Imbolc Ritual

Imbolc Ritual

Welcoming the Light, the Young Lord, and the Goddess Brighid

What you will need for the ritual:

• Besom
• White taper to use to light the other candles
• White or Light Green candles for the God and Goddess
• Red, Blue, Yellow, Green candles for the Elements
• Ancestor candle - Purple
• Animal Spirits candle - Brown
• Small orange or red candles to represent the light (one for each participant) and a holder for each.
• Athame
• Wand
• Bowl of salt
• Bowl of water
• Sprig of rosemary
• Any decorations that are suitable to the Sabbat – e.g. a crown of 13 red candles, a spring evergreen, candles wheels, grain dollies, sun wheels, sheep, lambs, burrowing animals
• Incense and burner if you are able to use it – see recipe at the end of the ritual for sample
• Basket of small twigs
• Black ribbon
• Pens
• Parchment rolled and tied with a white ribbon
• Milk
• Light coloured cakes or cookies – Recipe suggestion at the end of the ritual
• Candle snuffer
• Matches
• Divination tool of your choice – Tarot cards, pendulums, stones, runes etc.
• Spare paper

Altar/ Set Up

Place the elemental candles on the floor in the appropriate direction. (Green – North, Yellow – East, Red – South, Blue – West.) Have the Basket of twigs, black ribbon, pens, spare paper and parchment close at hand (I usually place them beside or under the Altar. I also place the Besom on the floor near or under the altar – just make sure it is close at hand. Place the matches, snuffer, and the orange candles and holders in a small box or basket near or under the altar as well. Add any decorations that you might want to the altar. Make it your altar, personalize it the way you want it.

Animal Spirits Candle	Cakes & Ale	Ancestor Candle
Bowls of water and salt	Goddess Candle	Incense Burner
Sprig of Rosemary & White Taper	Athame /Wand	Divination tools

Cleanse the Area

Take your besom and sweep the area speaking the following:

With this besom filled with power,

Sweep away the old and sour.

Sweep away the chill of death,

As winter draws its last cold breath.

Round, and round, and round about,

Sweep the old and useless out!

(Adapted from an online resource)

Light the incense and the white taper candle

Cast the Circle

• Invite the participants into the circle
• Using your Athame take three scoops of salt and stir into the bowl of water, wipe dry.

I cast this circle, this sphere...out of time and space...

• Take your Athame and envision a pure red light coming from the end of you Athame - cast the circle

cast with mental and magickal imagery...

• Take your Wand and envision a stream of yellow light and smoke coming from the end of your wand –cast the circle a second time

cast with passion and power...

• Take the sprig of rosemary and dip it into the salt/water and envision a wall of water or stone being built from each salt/water droplet – cast the circle a third time.

cast in strength and stability....

a sphere bathed in spirit...

set apart for our rites of Imbolc.

Call the Elements

• Take the taper from the Altar and move to the yellow candle in the east. Light the candle and invoke the element of Air:

Powers of the East

Winds of enlightenment, inspiration, and change

Lend your spirit to our circle tonight.

That our minds may be changed, filled with wisdom

And our lives a hopeful song of inspiration.

• Take the taper from the Altar and move to the red candle in the south. Light the candle and invoke the element of Fire:

Powers of the South

Fires of creativity, passion, and transformation

Lend your spirit to our circle tonight.

That our love may triumph, our creativity spark

And our hearts a transforming dance of passion.

• Take the taper from the Altar and move to the blue candle in the west. Light the candle and invoke the element of Water:

Powers of the West

Waters of life, intuition, and emotion

Lend your spirit to bless this rite and guard this circle.

That our hearts songs may flow, intuition grow clear

And our lives be a river of joy and laughter.

• Take the taper from the Altar and move to the green candle in the North. Light the candle and invoke the element of Earth:

Powers of the North

Earth of nurture, stability and growth

Lend your spirit to our circle tonight.

That our foundation may be firm, our nurture loving

And our lives a tree that grows strong.

Call the Ancestors and the Animal Spirits

• Light the Ancestor candle and say:

At this Altar, with this candle, in this sacred circle I call on you ancestors. We welcome you to join us here and to welcome as of old , Brighid, Goddess of the hearth and of the sacred well, blacksmith and wordsmith, who taught You and us the ancient arts and gave many gifts. Ancestors be welcome.

