Before it lay bloodstained rags and a flute, and many small unlit . It is decorated with long ribbons and fresh flowers, and, of course, maidens traditionally dance around the pole. In short, the perfect time for a Pagan Festival of Lights. Yes, I know…I went back MUCH further than 10 years, stay with me here. The Esbat The common representation of these phases is the God, though many practitioners incorporate an aspect of the Goddess in some fashion as well. This also re-aligns the holiday with the By the mid-1960s, the phrase Wheel of the Year had been coined to describe the yearly cycle of witches' holidays. And you shall hear the wails of one who mourns, Ostara Offering: Give aid to a child who has lost their mother. She weeps for the life cut short, Step 8 – Thank your deities and elements and release them from the circle. Both also symbolize change. Lammas is known as the 1st of the 3 harvest festivals, it is still a time of hot intense sun but the days are starting to get shorter. Color: Black Valentine’ can produce. They ‘explained’ this by telling the Irish peasants that Brigit was ‘really’ an early Christian missionary sent to the Emerald Isle, and that the miracles she performed there ‘misled’ the common people into believing that she was a goddess. Tara taught me that you could love the person but not their actions. This same displacement is evident in Eastern Orthodox Christianity as well. Another name for this holiday is Lughnassadh. This should go on until all are exhausted from wailing, and then all should go quietly to their other tasks in silence until Hesperis. Here in the Heartland, February 2nd may see a blanket of snow mantling the Mother. E . For these Sabbats we are doing something new the sacred circles and Watchtowers will be called and dismissed for each hemisphere. There are eight major holidays that Wiccans celebrate: This is the second of the three fertility festivals. Not only were their gods and goddesses mostly the same as those in the Greek pantheon (though the Romans renamed them), but their religious festivals were observed with similar activities: ritual sacrifice, theatrical performances, games, and feasts. At this time, we are beginning to see the very first signs of spring, and the renewal of life. And the Witches are seen, At Lammas and Candlemas dancing, On May Eve and old Hallowe'en. Witches Lyrics: Someone stole the starlight from the backside of your hand / Weak without the magic you lay passed out in the sand / With controls set for night flights when witches ruled the The women seemed to enjoy the attention The symbol of the Purification may seem a little obscure to modern readers, but it has to do with the old custom of ‘churching women’. Then this group of men did something I did not expect them to do…they listened to me! Goddess: Goddess candle will be on the right side of altar decorate in color of green. are your Coven’s chandler, or if you just happen to like making candles, Any Witch or Pagan is welcome to come celebrate Imbolc and Lammas with us. The Roman Church was quick to confiscate this symbolism as well, using ‘Candlemas’ as the day to bless all the church candles that would be used for the coming liturgical year. thus She bestows her special patronage on any woman about to be married or Candle-making is really simple and an excellent creative outlet! 31/Aug. The older Pagan names were Imbolc and Oimelc. They ‘explained’ this There is some confusion over which god the Luperci or priests served; some say it was Faunus, a rural deity, and some say it was Pan, the god of shepherds who protected sheep from the danger of wolves. Once I started talking while we were working in our small groups to set the U.S. Army’s definition of spirituality, everyone began to relax. A self-blessing ritual is a perfect extension of that ideology. This holiday is considered an especially auspicious time for a new marriage or relationship. Colors: White, yellow, pink, light blue, light green; also, red and brown. Yule – Dec. 21/22 Or, if the snows have gone, you may be sure the days are filled with drizzle, slush, and steel-grey skies — the dreariest weather of the year. February 15 was also the day when Mark Antony offered Julius Caesar the crown. In the dark of the night when the wind is howling, For modern Witches, Candlemas O.S. Witch Works: Spells and Rituals for Every Season. It seems quite impossible that the holiday of Candlemas should be considered The Catholic Church, never one to refrain from piling holiday upon holiday, also called it the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. When day-time and night-time are equal, When sun is at greatest and least, The four Lesser Sabbats are summoned, And Witches gather in feast. Posts tagged candlemas eve witchcraft 6 Ways to Celebrate Imbolc. Indeed, the Church has always found it rather difficult to explain this nebulous saint’s connection to the secular pleasures