A SEASONAL MISCELLANY
IMBOLC
At the celebration of
Imbolc, the Candlemas of the Old Style calendar, winter is passing and we are
ready for renewal. We give thanks that
new life is stirring; buds are swelling on the trees, grass is pushing its way
inexorably toward the growing warmth:
Rebirth is stirring all around us.
White is the Color of Imbolc
It has been said that
each phase of the passing year has a color all its own. Some feel the color of each season
corresponds to the highlight of that season – Imbolc in spring, Beltane in
summer, and so on. Others interpret
these seasonal colors as aspects of the Goddess worshipped in pagan belief
systems. The color of Imbolc is white,
the white of the passing snow, the white of purity and innocence, the white of
the flowers and candles used to mark the season. White is the color of the Goddess as Maiden
and is, not coincidentally, the color most associated with the Virgin – the
pure and willing handmaiden, the virgin vessel of the mother of the Lord.
Imbolc Bird Lore
Though considered by some
to be a bird of ill-fortune, it is the peacock that is traditionally associated
with Imbolc. It is said that white is
comprised of all colors, recalling perhaps the many-colored cloak of the
Biblical Joseph; perhaps the iridescent hues of the peacock, mingled into a
fire of white, are most expressive of this season of renewal and change.
The rook is another, more
pleasant bird associated with this time of year, especially in England. Its habit of flocking in whirling, cloud-like
groups and then pairing off neatly into couples is thought to underscore
aspects of that other celebration of the season – Valentine’s Day.
Symbols of Imbolc
In astrology, the season
of Imbolc commences in the sign of Aquarius, under the dominion of the planet
Uranus and the 11th house of the Zodiac. This is the house of society and social
matters, of friendships and group relationships, and of invention and swift,
dramatic change. Many consider these aspects
most appropriate to Imbolc, the season when the earth is beginning to stir, and
we too are stirring, after a dark and idle winter.
In Tarot, the card most
connected to the Imbolc season is The Star, symbolizing hope and bright
prospects of the future. The Star also
echoes the frosty, stellar landscape of the passing winter season.
Some Imbolc Candle Lore
v
If sparks fly from the candle wick, strangers
will come to your door.
v
If you light a candle from the fire, you may
expect to die in poverty.
v
A candle left to burn out brings bad luck.
A Threshold Blessing
Many people begin
cleaning house in the early spring or move to new homes; in either event, it’s
good to have a blessing handy. One such
blessing is meant to be inscribed over the entryway or main door, using blessed
chalk:
Who comes to me, I keep;
Who goes from me, I free;
Yet against all I stand
Who have not my key.
***
Source:
This Article Includes Spells and Poems from Slade, Paddy. Encyclopedia of White Magic: A Seasonal
Guide © 1990, The Hamlyn Publishing Group/Mallard Press.
