Imbolc 2003
Drumming
Imbolc: The first day of February is the old Celtic festival marking the reawakening of the earth, known as Imbolc or Oimelc. "Imbolc', means literally, 'in the belly' (of the Mother). For in the womb of Mother Earth, hidden from our mundane sight but sensed by a keener vision, there are stirrings. The seed that was planted in her womb at the solstice is quickening and the new year grows. 'Oimelc' means 'milk of ewes', for it is also lambing season and the lactating sheep are feeding the first lambs of the new season. It is a celebration of newness — the promise of fertility, new life, and new hope. White is the color of the Goddess as Virgin. Imbolc is the festival that celebrates the transformation of the Goddess from the dark Crone of winter to the radiant Virgin of Spring, bringing with her the promise of fertility to come. The Virgin Goddess reveals herself in various personifications. Aphrodite, born from the wave of the sea, floats shoreward in her shell and the Goddess renews herself.
February 2 is designated the Feast of Purification in the Christian calendar. Mary, the mother of Jesus went to the temple to be ritually cleansed 40 days after giving birth. When she presented her new baby, the aged Simeon prophesied that the infant would become "a light unto the Gentiles" — the Light of the World. In memory of this prophesy, candles are blessed in church on this day and candlelit services are held, giving rise to the feast's other name, Candlemas.
It is significant that Mary becomes a virgin "again" and ready for pregnancy in Spring at precisely the time that the Earth renews herself and prepares for her fruitfulness to come. Purification rituals are intended to banish the old in order to make way for the new, which is what Earth and Mary are doing at this time.
St. Brigit or Bride also has her holy day on February 1. According to Christian tradition she helped Mary give birth to Jesus, hence her status as protectress of pregnant women and midwives. Because she was said to have cared for Mary's cows, she was also known as Christ's milkmaid which brings to mind the lactating ewes of the Celtic Oimelc. In her divine trinity, she governed fertility and healing, knowledge — the female art of leechcraft, agriculture and inspiration — and smithcraft or firecraft.
The Return of the Maiden: Long long ago, so the ancient Greek story goes, mortals lived in endless summer, but a conflict among the gods brought winter to the world for the first time.
Demeter, goddess of the fertile land, had a daughter named Kore. Kore was out in the meadows gathering flowers with her companions, when she noticed a narcissus of particular beauty, and stooped to pick it. As she did so, the ground burst open and out thundered Hades, Lord of the Underworld, in his chariot. He seized Kore and carried her away with him to his dark kingdom below the Earth.
When Demeter heard of the disappearance of her daughter, it was as if all light and life had gone out of the world. Flinging over her shoulder the somber veil of sorrow, the goddess flew like a bird over land and sea, seeking for her lost child. When at last she discovered the name of the thief — and that the Father God Zeus himself had conspired in the crime — she was beyond herself with rage and despair. She disguised herself as an old woman, and desolately wandered the world of man.
At last she came to the city of Eleusis, that was ruled by the wise king Celeus. No one there knew her true identity, and in the king's palace she became nurse to his infant son. One day, as she was about to give the child the gift of immortality by lowering him into the fire, his mother spied her, and Demeter was forced to reveal her true identity. With all the power of her divine majesty, she commanded that a temple be built for her in Eleusis, where the people might come to celebrate her mysteries. In gratitude to Celeus' family for their hospitality, she also imparted to their oldest son, Triptolemus, her secrets. She gave to him the first grain of corn, and taught him how to sow it that it might bring forth rich harvests. She showed him how to harness oxen to the plow, and gave him a winged chariot drawn by dragons that he might travel the world spreading his knowledge among all men.
But all that was yet to come, for first the goddess would have her revenge for the theft of her daughter. Seated in her temple at Eleusis, she vowed that the Earth would not bear any fruit until her daughter was returned to her. And so it was. For the first time, the corn would not grow, the fruit would not ripen, and Darkness, Famine, and Death spread a black cloak over the land. Every creature, every mortal was afflicted with a terrible and biting hunger.
