Imbalc

Today is Imbalc (pronounced Im-molc), the Celtic Sabbat that falls between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It's celebrated sometime around the first of February, as the "beginning of the end" of winter.

Imbalc means "surrounding belly" - the Earth Mother’s womb; soon the seeds in the womb of the earth will begin to swell and creative forces will begin to come alive in the world.

Agenda for today: 

1. Make a creativity altar

2. Seeds of inspiration

3. Seed blessing ceremony

4. Make a Brigid's Cross

5. Make Irish seed cake

6. Have a fire

1. Make a Creativity Altar:

Imbalc is sacred to Brigid, the European and Celtic goddess of healing, crops, poetry, and creativity. As a sun goddess her powers are light, fire, inspiration, and vital energy: Wow! She’s one of my favorite images of the Spirit.

Brigid is the maiden aspect of the Great Goddess and so her color is white; her symbols are a sun-wheel, Brigid's cross, snake, and cock (herald of the new day). 

This week I've made a special creativity altar for Brigid with:

• a white candle - for light and purity
• a Brigid's cross - for the sun and the seasons
• a beaded snake - for healing and regeneration
• a small bowl - for openness and inspiration 
• and some of my garden seeds

2. Seeds of inspiration:

At Imbalc, I write about my seeds of inspiration - thoughts, dreams and ideas that are inside me waiting to grow into wise actions, sweet words, or beautiful things made by my hands.

Today I sit in silence and let my mind wander, asking only, "What is waiting to bloom in my heart?" I write each germ of inspiration on a tiny slip of paper, and roll it into a seed, then put these in a bowl on my altar.

3. Seed blessing ceremony: 

Light the candle on the altar, and ask the Goddess to bless my garden seeds, and also my seeds of inspiration. 

May they all grow well when the time is right.

4. Make a Brigid's Cross:

My cross has 40 pieces of straw. 

The Bridget’s cross is an ancient symbol of the sun and the seasons. It's hung by the door or in the rafters to protect the house from fire, which is always a threat in Irish houses with thatch roofs. 

Making a Brigid’s cross is one of the traditional rituals in Ireland to celebrate Imbalc and the beginning of early spring. At Imbalc or Imbalc Eve a new Brigid’s Cross is hung above the door, and the old one is burned in the hearth.

The crosses are usually made of rushes, which are abundant in Ireland. The one above was made of straw, and instructions are in this post.

A few years ago I re-invented the crosses using pipe cleaners, and it was easy enough even for the six-year-olds in the group! Instructions for these are in this post.

Hang your Brigid's cross in the kitchen or over a door to protect from fire and evil.

5. Make Irish seed cake:

Celtic deities are not abstract but are a part of daily life; the fires of inspiration and the fires of the home and the forge are the same. 

I usually heat up the oven today to make an Irish seed cake.

6. Have a fire:

Bits of winter collected to burn.

On Imbalc evening we seek out "bits of winter" and burn them in a fire. When our kids were young we hid things around the house -- old Christmas wrapping paper, some leftover wreath greens, last year's calendar... and had a fun search.

Imbalc 2017

This year we invited friends and family over for a backyard fire. We reminded our guests to bring something to burn.

After we burn winter, we plan to toast the spring with champagne!