Monthly Archives: January 2012
Today’s Song
“Imbolc” is the 3rd track of Lisa Thiel’s CD “Circle of the Seasons”.
Lisa Thiel’s homepage is http://www.sacreddream.com/home/
Imbolc
Many of you know that Imbolc (pronounced EM-bulk) is just around the corner!
What is Imbolc? Well, it is one of the 8 Sabbats. Its also sometimes called Candlemas. Think of it as the Spring starting to kick within the womb of Earth. It is a time to celebrate the lengthening of the days.
There are many traditional stories about Imbolc/Candlemas. Groundhog Day is a spin on an ancient Celtic tradition where they thought if the weather was nasty – the hag stayed inside and gathered no more wood for the winter (meaning Spring will come sooner). If the weather is lovely – then the hag is out gathering wood and Winter will last a bit longer. This is of course the Laymen’s Terms. I tend to just give the basic idea so as not to drone on and on (I do that sometimes.)
This is the time of year (first couple weeks of February) that the ewes give birth en masse. In England they called it “Lambing Season”.
Here is a list of things associated with Imbolc/Candlemas
Activities Usually done at Imbolc/Candlemas
- Light a candle in every window (never leave candles unattended! Just light one in the room you’re in)
- Hiking and searching for signs of Spring
- Making Priapic Wands (wand made out of an acorn, ribbons, a stick, and a bell. Its meant to be phallic to represent fertility. Instructions to make one is below*)
- Feasting
- Bon Fires
(some) Deities associated with Imbolc:
- All Virgins/Maiden Goddesses
- Brighid
- Athena
- Gaia
- Gods of Love and Fertility (such as Eros)
Symbols of Imbolc/Candlemas:
- Purity
- Growth
- Re-Newal
- Fertility
- ‘Out with the old – In with the new’
Herbs associated with Imbolc
- Angelica
- Basil
- Bay
- Blackberry
- Coltsfoot
- Iris
- Myrrh
- Amethyst
- Bloodstone
- Garnet
- Ruby
- Onyx
- Turquoise
Relaxing Chant
Just wanted to share a chant that I enjoy a lot.
Song: Sweet Surrender
Artist: Flight Of The Hawk
Album: Shamanic Songs And Ritual Chants
The First Post
Well here goes.
This is officially the first post. Well, the second actually. I spent way too much time filling in the ‘about’ page. Have you read that? You should.
I hope to post here very often with information, inspiration, divination and anything else that pops into my mind.
As a witch who started her path at the dawn of the Internet Era, I have sifted through a lot of garbage as far as my online guidance attempts go. I grew up in the Bible Belt where there was no ‘New Age’ section at the Barnes & Noble (which was over an hour away from where I lived) or any way of finding other Pagans easily. If they did exist – they were super deep in the broom closet.
Some posts here may be as simple as a picture. Perhaps as complex as a new ritual I am trying. Maybe I put a song I heard on iTunes that I think others will enjoy.
I am not the authority on Paganism. I would go so far as to say there are many people out there much more qualified to share what’s in their mind than I am. However, without the guidance of other Pagans from all over the world I would have never become the Witch I had always wanted to be. I think there is a time in everyone’s life path where they need some information, ideas, or inspiration from someone else’s mind. I want to be that. I want to help push others. I want them to be the witches they want to be, too!
Information I share here will be open ended with no path as a focus. That is because it is the way I have chosen to travel my path. I spiritually identify with a lot of paths, but I can’t seem to 100% follow everything on any one path. Instead of having any internal conflict – I take the bits I like. The bits that feel right. The pieces that are non-restrictive. I’m just totally Pagan.
TotallyPagan 