1999 Imbolc Issue
Publisher's Comments
1. Imbolc and It's Lore - StormWing
2. A Druid Ponders Imbolc - LadyToad
3. Imbolc - Kyra Babba
NEXT PAGE
4. Promoting Pagan Family Values - Selene
5. Pagan Parenting - WindSeeker
6. The Winter of Their Joy - Selene
7. Lavender - Dor
8. Cats Corner - Sorcy
9. Meagan's Imbolc - Kat Dyer
10. Shopping Corner - Dor
11. Events List - Selene
Publisher's Comments
"By torch and taper, bonfire bright;
we woo the Sun on Imbolc night." (Old Wiccan Song)
Hmm, what a wonderful time of the year. The time for banishing winter and
preparing for spring. And what a wonderful turn of wheel it's been too.
Imbolc is one of the "Big Four" Greater Sabbats. They are Beltane,
Lughnasadh
A journey that takes you to places of learning about the holiday from
different points of view to activities for your family and friends.
Rituals, games, projects, crafts, and many other things to introduce your
loved ones to one of our most important times of the year. You'll read
wonderful thoughts, about the holiday from a child's point of view. And our
newest staff member, Toadie, shares the adventure of a Druid thinking back
to when she was a child. Sorcy lends thoughts of our fur babies like only
she can. We explore the world that Selene has created for us and continue
to share the lives of Julian & Fiona. Dor gives us a wonderful look at
Pagan shopping on the 'net. Then Selene ends our journey with a wonderful
event list from all over the world. Or is it the end?
Lets go back to Ostara 1998, sent out March 30 1998 for a minute. That, by
the way, is the next holiday issue we publish. You heard these thoughts in
that issue I sent out .....
"We have many new plans, new ideas, and things to share. Stories,
information on traditions, and recipes.
Yes, with this Imbolc issue it marks a full cycle of the seasons with me
guiding the publishing of the newsletter. It's been a very exciting time
for all of us, and especially me. Alot has changed. If you visit our web
site at http://eris.cyberstreet.com/cauldronsandbroomsticks/, you'll not only be
able to read all our issues in full, online, but thanks to Sorcy SummerWind
all the articles are hyperlinked for your convenience. You'll also find
another addition since the Yule issue, and it's a new section in the making.
he Ask Auntie Ahn section. There's a special address on the "Mail Us" page
to send a letter to our Ahneke GreyStone, and she'll pick a question with
the most interest to the most people and post her response in the following
issue. If you know her personality, this should be good.
Yes, this issue marks a full cycle of the holidays for me as Publisher of
this fine old newsletter. I can't explain how much the folks at Cyberstreet, BryteUnicorn and GreyFalcon have helped us spread this
wonderful publication to all of you. Without their help, the letter I sent
out on Sept 20 titled "Cauldrons and Broomsticks is finished ....." would've been a reality. Throughout the whole cycle, our beloved founder Pandora has still touched our lives daily with her wonderful creation. Cauldrons and Broomsticks. An Ezine for and by the
Pagan/Wiccan Internet Community.
Our community. Your community. Happy Imbolc everyone.
Blessings, Warmth and Wonderful Light ....
The Wolfpup
Midnight Grey Wolfpup
Editor/Publisher
1. Imbolc and It's Lore - StormWing
Imbolc (pronounced "IM-bulk", "IM mol'g" or "EM-bowl/k") is one of the Greater Wiccan Sabbats and is usually celebrated on February 2nd. In the Celtic tradition it is celebrated on February 1st or the first Full Moon in Aquarius. Other names Imbolc are known by include
Imbolg, Imbolic (Celtic), Imbolgc Brigantia (Caledonii Tradition, or the Druids), Candlelaria (Mexican Craft), Disting (Teutonic Tradition - celebrated on February 14th) Candlemas (some Pagan Traditions and/or individuals prefer this name), the Feast of Candlemas and St. Bridget's Day (Christian),
Oimelc, Brigid's Day, Lupercus (Strega), the Feast of Lights, the Feast of the Virgin, the Snowdrop Festival, or the Festival of Lights. The name
"Imbolc" or "Oimelc", which is derived from Gaelic, means "ewe's milk" after the lactating sheep that are feeding their first born lambs of the new season at this time of year.
