Reign Of The Old Woman Cailleach

On November 1, a festival known as 'Reign of the Old Woman Cailleach' is celebrated annually in the Celtic countries (in Ireland it is known as 'Day of the Banshees'). On the eve of Imbolc (Jan. 31 or Feb. 1), also celebrated is the fest called 'End of Cailleach'. This fest signals the start of Imbolc and the end of winter....

... so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website The Powers That Be, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com and can be found in it's entirety here: The Old Woman Cailleach

Imbolc Magicks Rituals and Lore

This page serves as a jumping off point for all the posts related to Imbolc here on Gypsy Magic. Because Imbolc is intimately associated with Candlemas and the Festival of Brigid, those links are listed here as well.

About Imbolc:

• The Story of Imbolc
• Traditions and Symbols of Imbolc
• Correspondences for Imbolc

Rituals and magicks for Imbolc:

• Activities for Imbolc
• A Spell for Imbolc
• Imbolg Eve
• Imbolg - A New Beginning
• Making Brigid's Bed
• Milk Magick
• Other Ways of Making Imbolc
• Simple Imbolc Celebration
• Weather Divinations for Imbolc

The Goddess Brigid and Candlemas:

• Brigid's Day
• Candlemas
• The Celtic Goddess Brighid
• The Goddess Brigid

Incense, Potpourri, etc::

• Candlemas Ritual Potpourri
• Imbolc Incense
• Imbolc Soap

Recipes:

• Crescent Cakes for Imbolc

For Imbolc magicks, lore, and rituals that may have posted after this one, visit this link: Imbolc.

Activities for Imbolc

Celebrating Imbolc can be as easy as saying a prayer or as complicated as doing an elaborate ritual. The thing to remember is that it be meaningful and done with intent. Remember also that the Imbolc season runs through the actual day of Imbolc until the Spring Equinox; if you miss the exact day, you haven't missed out on celebrating. The following is a list of activities to do alone, with a partner, or with your child to honor nature and deity as we travel ever closer to spring.

Activities for Imbolc:

• Create a family Imbolc altar, using the correspondences for Imbolc
• Pick a God or Goddess that is traditional to the season, and create a page about him/her for your book of shadows....

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been merged with more information on Imbolc, and moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com, and can be found it its entirety here: Imbolc - A New Beginning

Imbolc Incense

• 3 parts Frankincense
• 1 part Myrrh
• 1 part Cinnamon
• ½ part Sandalwood...

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Magickal Apothecary, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com, and can be found in its entirety here: Imbolc Incense

Candlemas Ritual Potpourri

A small cauldron filled with homemade potpourri can be used as a fragrant altar decoration, burned (outdoors) as an offering to the Old Gods during or after a sabbat celebration, or wrapped in decorative paper and ribbons and given to a Craft Sister or Brother as a sabbat gift....

... I am so sorry, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Magickal Apothecary, and can be found in its entirety here: Candelmas Ritual Potpourri

Imbolc Soap

• 1 cup grated unscented soap
• ¼ cup hot water
• 1 Tbsp. Apricot oil
• 1 Tbsp. Angelica
• ½ Tbsp. crushed Bay
• ½ Tbsp. crushed Basil
• 6 drops Myrrh oil

Place grated soap in a heat-proof non-metallic container and add the hot water and apricot oil. Leave until it is cool enough to handle, and then mix together with your hands....

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Magickal Apothecary, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com, and can be found in its entirety here: Imbolc Soap

Weather Divinations for Imbolc

Imbolc was traditionally a time of weather divination, and the old tradition of watching to see if serpents or badgers came from their winter dens may be a forerunner to the North American Groundhog Day. A Scottish Gaelic proverb about the day is:

Thig an nathair as an toll

Là donn Brìde,

Ged robh trì troighean dhen t-sneachd

Air leac an làir.

"The serpent will come from the hole

On the brown Day of Bríde,

Though there should be three feet of snow

On the flat surface of the ground." 

Imbolc was believed to be the day the Cailleach ... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Divination, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com, and can be found in its entirety here: Weather Divinations for Imbolc. You can read more about the Cailleach here: Là Fhèill Brìghde.

Imbolg Eve

In Celtic times the day was considered to begin at dusk the preceding night, so all major celebrations would commence the night before the day of the festival, much as New Year festivities start on New Year's Eve.

