Southern Hemisphere: August 01°/02 February 01°/02
This Sabbath originated in ancient Ireland, at the celebrations of the Goddess Brighid, Brigid or Brigith, honored as the “Friend of the Sun”. Despite being at the height of winter, this festival was dedicated to increasing light and awakening seeds buried in the frozen land. On Wheel of the Year, Imbolc is the opposite of Lughnasadh and celebrates the goddess as Maid.
Imbolc occurs six weeks after Yule, symbolizing the recovery of the Goddess after the delivery of the solar child and its transformation into a young and vigorous Maiden. The Catholic Church took advantage of the ancient pagan meaning and turned this date into the feast of Candelaria, the Purification of Mary. The Goddess Brighid herself was Christianized as Saint Brighid and her sanctuary was transformed into a monastery of nuns.
Brigidh or Bride (pronounced Brid), was a Triple Goddess, regent of Inspiration (art, creativity, poetry and prophecy), healing (herds, medicine, spiritual healing and fertility) and Metallurgy (ferrers, goldsmiths and artisans). Because she was a Goddess of Fire, she was honored with fires, solar wheels, candle crowns and rituals that aroused or activated the Creator Fire. The Celtic legends describe her as the Goddess in her presentation of Maiden touching, with her Magic Stick, the land frozen by the Ancient staff, awakening her to life and increasing the light of day.
The Sabbath Imbolc, whose name means “hurry”, celebrated the increase of light and the defeat of winter. On the eve, all the fires and lights were extinguished to be rekindled, ritualistically, with the coals of the fires dedicated to Brigith.
On this day, with the celebration of the Distinguishing, the Nordic peoples “buried up” the negativity and hardships of winter, lighting bonfires at the crossroads and purified the earth, splashing salt and ashes on it.
The Roman version of this Sabbath (which originated the Treguenda relative in Italian Witchcraft) was Luperchaly and the joyful feasts for the Goddess Frebua, Diana and Venus.
In most Wicca Traditions, on this date, the Initiations of the new adherents and the Confirmations of Priestesses are made. Because Brigith was a Goddess of healing, patron saint of the Holy Sources, she was invoked in the rituals of purification and healing, being revered in the Fountains consecrated to her. Up to this day, in the right places, in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the people are tied to the back of the back of the back to the back of the back to the back of the back to the back.
The atmosphere of this festival is marked by the awakening of seeds, new plans and new projects, initiation in a spiritual path or in new opportunities, acceleration and renewal of energies, purification and material or spiritual rebirth, search for omens and preparation for its realization.
Imbolc is a good time to awaken creativity and open to inspiration through poetry, songs, narratives, drawing, ceramics or dance.
Source: FAUR, Mirella. O Anuário da Grande Mãe: guia prático de rituais para celebrar a Deusa – São Paulo: Gaia, 1999.