Brigids Day
Also called; Imbolc, Oi-melc, Candlemas, Feast of the Bride, Feast of the Flame, Purification of the Virgin, St. Brighids Day
Feb 1-2 (north hemisphere)
August 1 (south hemisphere)
Brighid, from Ireland, is the triple goddess of the arts, poetry, smithcraft and healing. This is a time for initiation (of young girls into the mysteries) and purification. Older witches renew their vows. The earth begins to stir with life.
Traditionaly, you must study a year and a day (or longer) to be initiated. If you wish an initiation ritual and have a coven you are working with, this is the perfect time to make your vows. If you are a solitary, I believe you can initiate yourself, although some Pagans believe you must be initiated by a group. That simply is not always possible and I believe no one should feel kept away when they are already isolated by geography or society or for whatever reason. A simple initiation ritual can be found here.
This is the time the earth feels the first stirrings of spring. The warmth has returned and the days are discernably longer. The Goddess child is born and welcomed back into our homes. A basket with straw for her bed is set by the door, with a glass of wine, and a biscuit. At midnight the eve of Brigids Day the family members stand in the open door and welcome her back with the chant"
"Brigid is coming, Brigid is come, welcome Brigid to our home!"
Because it is a time of purification, it is time for a "clean sweep"! I spend the day before thoroughly scrubbing the house top to bottom, baseboards to those cobwebby corners in the ceiling, going through drawers and storage boxes and making a group of things to give to charity or to be disposed of. Its especially important to wash the doors and windows, thresholds and door frames, making all clean to welcome the Bride. I wonder if this tradition is where the "spring cleaning" tradition began? At any rate, it is marvelous to have the house sparkling and fresh after the long stuffiness of winter. Even though it is often still quite cold here on Brigids Day (I've even celebrated Brigids day with snow) I try to have the doors and windows open and fans going to flush out the old and bring in the new for as long as I can stand it. (When the cats are all in a pile and the greyhound is shivering and looking at me as if I've lost my mind - it is time to close the windows).
Brigids Day, too, is a time to bless the garden and the future harvest, to encourage the young shoots just stirring in the earth. At first light you should walk through your garden blessing it. If it is terribly cold, of course, you can stand inside and bless it as well, as long as you can at least see the garden. Here is a blessing I have used for many years, from The Practice of Witchcraft by Robin Skelton:
This is the quickening of the year
Tuber and seed and root quicken
into the coming of the light
into the growing of the year
This is the quickening time of life
Root and seed and tuber quicken
in your darkness
in your waiting
quickening into burgeoning life
This is the quickening of the time of love
Seed and root and tuber quicken
gather strength in love and praise
and blessedbe!
This ritual can be very amusing for the neighbors if its very cold and snowy - me out in my fuzzy robe and warm fuzzy boots with a long coat over all, walking around in a barren (looking) snow covered garden chanting, with a silly smile on my face.
Brigids Day is celebrated with light and fire. If you have greenery left from Winter Solstice (most Pagan households will set some aside and save it) now is the time to burn it. We are lighting the Goddess' way back from the underworld, and celebrating the return of warmth and light to the world. Many candles are lit, and the Ladys colors now are white and red.
Brighid brings the fire of inspiration for artists, and so this is a good time for us to light candles to her and ask for blessings and inspiration for our work in this new cycle.
Blessedbe
~Summer~
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