This Sabbat is a time of cleansing and newborn lambs, a good time for the Blessing of seeds. It is a festival of the Maiden in preparation for growth and renewal. Imbolc is a time to honor the Virgin Goddesses, along with the first signs of returning life in a frozen
Winterland. In many places, the crocus flower is one of the first to show itself popping up through the snow, and so it is also a symbol of this
Sabbat. Candlemas is a Festival of Light and is therefore celebrated by the use of many candles.
Symbolically, many Pagans choose to represent Imbolc by the use of Candle Wheels, Grain Dollies, and Sun Wheels - these may be used in ritual or simply
as decoration. Candle Wheels are generally round decorated "crowns" made of straw or some type of natural woven substance which is ringed with either eight or thirteen red, pink or white candles and decorated with colored ribbons. In many Imbolc rituals, it is traditional for the High Priestess or
the Maiden to wear this "crown" during the ritual at some point.
Grain Dollies can be made many different ways, and need not take on human shape unless you desire. They are made of wheat or sheaves of other grains such as straw, corn or barley. The sheaves are formed into some semblance of a
"dolly" by folding, tucking and tying here and there. They can then be "dressed" in white cotton or satin and lace to represent the bride. You may even choose to create a "bed" (from a basket usually) for your grain dolly, commonly called a "Bride's Bed". There are many Pagan books available on how to create Candle Wheels, Grain Dollies, and Sun Wheels. Please refer to them
for further instructions on making these decorations. Imbolc is also represented by burrowing animals, and the bride. Some other altar decorations may include a besom (Witch's broom) to symbolize the sweeping out of the old, a sprig of evergreen, or a small Goddess statue representing Her in the Maiden
aspect.
Imbolc can be symbolically represented by a dish of snow, evergreens and/or candles. Ritually, you may choose to light and hold candles (symbol of light) within the Circle. You may also want to place a wheel symbol upon the Altar.
It is traditional upon Imbolc, at sunset or just after ritual, to light every lamp in the house --- if only for a few moments. Or, light candles in each room in honor of the Sun's rebirth. Alternately, light a kerosene lamp with a red chimney and place in a prominent part of the home or in a window. If snow
lies on the ground, walk in it for a moment, recalling the warmth of Summer. With your projective hand, trace an image of the Sun on the snow. Other Pagan activities may include the gathering of stones and the searching for signs of
Spring. It is considered taboo to cut or pick plants at this time.
Appropriate Deities for Imbolc include all Virgin/Maiden Goddesses, all Fire/Flame Gods and Goddesses, and Gods and Goddesses represented as Children.Some Imbolc Deities to mention by name include
Brigid, Aradia, Anu, Arianrhod,
Athena, Branwen, Inanna, Selene, Gaia, Februa, Februus, Pax, Cupid, Eros, and
Diancecht. Key actions to keep in mind during this time in the Wheel of the Year include planning and preparing for the times to come. Spellwork for fertility and protection are appropriate, as well as those to help one define
and focus on spiritual and physical desires for the future. Imbolc is a good time to get your life in order - whether physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, or all of the above. Make plans, organize, clean out drawers and
closets to help create a refreshing sense of bringing in the new and clearing out the old. Preparing yourself and your home now will help to allow you to take full advantage of the wonder and freedom that Springtime will bring.
The most common colors associated with Imbolc are white, yellow, and pink.
However, light blue, light green, red and brown are also appropriate colors for this
Sabbat. Altar candles should be white, red, pink and/or brown. Stones to use during the Imbolc celebration are turquoise, amethyst, garnet and onyx.
