Imbolc update
Witches' Weekly:: Imbolc: What type of symbology do you associate with this time of year? Do you do anything special around your home and sacred space?
I don't particularly celebrate Imbolc. I think that this is perhaps due to the fact that of the sabbats, I know the least about Imbolc. Or rather, what I do know, I suspect to be a mishmash of historical fact, Pagan fancy, Christian lore, and unrelated folklore. I've yet to read a book specifically on the subject, but it's on my list of things to do. I just don't particularly know where to start-- I think it's rather sad that in the world of Pagan writings, I often find myself wondering about the accuracy of the information floating out there. More than once, I've read books where the historical context was later proven completely false.
From what I have read about Imbolc, the festival is closely tied with the goddess Brigid-- so much so that in Christianized Ireland, Imbolc is known as Brigid's day, or the feast of Saint Brigid. Many of these customs have been fused with the Christian festival of Candlemas. In a Wiccan context, for some traditions, Imbolc marks the return of the Goddess to maidenhood after birthing the sun at Yule. Crone no more, the Goddess is now in her youthful aspect again. Traditional ways of Imbolc include pouring offerings of honey and milk onto the earth, and making corn dollies to incourage a good crop for the coming year.
And that's kind of impractical for me. I'm a city Pagan, and I always have been. If I were to make an offering like that, it would be largely symbolic-- an offering for creativity and growth in the coming year. I have always employed other ways to meditate on that concept, although in the past, I have taken milk baths and done renewal visualizations. For me, the key word when it comes to Imbolc is just that: renewal. All the information I have taken in shares that common thread-- it's all about encouraging the warm sun to climb in the sky, encouraging the onset of Spring. Even Puxatawney Phil figures into that.
This year, that change is palpable already. Winter has been so unseasonably mild on the east coast that the cherry blossoms are already beginning to bloom in DC. I've noticed soft green shoots emerging from between the cracks in the sidewalk. Certainly, we're due for one more good frost, but Spring already feels like it's arrived. Already, I'm craving a change from my usual somber blacks. And the creative burst-- I think my Imbolc marking will include finally getting off my duff and making my room into a receptive space. Half-unpacked boxes have littered my floor for too long. It's time to purify the space, to clear the psychic clutter that no doubt has been lingering around. I may even set up a small altar to Brigid, to see if I can tap into some of Her energy. I need to settle myself in, because the urge to write has been overpowering as of late. I think it comes from reading new Elizabeth Hand work-- her prose is so well written, positively tactile. I've been reading voraciously.
I also find it amusing that this morning, before I even realized it was Imbolc, I had the most intense dairy craving. In fact, while I had been favoring spicy perfumes of late, this morning, I went back and forth between Beaver Moon, which essentially smells like rich, frosted vanilla cupcakes, and Dana O'Shee, which is a thick, creamy almond scent with grain and honey notes. My body is certainly in tune with the Wheel of the Year, even when my brain forgets.
On the docket for tonight: Sushi with my Annabean. And this weekend, I get to go swing dancing, then hang out with some of my favorite birthday girls.
And if at all possible, maybe I can fit in a haircut. The hair is getting too long, to the point where it looks all one length, and I just pull it back. I have a round face, and so it's time to get things layered again. I keep going back and forth. Part of me wants to go really short, like this, maybe. I just don't know if it will suit me, and I'm not sure I'm willing to spend a small eternity growing my hair out if I hate it. Plus, there's the whole thing where I might look really top-heavy. I'll probably go for a shag that hits about an inch below my chin. I'm also considering getting blonde on red highlights. Time for a change.