Imbolc
The Midwinter celebration–also known as Imbolc–is a late Winter and early Spring celebration at the same time. True to the energy of the Winter season, it is a time to take inventory and plan for the coming of the rest of the year. What to grow, what to expect. This is a time where the seeds are still buried deep in the soil of Mother Earth, but they start to gestate and dream about sprouting in the very near future.
When: February 1-2
In between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox, we have the Mid Winter Celebration–a celebration of light with roots in both pagan and Christian culture under the various names of Imbolc, Candlemass and St Brigid's Day.
In the pagan traditions much of this day is grounded in the agricultural seasons—estimating how soon spring-like weather will come and when to plant the crops. In the Celtic tradition, this day was called Imbolc (meaning in the belly) or Oimelc (meaning lambs’ milk) because the lambing season began. It was also called Brigantia for the counterpart of the Irish Brigid Celtic female deity of light, calling attention to the Sun being halfway on its advance from the Winter Solstice to the Spring Equinox.
In the Christian tradition, the name Candlemass acquired its English name from the candles lit that day in churches to celebrate the presentation of the Christ Child in the temple of Jerusalem.
During time, Midwinter has been marked as a threshold day that celebrates the final chapter of the Winter Season, where the Sun slowly returns, and the first plants start to sprout in the ground.
At this time of year, Mother Earth is pregnant with possibility. Life stirs in the soil and nature slowly wakes up to greet the Springtime. Taking a last breath before quickening her pace, Midwinter is Mother Earth’s final pause, before the activity starts again.
Taking Inventory
In the Nordics, traditions around Midwinter are rooted in the to the practical planning for agricultural year. Midwinter marked the important threshold day of the half-year journey since the harvest feast. On this day, it was time to take stock of food inventory for both human and animals to make sure to have at least half of the harvest left in order to get by to the next harvest season.
If this was the case, people were celebrating with parties. In Denmark Midwinter day is called Kyndelmisse, and the parties went under the name of ‘Kjørmesgilde’ where special pancakes were made of barley flour–a tradition known through as well pagan as Christian celebrations–with the round shape of the pancake representing the Sun.
CANDELA PORTAL by Artist Mads Vega during Copenhagen Light Festival
The Goddess Brighid
Rooted in ancient history, all the way from the regions of eastern Europe and India to the British Isles, are the roots of the worship of the Goddess Brighid. Spelled Brigit, Bridget, and Bride (pronounced breed), it means Fiery Arrow or Bright One. Other names referring to the Goddess Brighid are Mother of All Wisdom, Bright One, Exalted One, Flame of Two Eternities, Ashless Flame.
Brighid is the Flame in the Hearts of all women! She was always a Fire Goddess and also a Water Goddess. She was, and remains, the most powerful and powerfully worshiped Goddess in the British Isles from long, long before the advent of Christianity.
Brighid was probably originally a Sun Goddess. The story of Her birth is that she was born at sunrise, and a tower of flame burst forth from the newborn’s forehead reaching from the Earth to the Sun.
Brighid is considered a triple Goddess, but not in the sense many think of as maiden, mother, crone. She has three aspects and all have associations with Fire and Water: Brighid the Healer and Midwife, Brighid the Smith-Craftswoman-Warrior, and Brighid the Inspirer of all arts particularly the written and spoken.
Brighid the Healer
As Brighid the Healer, Her wells and springs figure prominently, as their water is considered holy and healing. She is a Water Goddess. In this aspect she is the teacher of herbal and plant medicine. She is the midwife for birthing women. She is the guardian and caretaker of household domestic animals, particularly cows. She Herself travels with two Sacred Oxen, and the white cow, the white swan, and the white wolf are associated with her as totems. One of the symbols associated with Brighid is the white wand around which a snake is entwined. And this symbol pre-dates Asclepius, the Healer God of the Greeks whose symbol was a serpent coiled around a rod.
The swan is one of the totems of the Goddess Brighid. In addition, swan feathers are a powerful amulet. Read more about Swan Medicine here.
