The Dalai Lama pictured here in Ireland with St Brigid’s Cross – the symbols of Kildare’s spiritual heritage and of justice and peace.
Today is the day between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox., the cross-quarters occur at the 15th degree of each fixed sign: Aquarius, Taurus, Leo and Scorpio.
Imbolc is the celebration of the actual observance of the Sun’s return. It is related to the Quickening: the moment when a mother first feels the new baby inside her. Associated with pregnancy, especially that of livestock and one way we honor this with the consumption of dairy.
Goddess of hearth and home, poetry, fire, craft and healing arts.
Brigid (or also known as Brigit, Brigita or Bridget) is the traditional ruling deity of this sabbat or holiday, the Celtic Fire Goddess, associated with the Triple Goddess and associated with fire, poetry, with the hearth and healing arts, with craft and livestock. It’s claimed that Brigid was so incredibly popular among the Celtic folk that the Church could not break the relationship with Brigid and Imbolc, hence the Church’s similar creation of Candlemas (the 40th day after the birth of Christ) and the synchronization of St. Bridget and the Goddess, making this St. Bridget’s Day in the Middle Ages, both celebrated on the same day with similar themes. (There is a difference of stories and origin around this which seems to be unclear exactly how the history played out.)
To learn more about Imbolc, listen to the 2012 Cosmophilia Imbolc special episode titled
Feast Menu
Imbolc is associated with late winter foods, dairy and cream foods as well as sweets. In the morning, it’s customary to have Candlemas pancakes or crepes, or an egg omelet with late winter vegetables such as asparagus, mushrooms, kale or spinach. Some beverages include mulled cider, mulled wine, herbal tea made of the herbs listed in the correspondence and even late season wine like a Beaujolais. Below are some recipes of items that I make for Imbolc.
Rice Pudding, photo by Jaysen
Almond Rice Pudding
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pitted dates
1 cup uncooked brown rice
4 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup toasted, chopped slivered almonds
Instructions:
Place dates in a bowl and pour 1/2 cup boiling water over them. Let soak 15 minutes, then transfer dates and water to a blender and puree until smooth to make a date syrup. Meanwhile, bring rice and almond milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until rice is cooked and has absorbed most of the almond milk, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Stir date syrup, raisins, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon and almonds into rice. This can be served warm, or you can chill it for two hours and serve cold. Both are equally delicious.
Optional: Swipe almond milk for low-fat milk if you prefer, but almond milk makes this tastier.
Herbed Pearl Onions, photo by Jaysen
Herbed Pearl Onions
Ingredients:
1 Package frozen pearl onions or a fresh bundle
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons of butter
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
If frozen, blanche pearl onions to remove the skins and sautée with butter until tender. Add dried herbs and stir in. Serve with fresh basil or rosemary sprig.
Optional:
Consider making this dish with brussel sprouts as well, or white potatoes. Simply swipe olive oil or another high quality oil such as sunflower or safflower for an easy vegan adaptation.
Other Menu Ideas
Cream of Potato Soup
Cream of Corn Soup
Imbolc Crescent Cakes
Brigid’s Braided Bread
Homemade Fresh Ricotta Cheese
Imbolc Activities
Activities can be a fun way to introduce tradition and ritual into our lives. These are especially fun to do with children, but my adult friends and housemates have always found pleasure in Imbolc activities.
photo by Jaysen
Protection
Making a symbol of protection is fun. The only thing I’ve read is that you need to use three ears of corn symbolizing the maiden, mother and crone, the three aspects of the Goddess. In my example, I chose to paint the symbol of Imbolc on a burlap scrap and post it outside on my front door until the Spring Equinox (Ostara).
Divination
Imbolc 3-card spread
Weather Divination is especially popular at this time, think about the Groundhog who surfaces to see or not see his shadow. Other forms of weather divination include examining pine cones to see if they are closed or open. If they are closed, wet weather is coming and open means dry weather. Traditional forms of divination are also particularly stronger in the winter, especially near a new or full moon. Try this tarot spread I developed for Imbolc.
1-What am I holding unto that needs to be cleansed, renewed or released?
2-How do I need to cleanse, renew or release this?
3-After this is complete, what can I expect from this renewal?
