘Bridget, come in to our home, your bed is ready’. In some areas across Ireland and Scotland, women played a very important part in the festivities. They would make a doll figure from rushes known as a ‘Brideog’, dress it in white and with flowers, and carry it in a procession while singing hymns and poems in honour of Bridget.
At every home they passed, they would receive more pieces of cloth or small bits of food for the Brideog. Once the procession was finished, they would place the Brideog in a seat of honour and have a feast with all of the food, before placing it in a bed for the night while they began celebrations.
The most well-known tradition, however, and one that is still practiced today, is making a Saint Bridget’s cross and hanging it in the home. These crosses were a unique symbol of the transition from Paganism to Christianity. Before, bunches of rushes were tied together and hung at the entrance to homes to welcome Bhrigid. One of the stories of Bridget’s lifetime, however, recounts how she wove a cross from rushes and placed it above a dying man’s bed.
He roused from his delirium to ask what she was doing, and on hearing what it meant, he asked to be baptised before his death.
Since then, the cross has been a symbol for Bridget, and was also a familiar symbol for the Celts, making it the perfect transition symbol for Imbolc. The cross is distinctive, with a square in the middle and each point of the cross placed at a corner of the square. Somewhere between then and now, placing a cross in your kitchen came to mean that your house would be protected from fire.
Imbolc today
Unlike Samhain, which transformed into the much loved night of Halloween, Imbolc is one Celtic festival that hasn’t quite survived through history.
Although Christians still celebrate St. Bridget’s Day in Ireland and children still learn how to make crosses at the start of February, little else remains of the ancient Celtic spring festival. However, Saint Bridget’s cross, made from rushes and hung around the home just as the Celts would have done, is as good a reminder as any to the festival’s ancient and mythological origins.
Today is rainy, snowy and very overcast. Snow lightly covers the ground. Raindrops splatter the windowpanes. It is a sleepy, stay home type of day. The next turn in the Wheel of the year is Imbolc. Before I get started, I just wanted to write here that I know I haven’t posted much. This week, I had to deal with an infected tooth and an abnormal amount of pain. I had to get that under control’s which involved freezing my tooth at the hospital, and a lot of painkillers and an antibiotic to clear up the infected tooth. I am feeling much better now.
Imbolc is coming soon! My kitty Penny woke up from her long nap. I just gave her a cuddle. Imbolc is exciting to me because it is the first of the three Spring Sabbats. Imbolc is a time of renewed hope, purity and the return of the light. The cold remains but hope and new life stirs beneath the soil. I will post more here about Imbolc. I have a recipe on how to make Imbolc inspired cookies already. I can’t wait to try it!
Imbolc is the perfect time to read seed catalogues and to plan what you want to grow this spring. Or at least to think about which plants you want to start indoors. I plan to get the seed starting kit back from my Mom’s. I have to wait to get soil. Once I do, I plan to start seeds early. It’s my opinion that tomato plants take a long long time to grow, and I believe that they need to be started earlier in order to reach their maximum growth earlier in the year to bear fruit. This has been my observation.
Tomorrow I hope to get the Mastering Herbal Formulations book from the Herbal Academy in the mail. I can really get deep into the course once I have the workbook. I wish they did delivery on weekends but I guess USPS doesn’t work that way. I have read Unit 1 and I get most of the ideas. The calculations look complicated but not impossible. I really need to learn this stuff in order to sell my teas at the local farmers market. That is my goal and part of why I am studying at the Herbal Academy. I want to run a herbal business when I graduate. First, I have a lot to learn. I want to take my time and learn and then I will have a better chance of running my herbal business.
I had reservations about blending two or more herbs in a tincture and other preparations. The Mastering Herbal Formulations course will take away my reservations and give me a renewed confidence. I look forward to reading and learning more in Unit 2-3. The courses at the Herbal Academy are fascinating. I love everything I have learned so far. So to return to the topic of spring seed planting, I have a few new herb seed packets to try this spring. I have many packets of seeds. However, this spring, I have motherwort seeds and I can’t wait to start that from seed. There are too many for me to count here that I want to get started. That will have to be in a future post.