In desperation, Zeus sent the rainbow-goddess Iris to plead with Demeter. Descending to Earth on her iridescent bridge, Iris begged Demeter to relent, but it was of no use. One by one, the gods came to plead, but still the land lay barren. At last, the only solution was for Zeus to command Hades to return Kore to her mother. Hades agreed — but Hades had already prepared himself for this moment.
While she was in his kingdom, Hades had offered Kore a pomegranate, the "apple with many seeds." Only four of the seeds had passed the unsuspecting girl's lips, but these had sealed her fate, for the magical pomegranate is the fruit of sexual union. Kore was now the wife of Hades, and had a new name: Persephone, Queen of the Underworld. So Hades consented to release his wife — but only for part of the year. As his queen, he demanded, she must spend four months of each year in the dark realm with him — one month for every seed swallowed.And so it was and so it is that when the Maiden departs, winter cloaks the world. And so it was and so it is that when the Maiden returns, the Earth blossoms with joy and Spring dances over the land.
(Although this famous story comes from classical Greece, when male gods had wrested from the Goddess much of her old power, it has a predominantly female cast. Kore, Demeter, and Persephone reflect the Goddess's three lunar faces of Maiden, Mother, and Crone; the returning Virgin also represents the spirit of vegetation.)
Salt water purification:
Blessings upon you oh water, source of all life, mystery most profound.
Blessings upon you oh salt, creature of earth, agent of transformation.
Blessings upon you who is the work of the earth and of human hands.
(Go round the circle, each person drawing a spiral or pentacle with the salt water on the forehead of his/her neighbor, saying, "Thou art God or Thou art Goddess")
Cast the Circle: Here is the boundary of the circle. Naught but love shall enter or leave. (When the circle is cast, light the white pillar candle in the cauldron and say:) "Amidst the darkness the Lady is stirring, Gently awakening from frozen dreams, All the world has awaited this moment; the return of the maiden, and Her promise of oncoming Spring."
Call the Quarters:
East: We welcome the guardians of the East. Your breath of life is sacred. Your presence is most welcome at this Festival of Imbolc!
All: Welcome Powers of the East.
South: We welcome the Lords of the South. Your warmth flows through us all. Your presence is most welcome at this Festival of Oimelc!
All: Welcome Powers of the South.
West: We welcome the Holy Ones of the West. Your moisture is refreshing and precious to life. Your presence is most welcome at this Festival of Lights!
All: Welcome Powers of the West.
North: We welcome the Watchers of the North. Your power and wisdom is ours. Your presence is most welcome at this Festival of Candlemas!
All: Welcome Powers of the North.
Call Goddess: (take the chalice from the altar and hold it up to the sky) Blessed Lady Goddess, we humbly ask your presence at our circle tonight as we honor you at this season.
All: Blessed be the Lady.
Call God: (take the athame from the altar and hold it up to the sky) Blessed Lord God, we humbly ask your presence at our circle tonight as we honor you at this season.
All: Blessed be the Lord.
Maiden: This is the time of Brigid, the Patron of Poets and Fire, and of Healing.
Priestess: This is the time of new beginnings, when the Mother has become Maiden.
Priest: The days have turned, and grow longer, and the Sun-child is growing to His strength.
Bard: I have been a child and now I come into my strength! I invoke the Land, the dear Land, the Earth our Mother!
Drumming
All: Chant: The Earth is Our Mother
Hey Yanna Ho Yanna He Yon Yon
The earth is our mother.
We must take care of her.
The earth is our mother.
We must take care of her.
Hey Yanna Ho Yanna He Yon Yon
Hey Yanna Ho Yanna He Yon Yon
The earth we walk is sacred.
With every step we take.
The earth we walk is sacred
With every step we take.
Hey Yanna Ho Yanna He Yon Yon
Hey Yanna Ho Yanna He Yon Yon 1
Maiden: The cycles of the Moon have taken their course , and I am in my Maidenhood. The stars are kindled, and I dance in their light.
