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!

Amethyst, this crystal is one of the best-known in the world. Its energetic power transmitted through its violet rays is known from ancient times, where even the Greeks possessed knowledge of its vibration and immortalized it in one of their legends of the gods.

The Amethyst is a member of the quartz family, which possesses a pale to intense purple coloring and brings in itself the energy of protection, spirituality and healing, for being extremely powerful about when it comes to vitality and spiritual elevation.

Its name comes from the Greek language, where the people believed since ancient times that this crystal was able to protect them from various kinds of sorcery, nostalgia, evil thoughts, drunkenness, any kind of penetration of these energies into the spirit and relief of frustrated passions, using the amethyst stone also serves to turn evil thoughts into optimism, and is very efficient in order to ward off false friendships.

The History of Amethyst

In the mythical Greek culture, it is said that the Amethyst originated from a maiden, who had the same name. The god Bacchus (god of feast and wine) in a day of fury for having been thwarted, decided to murder the first person who passed by and would release his tigers to devour that person.

Unfortunately, Amethyst, a pure mortal, had left her home to go to the temple of the goddess Diana to worship her. By releasing his tigers on the young woman, the young woman herself called for the help of the goddess Diana, she attended her by turning her into a white crystal. At this moment Bacchus realized the injustice he had committed, and then, as proof of his repentance, poured wine on the stone, making it have a violet hue.

It is believed that amethyst can be used as an amulet to protect against intoxication. The amethyst was also considered an amulet for the protection of soldiers and to help hunters capture wild beasts.

The Use of Amethyst

Because of this legend, the stone got known to combat addiction, especially alcoholism. During the 15th century amethyst became widely used to nourish wisdom and block negative thoughts.

It is a suitable stone to relieve mental tensions, to remove negative vibrations from our own mind and to allow humility to be always present in our decisions, which will benefit us with harmony.Therefore, these factors make it an excellent stone for meditation, because it assists in the search of the essence of the questions and in the purity of the conclusion of the answers.

Places in the world where amethyst is found: Brazil, Madagascar, Namibia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, USA.

As chakra, it represents our third eye, it is a low cost stone and very easy to be found.

Being a cristal with great calming forces, it has the ability to leave the heart and nerves calmer which also improves the ability of those who are in your presence. It is extremely beneficial for people who have headaches, migraines and who are under a lot of stress pressure in any area of life.

Amethyst is a crystal that has a lot of contact with our mental states, so it is used in the front and crown chakra by people who suffer from nightmares. If placed under the pillow will cause a calm sleep.

This violet colored crystal is popularly used by connoisseurs of crystallotherapy for counteracting vicious behaviors and thought patterns. Amethyst brings mental clarity to the physical body which protects it against any other addiction that has a very violent effect on our moods. It also helps balance the nervous system and the brain, can be used to eliminate ringing in the ears, emotional imbalances, and is very powerful when used to increase blood oxygenation.

To release tension, you should hold an amethyst in your left hand (or right hand if you are a canhorus) and quietly let the soothing and soothing energies and vibrations envelop your being.

An amethyst in contact with the skin helps to avoid states of emotional disturbance. Amethyst helps unlock fears and increases hope, brings excitement to the spirit, and amplifies higher thoughts and spiritual reality in our lives.

How to take care of it

Cleaning should be done when buying it and once you feel that it is already charged with negative energies, you will have to dip it for a few hours in a container with water and coarse salt;

Do not forget that the stone needs to be loaded after cleaning, to perform this task, leave it in the morning sun, before 10am for only 5 minutes.

Signs related to Amethyst

Amethyst is the birthstone associated with January and February, and is associated with the signs Pisces, Aries, Capricorn, Aquarius (especially the purple and violet varieties) and Sagittarius. It is a symbol of heavenly understanding, pioneering thought, and action in philosophy, religion, and spiritual and material planes.

Amethyst is a well-known crystal used in many cultures and its energetic power benefits us by maintaining our balance, clearing us of negative energies, selfish thoughts and giving us good vibes so that we can use wisdom prudently and humility.

     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.

Check our Wicca and Spell Books!

Hello, beautiful one!

Hope you have had a wonderful Yuletide and New Year. And I wish your 2016 is filled with peace, happiness, health, love and prosperity!

     January is the month of the Full Wolf Moon.
 It first appeared when wolves howled in hunger outside the villages. It is also known as the Old Moon.
     To some Native American tribes, this was the Snow Moon, but most applied that name to the next full Moon, in February.

It will be on January, 23rd

Moon Folklore:

It is said that a bright first Moon promises rain and a bountiful harvest.

Here's the spell I'll be casting on this full moon and a great suggestion!

Do you struggle with anxiety, impatience, a little bit of stress growing in you? Do you find yourself too often easily losing your nerve with people and life situations?

If so, try this spell to help you increase your patience and relieve all of those unhealthy bad stuff out of you.

      I find this one a big tool dealing with all of that, plus telling my social anxiety to shut up!

What better way to bless this year?

You will need: 

-A cup or bowl filled with water;
-A blue candle;
-Essential oil – lavender, palmarosa or jasmine.

1.  Cast your circle and light the candle. 

2.  Take ten deep breaths while gazing at the candle flame.  For each in-breath, imagine that you are inhaling the peaceful blue colour of the candle as it was smoke, and for each out-breath, imagine all your frustrations leaving your body. 

3.  Now take the bowl of water, and put three drops of your chosen essential oil in it.  Dip your fingers in the water, stirring slightly, and recite the following:

Blessed waters cool my spirit, 

Fill me with your soothing peace.

Like the river I shall flow Patiently,

with joy and ease Now 

4.  Blow out the candle and close your circle. 

If you like, you can keep a bowl of water with the essential oil in it on your altar – if you feel impatient again, inhale the scent of the essential oil while repeating the incantation.

Hope you found this useful!

Hugs and Kisses!

Reny