Imbolc is the ancient Celtic festival that honors the goddess Brigid that takes place between the first and second day of February. This holiday is known by many names such as Brigid’s Day and Oimelc. Oimlec means milk of ewes since it is also the traditional lambing season in the old world, animals have either given birth to the first offspring of the year are soon to give birth.  Imbolc is the second Sabbat of the Wiccan year and it celebrates the coming end of winter. After Imbolc we start seeing the first signs of spring, days are becoming longer and the sun shines bright again.  Imbolc is a time of new beginnings and of purification, which is perfectly symbolized by the transition from winter to spring.

     There are many different ways you can celebrate Imbolc. Some people focus on the Celtic goddess Brigid, as a deity of fire and fertility. Celtic Fire Goddess, Brigid, is a patron of smithcraft, healing, midwifery, and poetry. Others focus their rituals more towards the cycles of the season, and nature.

Imbolc Candle lighting ritual

     One of many names for Imbolc is Candlemas. Hundreds of years ago it was believed that our ancestors relied upon the sun as their only source of light, candles represent the sun and the guiding path. This ritual is often used as a way to call back the lights, and it is practiced today with the seven candles ritual. One candle represents the thin line between good and evil, some of them stand for the cleansing that fire brings, and the rest of them symbolize the light that comes with the end of winter.
     To perform this ritual you will need seven candles, in red and white colors, something to light your candles with, a large bowl or cauldron that can hold the candles, and or salt to fill the bottom of the bowl or whatever you choose using. Pour the sand or salt into the bowl or cauldron. Place the seven candles into the sand so they don’t fall. Once you light the first candle you should say:

 “Although it is now dark, I come seeking light. In the chill of winter, I come seeking life.”

Then light the second candle and say:

“I call upon fire that melts the snow and warms the hearth. I call upon fire that brings the light and makes new life. I call upon fire to purify me with your flames.”

Light the third candle and say:

“This light is a boundary, between positive and negative. That which is outside, shall stay without. That which is inside, shall stay within.”

After lighting the fourth candle repeat the same as for the second candle:

“I call upon fire that melts the snow and warms the hearth. I call upon fire that brings the light and makes new life. I call upon fire to purify me with your flames.”

Light the fifth candle and say:

“Like fire, light and love will always grow. Like fire, wisdom and inspiration will always grow.”

After sixth candle you should repeat:

“I call upon fire that melts the snow and warms the hearth. I call upon fire that brings the light and makes new life. I call upon fire to purify me with your flames.”

And finally after lighting the last candle, imagine all the flames coming as one, a union, and say:

“Fire of the hearth, blaze of the sun, cover me in your shining light. I am awash in your glow, and tonight I am made pure.”

     This ritual perfectly represents Imbolc, the time of healing and purification. It can help you deal with your problems in a healthy way and start fresh in the spring. That would be the whole point of Imbolc, throwing out the old and breathing in the new just like the snow melts allowing plants to bloom so shall you.
     If you are not really up to do the seven candles ritual, an easier way is to just light up all your house lights. That will symbolize the sun and fire of Imbolc.

 

Searching for Signs of Spring

      The first thing that comes to mind is the groundhog coming out of his cave to greet spring, but this can be a lot of things. You can go for a walk and find a flower that started to bloom or a leaf that started growing. Watch for the birds that started returning like little beacons of hope that spring is coming!

     Despite the fact that we live in the 21st-century paganism is still widely practiced. Although it has somewhat adopted a new life in the form of Wicca, people all around the world still take part in some of the ancient rituals and practice. So what exactly has changed over time and is it that different? The monotheistic religions view god as an absolute good, righteous and infallible. 

     Most pagan religions have a lot of gods and goddesses that are far from perfect. Some are good, some are bad, and they are capable of errors and most importantly of change, bringing them closer to people and easier to make a deep and personal connection with. The fact that gods and goddesses can evolve, better themselves and learn is a major point of attraction for people towards paganism. In recent years more and more people are turning to paganism because of the ever-growing consumer society. Turning to Mother Nature is not as frowned upon as it was before and with the freedom that the modern world brings, paganism gives a certain sense of freedom and acceptance that the wildly practiced religions can't.

     Nothing is black and white, there is no absolute good or bad and god can be in anyone and anything man or woman. In the ancient forms of paganism and the new forms, the basic notions of respect and love have never changed. In modern-day and age what could you expect from paganism? Let's start with the people that practice the religion in this day and age. If we look at the statistics the number can be between 500.000 to a million but there are so many people that keep their religion private so the number of practicing pagans is probably much higher. There is not one united doctrine. Everyone has their own heritage, for example Nordic religion, Slavic, some turn to activism and some turn to druids.

     Druidry or Druidism is a form of a modern pagan, mostly practiced in Britain, belief that is on the rise today. Even though druids were originally Christian and they started out as a cultural movement, only after the 19th century did they transform into a religious movement. The core of their belief is respect, harmony and connection to the natural world which includes all living beings and the environment. 