Also called Imbolc, Oimelc and Candlemas, this is the festival of Bride or Bridget. It celebrates the Goddess's transformation from Crone to Maiden and heralds the coming Spring and the change from dark to light. One of the ways to celebrate this is with a Circle of lights....

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com, and can be found in its entirety here: Imbolc Eve

Candlemas

Candlemas is the Christianized name for Imbolc, and all of the church candles are blessed for the year. The Virgin Mary is also honored. Today, this holiday is chiefly connected to weather lore. Even our American calendar keeps the tradition of Groundhog Day, a day to predict the coming weather. The Groundhog Day tradition tells us that if the Groundhog sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of bad weather. An old British rhyme instructed:

If Candlemas day be fair and bright,

Winter will have another flight.

If Candlemas day be shower and rain,

Winter is gone and will not come again.

We pagans see the God as an infant during the time of Imbolc...

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com, and can be found in its entirety here: Candlemas

Other Ways of Making Imbolc

As this is a time of new life and growth, it is appropriate to plant bulbs or flowers or to sow seeds. However, you will need to use your judgement and some local knowledge to decide whether to actually do so at Imbolc or whether to wait a week (or several) until the last frosts have passed. Of course seeds can often be started indoors and planted out a month or so later...

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been merged with more information on Imbolc and has been moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com, and can be found in its entirety here: Imbolc - A New Beginning

Crescent Cakes For Imbolc

Baking is appropriate for celebrating Imbolc, and we often make Crescent cakes for the end of our Imbolc ritual. Here is our circle’s favorite recipe:

• 1 1/4 cups Flour
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Finely Ground Almonds
• 3 drops Almond Extract
• 1/2 cup Butter or Margarine, softened...

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com, and can be found in its entirety here: Crescent Cakes For Imbolc

Traditions and Symbols of Imbolc

Imbolc, (pronounced "IM-bulk" or "EM-bowlk"), also called Oimealg, ("IM-mol'g), by the Druids, is the festival of the lactating sheep. It is derived from the Gaelic word "oimelc" which means "ewes milk". Herd animals have either given birth to the first offspring of the year or their wombs are swollen and the milk of life is flowing into their teats and udders. It is the time of Blessing of the seeds and consecration of agricultural tools. It marks the center point of the dark half of the year. It is the festival of the Maiden, for from this day to March 21st, it is her season to prepare for growth and renewal. Brighid's snake emerges from the womb of the Earth Mother to test the weather, (the origin of Ground Hog Day), and in many places the first Crocus flowers began to spring forth from the frozen earth....

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been merged with more information on Imbolc, and moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com, and can be found in its entirety here: Imbolc - A New Beginning

A Spell for Imbolc

For this spell you will need a large piece of ice, an icicle, a snowball, or several ice cubes. You'll also need a bowl, and a candle.

Take the ice into your dominant hand (your right if right handed, your left if left handed), hold it over a bowl and think about winter and whatever it is that has been frozen in your own life....

... I am so sorry, but this post has been moved to my new website, Book of Shadows, and can be found in its entirety here: A Spell for Imbolc

Milk Magic

Imbolc is the festival of the lactating sheep. It is derived from the Gaelic word "oimelc" which means "ewes milk". It's a great time for crafting spells using milk. Here we have a short list of the magical uses for milk:

• Cow's milk is one of the best magickal ingredients for spells to summon nurturing, prosperity, and protection.
• Goat's milk brings power and success....

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Magickal Ingredients, and can be found in its entirety here: Milk Magick

Correspondences for Imbolc

Other names for Imbolc:
Imbolgc Brigantia (Caledonni), Imbolic (Celtic), Disting (Teutonic, Feb 14th), Lupercus (Strega), St. Bridget's Day (Christian), Candlemas, Candlelaria (Mexican), the Snowdrop Festival. The Festival of Lights, or the Feast of the Virgin. All Virgin and Maiden Goddesses are honored at this time.

Deities of Imbolc:
All Virgin/Maiden Goddesses, Brighid, Aradia, Athena, Inanna, Gaia, and Februa, and Gods of Love and Fertility, Aengus Og, Eros, and Februus....

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved and merged with more information, it can be found at my new website, The Pagan Calendar, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com, Here's a direct link: Imbolc - A New Beginning