• Light the Animal Spirits candle and say:

Spirits of Nature, you who dwell with in the land, that gently awakens to the steps of bright Brighid. Be welcome here dark raven, and cat of the hearth, honey bee and milk cow, serpent and brown bear. You, companions of the highest queen, we honour and welcome you.

Invocation

• Light the God Candle and say:

Come young Lord, child of the Mother

You again dance the dance of life

We beckon the light of spring and the promise of growth

Let Your light chase away the dark chill of winter

With Your spirit, passion and love

Melt away the shadowy blanket of night

And renew the earth with Your warming breath

Be with us this night to celebrate the awakening and rebirth

Of the Mother’s Earth

• Light the Goddess candle and say:

Bight Brighid, Goddess of many faces

Guardian of the hearth fires and the sacred well

I beckon You to our hall where the bed is prepared

Let the light of Your love scatter the shadows

And Your fires burn away winter’s lingering night

From the fertility of Your womb spring the seed of life

And the light and life of the young Lord

Be with us this night to celebrate the awakening and rebirth

Of Your Earth

Sharing the Candles of Light

• Pass out the orange or red candles to each participant (if doing this solitary light one candle on the Altar. Taking the taper lit from the Goddess candle. Pass the light around the circle to each member with this blessing:

May you dance with the young Lord, and rest in the arms of the Goddess

renewed, refreshed, and empowered by their light and love.

Letting Go of the Past

• A small box or basket of tiny twigs will be passes around and each person is to take a hand full.
• Then taking the twigs they will bundle them (3-4 twigs for each bundle) and tie them with a black ribbon.
• They will name each of those as things that they want to let go of as they look forward to the coming newness and renewal of spring. (These can be named publicly to the group or privately as the participant wishes.)
• The bundles will be placed in the cauldron and taken outside to be burnt at the end of the evening.

New Beginnings – Planning for the Year Ahead

• Each person will be given a parchment roll tied with a white ribbon and provided a pen.
• On the parchment everyone will be asked to write their goals and projects that they are going to start with the coming spring. These can be personal growth projects, practical projects or projects that they are going to work on magickally.
• Everyone will be encouraged to spend this time talking about these goals and projects and how they see them coming to fruition and what support and involvement they will need from the others.
• Each participant will get to take these home with them.
• Time will be taken at this point for any who want to use their divination tools to have or give a reading.

Cakes and Ale (or milk and cookies)

• Blessing the Ale

Goddess of abundance and love
Bless these gifts as you bless us all
Help us to see the Divine in all we share

• Blessing the Milk

God of light and life
Bless these gifts as you bless us all
Help us to see the Divine in all we share

Energy Requests

Close the Circle

• Extinguish the Goddess candle

Goddess of the brightening day
Thank you for attending us here tonight

And ask you to be near us, while we are apart;

Leave us your warmth to encourage us

Your love to empower us

And your passion to revive and inspire our souls

• Extinguish the God candle

God of the growing and wild things

Thank you for attending us here tonight
And ask you to be near us, while we are apart;
Leave us your warmth to encourage us

Your love to empower us

And your passion to revive and inspire our souls

• Extinguish the Ancestors and Animal Spirits candle

You shining ones, nature spirits and ancestors

I thank you for your presence in this celebration and our lives

As we return to the ordinary time and daily world

We ask your blessings travel with us

So to let our blessings and love go with you

• Extinguish the green candle and say:

Spirits of north, earth’s stability and growth,

Thank you for your firm foundation and continual growth

Thank you for lending your spirit to our work this night

We bid you farewell and thanks.

• Extinguish the blue candle and say:

Spirits of west, water’s power and flow,

Thank you for your soothing spring rains that melt the snow and water the seed

Thank you for lending your spirit to our work this night

We bid you farewell and thanks

• Extinguish the red candle and say:

Spirits of the south, fire’s flame and glow,

Thank you for your warming light that warms our hearts and give life to the seed

Thank you for lending your spirit to our work this night

We bid you farewell and thanks

• Extinguish the yellow candle and say:

Spirits of east, air’s whisper and roar,

Thank you for your winds of change that bring spring warmth and joy

Thank you for lending your spirit to our work this night

We bid you farewell and thanks

Our circle is open but unbroken.

May the Lord’s dance of life move your feet

May the Lady’s love move your heart

And may the light grow daily in your heart and soul

Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again