I just adore Imbolc as it fills me with hope and feelings of renewal and promise.  My pent up, hibernating energy is just waiting to uncoil and spring into action ready to embrace the warmer weather and longer days.

This Imbolc festival I decided to wait until the 7th Febuary for the full moon to celebrate this auspicious festival.  The first signs of spring have sprung in my garden.  There are snowdrops aplenty whose courage in springing above the earth’s surface wasn’t dampened by the four inches of snow that fell on Saturday!  Not out of the woods yet it seems, in terms of the cold weather.

Well, I love snow and my spirits weren’t dampened as I headed out for a snowy walk with my son.  The sights were truly magickal.  Holly and hawthorn displayed resplendent, bright, red berries contrasted by the ivy, with its black berries as it roved in between the two, reminding me of the Yuletide now behind us.

Traditionally at Imbolc, the God who was reborn at Yule is now seen as a young man who is in hot pursuit of the Maiden.  In this new season, she puts aside her role of Wise Woman and dons the white robes of Maiden.

Imbolc is the first rite of spring and a fire festival.  In some covens, a maiden will be chosen and dressed in white and a crown of lights.  The presiding deity at Imbolc festival is Bride (or Bridgit).

Looking back over Imbolc rituals past, I am so encouraged to see how my intentions have born fruit.  In 2010 this is especially notable when my rekindled relationship is still the best ever, I now have a son and definitely a magickal garden and a lovely house complete with real fire. I have also maintained this blog and started two others.  It’s special to see how our intentions come to fruition.

My Imbolc Ritual 2012

This year I fully utilised the full moon’s power and did a ritual for my intentions for 2012.   I love to honour the Goddess and God at all the Sabbats so I made an Imbolc ritual cake offering to them – mini banana cakes.  I also offered fire in the form of a special candle, air by lighting incense I bought in India called Vrindavan Flower, a bulb I will later plant for earth, and a goblet of water.  We have our own water supply from a borehole in the back garden so our water is pure and sweet, making a lovely water element offering to my spiritual guardians.

Invite the Elements and Goddess and God

I then invited the elements and called upon the Goddess and God and offered them my preparations.  I bought Imbolc candles – one white and one black.  I lit the black candle and said loudly “This light represents the Wise Woman who presides over the dark winter months.  I thank her for her guidance and wisdom over this internal and meditative time. ”

Then I spent time thinking about what I’ve learned and achieved over this time period.

“Now the Wise Woman becomes the Maiden, full of youthful vitality, health and beauty and brimming with promise.”

I then lit a white candle and extinguished the black one, thinking about what I would like to begin this Imbolc.  I list these things on a special piece of paper and then bury the list along with my bulb I offered for the element of earth.

I have since planted the bulb in a pot so it will grow and bloom along with my new projects.

I then thanked the elements and Goddess and Gods’ presence and closed the circle.

This is a nice Imbolc ritual for solitary practitioners.

Please share yours by commenting below.

With the main festival of Witches almost upon us, I thought I’d share the Samhain rituals I’m planning to do for this year’s festival.

This year I had a gorgeous baby boy.  And now of course, I spend most of my time with him and my girlfriends get neglected!   Well, it’s not that bad but I definitely don’t see them as much as I did before. So, this year I’m inspired to host a girly night to make up for lost time!  Now, some are already into Wicca and Witchcraft and others are new to such things, but I’m confident it will turn out well.

There’s a million and one rituals for Samhain I could do on the night, but seeing as we only have one evening I’ve managed to whittle things down a bit.  Here’s what I’m planning.

1)  There’ll definitely be lots of ancestor honouring!  I’ve suggested they bring photos of loved ones who have passed on.  We’ll place these on the altar and light candles for each one.  We’ll offer a feast to the Goddess and God (my faves are the Goddess Radharani and her beloved Krishna) and then offer this to our deceased loved ones.

Each of us can say a few words about our loved ones, what we loved about them, how we feel now about their passing.

2)  Divination.  It wouldn’t be a Samhain without it, now would it!  We’ll do some Tarot reading for each other for the year ahead. I’m also focusing on intuitive development using psychometry.  I’ve told each person to bring a small object that means something to them, to wrap it in a small cloth bag and not to tell anyone what it is.  We’ll each spend 5 minutes or so focusing on each object and writing down anything we intuit from it and then share this after.  Fun!

3)  Feasting.  It’s a bring and share.  I’ll be making pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie with cream. Yum.

Seeing as we haven’t had a get together for a while now, I’ll make time for an informal chat, so I’m suggesting everyone comes at 5pm for a 7pm start.  We’ll definitely need 2 hours for chats!!

So there are some Samhain rituals for you to try too, if you so fancy!  Let me know what you’re planning by commenting below.

Samhain Blessings to you and have a wonderful festival.