Thanks everyone who joining me live on Instagram Monday 1/23/23 11:00 am CST to chat about some of the ways I like to celebrate Imbolc, I wanted to give you an easy place to find some of the resources that we talked about. You know me, I like to keep things simple and work in celebrations that fit in with my life, if you do too I hope you picked up some good tips.
If you missed it, no worries, I'll share a replay of my live broadcast on my Instagram profile so that you won't miss a thing. You can view it here: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CnxJfWIK98t/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
I love sharing the stories behind some of my Brigid and Imbolc art, and it's fun showing you some of the cool Imbolc items we’ve been making! It's like you all came over to visit my studio! I had Dan standing by to put the listings up for the brand new items I launched during the live at the same time it started, that way everyone attending would be the first people to be able to grab one of them up. It's kind of fun to be the first to have a new pretty, but don't worry, we'll keep them in stock so you can pop into the shop anytime and they'll be available.
I wanted to make it easy for you to find links for everything that we're talking about, I've included a few videos from my YouTube channel where you'll find a free printable, a couple spells, and even an Imbolc meditation. I also added links for my shop so that if you saw anything you loved you can grab it in time to make it and get it to you for your Imbolc celebration.
YouTube Links:
This is my simple house blessing for Imbolc that I do every year, you can grab a free printable to use for this spell or your Imbolc celebration!
Here's my Imbolc healing meditation to help you feel relaxed
and balance your mind, body, and spirit!
This is how to make the ice globes that everyone loves so much! It's also a spell to remove obstacles from your life.
Here's the book I meant to reference,
"Imbolc: Rituals, Recipes &
Lore for Brigid's Day by Carl F. Neal"
and illustrated by myself.
If you click the picture it'll take
you to the Amazon listing.
The article I wrote about
keeping Brigids Flame
in a Brigitine Cill is
in this almanac, they
do have an e-book
version too and used copies.
Click the picture for the
Amazon listing.
My Hazelnut Crusted Salmon Recipe on my old blog, I'll eventually migrate it to the website, but in the mean time, you can have this recipe. It includes an interesting
story too (like all recipe blogs right? LOL) I will not be offended if you just scroll straight down to the recipe!
Bon Appetit!
Information About the Goddess Brigid and Imbolc
This ancient Celtic Goddess known as Brigid, (Brigit, Brid, Bride, etc...) is beloved to Ireland and the British Isles, as the keeper of the home's hearth, patroness of healing, smith craft, fertility, poetry, and midwifery. Legend says that when she was born at sunrise, a tower of flame reached from the top of her head to the heavens. Her birth is said to have given the family house the appearance of being on fire. The household fire is sacred to Brighid, and each evening the woman of the house would smoor the fire, (cover it over to keep the fire overnight)' asking for the protection of Brigid on all its occupants. Sometimes a small piece of cloth meant to represent her cloak is left on a tree, windowsill or anywhere outside so that Brigid blesses it as she passes by on the evening of her feast day, this is called a Brigid's Mantle or Brid Brat. It's used all year to bless the home and also is useful to place near the bed of anyone who falls ill, as Brigid is a Goddess of healing.
Pictured is the statue of Brigid that I designed for Sacred Source. There are two sizes, both have a space for tea light candles within the hearth!
Brigid's festival is Imbolc, or Candlemas starts at sundown February 1, and ends sundown February 2 in the northern hemisphere, August 1-2 in the southern hemisphere. (Some celebrate Jan 30-Feb 1/ July 31-Aug 1 respectively) and is the in between time after the winter solstice and before the spring equinox. It is the time the very first signs of impending spring become apparent, as the ewes and cows come into milk and prepare to give birth. This festival is usually celebrated by keeping a flame burning in the home, either in the fireplace or with candles to honor this fire Goddess, and invite her to bestow blessings upon the home. Traditional foods served during this time include dairy items such as milk and cheese. Many Irish households proudly display a Brigid's Cross, an ornament made of rushes and hung in the home for protection, and to honor Brighid.
She is one of the best historic examples of the survival of a Goddess in Christian records. During the time when Christianity moved into Celtic areas, her followers refused to give up their worship of Brigid, so the Church had no choice but to bring her into their fold by making her a saint. The most popular folk tale being that she was midwife to the Virgin Mary, and thus was always invoked and prayed to by woman in labor. There had been a shrine dedicated to the Goddess Brigid at Kildare, Ireland with a Perpetual Flame tended by 19 priestesses called Daughters of the Flame. Their tradition was that each day a different Priestess was in charge of the Sacred Fire and on the 20th day of each cycle, the fire was miraculously tended by Brigid herself. When Catholicism took over Ireland, the Shrine became a convent and the priestesses became nuns, but similar traditions held, and the Eternal Flame was kept burning. For over a thousand years, the Sacred Flame was tended by nuns, and no one knows how long before that it was kept by the priestesses.
Brigid is a very interesting Goddess and one I honor regularly as a Brigidine Flame Keeper. You don't have to work with any deities to celebrate Imbolc. Some also call it Feast of Torches, Feast of Waxing Light, and yes, Groundhog Day! It's the time of the year between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox so it's a turning point in the year when nature starts to stir from it's journey between the seasons. There are lots of Imbolc traditions that are related to Brigid and I wanted to share a bit of information here for anyone who is interested in learning more about these traditions:
Maman Brigette was mentioned and I wanted to share some information for anyone interested in this very important loa in the Voodoo tradition. She's associated with the Irish Brigid and shares the feast day of Feb. 2. This is a beautiful article all about her written by author and Voodoo Priestess Lilith Dorsey.
Brand New Etsy Links:
Below are a few links for items in my Etsy shop and yes, we make every item ourselves to order. If you can't find what you're looking for, you can always just add the term "Imbolc" or "Brigid" to my shop search and it should come right up.
Imbolc Candles & Branches Banner Shaped Hardboard Sign. This eye catching gloss finish hardboard tile is a beautiful decorative piece to hang on your wall, over your altar, or anywhere you want to add a symbol of the season. Measures 9.5" x 11.5" and is 1/4 inch thick with holes on each top corner and has a gray grosgrain ribbon for easy and elegant display. The art for this tile was printed right in our studio and heat pressed by hand fusing the ink into the surface of the tile.
Imbolc Candles & Branches Glass Sun Catcher This gorgeous sun catcher will brighten your day with the blessing of Imbolc as the sun shines through my Candles and Branches art. We print the art using a special dye and then heat press it onto the specially coated frosted glass. Water or condensation from your windows won't effect the surface of the sun catcher at all, it's completely waterproof. 6.375"x 8.875" and includes a suction cup hanger.
A Few More Etsy Links:
My Necklace I was wearing, my Mother of Pearl Candles and Branches Pendant
My Brigid Oval Wall Hanging: https://www.etsy.com/listing/198408852/brighid-oval-tile-wall-hanging
My Brigid Print so you can get a closer look at the details: https://www.etsy.com/listing/59196832/brighid-of-the-hearth-open-edition-print
Thanks everyone for joining me to talk about Imbolc, it was so much fun!
Be Your Magick!
-Mickie
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