If you ask me, time is speeding up. I can’t believe how fast time goes now. It seems like I was holding a bonfire in my back yard and now I want to pore over seed catalogues. Does anyone feel like time is speeding up? To what purpose? It’s hard to say. I will just ride the crest of this ‘wave’ as best I can. The possibility of the return of spring cheers me greatly.
Production or should I say, construction of my dreamy winter coat has been postponed. The lining material has strangely vanished. I can’t explain it. Besides, I want a new colour for the lining material. The red I chose is in my opinion, the wrong colour. Since I have to live with the shade of brown for the rest of my life, I am purchasing a tan or camel colour at the end of the month. The ling material that I have now is too red, more like a wine or a burgundy color. I can’t wait to get back to work on it.
Imbolc is here! Imbolc is the first of the three spring Sabbats. It doesn’t look like spring today. The sky is dark and overcast, and rain batters the houses and streets. Spring is a while yet in coming. mbolc is a pagan holiday celebrated from February 1 through sundown February 2. Based on a Celtic tradition, Imbolc was meant to mark the halfway point between winter solstice and the spring equinox in Neolithic Ireland and Scotland.
Imbolc, or Imbolg, is one of the lesser-known festivals of the ancient Celts, but it was one of the four most important festivals in the Celtic calendar. For this ancient society, the year revolved around two main points; on the one hand, since the Celts were an agricultural society, everything was based around the harvest.
On the other hand, they also had an in-depth knowledge about the alignment of the sun and stars, which history suggests had great significance for them. So their calendar was neatly divided up into four quarters, with a festival to celebrate reaching each one. The year started with Samhain at the end of October, when the harvest was in full swing, to prepare for the onset of winter.
In Celtic philosophy, light must always follow dark, so this is why their year began on such a somber note. Bealtaine at the beginning of May marked the coming of summer, the beginning of sowing crops, and the light half of the year, and was the biggest and happiest celebration. In between were Lughnasa in August, marking the beginning of the harvest, and Imbolc in February, to celebrate the beginning of spring.
What was Imbolc about?
Simply put, Imbolc was a celebration of the end of winter and the impending light half of the year.
The hardest part of the year was over; adverse weather, cold temperatures, food rationing, and of course, no warfare (an integral part of Celtic society) would soon be a thing of the past.
Farmers were getting ready to go back to work, preparing animals for breeding, warriors were picking up their weapons again, and the political and social aspects of life that had been put on hold for winter were also beginning again.
The name Imbolc originates from ‘i mbolg’, which translates as ‘in the belly’. This refers to livestock breeding season, particularly the pregnancy of ewes, which was one of the focal points of the celebration.
Because the festival was so associated with this, it’s timing often varied – it could be anywhere from mid-January to mid- February depending on the weather and the animals’ behaviour.
It also appeared to have a more spiritual significance for the Celts too, as it’s no coincidence that more than a few megalithic monuments around Ireland are perfectly aligned with the rising sun around the dates of Imbolc and Samhain.
Imbolc was celebrated all across Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, with each region having slightly different variations in name and customs. Wales also had a remarkably similar version of the festival known as Gwyl Fair y Canhwyllau.
After the onset of Christianity in Ireland, the festival was tied in with a celebration of Saint Bridget, and transformed from a pagan one into a Christian one.
Christians used Brigid as the focal point of their celebrations to smooth the transition, as Imbolc had previously been associated with a goddess of a very similar name, Brighid. Essentially, Bridget and Brighid were the same person! As with all Celtic festivals, Imbolc involved a host of unique customs and rituals to welcome the spring, say farewell to the winter, ward against evil and promote health and wellbeing.
Imbolc was similar to Samhain and Bealtaine in that fire played an integral part of the celebrations, although not on the same scale. While at Samhain bonfires were lit to ward off evil spirits and at Bealtaine they served to offer protection and growth, at Imbolc they were symbolic of the sun’s return.
