Imbolc 1 February
Imbolc
Imbolc is a beautiful Celtic/pagan tradition on 1 - 2 February that celebrates the end of winter and renewal.
It symbolises fertility in Mother Earth and represents a new beginning. The longest days are now behind us and the sun is increasing in power and time. Under our feet, in the earth, everything is coming to life. You can probably already see some winter flowers in nature, bravely rising above the ground. What will germinate in the fertile earth?
We are part of the earth, which means that something is also waiting in us to bloom in spring and summer. However, this seed needs all the care and attention of your consciousness and love to reach its full potential.
Therefore, take the time to feel what you would like to bloom and clear away (purify) everything around it that stands in its way. It is time to slowly come out of your much needed hibernation and slowly start moving. Imbolc is the ceremony between the winter and spring equinoxes to celebrate that you have come through the winter well and a new era is dawning.
Imbolc traditions
Mother Goddess Brigid.
Brigid is the white goddess. She carries the energy of the heart, protection, fertility, abundance, fire, clarity and goddess wisdom. She protects our home, the kitchen, the earth and all living beings. She has a deep connection with the earth and all animals. She follows the rhythm of (her) nature and knows when to purify first, carry fertility and knowing from within what to nurture in order to blossom.
Imbolc rituals
There are different traditions and ceremonies for Imbolc. In which everything starts with purification. Like the big spring cleaning for body, mind, soul and your house.
Cleaning ritual for your home:
Cleaning water:
Make cleansing water with Florida-water, rosemary and a small rock crystal.
Sprinkle this over you in the morning and evening to transmute negative energies and protect you.
Spray this also through your house/car and if necessary put it in a tub to drench.
Energetic cleansing:
Cleaning your house energetically .
Put Himalayan salt or Celtic sea salt in every corner of the room. Let sit for 48 hours and then throw the salt away.
Whith sage with a cleansing spell; may all the old and stagnant energie leave this house. And let the new spring energy in.
Clean out all cupboards and storage.
Think Marie Kondo: Gives you a sparkle and joy: Keep it! If not: give it away.
Purification of body and mind:
Use the goddess energy to wash off the heaviness of the winter, to purify you and make you lighter in energy for the spring.
Dance and shake
Dance and shake off the stagnant winter energy and heaviness. Put on some lovely music and dance! Literally shake off the winter.
Self-care is self-love
See the video below: Selfcare is Selflove Ayurveda.
Bathing ritual:
Sprinkle Himalayan salt in the bath to cleanse yourself energetically.
Essential oil to recharge yourself
Some flower petals as the sign of fertility.
Cleaning weekend:
A weekend of yoga, dance, walking, resting and a cleansing diet:
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Lunch: green mung soup
Dinner: Kitcharie
KKV tea (dried cumin, coriander, fennel)
See this link for all recipes and more inspiration from my colleague and friend Frederieke:
Blogs - Divine Ayurveda (divine-ayurveda.com)
Purification meditation and yoga
See films at the bottom of the page
Nature:
'Inspiration comes from the purity of nature'
Go for a lovely walk in nature. Be very aware of all the sounds, smells, images and what you feel. See nature as a great source of inspiration that does everything at its own pace. She is now creating to nurture what she wants to grow. What do you want to grow? Which seeds do you want to give attention? And know: what you give attention grows.
Wishing tree:
Feel what you want to wish for and let it grow. In the old traditions it's a lovrly act to hang your wish in a tree. The tree stands for earthly manifestation and the wind will take your wish with it.
Take a natural material and make a ribbon out of it. Write your wish on the ribbon and attach a natural material such as a twig or leaf to it. Hang your ribbon on a tree. You also have special wishing trees. Or perhaps it would be fun to create one in your neighbourhood.
Altar:
You can make a beautiful altar for yourself that reminds you of Imbolc and the time of year we live in.
Imbolc altar:
* For renewal: Pastel-coloured candles and flowers. Possibly a Bridget doll or cross. Gemstones: Aquamarine, Truquoise, Amasthist. Incense.
*For Bridget's inner fire: Red, yellow and orange candles and flowers, Bridget doll/cross. Gemstones: Citrine, Sunstone. Incense.
Brigit doll or cross:
On the day of Imbolc you can do some Craft work, such as making a Briget doll from straw or rope. And the special Imbolc cross. You invite the energy of Bridget of abundance, wisdom and inner fire.
Picture: see bottom of page.
Poems
Brigit is the goddess of poetry. Read a beautiful poem on this day and write a poem yourself.
