Imbolc Ritual (Submitted by Alastar)

Preparation: For decorating the altar use numerous white, unlit candles. Prepare the altar with the God and Goddess candles and the supplies for casting the circle. Include a sage wand, sage incense, a pen and parchment paper, a candle, a Corn Dolly, a Grape Dolly, and a candle wheel. The Corn Dolly should be dressed in white. The Grape Dolly should be dressed in green. Begin by casting the circle, remembering to invoke the Goddess, yet leaving her candle unlit.

Here I am on this day, Imbolc, Candlemas, St. Bridget's Day, Oimelc, the Feast Day of St. Blaize, and the time of the coming spring. I am here to understand life, death, and rebirth, and to give reverence to those who have endured each.

Bow your head to think about how Imbolc fits in one of the three groups above and how it fits in the Wheel of the Year.

I stand at the gate between the living and the dead on this night when the first buds of spring are being awaited patiently. I am here to witness the awakening of my Goddess, Mother Earth, the waxing Lady of the Moon, the chosen consort of the maturing Divine Child. Awakening. . . a necessary transition on the Wheel of the Year.

Place the pillow with the Corn Dolly in the center of the altar.

Asleep is the beloved Maiden, one of the three faces of my Goddess, but she is still forever with us. I watch as the God travels to the Land of Spirit to awaken his beautiful consort.

Place the Grape Dolly beside the white pillow on which the Corn Dolly rests.

Awaken, beautiful Maiden. Awaken!

Light the Goddess candle with the God candle, and replace them on the altar nearer each other.

The Maiden wishes to bestow upon us the gift of knowledge. Thus she shall speak.

Hold the Corn Dolly up high. Say:

These wise words are her gifts. "Anything is possible and necessary, just as my resting in the Land of the Spirits makes it possible to restore my youth, it is also what is necessary to keep the Wheel of the Year turning. I was the ground cleansing and preparing myself for seed so that the coming harvest may be plentiful, and now is the time for you to begin your own cleansing and preparing. It is now your time to begin spring cleaning to prepare for the coming season." So mote it be.

Light the candle wheel with your personal candle. Light it in a clockwise manner to illustrate the movement of the Wheel of the Year.

The Maiden has shown me the way. Now, on this day of Imbolc, at this time before the coming spring, I shall cleanse and prepare for the coming season.

Now take the incense burner and add more incense to the fire. Pass the burner around your body at each chakra. As you do this, say:

I am blessed and purified by the Lord, the master of fire and air.

Sprinkle the area of each chakra with the mixture of salt water used to cast the circle. Say:

I am blessed and purified by the Lady, the mistress of water and earth.

Take the sage wand and brush away any negativity at each of the chakras. Then use the wand to draw an equal armed cross on your chest. Say:

I am blessed and purified by the Spirit, both within and about, the God/dess that I truly am.

Take a piece of parchment paper and write on it any bad habit or situation that you wish to have cleared from your life. This should be folded and then burned in the flame of your personal candle, thus cleansing it from your life. Conclude.

I am purified and cleansed and ready to begin this new season. This is the time of purification and cleansing and preparation for that which is to come.

Close the circle. Serve yourself a toxin-removing tea to help purify the body and poppy seed cakes to symbolize growth. You can leave the candle wheel, Corn Dolly, and Grape Dolly on the altar until Ostara to remind you of this awakening and purification phase on the Wheel of the Year. To prevent a fire hazard, leave it unlit unless any spell work or rituals are being preformed.

 

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