Rather than a huge central bonfire at the centre of the festivities, Imbolc was more about the home and each home’s hearth. Every home in the community would have their own fire burning right through the night, and during medieval times when homes consisted of actual wood and stone buildings rather than the wattle and daub huts of the Celts, all of the fires in the house were lit for the night. If for some reason that was not possible, it was sufficient to have candles lit in every room instead.
The Celts were always concerned about the weather (something that has lasted up until the present day with modern Irish people!), so Imbolc was an important time to read omens and attempt to predict the weather for the summer. An unusual but widely popular omen was if the weather was especially bad on the day of Imbolc, which meant a great summer was on the way. This is because one of the more malicious creatures in Irish folklore, the Cailleach, would spend the day of Imbolc collecting firewood for herself if winter was to last a while longer.
To do this, she would obviously need a bright and dry day to collect her wood, so if Imbolc was wet and windy, that meant the Cailleach had gone to sleep and winter would soon be over.
Visiting wells was another important custom for Imbolc, particularly holy wells. Visitors would walk around the well in the same direction as the sun traversed the sky at that point on the land, praying for health and wealth for the year.
Offerings were left at the well once this was done; usually coins or ‘clooties’ (pieces of cloth). Special foods were also part of the festivities, usually consisting of bannock – a flatbread cut into wedges – as well as dairy products and meat.
The early Celtic version of Imbolc was not all that different from the festival in early medieval times when Christianity was taking hold in Ireland. One of the goddesses the Celts worshipped at this festival was Bhrigid, the daughter of Dagda (the chief Celtic deity) and one of the Tuatha De Dannan, the first inhabitants of Ireland.
She is associated with many things, most significantly poetry and fertility, but such activities as healing, smithing, arts, and crafts, tending to livestock and serpents also make the cut. She is credited with creating a whistle for people to call to one another through the night.
Some legends claim that while one half of her face was beautiful, the other was horribly ugly. She is thought by many to be the Celtic equivalent of the Roman goddess Minerva and the Greek goddess Athena.
Saint Bridget, on the other hand, was not a mythical goddess but a real woman, born in Dundalk, County Louth, around the 5th century AD.
During her lifetime she became a nun, founded numerous monasteries and performed her fair share of miracles, becoming one of the foremost advocates of Christianity in Ireland. After her death, she was made one of Ireland’s patron saints (and the only female patron saint), along with Patrick and Columba. So it was a natural progression for Imbolc, the pagan festival worshipping the goddess Bhrigid, to become the Christian festival in honour of Saint Bridget. February 2nd was chosen as the permanent day of celebration.
For the Celts, Bhrigid represented the all-important light half of the year, so her presence was much revered during the festival.
On Imbolc Eve, it was claimed that she would visit the most virtuous homes and bless everyone who slept in them, so people would leave pieces of clothing, food, or other tokens outside the entrance for her to bless, or to entice her into the home, It was Bhrigid’s role as a fertility goddess that was most important here, but for the medieval people of Ireland, her healing powers and general protective sense were as important as well as her fertility.
The majority of Imbolc traditions regarding Bhrigid or Bridget come from this time. While the tradition of leaving small tributes to Bridget on the doorstep continued for several centuries, several others sprang up too.
Celtic Inspired Torc Pendant – Celts believed the ancient Torc provided the wearer with a mystical form of protection
Ashes from the fire that was left to burn all night long would be smoothed out and left to see if a mark from Bridget appeared, to confirm that she had visited the house. Sometimes a makeshift bed would even be made up next to the fire, in case the saint wanted to rest a while.
This tradition was particularly popular in the Isle of Man and Scotland, where there were several short rhymes to go along with the tradition, acting as a call to the Saint to come and visit – generally, they were some variation on the phrase ‘Bridget, come in to our home, your bed is ready’. In some areas across Ireland and Scotland, women played a very important part in the festivities. They would make a doll figure from rushes known as a ‘Brideog’, dress it in white and with flowers, and carry it in a procession while singing hymns and poems in honour of Bridget.
