Imbolc (Imbolg/Candlemass) Plans?

[Lavender]

Merry Virtual Meet!

So Yule was a blast. I added a bunch of Yuletide things to my home, had fun with my altar, and wrote a ritual that just felt...right. It's not difficult to find signs of the winter solstice all around, at least in my mind.

But as happens every year, it seems as if Imbolc just...slips by. Then suddenly I'm ready for Ostara! The altar comes together once again and I look forward to the balancing of the egg at the equinox. I am moving with each season until Lammas, when I'm met with another seasonal quiet. (Funny how my two most difficult seasons to connect with are directly across from each other on the wheel of the year)

I partly blame my Florida upbringing and current residence. When the books talk about seeing the beginnings of life beneath the snow and the springing of new hope to come, I'm actually breaking into a sweat at the February renaissance faires. I'm surrounded, for the most part, by the same greenery all year 'round. Reading the articles and book pages intended to be appropriate for most regions doesn't strike a chord with me.

I want to know what other people do. How do you honor this turn of the wheel? What do you put in or around your house as a way to live in the season? what do you focus your work on at his time? What does Imbolc personally mean to you?

I think this year, I'm going to focus on the transformation of the Crone into the Maiden and consider a self-initiation using some things pointed out to me in previous meditations. As it stands, I haven't done anything with my altar for the season. I know what the books say to place on my sacred space, and I recall my contributions to coven and group settings this time of year. But I'm taking in this holiday on my own for the first time in a long time, and it makes me realize what I'm lacking in a connection.

I want to do more than go through the motions of what I've been taught. I want to understand.

[smogie_michele]

I like to use this time to go through my house and clean it well to remove any left over negative energy from being pint up during winter. Gives me a chance to look forward to it warming up soon.
Also, it time to honor bridged, the goddess of fire. Because I don't have a fire place, I burn many red and white candles in her honor, It is a great time to set goals for spring.

My fiance and I are cleaning the day before and blessing our home the day of. We're making a loaf of bread and homemade butter for breakfast and burning the candles throughout the day, then we are going out for a date night

[Siona]

So I never really got into the 'first signs of spring' imagery either, but for the opposite reason, it's still the middle of winter where I live. The only real sign that spring is eventually going to get here is that the days are getting a little longer. So because of that Imbolc has always been a sort of quiet holiday between the big celebration of Yule and the coming light half of the year, which tends to be a more active time for me. (Imbolc is also my birthday, so I don't always have time for a very detailed ritual, so I kinda keep it simple all around. :p) The few days before Imbolc is a good time to physically clean the altars very well, wash everything down, clean the storage spaces which hold ritual stuff, herbs, etc, and then on Imbolc to spiritually cleanse the altars, tools, etc.

I also hold a special ritual for Hestia during Imbolc. As a hearth and home goddess who is also associated with the ritual fire (purity), it just makes sense with the weather and the purification aspects of Imbolc.

[Firebird]

I can understand the temperature delemma, I have a similar situation here in Cali.
Though the tiny growth of small grasses have begun, here, this tells me this has been a time of rain. The moisture of the Goddess is preping the land for fertile growth. It can be quite chilly at night and in some places we get a little frost. Between the frost and grass I sense the shift in the cycle.
I leave the red berries from Yule up and decorate the house in reds and whites, and hang a bridal veil across the Altar. I make Brighde's crosses out of cattail, since it's the closest thing to a "reed" that grows close by.
It is no coincidence that St. Valentines day is celebrated near the day of the Brigit the Bride.
Typically all Yule greens should be burnt by Imbolc as well as last years Brigets crosses.
For my group this is a busy time of year depending on how many dedications, initiations, or degree cords are in the works.
I like to do a ritual sweeping of any clinging bad energy from the last cycle in a widdershins motion, sweeping OUT and away around the circle, once you have completed the circle and you are back in the east (or whever you started)... turn and go deosil ...sweeping IN goodness and energy you wish to work with in this cycle, completing the circle. I like to start this working in the North -East, the place of Imbolc on the wheel of life.
We may have a member aspect the triple Goddess. I love this holiday, and usually wear white.

Merry Imbolc!
Firebird

[Xiao Rong]

You know, I have wondered about changing up my own Wheel of the Year to suit the New England climate ... Some things don't line up at all, like Beltane in early May -- that's the middle of Mud Season for us, and it doesn't feel like Spring just yet ...

I was wondering about shifting the Wheel of the Year just a bit for myself, so that we celebrate each Sabbat 3 months later than it's supposed to be ...