Animals associated with Imbolc include robins, sheep, lambs, deer, and burrowing animals like badgers and groundhogs. Mythical beasts associated with Imbolc are the phoenix, dragons and other types of firebirds. Plants and herbs
associated with Imbolc are evergreens and willow trees, rosemary, angelica, basil, bay,
benzoin, heather, myrrh, clover, dill, and all yellow flowers. For Imbolc incense, you could make a blend from any of the following scents or simply choose one: basil, myrrh, frankincense, wisteria, jasmine, camphor,
cinnamon, and lotus.
Foods appropriate to eat on this day include those that represent growth, such as seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower) as well as poppyseed breads, muffins,
and cakes. Also quite befitting are foods from the dairy, since Imbolc marks the festival of calving. Sour cream dishes are fine. Appropriate meat dishes should contain poultry, pork, or lamb. Spicy and full-bodied foods in honor of the Sun are equally attuned. Curries and all dishes made with peppers, onions, leeks, shallots, garlic or chives are appropriate. Spiced wines, herbal teas, honey, and dishes containing raisins --- all foods symbolic of the Sun --- are also traditional.
May you all enjoy the Blessings of the Imbolc Sabbat and all that is represented at this time of year.
2. A Druid Ponders Imbolc by LadyToad
February, our shortest month...When I was a child growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, February seemed interminably long, despite being the shortest month. By the time it arrived, we were weary of cold and snow, and only the prospects of February holidays gave us respite until March bustled in with spring nipping at her heels.
Valentine's Day was, of course, very exciting and occupied much of our time in those first weeks of the month, and a Leap Year added a touch of magic (just where did that extra day come from?); but living as close as we did to a little town called
Punxatawny, it was Groundhog Day that opened the month and brought with it the anticipation of a much-awaited prize.
On the morning of February 2nd, every school child for miles around discussed Phil (the famous Punxatawny Groundhog/weather forecaster's) prediction. Did he see his shadow at sunrise and go scampering back into his den for an additional six weeks of winter? Or would robins soon be arriving from their sunny winter playgrounds, bringing with them warm air and sunshine?
Phil's prediction was as important to me as the arrival on that same day (but hundreds of years before and an ocean away) of the high holiday of Imbolc for my Celtic ancestors. February 2nd was a significant day for those farmers and herdsmen, for it celebrated the fertility of the ewes and held forth the promise of full flocks and strong young lambs.
While I no longer worry too much about the fertility of the ewes, I can still identify with that ancient willing for fecundity, for all that would help to nourish, to keep the cold at bay, to add to the wealth of a farmer's pocket. Lambs are (stubbornly, and in one of those strange quirks of nature) born long before the height of spring--brought forth in snow and ice, anticipated as much by great hungry ravens, sly foxes, and other animals of prey as by the herdsman and his family. Thus the bounding of playful lambs across the fragrant, flower-filled grasses of spring is as much a miracle as nature can produce--life against the
odds, as much a gift from the gods as the return of the sun each year.
This year, as I perform my Imbolc ritual, I will light candles against the darkness, give gifts of bread and wine to encourage the yield of field and vine, and remember (in my blood, if not in my actual experience) the humility of a people before their gods, blessed by the miracle of fecundity that nature offers so grandly.
Whether Phil sees his shadow or not doesn't really matter; I know the promise of spring. It's waiting, as always, just around the next corner.
3. Imbolc - Kyra Babba
We do initiations, reaffirmations of commitment, a Spiral Dance, and put
Brede to bed. The acting Maiden is supposed to wear a crown of candles;
however, she's usually too chicken to do so. I wind up wearing it, putting
my hair in jeopardy. There are candles all over the place. The
opportunity for disaster is just too large, so we don't include the
littlest ones in this Sabbat.
Little ones can participate by dressing the Brigid corn dolly for Her
wedding. Whether She is a woven, abstract corn dolly, a corn husk doll, or
a sheave of grain, adorn Her with bits of lace, ribbon and silk. This is a
good time to just let the kids have their own way. The responsibility of
dressing Brede may make up for being put to bed early.