At every home they passed, they would receive more pieces of cloth or small bits of food for the Brideog. Once the procession was finished, they would place the Brideog in a seat of honour and have a feast with all of the food, before placing it in a bed for the night while they began celebrations.
The most well-known tradition, however, and one that is still practiced today, is making a Saint Bridget’s cross and hanging it in the home. These crosses were a unique symbol of the transition from Paganism to Christianity. Before, bunches of rushes were tied together and hung at the entrance to homes to welcome Bhrigid. One of the stories of Bridget’s lifetime, however, recounts how she wove a cross from rushes and placed it above a dying man’s bed.
He roused from his delirium to ask what she was doing, and on hearing what it meant, he asked to be baptised before his death.
Since then, the cross has been a symbol for Bridget, and was also a familiar symbol for the Celts, making it the perfect transition symbol for Imbolc. The cross is distinctive, with a square in the middle and each point of the cross placed at a corner of the square. Somewhere between then and now, placing a cross in your kitchen came to mean that your house would be protected from fire.
Imbolc today
Unlike Samhain, which transformed into the much loved night of Halloween, Imbolc is one Celtic festival that hasn’t quite survived through history.
Although Christians still celebrate St. Bridget’s Day in Ireland and children still learn how to make crosses at the start of February, little else remains of the ancient Celtic spring festival. However, Saint Bridget’s cross, made from rushes and hung around the home just as the Celts would have done, is as good a reminder as any to the festival’s ancient and mythological origins.
Imbolc is almost here! I can’t wait for spring. When I step outdoors, I am hit with a bone chilling blast of cold air. I do have to leave the house sometimes. I don’t have to like the cold. Spring is a long way off but we can now anticipate its ‘return.
I recently introduced even more order into my apartment. I went to an office supplies store, Staples, and bought two black plastic stackable crates. From the way they were placed on the shelf and that there were just two crates waiting for me, I knew they were meant for me. I grabbed them and carried them through the store. I bought purple hanging file folders- black and purple, of course! I now have my files all organized and I gave the two dozen now empty binders to my Mom. She appreciated the binders very much and I am glad because now the binders have a new good purpose.
The best thing to come out of this lockdown and Covid was the reorganizing of my home. It is in way more order than it ever was before. I do believe the last section here is the broom closet. I have more space down there but it is far from perfect. I plan to donate a lot of stuff to Value Village where I work. I also bought a cool black wire box decorated with flowers to store my manuscript in. I have to get busy editing my ghost story now that I am under contract. But with my home in way more order, I am sure that won’t be a problem.
Clutter is a sign of excess. It is good to round up all the ‘clutter’ and then donate it. Donating items to a thrift shop prevents the items from ending up in landfill. That is one great thing about Value Village;- all that stuff would be in landfill otherwise.
I bought a white candle in a beautiful white marble candle holder. The flame glows nicely and is burning steadily. I may be speaking for myself here but I will miss the dark half of the year. Now we turn to the lighter half of the year. But I revel, I thrive in the darker half of the year. I do miss my garden. With Imbolc creeping up on us, we can now turn our attention to starting seeds indoors and such.
Once I see sprouts in my garden poke through the soil, I will be missing my garden. It’s all I will care about. I wish you all a merry magickal Imbolc.
Imbolc is usually when Witches receive an urge to be Very Creative. It is about this time of year I suddenly have to do all sorts of crafts. Brighid is the Goddess for poets and bards.
Gather together a red and white candle that represent fire and ice. Add some corresponding herbs and blessing oil. Embellish the candles with sigils of your tradition or that correspond with the Goddess Brighid.
Create Brighid’s crosses out of raffia or yarn. Keep them for your altar or trade with your friends or coven mates. Make a corn doll or a goddess doll out of Sculpey clay, felt or yarn. Be sure to give her a green mantle and red hair to celebrate Brighid.
Please do not steal or copy from this blog. If you do, be prepared to be stomped on by the Fates and karma for your bad character. I can be reached at :
heddyjohannesen @ gmail.com
