Imbolc (Candlemas) February 1

by Coraluna Maleficent Soleil

Goddesses: Aradia, Sophia, Cerridwen, Athena, Brigit
Colors: white, grey, silver, gold
Herbs: snowdrops, white sage, juniper, eyebright
Crystals: white and clear crystals, quartz, diamond
Symbols: holy water, salt, crescent moons

In the Catholic tradition, February first is the first day of Lent, the season of cleansing. It is the custom for them to spend this time (and the rest of it) in self-denial and repression. They tend to believe that cleansing implies punishment. Sadly, they feel the need to suffer because of their humanity, and be ashamed of it. To me, this feels very backwards. Guilt, shame, and sorrow are examples of things witches cleanse away. These feelings do nothing but hinder our emotional and spiritual development. They are not cleansing. They become like a cancer, eating away at our psyches and energy.

This Sabbat is very cleansing, but our idea of 'cleansed' is free. Free to experience every aspect of your humanity as divine. Freedom from destructive thoughts like “I can't... I don't deserve happiness... I'm not good enough...” The freedom to express yourself in everything you say and do. The freedom to embrace the Goddess in yourself and the world around you. The freedom to be happy, to love yourself, to give and receive love from others. Purification and cleansing mean getting rid of that which stands in the way of these sacred things.
 

Aradia is said to be the Avatar Goddess who came to earth in medieval times to teach women magic, astrology,ritual, healing, divination,

and all the wisdom of witchcraft. However, she was not the first.

She came to bring a sort of “revival.” She was the priestess who began the Italian Strega tradition (many elements of which I have included in this path). Imbolc is Aradia's day, the day when wisdom and consciousness meld with the spark of Life that has been called back at Yule. It is a day to consider the teacher in yourself, and those who have taught you. Think about the things you want to learn, and write them down (again, in your book of shadows or mirrors, under Imbolc or Candlemas). Wear white, the color of the Transpersonal Point chakra, to symbolize the manifestation of your freedom, autonomy, and oneness. Another aspect of calling back the Light is the idea of seeing past the obstacle of your conditioning in an objective way, in order to fulfill your potential as a Priestess of all that is sacred and natural on Earth. That is what the Transpersonal Point symbolizes, which is why the color of this day is white.

 

Imbolc Ritual
 

For your ritual, prepare a bottle of pure filtered “holy water” for your altar by placing it in a windowsill on the night of the full moon. The water in the transparent glass will absorb all the creative, peaceful, cleansing, healing, energies of the moonlight. Take a bath with sea salt if you want. Add white sage, eucalyptus, tea tree, lavender, rosemary, or other spiritually cleansing herbs or oils. As you soak up the scented water and the energies of the herbs, see any stress, sorrow, anger, guilt, or fear as bits of black debris floating away from you and being dissolved by the purified water that has been empowered by your Will. When you feel relaxed and clean, put on soft white clothing. Wear a special piece of silver jewelry if you wish (wear as much or as little as you like, just remember that it's not always comfortable and natural-feeling to have on dozens of bracelets, rings, necklaces, and earrings).Set up your altar with a white cloth, white candles, white flowers (if available), a small dish of sea salt, a white-handled knife, or any other Imbolc symbols you find.
 

Light your candles, and say:

"My spirit is reborn today
With the spirit of the Goddess
We are alive in the Universe
In our sisters
In the Earth."
 

In your Book of Shadows (and/or Mirrors) write a vow to yourself, to the Goddess, or to the Universe. It can be anything that you feel will improve your spiritual path. “I vow to tread lightly on the Earth, to live enlightened, to study and teach the Craft...” These are some examples of magickal Imbolc vows. When you make this vow, also think about and write down specific ways you plan to carry it out. How often do you plan to study? Will you recycle?
Start a garden? How will your newly
strengthened spirituality reflect in your daily life? When you finish your ritual, drink white wine, white grape juice, or water, and eat white foods like potatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms, moon bread, vanilla ice cream, white chocolate, etc.