Tomorrow is Imbolc, for those of you who are desperate for the first day of spring, here it is! Well, maybe not on the Georgian calendar, but if the Pagans said spring was starting, that is good enough for me!
You may also know the day by its' Irish name, St, Brigid's Day. Imbolc falls between the winter solstice and the spring solstice. This makes it a cross quarter day , along with Samhain (we just discussed as All Hallow's Eve), Lughnasadh, and Beltane. We will talk about them later on this year.It is a time when we can really notice that the skies are lighter longer, and the air may even be a bit warmer.
Its' heyday of celebration was in the Middle Ages, centered in Ireland, and now Neo-Paganism has adopted it causing a rebirth of sorts. How appropriate for the heralding of spring!
The word "Imbolc" is said to mean "in my belly" in the old Irish tongue. It does not refer to food per se, but to the fact that the ewes were starting to become pregnant with this year's lambs.
Cailleach, a hag of Irish lore, is said to gather her firewood for the rest of winter on Imbolc. If she gathers a huge amount of wood it causes us to have a long winter yet ahead of us. When she does not gather much, spring will soon arrive.Many hope for cloudy weather on Imbolc so she will stay in and sleep thereby not gathering much wood. When it is sunny on Imbolc, she will be outside all day storing up a huge stockpile, insuring a longer winter. This same type of legend is apparent in our Groundhog Day story which came from Europe (Germany), and actually involved a badger, not a groundhog.
So, hope for bad weather tomorrow (the weather man says rain here in Indiana!).
As for St Brigid, today the women would make corn husk dolls and bed for them, the men of the neighborhood would come to visit and show respect to the women and the dolls. When it was time for bed, the ladies would put scraps of clothing outside for Brigid to bless. Once these were blessed they would have healing powers. I remember as a child, we had a "sick blanket", it was only used when you were ill. I thought it was about germs,but now I wonder if my Scots/Irish grandmother was giving me some of Brigid's blessings??
The day of Imbolc, the women would enter a procession through the town with the corn dolls to honor Brigid.They thank her for bringing the light back into the year.
Neo-Pagans, Wiccans, and Celtic Re-constructionists celebrate this day every year. Today to celebrate, make a corn doll, and pray for rainy weather!
Spring is just around the corner, and it doesn't hurt to rush it just a little bit!
Peshaui Wequashimese
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