Imbolc Wisdom & Magic
WISDOM
As the earth turns upon her axis, and makes her way around the sun, we experience the seasons, which are the natural divisions of the year: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The seasons become evident by the ever-changing behaviors of plants, animals and the weather, as well as the amount of daylight hours that we experience each day.
Theoretically, as the seasons change, so should we—accordingly, as we are more a part of the earth’s rhythm and cycles than we know. The Wheel of The Year is an ancient Pagan calendar system of celebrating, and honoring the seasons of the earth, the cycles the moon and the path of the sun across the sky.
There are eight sections on this wheel, and each one marks a specific day of the year when a ritual is performed to realign and connect ourselves with the earth and her rhythms, as well as bring into your life more ceremony, celebration and blessings of The Goddess as She is expressed throughout the year as the seasons. Representative of the life cycle of The Goddess, The Wheel of The Year tells Her journey through the darkness of Winter to the light of Spring, and Her transformation from the maiden (spring), to the mother (summer/autumn), and finally to the crone (winter).
The eight points of the wheel, which are called either a ‘quarter’, or ‘cross quarter’, and are associated with either the moon, or the sun. The wheel is divided into fourths, which are the quarters, and these are further divided in half which are the cross quarters.
The cross quarter days are considered more potent and powerful as they lie midway between the seasons, and magically speaking, the middle, peak, or in-between is always more powerful than the beginning or the end. A good example of this is the lunar cycle, where at the very beginning of the waxing cycle sits the dark moon, which has no light and the least amount of lunar power, while the full moon, which sits in the middle of the cycle, has accumulated all of the light that it will ever have, and is considered the most powerful of all the lunar phases.
MAGIC
As the light of the day increases, the great wheel of the year begins to turn. This is a time of quickening, which is a term used to describe the movement of the fetus in the womb and means that new life is on its way. At this of year, the wishes, dreams and ‘seeds’ of desire that you planted/set into motion in January, now begin to grow roots, begin to stir. This is a time of initiation.
On the eve of February 1st, or in some traditions, on January 31st until February 2nd, the Pagan lunar cross quarter sabbat of Imbolc begins. Pronounced, eemolc, it is a time of quickening, hastening and awakening, and is associated with fire, water and fertility.
There is also Lunar Imbolc, set at the time of either the second new moon (when the first sliver of moonlight appears in the night sky), or when the second full moon occurs after the Winter Solstice, which was on December 21, 2023. Even if you plan to celebrate on the more commonly observed dates of January 31st to February 2nd, you may also wish to take a moment and honor the lunar dates of the new and/or full moons as well, for they are more deeply aligned with the cycle of the moon rather than a set calendar date or Zodiacal occurrence.
Second New Moon after Winter Solstice is on February 10, 2024
Second Full Moon After Winter Solstice is on January 25, 2024
The fires that are lit on Imbolc eve celebrate the increasing light of the spring season, when the days are becoming longer and the evenings shorter. Briġid, a beloved Imbolc goddess, hails from the Celtic traditions, and is revered during this time with candles that are lit in her honor.
Pronounced Breed, she is associated with sacred fires, natural ponds, pools and wells, and the quickening of livestock. Considered an alchemical goddess of water and fire, she symbolizes the healing, cleansing and purification powers of water, and her origin is said to be that of the water goddess, Danú, of southern Germany, who is named for the Danube river, which is sacred to her. For this reason, many of Ireland's wells and waterways are often used as a place of devotion and divination for Briġid. Her beautiful blue cloak (blue for water?), was called the Brat-Bhríde, and was used by her for healing and protection.
As a goddess of fire she is associated with the alchemy of transformation, the spark of beginnings and the power to destroy or clear away that which is no longer needed.
Imbolc is a very special time of year for those who are called to path of witchcraft, and it is during this time when many are initiated into their covens, or self-initiate as solitary practitioners. Now would be a lovely—and very potent time of the year for you to spend some time in sacred space, dedicating your life to something very important to you, such as your own magical path, your chosen spirituality, to the essence and spirit of nature, to The Goddess, to Spirit...to whatever is most dear to you.
BLESSING
May the sacred fires of this season burn away that which is no longer serving you, and may the sacred waters of Briġid bless you with cleansing, healing and purification.
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Some of the above has been excerpted from the February issue of The Mystic Moon Almanac; available for purchase HERE.
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