Getting to Know A Little About Imbolc and Enjoying It!
Imbolc is what’s known as a cross-quarter holiday, and it falls on February 2, midway between Yule and Ostara. If that date seems familiar to you, it is because these days it is known to most folks (the non-witchy kind, anyway) as Groundhog Day. Whatever you call it, Imbolc celebrates the first signs of spring and the end of winter’s cold and gloom. Admittedly, in some parts of the country, such as my home in upstate New York, you kind of have to take the “spring is coming” bit on faith, but it is still worth celebrating all the same.
Imbolc was originally a Celtic holiday dedicated to Brigit, the goddess of smithcraft, healing, and the arts. It is also a fire festival, so it is well suited for bonfires, lots of candles, and anything creative in nature. Try having a Pagan poetry reading, or maybe a sacred s’mores party (hey, any excuse for chocolate).
For Witches, this is a time of cleansing and purification as we ready ourselves to enter the more active part of the year. The goddess is a maiden again, and the young god-reborn at Yule-is moving from infancy into robust childhood. The earth is shaking off her wintry sleep and rousing herself in preparation for another season of growth and renewal, which makes it the perfect time for us to do the same.
If you want, try taking a ritual cleansing bath on Imbolc Eve. Put a few drops of lavender oil in the tub along with some sea salt, light a few candles, and listen to some soothing music. (Note: the candles should go near the tub, not in the tub. Just so we’re clear.) While you sit in the bath, feel the warm water washing away the stresses and negativity of the winter season, and visualize yourself rising like Venus out of the ocean (or Neptune, if you’re a guy)-powerful, energized, and ready to face the challenges of the season ahead.
Deborah Blake, Everyday Witch A to Z: An Amusing, Inspiring & Informative Guide to the Wonderful World of Witchcraft
Witches Of The Craft® 