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| Beautiful image found via Ecosia search engine. |
Imbolc, Imbolg or Immolc is the festival celebrated in early February which equates to the popular and well known Candlemas. Pagan literature often refers to this festival as Candlemas because it is around the same time and is about the returning light, or at least this is what many people say.
Immolc actually means 'first milk' and refers to the beginning of the fertile season. The lambs start to be born at this time of year, the snowdrops are in bloom. It's an old European festival remember, I'm happy to say that the snowdrops are still flowering at this time of year in Britain even though the seasons are a bit messed up (is it climate change or is it simply the normal, regular changes in the Earth?).
Fast forward for a moment to May. We have a bank holiday in the UK in the first week of may which I believe is connected to 'May Day' -the 1st of the month, known among Pagans as the feast of Bel or Beltane. It is a fertility festival, the tradition of 'dancing around the maypole' (a giant phallus) comes from this festival- the point is, fertile young women who would 'frolic in the woodland' around Beltane would be expected to give birth nine months later around Immolc. So Immolc is traditionally a fertility festival; the first births.
Lets look at the Zodiac. I'm not a firm believer in star signs. I do believe that the time of year we are born has an affect upon our character. Summer babies will celebrate birthdays in better weather, Winter babies celebrating their milestone indoors for the most part and I'm convinced this has a great consequence when it comes to the personality. A study found that good footballers were born predominately around March; this is no coincidence. A baby born in the Spring has opportunity to grow stronger as the light and warmth grows. One of my children was born in the Winter, near the Solstice and at the time my midwife forbade a home birth, claiming that there were too many dangers if a problem arose, so we had to be in the hospital as soon as the quickening (birth) began.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/how-your-birth-month-can-5867801
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/18891749
Pagan festivals were founded to keep us alive in connection with the cycle of the seasons. They are traditionally celebrated on the last day of the month, with a period of around three days for festivities.
Immolc begins on January 31st and is celebrated until February 2nd (inclusive). There are many ways to celebrate, such as going for a nature walk to spot new signs of growth, to going on a snowdrop spotting walk or drawing/photographing/painting spring plants and flora. We can light some candles or look toward a God or Goddess who is celebrated at this time such as Bride/Brigit. This Goddess has been directly connected to the Christian St. Brigit, who is said to have been named after the ancient Goddess.
Link to a webpage about Brigit
St. Brigit from the Christian faith
It is interesting that Immolc is usually celebrated within a form of Paganism called Wicca and that there are various connections between Wicca and Christianity. Not all Pagans celebrate Immolc/Candlemas. I feel very strongly that the traditional festivals have become three weeks or so later than they are marked on any calendar, so Immolc for me is more from the 20th February within modern nature and agriculture. This is not official but has been noticed by other Pagans as well, some of us can dedicate the entire month to a festival; solar festivals such as Immolc being called a Sabbat by some groups.
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| Another beautiful image from Ecosia search engine; the Pagan Immolc festival. |
These 'digital cards' are often shared online among the Pagan community at this time of year even if no celebration takes place. In the past people like this were called 'Armchair Pagans' because they would read books and magazines but not actually practice anything. This particular image is very female, the woven cross known as Bride's Cross (for the Goddess Brigit) and the small statuette or ornament to the left seems to be the Sheila-Na-Gig, the female image holding open what I will call 'the gateway between the worlds'. Usually recognised as a fertility symbol, this image is popular as an Alter piece. The three candles could represent the Triple Goddess of Maiden, Mother and Crone because the other imagery is feminine, the candles may simply represent blessings for members of the household.
Ingredients differ among traditions and would originally have been made from whatever was available at the time of year. An incense could have been use to drive out bugs and rodents from the home- today it is used symbolically to create a special atmosphere and to honour the Gods. Because some of it can be quite pungent, we would avoid using any around mealtimes. The loose blend is burned on hot charcoal.
Oils are more versatile and can be used as a perfume or to anoint candles and the home. Some oils are photosensitive which means they react with sunlight and can cause blistering on the skin, others are dangerous in pregnancy or harmful to children and those with more sensitive skin so care must be taken. Some oils can be used medicinally as a seasonal tonic.
Nude women are occasionally portrayed within seasonal and Goddess-related art to show a purity, to symbolise the female energy as life awakens. The Earth is often seen as the Great Mother, a huge Goddess and so the imagery reflects this.
As a contrast, the male energy is usually portrayed through the Green Man. Given the lack of foliage at this time of year, we do not see much of him. In Britain the traditions are still celebrated as Jack O The Green and through the Oak King and the Holly King.
The Holly King is said to die or leave at Yule when the Oak King takes over again, only to be replaced by the Holly King at Midsummer. A perpetual dance between the two seasonal trees.
I find that snowdrops are the surest sign of Immolc and a lovely way to celebrate would be to plant a bowl of them the previous year and leave in the garden until they (hopefully) bloom in late January. If they are a bit late to flower, we can bring them indoors and place on the family table occasionally throughout February as a reminder that the weather is warming and Spring is not too far away.
Volk Bowie 2019
All above images found via Ecosia search engine, the internet service which has recently planted over 50 million trees thanks to everyday people using it to search online.
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