Brighid the Smith
Brighid the Smith is mistress of the smithy fire, the anvil. She is associated with horses in this aspect. But this also extends to fine jewelrysmith workings-silver and gold-and any craft that a person might practice and seek to master. She was also the creator of swords, daggers, knives, shields and all weapons of protection, as well as cooking vessels. The Hearthfire is sacred to Brighid, and its association with nourishment, food, and health of a family. It was also a place where people gathered together to tell stories, as the oral tradition was sacrosanct to the Celtic people.
Brighid the Inspirer
And that leads to the third aspect of the Goddess, Brighid the Bard, the Inspirer of the Fire in the Heart and Mind, which produces song, music, poetry, stories, writing, eloquence, theatrical performances, and the harp.
Although the oral tradition was extremely important to the Celts, and there were people who spent their lives gathering and remembering the stories of their people, Brighid is said to have invented “talking marks,” the Ogham, or writing. And since all of these are associated with the Element of Air, She is also an Air Goddess.
Brighid is the Goddess associated with Imbolc, the holy days celebrated from the eve on January 31st until the night of February 2nd. It is the beginning of the first signs of Spring’s return. As a Goddess of fertility, household farm animals, plants, trees, she presides over the first buds of plants, the earliest flowers like the snowdrops, and lambs and calves which begin to be born at this time of year. That is why milk, cheese, butter are all set outside on Imbolc Eve to honor her and feed her oxen, as She is said to walk the land on Imbolc Eve.
Brigid's cross is typically woven on 1 February, her feast day, as well as the festival of Imbolc in pre-Christian Ireland.
Brighid’s cross
Brighid’s cross of rushes, which was co-opted by the Church, is thought to have been originally a solar cross or sun wheel indicating the movement of the Sun in the turning of the great Wheel of the Year. Hanging Brigid's cross from the rafters of one's house was believed to bring the blessing and protection of the saint for the remainder of the year.
People still make these today in the British Isles and Ireland and hang them over the front door for protection, laying the one for the previous year on the hearth fire. Many candles are lit all over the home to encourage and reflect the returning light of the sun, and bonfires are lit outdoors.
Strips or squares of cloth are laid outside the door on Imbolc Eve or hung out the ground floor window for Brighid to bless as she passes, and they are brought in the next day to use when healing is needed throughout the year.
Fabric bits or strips called clooties are also tied on branches of trees overhanging a Sacred Well or Sacred Spring as prayers to Brighid for healing (this custom happens all year round).
May the Goddess bless you with her mighty strength in this fragile season, in this liminal season as Winter turns to Spring and the earliest flowers of white and green venture forth from the snow seeking the Sun.
May your heart too remember to seek everything that grows forth as it turns towards the Sun.
Midwinter Rituals
Whether celebrated with old or new traditions, together or alone, may the Midwinter day mark that marks the returning light and a feeling of growing anticipation in your Life.
PANCAKE PARTY
In both pagan and Christian tradition, pancakes are eaten at Mid-winter–perhaps because their round shape is reminiscent of the sun. Invite friends or family for pancakes served with summer jam from the last harvest and golden honey.
IMBOLc FIRE RITUAL
And old tradition was to light a candle at sunset different places in the home, preferably by the windows and let them burn during the night. And during the day, Winter was ‘swept away’.
In today’s world, where we do have lights everywhere in our home, a different way to honour the Imbolc can be to light a candle or do a mini fire ceremony to let go of winter and welcome the light. You can also fill your home with tall, white candles and keep all electric lights off throughout the evening to celebrate this threshold with an evening in the glow of candles.
JOURNAL PROMTs
Which seeds are lying dormant in my inner soil?
What are my dreams for the coming year?
What can I do to ‘make good soil’?
(Rest, envision, prepare, plan?)What resources do I have in my own inventory, that I can draw upon to make the last stretch of Winter more pleasant?
(Find at least 3)
Choose one of the above questions to focus on during February to help you thrive in this last chapter of Winter.