The older kids, post puberty or over 13, whichever comes first, can
participate as you feel appropriate.
During the initiations/rededications, we honor Bridget and request
inspiration from Her aspects, crafting, healing and poetry. Each person
chooses an aspect to concentrate on for the coming year. We welcome this
energy into our lives and state how we intend to use it in the coming Spring.
The Corn Dolly:
The Crone puts the Corn Dolly in Her Bridal Bed and covers Her with a lace
veil. A male participant sets the male symbol next to Her and lights the
candles surrounding Her on the altar. We leave them to their privacy.
We do round robin initiations and rededications. The oldest person present
initiates the youngest to be having a first initiation. This person in
turn initiates the next person, until the circle of initiation is complete.
If it's someone's first initiation, the parent or sponsor can give them a
gift, such as an atheme, a pentacle pendant, or whatever. My older
daughter's name is Morgana, so I gave her a key-chain pen knife with a
little gold mermaid handle. The main thing is to emphasize the concept of a
place of "Perfect Love and Perfect Trust." (They don't need to know about
all the in-fighting until they're older. We Pagans are a scrappy group,
aren't we?)
I like to bake a "Bridget's Braid." This is a sweet egg bread colored and
scented with saffron and cardamom, and I serve it with a chalice of
champagne and/or sparkling cider. We pass the loaf around, feeding each
other, with "May you never hunger," sips of sparkling cider or champagne,
with "May you never thirst," and a kiss "May you never want for love."
We end with a Spiral Dance led by the acting Maiden with the Crone bringing
up the rear.
BABY BLESSINGS: (If I already submitted this, let me know and I'll get you
another one)
BLESSING THE CHILD (AND THE MOTHER)
We have so few rites of passage in our culture. As Pagans, we have the
freedom to weed through other traditions and pick and choose those
activities that we find the most attractive to us.
Blessing a child is an invitation to the newly returned soul to be welcomed
into the family, tribe, and species. On a deep level, this enables the
baby to clarify the culture into which she/he has been reborn.
It is a lovely time for family to get together and gossip, and for a new
mother to have others take the baby off her hands for a little while.
The mother should have nothing to do with either preparing or cleaning up
after the ritual. She needs nurturing now more than the baby. She should
get presents, things she doesn't have time to shop for herself. I recommend:
novels to read and videos to watch while walking the floor at night (do
not get her Rosemary's Baby)!
herbal bath salts
eye pillow
one hour increments of baby sitting
one casserole dish a week for a month
a vacuumed living room
a speed dial setting to Le Leche League
a doughnut cushion
twenty minutes of uninterrupted bitching time (the only appropriate
response being "There, there, poor dear")
a freshly changed bed
a shampoo
twenty minutes alone in the bathroom
Three months is the traditional age for the baby blessing or "Wiccaning,"
any age is fine, including an adult child. You will find this very
familiar. It is the ritual that the story Sleeping Beauty distorted when
they made the High Priestess of the Coven into an Evil Faerie Witch. We've
done it in my family for years, and it seems to be radiating out into the
world now.
The only thing you need is a rattle for the blessee. I find a rain stick
is marvelous. The baby can teeth on it, play with it, and never outgrow
it. They are sturdy and will last and last as long as a puppy doesn't get
a hold of it, or the owner of the rain stick doesn't use it for a weapon.
The child's group gathers, usually bringing a pot luck. The group should
be small, only the closest relatives and Goddessparents, not more than 13.
(Take liberties with this. If you want to invite 200 people, just remember
that the kid will get pretty cranky after a while and you'll bore everyone
else to tears).
If you want to get really cute, you can mark the quarters with stuffed
animals or toys.
I would recommend that gifts for the baby be simple and symbolic. They
should reflect the Gift that is being given during the ritual. The mother
certainly doesn't need any more clutter right now. Save the fancier stuff
for next year, when the baby is old enough to appreciate it.
