Imbolc and Writing

Today is Imbolc by the Pagan Calendar.  It is a day to celebrate the fires of the goddess Brigid, patron of poets, smiths, and healers.  Today is the feast of St. Brigid, by the Catholic calendar.  It is a day to celebrate the patron of poets, smiths, healers, and more. 

There are cyberspace poetry readings in honor the Goddess and Saint going on all day.  While I am mostly Hellenic in my religion, I can't turn down a goddess of poetry now, can I?

Here is a poem by William Stafford, titled When I Met My Muse.

I glanced at her and took my glasses
off--they were still singing. They buzzed
like a locust on the coffee table and then
ceased. Her voice belled forth, and the
sunlight bent. I felt the ceiling arch, and
knew that nails up there took a new grip
on whatever they touched. "I am your own
way of looking at things," she said. "When
you allow me to live with you, every
glance at the world around you will be
a sort of salvation." And I took her hand.

Muse: Imbolc and Groundhogs

February 1^st  is Imbolc, Candlemas, St. Brigid’s Day, and others.  It is a cross-quarter day, not assigned any special astrological event such as the equinoxes and solstices (that I know of).  It is one of those holy days that marks the in-between time.  Of course, depending on your tradition, this holiday could be anywhere in the time around
February 1^st.  Maybe you celebrate it on the nearest full moon or when the snow drops first appear.  Lupercalia, a Roman festival associated with Imbolc, is somewhere towards the middle of the month.  And of course, Anthesteria is around the same time.

And, of course, we here in the US can’t forget that February 2^nd is Groundhogs Day.  If the groundhog sees his shadow and hides when he comes out, it heralds six more weeks of winter.  If he doesn’t and just hangs out, then spring will come soon. 

Imbolc is a time of getting ready for what is to come.  Traditionally it would be the time for farmers to move their cows and ready their fields for the spring thaw.  For me, I consider it a time to finally wake up from the winter.  The earth has been sleeping, and we have been taking stock of what remains and preparing in darkness, now the candles are lit and the sun is awake longer and longer, we get ready to move and shake about the warming earth. 

Imbolc is my new year.  I get excited for what is to come when the snow finally disappears.  A lot of years, I over estimate what I will be doing, thinking I’ll go camping every weekend or do this or that.  This year I will keep in my word of Action and make plans that are feasible and include the things I want to do.

Do you have plans for Imbolc?  Do you watch the groundhog peeking out of his home?  If neither, what symbols do you associate with this time of year? 

Create: Fire in the Snow

I ran out of time to actually make one of the two crafts I was planning for tonight.  The cold weather and sickness has just been kicking my butt.  I'm lucky I got lunches made in time...  But never fear, I have leftovers!

Last year for Imbolc, we decided to make use of the snow outside and make some candles.  I haven't gotten to yet this year and I am so tired (so tired!) of seeing all the snow.  But I am going to try to make a new batch before it all melts.  I have some from last year left in my stash, so I thought I would pull them out and share.

 

They aren't the best, and they didn't get that weird made-in-snow edging like I saw in pictures, but it was pretty fun.  We grabbed a couple pans and filled them with snow, brought it in side and made a hole.  Put in the wax and wick and let the snow melt and form the candle.  I think next time we will use a deeper pan and maybe not pack the snow in as tight.

I'm still learning tutorials (and I'm running behind) so I'll provide a link to how to make snow candles.  Of course, this article assumes you know how to make candles.  There are lots of tutorials on how to make them, and they are pretty easy.  It just requires patience.

Go make stuff!

Write: Self, Community, World

Today's post isn't really a writing exercise or piece of writing.  It's more about taking the time to look within yourself and discover three things you want to accomplish this year.  I read about this in one of my books and I cannot figure out which one it was now.  I also can't find where I wrote down my list...

Anyway, the exercise is this.  Write down a goal that you want to accomplish this year in three areas: Self/Home, Community, World.  What can you do to better these areas in your life?  How can you help in these areas?

I made a list last year and I've accomplished my goals for this year, so I am impressed with myself.  Let's see what I need this year...

Self:  Have confidence and pride in my work and my self.
Community:  Step up into a more active leadership role.
World: Stick to my values and ideals on corporations/society, no matter how hard it may be.

What changes are you going to be in the new year?

Inspire: Imbolc 2010

It's that time of year again.  Winter has truly settled in and it's freezing.  It seems as though spring will never come again.  But wait, the groundhog will tell us of springs return soon!  The sun is getting brighter!  Soon things will be growing under snow's blanket and the world will turn green again.

Imbolc is a celebration that occurs on February 1.  Also known as Candlemas and Groundhog's Day.  This is a time of celebrating the return of the sun and of spring.  We Pagans tend to view the day as when the hag of winter gives up her grip and is reborn into the young maiden of spring. 

It is a time of purifying the home and getting ready for the new year to come.  A lot of people follow this, whether they know it or not, by catching in Spring Fever in the middle of winter.  It's also a time to think about what you want to accomplish in the coming days.

So today we are inspired to look for the returning signs on spring.  What do you want to keep and get rid of?