A FEW WORDS ABOUT CANDLEMAS by Denedor

This being the first of an eight part series of articles on the main festivals of the Wiccan year I was not sure quite where to start. I could have been traditional and started at the beginning of the year, but at the time of writing this festival was just a couple of weeks away, so I decided to start here.

As with all the festivals each one is known by several names depending on your personal preference and belief structure. Candlemas may be a bit too Christianised for some who prefer to use the Celtic name of Imbolg. Others use Oimelc or The festival of Brid, Brigid or Bridget, but all are celebrated on the 2nd of February, or on the eve thereof.

At Imbolg the new light that was born at Yule has strengthened and begins to warm the land. Spring is in the air and its first signs are seen by the flowering of snowdrops and buds beginning to swell on trees. Yes it may still feel cold and damp and snow will still fall, but the change is tangible, you can feel it, the days are getting lighter and that unmistakeable smell of spring is rising in the garden. New green shoots are already breaking the surface of the ponds. Life is stirring once again.

The word Imbolg means "in the belly" and Oimelc means "ewe's milk", both are relating to the fact that many ewes are carrying their young and the first lambs will be born around this time. It is the quickening of the year, Mother Earth is pregnant and feels the first stirrings of spring, a magical time full with the promise of the coming summer.

Imbolg is a fire festival, as are all the great Celtic ones, but on this occasion the fire relates more to light than heat, light starting to dispel the darkness of winter.

St Bridget is a classic example of a Christianised Pagan Goddess of fertility (Brigid) and in Ireland St Brigid's day is celebrated on Imbolg eve, i.e. the 1st of February.

Throughout Britain there were many wells originally dedicated to Bride, and later Christianised to St Bridget, and if you know of one that's still intact you may still possibly find a "Clootie" or wishing tree in close proximity. These were trees where offerings to the Goddess were left usually in the form of strips of natural cloth tied to its branches in the hope of having a wish granted. It would be a beautiful gesture if you know of an old well with such a tree, to spend a little time cleaning it up and making your own offering for perhaps a mild spring and a fruitful year, especially if like me you try to grow some of your own fruits etc. Imbolg is the point in the Wiccan year when we see the Goddess taking on the role of the Maiden once again after her Crone aspect that ruled over the winter months, and the God is seen as a young man and indeed one of the other names for Imbolg is the festival of Pan. In ancient Rome at the beginning of February the priests of Pan ran almost naked through the streets, brandishing goatskin thongs with which they struck everyone they passed, especially married women, who were believed to be made fertile by this action. February was also seen as a time of cleansing and indeed this still holds true as Imbolg is the time by which the evergreen decorations of Yule have to be gathered up and burnt. In some places it is still traditional to hang on to the "Christmas" fir tree and burn it on the Imbolg fire.

An interesting piece of folklore concerning Imbolg is the saying," If its good weather on Candlemas Day then there's more winter on its way, but if it's bad then winter is had". I'm not sure if this will still hold true with the effects of global warming and our increasing freak weather systems but make a note next year, you never know. I'don't think it was ever meant to be taken literally but more an acknowledgement that Imbolg is the natural turning point between winter and spring.

Now we know a little of what Imbolg or Candlemas is about, and unfortunately due to the restriction in article length this can only be a superficial overview, how do we celebrate it?

As with everything Wiccan or Pagan there are a multitude of ways all boiling down to personal preference or by strict adherence to the ways of a chosen path. Which ever way you choose you will customise your ritual to fulfil your individual needs, and quite rightly so. What I offer here is a simple ritual that can be built on to suit or indeed used as it is, if it feels right to you. Being a mainly solitary witch by choice, this example is tailored for the same, but it wouldn't take too much imagination to turn it into one for a group to use.

There are many books on the market now that offer suggestions on rituals should any further help be required.

A SIMPLE RITUAL TO CELEBRATE CANDLEMAS

Chose the place for your ritual, with the usual observances.

Meditate for a while on the purpose of your rite and cleanse yourself of all other thoughts.

Cleanse the area for your ritual. I imagine a broom sweeping the area clean of all negativity whilst scattering a little salt and water to aid purification.

Create your sacred space in your chosen manner. I light an appropriately coloured candle at each of the quarters then using my wand (this is personal preference only) starting at the north and working clockwise cast the circle.

Call on the elements and the Goddess and God to be with you. I do this by walking the circle again stopping at the four quarters in turn starting at the East, and saying something like "I call and welcome you to this place oh spirit of (A/F/W/E) ruler of the (E/S/W/N) to witness this rite and protect this circle". Finishing at the North I will then return to the centre and facing North call on the Goddess and the God, saying something like "Be with me here oh Mother Goddess, be with me here oh Great lord in this our meeting place between the worlds".

Now is the time to state your reason for the rite. "I stand before you tonight to celebrate Candlemas in your presence. This is the time of growing light and the promise of spring, the return of the Maid and the youthful Lord and I do honour you here".

Meditate on the meaning of the rite for a while then light a black candle saying. "In this candle do I see the Wise Crone, the watcher and ruler of the dark winter months, the time when the Earth is still". Place a white candle beside the black one and before lighting it say. "Yet ever now the wheel turns on for now the time of the Crone has passed as she turns away once more to become the beautiful Maiden of Spring and of hope". Now light the white candle and extinguish the black.

Think quietly about the turning wheel and what new beginnings you would like to see at this time of year. If you were going to do any other workings this would be the time to do them.

Now's the time to celebrate with, in my case, mead and shortcake, offering my toast to the Goddess and the God. "All hail to you my Lord and my Lady, I feast with thee in joyful celebration". Don't forget to keep a little of the food and drink to scatter outside as an offering after the ritual.

When the time feels right to end the ritual bid farewell to the Goddess and the God and thank them for their presence. "Oh Lord and Lady I thank you for attending my simple celebration and I bid you a hearty hail and farewell till we meet again". Now it's time to break the circle bid farewell to the elements. Working in the reverse order to building the circle I start in the North and work anti-clockwise I address the quarters. " My thanks for your presence at this celebration Oh spirit of …….. ruler of the………and I bid you hearty hail and farewell till we meet again". Then once again I walk the circle drawing the energy used to create the circle back through my wand. Snuff all the quarter candles and then the white one if you so wish.

I however keep this candle burning a little longer, but it's up to you. Once finished I generally sit a while on the floor and drink some cool clear water letting myself slowly adjust once more to the here and now.

Well that's it. I know every single Wiccan and Witch will say it should be done like this or like that, be simpler or vastly more complex, but hey, if it works for you....

However you celebrate Imbolg, Candlemas or Oimelc may the Lord and Lady be with you. Brightest Blessings.