Here are some ideas for baby gifts:
Walnut - Intelligence, logical thinking
Compass - Sense of direction, both physically and emotionally
Keys - Entry into places and opportunities
Pillow - Ability to relax
Prism - Ability to see rainbows
Snakeskin shed - Easy transitions
Jar of honey - Sweetness and pleasure
Toy car - Freedom
Mask - Glamour
Sprig of moneywort - Prosperity
Acorn - Potential for greatness
Candy kiss - Love
Barbi Doll - No, scratch that one, it represents eating disorders
Spring of mugwort - Gift of prophesy
Feather - Intuition
Incense (Myrrh) - Passion
Spring of rosemary - Safety
Apple - Teaching ability
Floppy disc - Computer talent
Glue - Perseverance
Mussel shell - Physical strength
I could really go on forever, but I'm starting to make puns. Use your
imaginations. Provide a decorated box to hold these gifts. This is a wonderful symbolic
gift for the rite of passage when the child reaches puberty.
A SAMPLE RITUAL
Cast the Circle and call the quarters. Mother and Child sit in the Center
of the Circle representing Spirit. Starting with the eldest person
present, preferably a Crone, each person goes to the center, takes the
rattle, and gives the Child the talent for which they are most grateful.
Invoking a deity whose archetype embodies the specific talent, the person
says, for example: "I give you my ability to remember what I read and hear.
So Mote It Be." The person then gives the rattle back to the Mother and
the next person goes into the Center. This continues until all
participants have gifted the Child.
Sing the Blessing:
May you walk in beauty
All your lifetime long
May you speak with wisdom
And sing Her lovely song
May you find your passion
In love's joyous embrace
May the Triple Goddess
Bless you all your days.
May the Blessings of the Goddess rest upon you
May her Peace abide in you
May her Spirit illuminate your heart
All your livelong days.
There are other wonderful baby blessings. There is an Indian blessing on a
tape put out by Colorado Midwives that's very cool.
Traditionally there is much kissing of Mother and Baby. Frankly, given the
viruses present in this day and age, I would be pretty conservative with
lots of kisses. It's safer if the Mother is breast feeding. A young baby
with a stuffy nose can't nurse well and that is a rough experience for the
Mother and Child. The Mother then announces, in perfect love and perfect trust, the Child's
Name. Thank the deities, dismiss the quarters, open the Circle, and MANGA!
Put the mother and baby to bed, and clean her house.
FOR THE SOLITARY MOTHER
If you don't have a group to share the Baby Blessing with, then you can use
the archetypes of deities to gift the child.
Write invitations to the deities who embody the desirable qualities. For
example, you might consider:
Deity - Gift = Symbol
Artemis - Adventure, skill in hunting and gathering = mugwort, bow, moonstone
Mercury - Communications = phone, thermometer
Bridget - Healing, crafting, and poet = corn dolly, well water, candle
Aphrodite - Beauty, physical pleasure = sea shell, rose quartz
Pan - Music and dance = pansy, pan pipes
Herne - Kinship with animals = horn, toy deer, green man token
Flora - Kinship with plants = aromatic herbs and flowers
Aradia - Knowledge of the Old Ways = grimoire, poison ring
Ariadne - Finding your way out of mazes = ball of yarn
Prometheus - Inner fire = lighter, fire opal
Trickster - Sense of humor (Just watch your back when the kid gets older) = mousetrap, plastic poop
That makes eleven, and the child and you bring the circle to thirteen. Set
a symbol of each deity around the circumference of the circle. Apologize to
any uninvited deity who may feel slighted. Tell them the invitation is
open and they are free to attend. This is just a good idea. Remember
Sleeping Beauty?
Invoke the Circle and call the quarters. Take the baby to each deity,
state the gift, put the symbol in a box and give thanks. Tell the baby that
your gift is life, love and acceptance. Nurse the baby with the words "May
you never hunger, may you never thirst, may you never want for love." Sing
the blessing.
Thank the deities again, and bid them farewell. Dismiss the quarters, open
the circle, and Goddess and baby willing, take a nap.
END OF PAGE - Click on the Pentacle