March 21: Imbolc - Return of the Light
May 1: Ostara - Spring
June 21: Beltane - Fertility
August 1: Litha - Midsummer
September 21: Lammas - First Harvest
October 31: Mabon - End of Harvest
December 21: Samhain - Death of the Year
February 1: Yule - Midwinter

This way, Midwinter and Midsummer are at the actual coldest and hottest times of the year, respectively ... Imbolc will happen when it's actually starting to warm up a little bit, Ostara will be in the middle of our spring, Beltane will be when things are actually green and growing, Lammas and Mabon would correlate with our growing season, and Samhain would occur at the end of the year, when everything feels like it's coming to a close anyways.

Just something I've been musing about ...

[Myrth]

Imbolc for me is all about the return of the light. It is not a major celebration for me - those are the four quarters
(equinoxes and solstices). In my climate Imbolc is mid-winter and spring is a long way off. But the light brings hope of spring.

[Echo_of_shadows]

It's been a while since I've done anything for the sabbats that are sabbat themed. I usually just do magickal things that I need done. I use the time as a general energy boost rather than a specific one. Why save up all your need for growth for just the sabbats of the waxing half of the year?
Just last week, I made some full moon water from snow I collected from the yard. I plan to use it throughout the year for cleansing my altar for the sabbats, starting with Imbolc. I'm going to decorate my altar with just candles.

I was wondering about shifting the Wheel of the Year just a bit for myself, so that we celebrate each Sabbat 3 months later than it's supposed to be ...

March 21: Imbolc - Return of the Light
May 1: Ostara - Spring
June 21: Beltane - Fertility
August 1: Litha - Midsummer
September 21: Lammas - First Harvest
October 31: Mabon - End of Harvest
December 21: Samhain - Death of the Year
February 1: Yule - Midwinter

This makes so much sense to me. It's a more accurate match to the seasons here in the Mid-West.

[Holdasown]

Too early to plant here but I take my queue on this from Urglaawe. Groundhog day yes that's right. It's based on the practice of looking for hibernating animals around this time of year. If they are emerging Spring is on the way sooner rather than later. It's also the time the Butzemann is made. This is basically a scarecrow but it's set up to be a poppet and accept a spirit to help with the land. You make it from grains left from last season, place runes in it, give it breathe, name him then walk him around the property and put him up. When Holle or Holda returns May first they are activated. They must be burned by October 31 when the spirit leaves the Butzmann and joins the Wild Hunt. If you don't' burn it the shell can be used by mischievous spirits. Typical foods served are green and white veggies. So a meal of fried cauliflower and some of the deer we still have will be made and offered.

[SnowCat]

Imbolc is right after the end of the National Western Stock Show here. It also tends to herald some of our coldest weather. This year will be the 39th anniversary of my dad's passing. It was sunny and warm on Imbolc that year. Three days later we had a blizzard. The wheel of the year turns, and we turn with it or get run over.

Snow

[Kassandra]

The wheel of the year turns, and we turn with it or get run over.

Haha, I love that.

The "adjustments" look good, Xiao, and are understandable. There are certain things that happen from an energetic point of view on the original dates (activity at natural vorticies, portals, etc.), and that probably contributes to why they've been celebrated on those particular dates since ancient times (it probably then became "habit" in humanity to do so after a while). But, your approach seems more personal than all that, more meaningful. Try out the new dates and see how you like them.


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[SnowCat]

I teased an acquaintance on another forum, that people in Pennsylvania torture groundhogs on national television. I think Punxsutawney Phil actually has a pretty cushy life.

Xiao brings up a good point about things being different depending on where one lives. We have different time zones, so it actually makes sense to have different wheel of the year zones.

Snow

[Luna87]

Being from Norway it is still long untill spring, however the lights I light on Imbolc also brings light and hope into the darkness and cold

My tradition is to make a Bridgit cross, plant seeds for my kitchen garden, light a candel in each room to welcome the godess back from her sleep and I do purification ritual.

We have a feast dere de eat lamb, vegetables, potatoes,onion and gravy , Dessert de have lemon cheesecake

When doing my ritual work this day I offer ewes milk as to say thank you.

[SnowCat]

Mmm, lemon cheesecake!

Snow

[Luna87]

Mmm, lemon cheesecake!

Snow

Yeah is always good, you should have lived closer so I could have given you a slice

[Myrth]

Luna, I like to start seeds at Imbolc too. I used to eat lamb frequently when I raised sheep - I miss them. Do you raise sheep?