Showing posts with label magic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label magic. Show all posts

Wednesday, 2 February 2011

Imbolg - The promise of things to come

I can't reach this time of year without seeing it as a transitional period, of new beginnings with a deep sense of anticipation (more so than new year).  The first signs of spring are now evident, though we have not quite crossed the threshold of the season, the shy but robust heads of the bulb flowers are peeping through a still, frozen ground ... and finally the days are getting longer too...
It's a happy time of year when the promise of something special laces the air like a delicate fragrance.
New life in its infancy. 
So we can start afresh...with new ideas, eagerness and the promise of romance.
A not so romantic element of this time of year is the spring clean. This is not only in the home but in our lives too, preparing for things to come. We have to make space in our heads for the new and the abundance that the coming year will bring.
This  has always been a part of tradition and it is interwoven into the Sabbat of the season, Imbolg.  In the northern hemisphere, Imbolg is celebrated around the 1st/2nd of February and although it is not quite spring, it marks the end of winter in the Celtic calender.  It's a time when the feminine is honoured as the maiden of spring emerges from the old crone of winter and the cycle of life begins again.
Imbolg is also about inspiration and the Goddess Brigid who represents fire encourages that spark of life that's needed for creativity such as poetry.  It's a great time to settle old scores and tie up loose ends before the onset of spring as fire purifies and prepares for the new.  Brigids meaning and origin does vary slightly however, believed to be connected to St. Brigit of Ireland representing fertility, labour and healing but she is clearly a womans inspiration and a symbol of the divine feminine.

As it is the time of year for inspiration and for all things female I have selected some pieces of work from various Etsy shops that encompass this - delicate romantic hues and empowering art.  Please browse my selection and remember that if you like my blog please feel free to follow, comment or visit these wonderful shops :)


















Saturday, 2 October 2010

Samhain and Autumn - Hearth and Home

The Hedgewitch Diaries




As autumn is now upon us I decided to reflect on some of the things that makes this time of year so special. As I walked around the shops and absorbed the array of Halloween images from pumpkins to costumes I started to think about the true origins of Samhain (pronounced Sow -in) and wondered weather we had lost something, a part of ourselves, in the evolution and translation of this remarkable and somewhat misunderstood Sabbat.

The first thing to note is that Halloween marks the end of the year, so is the Celtic equivalent of the western new year ( May 1st in the southern hemisphere). It dates back thousands of years pre-dating Christianity to a time when nature was at the forefront of daily life. A time and place where people had the utmost respect for and understanding of their natural surroundings on both a physical and esoteric level.

It is believed that Samhain marks the time of year when the the veil between our world and the other world is at it's thinnest, when the ancient peoples of Europe celebrated their ancestors. Particular attention was shown to those dead who had passed on that previous year...and so began a tradition that has endured ...a deep connection with the other world. But as with most traditions and myth it has mutated and become rife with misunderstanding, fear and trouble making. It's sad to see how Halloween is used today as an excuse to scare people particularly when the Celts used it as a time of reflection and of planning for the year ahead. It was a time to clear out the old and the ancients would turn to their ancestors for guidance and inspiration for the future.

It is no surprise however that many people today still use this connections with the other world and seek advice from beyond the grave whether it be to find out who they will marry or to gain some personal insight from a tarot reading.

But Autumn or Fall is so much more than this...

Home And Hearth :- It is a time of great abundance not only through experience of the past year but from the wealth of food that had been gathered during the harvest...and our ancestors certainly knew how to celebrate with not only one but two Sabbats, Lammas in August and Mabon in September when day and night are equal.

They prepared for winter in very much the same way as we do for Christmas stocking up on the grains and fruit that would have sustained them through the cold winter months...

but why wait until Christmas to celebrate with food...

I often use this time of year to not only prepare the garden for next year but to catch up with friends and family. It's a great time for celebrating food - to cook up a feast and invite people into your home, try new recipes or make preserves.

With such an array of colour and food it's sometimes hard to imagine how we allow ourselves to dwell on the oncoming winter and deepening gloom. I find that it's therapeutic to fill my house with food, candles and laughter, start a new course or take long walks on crisp autumn days... so don't wait for Christmas, eat and be merry and have a very happy Halloween. )0(



Sources for Blog :-

Witch - A Magical Journey - Fiona Horne

Everything Witchcraft - Marian Singer

The World Atlas Of Divination - John Matthews

The Living Wisdom Of Trees - Fred Hageneder

The Encyclopedia Of Magic And Witchcraft - Greenwood

Celtic Wisdom - Andy Baggot

Natural Magic - Pamela J Ball