Imbolc: Kindling the
Fragile Flame
Michael Furie
This holiday has always held a certain mysterious appeal for me. It has a long history, and though it occurs during what is usually one of the coldest parts of the winter season, its magical and spiritual themes offer the promise of warmth and security, and the hope of ever-waxing light. Despite being one of the time-honored “cross-quarter days” acknowledged by ancient peoples (perhaps most notably the ancient Irish), there isn’t a lot of widespread public ceremony recorded for Imbolc when compared to its associated holidays of Beltane, Lughnasadh, or Samhain. While those cross-quarter days are concerned in part with the welcoming of the light of summertime, the beginning of harvest, or the end of harvest/beginning of the dark portion of the year respectively, Imbolc is centered on the welcoming of springtime. This may seem nonsensical, since it is difficult to envision blooming flowers, colorful butterflies, and the gentle warmth of the sun heralding a new day when the ground is covered in snow or the clouds above are so thick that you cannot remember the last time you saw a clear, blue sky.
The truth is that Imbolc carries the energy of the first stirrings of spring; the acknowledgement that although the apparent conditions may remain stark and barren, the season of warmth and growth is just beginning to emerge. One of the ways that ancient peoples marked the coming of Imbolc was to take notice of when the pregnant ewes’ milk came in, seeing this as a harbinger of approaching springtime. At the Winter Solstice, the rebirth of the sun is celebrated, but its influence is still muted, with the short daylight hours and often inclement weather masking its slowly increasing power. Essentially, while Yuletide can be seen as a solar renewal, Imbolc is the time of the awakening of the earth, and like the Yule sun, this growing power may not yet be fully perceived.
In my practice, one of the primary goals of any sabbat ritual is to facilitate connection and awareness of the burgeoning power present at this time. For Imbolc, that power can be reached through the primary facets of the holiday; the themes of the sabbat. For the sabbat of Imbolc, we have an overarching concept of beginnings, of growth in its initial stages, and of the preparations that need to be undergone in order to fully claim the rewards of progress. The means of preparing for the power of growth are shown as traditional practices associated with the day. There were (and are) certain customs that have been practiced, particularly in Ireland, in honor of this holiday. As I wrote in my book Supermarket Sabbats (Llewellyn, 2017), some important components of Imbolc that can be enacted to align with the day are:
1. Lighting a fire or using candles
2. Washing of the head, the hands, and the feet
3. Tidying up the house and overall living environment
4. Preparing a meal, particularly with milk
5. Creating amulets of protection, such as the “Brigid’s Cross” so strongly associated with the holiday.
The meanings behind these simple actions are to attune to the power of Imbolc; we connect through fire, cleansing (both spiritually and practically), preparation, sustenance, and protection.
With fire, we have that warmth and rhythmic current that feels so crucial to the support and growth of life. Among the generally accepted attributes of the element of fire, there are the qualities of willpower, creation, and vitality, which align perfectly with the focus of Imbolc. For those that honor the goddess Brigid on this day, her attribute as a deity of fire can be a prominent feature of their devotion. In either case, the use of many candles or a ceremonial relighting of the “hearth fire” are great ways to tune in to the element of fire. By ritualistically cleansing the body—whether through a shower, a bath, or specifically a washing of the head, the hands, and then the feet—we not only physically clean ourselves (which of course in the days before indoor plumbing would’ve been crucial), but can also use this action to neutralize any disharmonious energies that may be clinging to us. In addition to ridding ourselves of negative vibes, another good practice is to clean and arrange our living environment (or at least our chosen ritual space) so that we have what we need readily available and we’re not bogged down with clutter or distractions. After any mundane cleaning, a magical cleansing can be done with incense, a witch’s broom, or a floor wash, if applicable.
Preparing a meal has a twofold purpose: first, a ritual feast is a frequent component of sabbat celebrations; second, one of the themes of Imbolc is sustenance, in that we have persevered through most of the barren time and are so close to sowing the seeds of springtime. We must boost our strength and also remind ourselves of the joys of abundance; it is a feast of hope and preparation for the future. One or two facets of “traditional” Imbolc feasting, however, could pose a problem for vegetarians or vegans. Since this day also marks the time when the ewe’s give milk, dairy products and roast lamb are traditional food fare for the holiday. To my mind, since the theme we are working with is that of sustenance, I feel that these foods can be substituted while still remaining ritually appropriate. These days, there are plenty of vegan and vegetarian meat and dairy alternatives that can easily replace lamb and milk products. As a different option, spicy foods can be eaten (in honor of increasing sunlight) for the meal, as cayenne pepper is aligned with the sun, and cinnamon is as well (which could provide an option for spicing up dessert).