of flirtation and courtly love. Witches, sex and rock and roll! E ., thus giving the celebration a boost. Or, if the snows have gone, you may be sure the days are filled with drizzle, slush, and steel-grey skies — the dreariest weather of the year. The Lupercalia was a festival in the ancient Roman religion, which scholars trace back to the sixth century B . (There is no limit to what the Irish For some reason, the Irish swallowed this. Their habit of celebrating the birth of Jesus on January 6th, with a similar post-dated shift in the six-week period that follows it, puts the Feast of the Purification of Mary on February 14th. The period of time between Samhain and Yule is spent contemplating plans for the coming year and remembering the year that has passed. Candlemas is the festival of the Flame, and is best performed at night. It is a tall pole set in the ground, symbolizing the Sun God uniting with Earth. For those who work with faerie energy in their rites, Midsummer is an ideal time to commune with them. Imbolc 2010 has presented me with an inner reflection opportunity. This is a time of conception, where the beginnings of life begin to stir. The seed that was planted in her womb at the solstice is quickening and the new year grows. Block the windows and shut out all sunlight. Litha – June 21/22 Take a white candle and place it in front of a black scrying mirror. It is a common tradition for witches to go out in the twilight and look for faerie folk in stands of oak, ash and thorn trees. Mabon – Sept. 21/22 re-emphasis of Pagan carnal frivolity. One of the nicest folk customs still practiced in many countries, and especially by Witches in the British Isles and parts of the U.S., is to place a lighted candle in each and every window of the house (or at least the windows that face the street), beginning at sundown on Candlemas Eve (February 1), allowing them to continue burning until sunrise. Like the other High Holidays or Great Sabbats of the Witches’ year, This Sabbat also celebrates banishing winter. Here is an example of how to make a corn husk doll, When you are done please type the word “DONE”. The usual associations of V(G)alantine’s Day make much more sense in this light than their vague connection to a legendary ‘St. Its debatable. Two of the traditional symbols for this holiday are the egg and the rabbit. goatskin thongs to make them fertile. In Scandinavia, Witches carried candles as part of their ritual invocations. For example, they also came to believe that Brigit was the ‘foster-mother’ of Jesus, giving no thought to the implausibility of Jesus having spent his boyhood in Ireland! Months, years, decades, centuries, are important mental markers. Finally point to the ground and walk in a counter clockwise manner thanking earth for protecting our circle. It was believed that women were impure for six weeks after giving birth. Beltane – Apr. noting that the old-timers used to celebrate Groundhog’s Day on February 14th. Customs and myths: In Irish legends of the Tuatha De Danaan, Brighid is the name of three daughters of Dagda who over time were combined into one goddess. Stability is important to us. Goddess Brigit. When the moon is waxing, or becoming fuller, it is good to perform rites that are drawing things to you or increasing positive influences in general. E . Samhain – April 30th/May 1st Lammas – Feb 1st/2nd cross-quarter days can be used as ‘inverse’ weather predictors, whereas the And you shall see her kneeling by the water, It seems quite impossible that the holiday of Candlemas should be considered the beginning of Spring. They ‘explained’ this by telling the Irish peasants that Brigit was ‘really’ an early Christian missionary sent to the Emerald Isle, and that the miracles she performed there ‘misled’ the common people into believing that she was a goddess. Tara stood by me through all of my thoughtlessness, insults, screw-ups and selfishness. There are several rituals that go hand in hand with the spirit of Candlemas. It was believed that women were impure for six weeks after giving birth. It seems that it was customary for It is amazing to think that the same by Mike Nichols. Yet when the moon is full, the magickal workings are at their peak, and it is good for nearly any rite that a witch may wish to perform. November 5th two thousand and nine is the day that I found my feet. And since Mary gave birth at the winter solstice, she wouldn’t be purified until February 2nd. Candlemas: The Light Returns nearby curtains, etc. Lammas – Feb 1st/2nd Alternative names: Imbolg, Candlemas, Oimelc, Brighid’s Day, Lupercus, the Feast of Lights, Groundhog’s Day. You can also use green crystals in place of the candle which are green calcite, amber. (You can go back and commune with the Gods and/or Goddesses from one or both rituals after the Southern Hemisphere circle is opened). Imbolc is a Celtic festival celebrating the emerging life in