Imbolc
Feb 1 -2
Candlemas, or bridges day
The goddess is recovering from giving birth, and the god is a young boy, but his power is felt by the growing warmth during Imbolc. We nurture our gardens like we nurture a young boy. It is a celebration of light and fertility and growth. It is a time to let go of old things to feel inspired
Traditions
Cleaning your life
Also commonly known as spring cleaning, Imbolc can be the best time of year to enter into with a clean and organized slate. You can throw out old things you don't use or donate them to better your community
Making a Brigid's cross
As a celebration of the goddess during this time, we make Brigid's crosses, which are crosses made from wheat, you can make one for every room in your home to invite the goddess into your home.
Making a besom or broom to lay on your altar
Since it is a time of renewing and cleaning out the old, a besom or broom is a wonderful and practical symbol of the sabbat. It is only natural that if in need it is also a good time to make a new broom. One can be made out of many different materials, like ash, hazelwood, oak rowan. Willow and even the bristles can be made from things like myrrh, mugwort, thyme, birch, or straw.
planting seeds with intentions
Planting and harvesting is what the sabbats are about, and since this is the time the god will soon be in power we sow the seed to the earth so it can soon grow with him
make candles
Candles are a huge symbol for Imbolc because it represents the young boy god, and his little but soon the growing strength, for one candle, can light a bonfire. This is a wonderful time of year to create your candles for the upcoming year, you can infuse your candles with different colors, oils, and herbs for different magical purposes.
fire festival
Make a new wand
Like a broom, it's a good time to make a new wand as to start anew with the year
Decorations
Acorns, besom, Brigid cross, candles, horseshoes, especially white flowers, willow bark
Colors
Blue-green lavender red, and especially white
Animals
Deer, lamb, swan, rabbit, horse
Metal
Silver
Stones
Amethyst, bloodstone, garnet, ruby onyx, turquoise, .....quartz, citrine, yellow tourmaline, hematite, rose quartz, zircon, lodestone, pearl
Herbs
Celandine, rosemary, basil, bay, benzoin... heather sage, lemon, honey, chamomile, coriander, garlic, rosehips, ash, witch hazel, hazel leaves, sunflower, vervain violets, wheat, corn, grains, myrrh, storax, balsams, dragons blood, mastic, Wisteria, cinnamon, vanilla, musk, carnation, poppy, garlic, snowdrops
Incense
Benzoin, vanilla, basil, bay, wisteria, myrrh, cinnamon, violet, ....chamomile, heather, dragons blood, carnation.
Oils
Cinnamon, myrrh, rosemary, vanilla, benzoin, basil, musk, carnation
Food
Poppy pumpkin and sunflower seeds, bread, bread pudding, raisins, dairy, egg, pork, scones, muffins peppers onions leeks, shallots garlic olives, honey
Drink
Apple cider, spiced white wine, herbal tea
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Wheel of the Year
Spiritualthe wheel of the year depicts the holidays of pagan tradition and their needed correspondences