The last traditional task is the creation of a protective amulet. One of the reasons for this is that the late winter is such a fragile, vulnerable time and it makes sense to protect what we’ve been able to preserve through the cold so that we may begin the spring season with as much of a solid foundation as possible. Another practical reason for use of protective charms at Imbolc is for them to be a special ward against fire. Between the “re-lighting of the hearth fire” and/or using lots of candles, it’s a good idea to have that bit of extra magical reassurance, although it is still advised to keep a close watch on any open flames. Aside from the indoor fire concerns, so too are there potential dangers outside the home, such as lightning or, in modern times, faulty electrical fixtures or equipment. While it may seem overly cautious to worry so much about fire dangers this deep into winter, it is a traditional holiday practice and demonstrates not only a healthy respect for the power of fire but also an awareness of its full nature—life-giving and destructive.
Once we have readied ourselves and our living environment, we are then prepared to conduct an Imbolc ritual. Through the ritual we can then call upon the power we seek and utilize it to help manifest its qualities in our lives. If each of the five tasks that have been presented are completed, either as part of the Imbolc ritual or prior to it, an energetic path is paved that connects the celebrants to the power of Imbolc. But what do we do with this power?
The delicate energy that is present during Imbolc is excellent for creative workings. The magic of beginning new projects, expansion, success, and nurturing long-term goals all fit perfectly into the rhythm of this sabbat. Another aspect of the power dynamic available now is one of blessings and initiations. This time of year is ideal for any type of new beginning. Imbolc is really the threshold to the springtime and all the growth and eventual abundance that can bring, but as with any type of cultivation, the correct preliminary steps must be completed to create the conditions that will support future prosperity. In other words, if no seeds have been planted, how could anyone expect flowers to bloom? Continuing with the gardening metaphor, the seeds are planted at Imbolc, they sprout around the vernal equinox and, provided that they have been watered and cared for, begin to bloom and/or bear fruit at Beltane and throughout the summer season before the waning time occurs. Whether it is the blessing of new candles, initiations into a coven, long-term prosperity magic, cleansing and protection for the body and spirit, divination to determine the upcoming weather, or any creative pursuits we may wish to begin, the energy of the Imbolc sabbat can be called upon to amplify our own magic so that our intentions are carried forth into the world to manifest spectacular results. This work can be done solitarily or within a coven, and it may be completed purely as an act of personal power coupled with the energy of the day or could be worked as part of more specifically devotional sabbat ritual with the help of one or more deities.
You may have noticed that other than the reference to the cross amulet named in her honor, I have not focused on the goddess that is most often linked with this sabbat: Brigid of the Tuatha Dé Danann. The main reason for this is that I am trying to concentrate on the unique energetic pattern expressed through the holiday, which can be accessed regardless of specific tradition.
Brigid, one of the daughters of the powerful deity Dagda, has been revered for thousands of years and is so beloved, particularly in Ireland, that her Pagan veneration could not be stamped out. Even though Christianity had a very strong hold on the nation, the love held in the hearts of the people for the goddess Brigid could not be extinguished. The Christians decided to canonize her as Saint Brigid, wherein her story was altered to include the idea that she was born of mortal parents (“coincidentally” on the first of February) and performed her healing and charitable works as a Christian and friend of St. Patrick. In fact, the two of them were termed “The Pillars of Ireland.”
As the Tuatha goddess Brigid, she is known to be a powerful deity with dominion over smithcraft, healing and healing wells, wisdom, inspiration, creativity, childbirth, and, most notably, flame. Brigid fully embodies the power and mystery of the Imbolc sabbat. She has been called the goddess of the eternal flame, and her Pagan shrine in Kildare, Ireland, had a flame that was kept continuously burning and was guarded by her priestesses. Once Christianized, her shrine became dedicated to Saint Brigid and a flame was still kept, though it’s now tended to by nuns. Her worship is not limited to Ireland; she has been revered in many parts of western Europe and also very strongly in Scotland where she is known as Bride, a goddess of the light half of the year, who is seasonally imprisoned by Cailleach, an ever-ancient hag that in this sense personifies winter. In time, Bride is able to escape her captivity and thus spring is allowed to return. Devotees of Brigid can certainly merge their personal practice with the concept that I am outlining, if desired, but I primarily wished to explore the essence of Imbolc as a magical day in its own right, free from specific denominational constraints.
It is my belief that as human beings, each of us has a claim to the energies found on the sabbats, regardless of our individual religious practices. At its core, this special day, this sabbat, is a powerful nexus (a point of connection) between the realms, and much like each of the traditional witch holidays, is considered to bridge the gaps that separate the physical, mental, and astral planes, giving us the opportunity to fully engage our whole being to potentially stretch beyond our everyday limitations and reach the essence of creation.