Imbolc blessings

[athenagrey]

 Blessed Imbolc, everyone!

It's hard to believe that life is stirring under all that ice and snow. The warm temperatures 
yesterday and today did help convince me.

In my snug little treetop Aerie, I have been in a frenzy of cleaning in preparation for the 
sabbat. It was time to get the staleness and dust of winter out of my life. Even last night's 
dinner had some of that clearing energy, as I turned out the larder and combined a lot of 
leftovers into rice pilaf with lentils and chick peas, and a mixed vegetable curry in a mild 
and creamy sauce.

My Imbolc celebration began at the hearth. I had saved a couple of sprigs of holly from 
Yule, and in my cleaning frenzy, found a small bit of fir that had fallen behind the fire 
screen when I took down the Yule decorations. As I burned these remnants of Winter, I 
chanted:

Winter begone!
Welcome the Spring!

Spring isn't so far away. The cross-quarter days remind us of progress. It's easy to see 
what is. The solstices and equinoxes are definitive. Progress is less easily seen, and it is 
fortunate that our highest celebrations of Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh and Samhain mark 
the otherwise imperceptible passage of time. We know the wheel of the year is turning, 
but we would not otherwise know exactly where we are.

The rest of last evening's ritual was a personal devotion to Brigid. I have spent a few years 
in Her service. I wonder if She will call my name again tonight?

Today promises to be quite busy. There's a blessing of the land that my mother and I 
always gave, involving a pail of milk and a besom. I will carry on the tradition.

Then, there are candles to be made, eight pairs of beeswax tapers to be dipped so that 
there is light for each Sabbat. Some years, I include the candle ends from the previous 
year in the pot, but this year I want the candles to be completely new. Change is on the 
air.

Bright blessings!
Athena

Comments

[pandoraanesidor.livejournal.com]

This year it's been hard to feel the movement of the Wheel under all the snow and ice. Today I watched piles of snow come down outside my window and felt my spirits droop. I've had more than enough of this harsh winter and all its difficulties! Thank you for sharing your light and energy for change!

--Webfamiliar (from Plurk & Twitter)