the world around us. Usually celebrated on February 2, Candlemas was a celebration of the coming spring with all of its promise and bounty. This story was updated in 2021. Perhaps this is why Imbolc is also called the Feast of Torches or the Feast of Waxing Light. It continued to be observed until 494 C . There is some reason to believe that the Lupercalia was a forerunner of the modern VALENTINE’S DAY: Part of the ceremony involved putting girls’ names in a box and letting boys draw them out, thus pairing them off until the next Lupercalia. On whatever day the esbat is performed, it is done in the evening or at night. Other customs of the holiday include weaving ‘Brigit’s crosses’ from straw I was stuck at 20…then, along came my eldest child and, thankfully, my (still) best friend, Tara. Candlemas is sometimes celebrated on it’s alternate date, astrologically ‘Candlemas’ is the Christianized name for the holiday, of course. All of the sabbats represent a phase of life, and Yule falls into the fertility category. When covens and families come together on this holiday, plans begin to be made for the coming year, as well as preparations for the coming spring. Beltane – Apr. Your donations help keep the WOTC & Coven Life meet their daily operating expenses and most importantly spreading the word of our Goddess. CANDLEMAS EVE is filled with plenty of lust, Magic, vengence, & dark humour. God: Gods candle will be on left side of altar decorate it in the colors of Green, pink, or red. Incense such as Sandal wood, Rose, or Lavender, Or a picture or statue of the God Aengus. Gods and goddesses: Brighid, the Celtic goddess of healing, poetry and smithcraft; all virgin and maiden goddesses; all fire and flame gods, connected with the newborn Sun. We first point at the ground with our dominate hand asking the earth for its power to make this circle secure for the work we are to do here. We get up in the morning, go to work, grab lunch…. Make sure you have enough, to enjoy the treats, also that you can leave some on the altar but also make sure you share some with the creatures of nature. Finally raise your hands above your head bring them down and point your palms at the ground and send any extra energy into the earth to help and heal our Mother. This is the day where the days begin to grow longer, and the sun is making a comeback. At her shrine, the ancient Irish capitol of Kildare, a group of 19 priestesses (no men allowed) kept a perpetual flame burning in her honor. Since we get our milk and meat from the grocery store and no longer have to plan out how and what we will be eating for more than 24 hours, agrarian celebrations no longer resonate with a clear message or meaning for most of us. Their habit of celebrating the birth of Jesus on January 6th, with a similar Did you Know? quarter-days are used as ‘direct’ weather predictors. Witches Annual Holidays or Wiccan Sabbats. And, of course, if you Even when I was much younger and being self-centered, spoiled and without a clue what Personal Responsibility, Compassion and Unconditional love meant. Gardner further identified these modern witch festivals with the Gaelic fire festivals Beltene, Lugnasadh, Samhuin, and Brigid. Ostara – Mar. Bonfires were lighted on the beacon tors, and I thought that I was too fat for the military so serving there was not going to work and I needed to be doing something that earned money. When Imbolc was Christianized, it became Candlemas, and is a celebration of light. Ireland a demon, so they canonized her instead. Place symbols of your craft or skill on the altar—a notebook, your special paints for artists, a pen for writers, other tools of your creativity. The holiday is also called ‘Brigit’s Day’, in honor of the great Irish Incidentally, there is speculation among linguistic scholars that the vary She was considered a goddess of fire, patroness of smithcraft, poetry and healing (especially the healing touch of midwifery). Your donations help keep the WOTC & Coven Life meet their daily operating expenses and most importantly spreading the word of our Goddess. This is also the feast of the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple; the parallels between the Virgin Mary and the Goddess in Her maiden aspect, and Baby Jesus and the solar child of promise, are unmistakable. Those who can shed tears should do so. Brigit, patron SAINT of smithcraft, poetry, and healing. reason, the Irish swallowed this. One of the nicest folk customs still practiced in many countries, and especially by Witches in the British Isles and parts of the U.S., is to place a lighted candle in each and every window of the house (or at least the windows that face the street), beginning at sundown on Candlemas Eve (February 1), allowing them to continue burning until sunrise. Definition of healthy spirituality as well sabbats represent a phase of life to! 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