     Each grove has ceremonies unique to them (group of druids is called a grove). Their rituals usually take place during the day in the sun. What follows is a rough description of how one of their ritual looks like. Druids stand in a circle calling the quarters – drawing a circle in the sky to hail the north, east, west and south and mark the space of the ritual. A chalice of milk and some bread or cake is passed around the circle among the druids. The druids then visualize the earth's energy that is sent with a healing purpose towards an individual, group or even someone on the outside.

 

     Modern Slavic tradition is still practiced in the area of the Balkans and Russia. Unlike the Druids of Britain that changed over time the people of Slavic belief are trying to bring the old gods, rituals, myths and overall religion back. Slavic religion lays on the belief in opposite forces that complement each other, and in that duality god is expressed. Through the example of Belobog (White god) and Chernobog (Black god) both masculine and feminine energies are expressed, both strength and weakness and good and bad. Another form of the two are gods Perun/Svarog and Veles. Perun the force of thunder and masculine energy and Veles the god of inspiration and poetry. 

      So what does a modern day Slavic ritual look like? I actually attended one of the rituals dedicated to the summer solstice. Group members gather in a circle around a piece of wood with torches in hand. Firstly a prayer is read from the book of Veles then a fire is lit by the torches. When the fire dies down the group members jump over the remains of fire and ashes leaving their troubles burning beneath them. After the fire comes water, the male portion of the group take a ritual bath in the river and the women put candles into flowery wraiths that they then light up and release along the river.

  

     Modern Norse paganism more commonly called Asatru or Heathen has deep connections to the past belief of the Nordic people. Asatru believe that god are living beings, the Aesir, the Vanir and the Jotnar and they take an active role in everyday life. The Asatru that are killed in a battle will ascend to Valhalla while the dishonorable ones will end up in Hifhel. The ones that go to Valhalla are escorted by Freya and her Valkyries and there they will Sarimner (A pig killed and resurrected every day) with the gods. 

     The dishonorable ones go to Hifhel a place of torment and pain and the remaining of people go to Hel a place of eternal rest and peace. It is one of Iceland's fastest-growing religions. The Asatru have weekly gatherings that are open to the public. The first pagan temple after 1000 years is being built in Iceland at the moment and is close to being finished!

     Wicca is a religion of mysteries and veneration of nature based on the beliefs the concepts of Paganism.

     The broad and general term known today as Paganism has its origin in pantheistic, animistic, totemic forms of spirituality, with shamanistic and most often polytheistic bases centered on the forces of nature.

     Paganism can't be considered a religion, but rather the central pillar that encompasses the way of life, the spiritual and philosophical concepts in which all religious expressions focused on nature support and develop their foundations. Thus we might say that any earth-centered religion that does not believe in the Holy as a transcendent and non-monotheistic form is Pagan.

     Scholars subdivide Paganism as follows: Paleopaganism, Mesopaganism, and Neopaganism.

Paleopaganism

     It's the general term used for the intact, nature-centered tribal faiths found in ancient Europe, Africa, Asia, and polytheistic Americas. Paleopaganism is practically non-existent in modern urban societies and is only found, perhaps, in regions distant and untouched by the presence and influence of contemporary man.

Cernunnos, Lord of Beasts

Mesopaganism

     It is used to refer to a series of organized and unorganized movements that arose in order to recreate and/or revive what would be Paleopaganism. It can be considered an intermediate paganism, which includes the pagan elements that remained alive until the Middle Ages and influenced Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism and Theosophy, for example. However, such attempts can not be considered Paganism per se, for they were strongly influenced by the concepts, values and practices of many Judeo-Christian monotheistic religions.

Neopaganism

     It is the current modern terminology used for a variety of movements, usually unorganized, initiated since the 1960s, with ancient roots or not. In this classification of Paganism are included all those who tried to create, recreate, revive or continue the practices of Paganism of different cultures. This category of Paganism includes ideas and attempts to eliminate inappropriate concepts, as well as attitudes and practices, of monotheistic, dualistic and atheistic religions and worldviews.

     It can be considered a movement initiated by contemporary society to reestablish the worship of nature. This definition may include any attempt, ranging from reconstructionist movements to nonreconstructionist groups such as Neodruidism and Wicca.

Thus, Wicca is a Neopagan religion, an alternative name given to Modern Witchcraft, which is inspired by the Paganism of the Ancient Peoples of Europe and which proposes to re-celebrate the Mother Goddess and the Ancient Gods of nature, creating and recreating the rituals of ancient cultures where these Deities were once celebrated.

     Wicca is the revival and modern survival of this Ancient Religion based on Earth and its manifestations. Its spiritual roots lie in the Neolithic and Paleolithic Europe, at a time when primitive peoples worshiped the Mother Goddess as the great creator, nurturer and sustainer of life.

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