Hello, All! I wanted to do a little something about Imbolc, but realized I had done that in years past. So, being numb and tired from the drastic cold (that's my story, anyway), I decided to reiterate the highlights. See below:
We are on the verge of
Imbolc (or Imbolg), otherwise known as La Fheile Bride in
Irish (the Feast of Brighid, or Brighid's Day. Name variations
include Brigid, Bridget, Brigit, Brid and Bridgit). Any Pagan or
Wiccan can tell you, this is one of the four cross-quarter points on
the wheel of the year. It celebrates the coming of the ewes into
milk, the lambing season (Imbolc means “in the belly”), the
germination of seeds, and the goddess (or saint) who represents fire,
smithcraft, and poetry. (Poetry was considered a “fire in the
head”.)
It is a time of celebrating the Feminine principle in
the season of the God, just as Lammas celebrates the Masculine
principle in the Goddess season. It also marks the beginning of
longer days, and the sun's obvious return and gathering strength.
Several monolithic monuments are aligned so that the rising sun on
Imbolc illuminates their inner chambers.
Brigit Crosses were woven at this time as a symbol of
the turning of the wheel. They were often put in the roof beams of
the house as a protection against fire.
By Irish tradition, a “bed” was fashioned for Brigit before the family hearth, and a doll representing her (the Brideog) was carried from house to house as a blessing.
Food offerings were
left by the fire, and articles of clothing placed outside so that she
may bless them as she passed by. One related belief specifies that a
length of white cloth should be hung out the window on the eve of the
feast, so that it can catch the morning's dew. This cloth can then be
tied around the head, the jaw, or an injured limb, as it removes
pain.
When
the new religion gained power, Brigit was too ingrained in the minds
of the common folk to banish her. In actuality, much that was part of
Pagan Ireland was merely absorbed by the Church. Brigit's feast day,
power and traditions were now ascribed to Saint Brighid the “Mary
of the Gael”. Even her sacred fire, once tended by her priestesses,
is today maintained by nuns in Kildare.
The Feast of
Brigit, or Imbolc, also corresponds with Candlemas on Feb 2nd.
This is the Church's fire ceremony when candles are blessed for the
coming liturgical year. It is another shadow of the power of the
Goddess and her element of fire.
Imbolc
was a day of weather prediction, so it is not surprising that
Groundhog Day occurs on this date as well. The old legend is that
Brigit – in the guise of a crone – goes out on this morning to
collect wood for the rest of Winter. If the day was sunny and bright,
she could see to gather enough wood for another 6 weeks. If the
weather was cloudy or foul, she would only gather a small amount.
That would mean Spring would have to come early.
Now.
Here is something new to chew on..The Crone was a shape shifter. In
Ireland, she usually assumed the form of a hare. She could also
assume the form of a hedgehog.
In this guise, she could be used to predict the weather. In America, we have no native hedgehogs. The nearest stand-in was.. drum roll ... the groundhog.
Ergo, the Goddess Brigit = Crone in Winter = hedgehog guise = groundhog.
In this guise, she could be used to predict the weather. In America, we have no native hedgehogs. The nearest stand-in was.. drum roll ... the groundhog.
Ergo, the Goddess Brigit = Crone in Winter = hedgehog guise = groundhog.
PA
has their famous groundhog. In nearby Milltown NJ, we have Mel.
Sherlock
News: The filming of the special continues, with the stars showing
up in Victorian garb.
What evil do you think Moffat and Gatiss are brewing this time? As we wait to see, enjoy a very campy parody. It's from “Rubber Chicken Films”. That should be your first clue....
What evil do you think Moffat and Gatiss are brewing this time? As we wait to see, enjoy a very campy parody. It's from “Rubber Chicken Films”. That should be your first clue....
For
my fellow Pagans, Happy Imbolc!
For
my fellow Sherlockians, Happy Groundhog Day. Watch for clues of a
short Winter!