Sowing Intentions
Perhaps my favorite of the activities that I’ve developed is a sowing of intentions. And it’s very easy. Take a pot of soil and seeds (I use a white flower), sow them and think a lot about what you want to manifest in your life. What needs to change? What do you want to grow? What do you need more of in your life? What do you want to work on? Set those intentions as your sowing and say a prayer over it afterward. Place it in the windowsill and water often. Watch your intention grow and look for changes in your own life. Remember to care for the plant! Don’t neglect it…if you do neglect, maybe you should journal about that! 🙂
photo by Jaysen
Other Activities
Notice the signs of life around you.
- Receiving Blessings: leaving a meal outside, or pieces of clothing as it is said that Bridgit walks the earth at night and having an offering or something to catch her spirit will bless the home.
- Cleaning: now is a good time to clear out old branches and twigs from Yule or even dead plants that you have. Also, eat the food you’ve been storing for winter over the next 6-weeks to make room for spring and summer fresh food crops.
- Bonfire: cleansing, purifying and warming, a symbol of fire and of this holiday.
- Write a Poem: Bridgit is the Goddess of Poetry, write a poem about the season or Goddess. See mine below.
- Dream Pillows: make a dream pillow using dried herbs such as lavender, mugwort, or sage and leave it under your pillow.
- Take a Walk: notice the signs of life around you, animals and birds, buds on the trees…or the lack thereof.
- Gardening: plant seed starts and clean and consecrate your gardening tools for prepare for early sowing.
- Make butter: who does that anymore? You’d be extra cool.
- Make Brighid’s bed, a corn husk doll or the popular Brigid’s Cross, as seen above with the Dalai Lama.
Correspondences
Taken from popular blogger Kris Bradley
white flowers are a symbol of Imbolc, photo by Jaysen
- Colors: White, silver, pale yellow
- Symbols of the season: Candles, brides, grain dollies, burrowing animals, ewes, Brighid’s cross, priapic wands, brooms
- Items for your altar or for decorating: Pictures or statues of the goddess, white clothes, white candles, white ribbons, Brede’s bed, white flowers or the first flowers of the season, lamps, silver candles, silver candlesticks, silver bowls, melted snow in a bottle, pictures or statues of the god, representations of animals of the season
- Animals: Bears, eagle, groundhogs, owls, ravens, sheep, snakes, stags, also dragons, firebirds, phoenix
- Stones: Amethyst, bloodstone, garnet, onyx, ruby, turquoise
- Incense: Basil, bay, benzoin, cinnamon, myrrh, vanilla, violet
- Herbs: Angelica, basil, bay, benzoin, heather, myrrh, rowan, dill
- Traditional foods: Cheese, recipes using sour cream or marscapone, yogurt, curries, fish, white meat, dishes containing onions, peppers and/or garlic, spiced wine, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, muffins, scones, rice pudding, poppy seeds, poultry, foods or breads containing raisins, herbal teas
- Deities: Virgin or maiden goddesses, the Goddess as a child, Brigid, Aradia, Athena, Gaia, Ianna Februa, Hestia, Gods of fire, the God as a young man or child, love or fertility gods, Pan, Aengus Og, Eros, Februus, Faunus,
- Imbolc spell work: Purity, growth and renewal, new beginnings, purification, household cleansing rituals, rejuvenation, spells for good luck, fertility spells, re-consecration, weather divination
- Tarot card: The Star
Poetry
Brigit is the Goddess of poetry also and likes to see poetry written about her or the season or any themes talked about above. Below is a poem I wrote in 2010, titled Bridget, based on a meditation I had while in the bath tub, full of fresh basil. (Try that!)
Bridget
Bridget
crone of wise
daughter of joy
woman of strength
must you be so coy?
you take me through the celtic grass
and fly above until we pass
into a circular grove of trees
I sit in front of the Goddess on my knees
emotions high, the thanks I give
she smiles and speaks, and the wisdom I shall live
Bridget
in the sun, we laugh in the meadow
three seeds I lay, I breathe, I sow
my intentions are clear and i manifest
just before she can rest
birth is given to a beautiful son of lamb
I am ready and willing
Bridgit
here I am.
Imbolc occurs at 15 degrees Aquarius, the sign of the water bearer. Here is Bridget in an interesting parallel to Aquarius.
Traditional Imbolc Proverb
“The serpent will come from the hole
On the brown Day of Bride,
Though there should be three feet of snow
On the flat surface of the ground.”
What are you favorite Imbolc activities and recipes? Let me know by clicking on the contact page.
Good luck and Blessed Imbolc to you and your family!
Cosmophilia 