(Maiden and Crone prepare the "Bride's Bed." Maiden kisses the corn dolly and places her in her bed of flowers. Crone kisses the tip of the priapic wand and places it over the corn dolly to form an X. Three Altar candles are placed around the "bed". They light two of them. The third candle, the Maiden takes.)
Maiden, Mother, and Crone stand and say together:
The Maiden comes to bring us light!
The Winter dies, and all is bright!
The frozen ground shall disappear
And all shall sprout, for Spring is near."
(The Maiden kisses the Mother on both cheeks and hands her a white candle. The Crone lights the Mother's taper. The Crone stands to her left. The Maiden picks up the shawl and drapes it over the Crone's head and shoulders. The Maiden stands to the Mother's right and picks up the bouquet of flowers from the altar.)
Priestess: Behold the three-fold Goddess, Maiden, Mother, Crone; She is one-yet She is three together and Alone. Summer comes not-without Spring, Without Summer, comes no Winter chill; Without the Winter, Spring isn't born, The Three, life's cycles, fulfill! Now let us celebrate Imbolc!
(The Mother places her candle on the altar near the Bride's Bed. The Maiden picks up the besom and makes her way around the inside edges of the circle, ritually sweeping it clear of all that which is old, useless and unnecessary. Mother and Crone walk behind her in stately procession.)
While sweeping the Maiden says: "With this besom filled with power, Sweep away the old and sour, Sweep away the chill of death, As Winter draws it's last cold breath, Round, round, round about, Sweep the old and useless out!"
(The Maiden replaces the besom and the women resume their places in front of the altar. The Maiden picks up the black cards which she distributes to the group to represent Winter and Death. A few moments of silence are allowed for people to charge their cards with their own negative thoughts, habits and shortcomings.)
(The Crone then collects the papers, ties them together with a black ribbon and places them in the cauldron to burn, saying:) "Thus we melt the Winter! And warm the breath of Spring! We bid adieu to what is dead, And greet each living thing. Thus we banish Winter! Thus we welcome Spring!"
Priestess: The God has claimed the Goddess bride and the Wheel of the Year turns on. Who is Goddess?
All Women: I am Goddess.
Priest: Who is God?
All Men: I am God.
Priestess & Priest: Who is Goddess and God?
All: All living beings are Goddess and God.
Priestess & Priest: And who are we?
All: We are the children of deity. And we are deity. We are part of the creative life forces which move the universe. We are microcosm and macrocosm. We are part of all that is.
Drumming:
All: Chant: Earth my body, Water my blood, Air my breath, Fire my spirit.
Earth my body, Water my blood, Air my breath, Fire my spirit.
Earth my body, Water my blood, Air my breath, Fire my spirit. 2
Priestess: Though we are apart, we are ever together-for we are one in the spirit of our Goddess and God.
Feast Blessing: For the fruit of the Earth and the work of human hands, we thank you. For blessings and abundance, we thank you. What comes forth shall return in the eternal dance of Goddess and God. Join with us. Enjoy with us. Blessed be.
Devoke the Circle:
Priest: Blessed Lord God, we thank you for your presence, for the circle, for darkness and light, for love and change. We ask for your blessing as you depart. Hail and farewell.
All: Hail and Farewell.
Priestess: Blessed Lady Goddess, we thank you for your presence, for the circle, for darkness and light, for love and change. We ask for your blessing as you depart. Hail and farewell.
All: Hail and Farewell.
North: Farewell to the Watchtowers of the North. May we depart in love and peace until we gather again.
All: Hail and Farewell.
West: Farewell to the Holy Ones of the West. May we depart in love and peace until we gather again.
All: Hail and Farewell.
South: Farewell to the Lords of the South. May we depart in love and peace until we gather again.
All: Hail and Farewell.
East: Farewell to the Guardians of the East. May we depart in love and peace until we gather again.
All: Hail and Farewell
All Sing May the circle be open but unbroken,
May the peace of the Goddess be ever in your heart,
Merry meet and Merry part and Merry meet again. 3
All: Go round the circle hugging each person and wishing them well.
1. Traditional Hopi
2. Author unknown
3. Found at BryteUnicorn's Enchanted Forest
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