Plant seeds:
Imbolc stands for planting seeds and giving them enough time, space and attention so that they can germinate. This is a good time to plant some seeds for herbs and flowers.
Drink:
Milk stands for fertility and nutrition.
Preferably take a vegetable milk.
* Warm Natural Milk
Honey
Cinnamon
Vanilla
Saffron (1 or 2 threads)
Oil:
Mix:
Aniseed oil
Orange oil
cedarwood oil
almond oil.
Candle Ceremony:
Brigit is the goddess of fire and fertility. This candle ceremony is a beautiful way of lighting the light for yourself.
Use 10 candles.
Light a candle in the middle. This card stands for the light that overcomes the darkness of the winter
Light candle 2: Welcome the coming spring.
Light candle 3: Think of the new possibilities of new life and a new beginning.
Light candle 4: Think about being born again into yourself and your relationship with the divine mother.
Light candle 5: Recall the spiritual lessons you have had on your path. Thank the challenges and the growth they have given you.
Light candle 6: For the unknown and all the new experiences and lessons you may yet learn.
Light candle 7: Meditate on everything you would like to change. On a mental, emotional, physical and spiritual level. Also ask if you can get insight in how you can change this.
Light candle 8: For everything you would like to experience healing. In yourself, on the earth, relationships. May all old wounds in me heal through light and love. May I recognise my wholeness again and live from it. May you be responsible for yourself and take good care of yourself from self-love. Do the Ho'oponopono meditation (see bottom of this blog).
Light candle 9: Welcome all the creative energy in my life. Sing, read or write a poem, paint, colour, listen to music. Ask Goddess Bridget to rekindle your creativity and playfulness.
Light candle 10: Activate your inner goddess and the energy of abundance and creation.
The Fire of Birgit:
Ingredients:
Making a Brigid fire, by lifting birch branches to the fire
Birch branches and tie them together
Cleansing water
Pen and paper
Can also be a candle in a suitable bucket or bowl.
Create a spiral of sand, flower, branches, or draw it with pavement chalk. You can put tea lights/candles around it. In the middle of the spiral, create a fire.
Now stand at the beginning of the spiral while the fire burns in the middle.
Give yourself a cleansing by dipping the birch branches into the cleansing water and saying the following:
I want to get rid of all the old energies and all the energies I carry with me from others that are not authentically mine. I want to enter the new season clean and purified.
Now clean the circle / spiral with the birch branches and herbal water by walking clockwise around it and sprinkling water on it.
Take time now to take your pen and paper and feel what you want to see renewed and manifested. Write it down as if it is already manifested in and for you. Describe it in detail. What does it look like, how do you feel and describe details.
With the note between your hands, visualise the outcome. Then walk very consciously with the paper in the spiral towards the fire. When you are at the fire, your desire/letter may receive the spark of life. Speak out loud what you want to achieve and give it to the fire to put it into action.
Walk out of the spiral in confidence
And at the end, turn around one more time. And thank the ritual, yourself and the fire.
Medicine Wheel Ritual
Imbolc is a time to pay homage to the ancient Celtic Goddess Brigid, the goddess of poetry, divination, inspiration pregnancy, childbirth and healing.
What you need for this ritual:
6 candles in the colours - Red (South,) Yellow (East,) Green (North,) and Blue (West)
Goddess Candle - Large White Candle and a Golden Candle.
Paper and pencils
The Ritual
I request permission to open the circle.
And put the golden candle in the middle.
East
Spirits of the East Sky. The inspirer of my new ideas and take care of spreading and fertilising them. May I awaken the inspiration and fertility in myself to nurture all new ideas.
( yellow candle)
South
Spirits of the South: The igniter and source of energy to manifest. May I ignite my inner fire to experience a spark of creation to manifest my beautiful ideas and insights.
(red candle)
West
Grandmothers of the West of WATER - The creativity, carrying capacity and medicine of the earth, which provides life, flow, purification and carrying capacity. May I activate my inner flow to let my ideas flow into the world, so they can serve as medicine for me, my fellow man and the earth.
< light blue candle>
North
Spirits of the EARTH - as spring approaches, our attention is focused on the fertile soil that is made available to us - with every seed we plant, we ask for blessing and fertilisation.
Let nature and its silence be my inspiration. < light the green candle>
After our long winter sleep, we are ready to plough the land and plant our crops, gather food and smile at the blessings we have received from the Goddess
< Light the goddess candle and put it in the middle.
Now write down your insights.
Happy Imbolc!
Love Jessica
Bridget doll en cross
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