The days are becoming noticeably longer and although still cold the first signs of Spring are with us. Imbolc is a Celtic Fire Festival and Brighid, a solar goddess, presides over this festival.
We are meeting after the Sun sets and celebrate by lighting candles to represent the Sun’s increasing power. A time of purification/rebirth and we use Brighid's energy to empower goals and wishes for the year; a time of peace, hope and our creativity gathers power. You can use this one to reconnect to your spiritual path.
So for the Ritual you need
· Snowdrops for the altar
· Fresh white candle in bowl of earth (represents the light and energy for germination of the seeds)
· White candle for all present (wish candles)
· Incense with a flowery fragrance
· Dairy foods to feast on + spring water
Wishing you a wonderful Imbolc.
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Thursday, 5 January 2012
Sabbats for 2012
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and wish you a peaceful and successful 2012.
On the Winter Solstice in December we celebrated with 10 other people and it was really special. There are photos on my Facebook page if you are interested. So I thought I would let people know the dates for 2012 and so here they are:-
· Imbolc – February 1st
· Ostara – March 21st (Spring Equinox)
· Beltane – May 1st
· Litha – June 21st (Summer Solstice)
· Lammas – August 1st
· Mabon – September 21st (Autumn Equinox)
· Samhain – October 31st Yule – December 21st (Winter Solstice)
I will put up more information about each one as we approach the Sabbat.
Now I am working on Course dates so more to come!
On the Winter Solstice in December we celebrated with 10 other people and it was really special. There are photos on my Facebook page if you are interested. So I thought I would let people know the dates for 2012 and so here they are:-
· Imbolc – February 1st
· Ostara – March 21st (Spring Equinox)
· Beltane – May 1st
· Litha – June 21st (Summer Solstice)
· Lammas – August 1st
· Mabon – September 21st (Autumn Equinox)
· Samhain – October 31st Yule – December 21st (Winter Solstice)
I will put up more information about each one as we approach the Sabbat.
Now I am working on Course dates so more to come!
Saturday, 26 November 2011
Change and Inspiration - Celtic Elder Month
I love this time of year as we move towards the Winter solstice and last Thursday 24th November we entered the Celtic Elder Month and there was also a New Moon.
Elder marks a transition from one state to another which could be a change in spiritual direction or maybe a house move or a change in career. You may have been holding onto a bad situation and it is now time to let go which is appropriate for this time of year as we think about what we want to achieve in 2012. We cannot hold back change and if we do not embrace it something will happen anyway and a new phase will begin.
The New Moon is a time for beginnings, maybe starting a new project, and for psychic awareness, health and healing. We now start to move towards the Full Moon on the 10th December which is also a Wishing Moon so a chance to make a wish when the moon rises in the sky.
Elder marks a transition from one state to another which could be a change in spiritual direction or maybe a house move or a change in career. You may have been holding onto a bad situation and it is now time to let go which is appropriate for this time of year as we think about what we want to achieve in 2012. We cannot hold back change and if we do not embrace it something will happen anyway and a new phase will begin.
The New Moon is a time for beginnings, maybe starting a new project, and for psychic awareness, health and healing. We now start to move towards the Full Moon on the 10th December which is also a Wishing Moon so a chance to make a wish when the moon rises in the sky.
Monday, 31 October 2011
Samhain - Feast of the Dead
Tonight,31st October, is a Celtic Fire Festival, the Feast of the Dead. A time when the veils between this world and the spiritual realms are at their thinnest and this allows the living to communicate with their dead families, friends and even pets.
Time holds no sway and our psychic powers are sharpened, a time to finally let go of any unresolved issues.
If you are celebrating this Pagan Festival on your own or with friends then you just need a white candle for each person or pet to be remembered and a photograph of them as well. Other candles should be burnt orange and black or any dark colour. chrysanthemums are the flowers of the dead so bring a few blooms in if you have any in your garden. Cast a circle around you for your sacred space and burn incense, frankincense is perfect.
Simply, you light your candle for the person or pet and say what you remember about them. Be aware of any changes in the energy around you and notice any sounds or movement.
Afterwards eat and put some food on a plate for those you are honouring.
Wishing you a magickal Samhain.
Time holds no sway and our psychic powers are sharpened, a time to finally let go of any unresolved issues.
If you are celebrating this Pagan Festival on your own or with friends then you just need a white candle for each person or pet to be remembered and a photograph of them as well. Other candles should be burnt orange and black or any dark colour. chrysanthemums are the flowers of the dead so bring a few blooms in if you have any in your garden. Cast a circle around you for your sacred space and burn incense, frankincense is perfect.
Simply, you light your candle for the person or pet and say what you remember about them. Be aware of any changes in the energy around you and notice any sounds or movement.
Afterwards eat and put some food on a plate for those you are honouring.
Wishing you a magickal Samhain.
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Full Moon and a Wishing Moon
Tonight is a Full Moon and a Wishing Moon. It is also the Full Moon before Samhain and so there is a change in energy and it is a time of high creativity and we can celebrate our connection with the Mother Archetype. If you are on your own tonight here is a simple ritual:
As this is a Wishing Moon you can write your wish on a piece of paper, have a few fully opened flowers and light a white candle, some Jasmine incense or oil can also be used to sprinkle on your wish. Set your intention to connect with the Moon and focus on her, if you can see the Moon then look at her otherwise just bring her image into your mind. Relax and breath in the light till it fills your body with silvery light filling every pore.
Enjoy this for a few minutes until you feel the sensation ebbing away and then ground yourself and make a note of what you saw, heard and felt during the mediatation. Wrap your wish around a Moonstone if possible and put in a safe place until the next Wishing Moon.
You an also put your crystals in the moonlight to bathe and cleanse them and they really do sparkle afterwards.
Have a magical evening with love and light.
As this is a Wishing Moon you can write your wish on a piece of paper, have a few fully opened flowers and light a white candle, some Jasmine incense or oil can also be used to sprinkle on your wish. Set your intention to connect with the Moon and focus on her, if you can see the Moon then look at her otherwise just bring her image into your mind. Relax and breath in the light till it fills your body with silvery light filling every pore.
Enjoy this for a few minutes until you feel the sensation ebbing away and then ground yourself and make a note of what you saw, heard and felt during the mediatation. Wrap your wish around a Moonstone if possible and put in a safe place until the next Wishing Moon.
You an also put your crystals in the moonlight to bathe and cleanse them and they really do sparkle afterwards.
Have a magical evening with love and light.
Monday, 19 September 2011
Solar Festival of Mabon
This Wednesday 21st September, is the Solar Festival of Mabon. A time when darkness and light are equal and we are heading for the dark, winter. It is the second harvest and at this time of the year we may experience an increase in our appetite and we yearn for soups and stews. Our ancestors would feast to put on fat before the cold arrived. I have noticed that my cats are eating a lot more!
There is a change in the rhythm and we become more sensitive to the energies around us and physically more aware of the other worlds.
At this Sabbat we give thanks for what we have harvested in our personal and spiritual lives, we do need to balance these two areas, and abandon anything that has failed. We also turn inwards and deal with those unconscious blocks that hold us back. We acknowledge our faults and ask for forgiveness and we relinquish all grudges.
We celebrate this festival at dusk and so we are gathering at 19.15 and after the ritual we will share our food and feast. Enjoy Mabon.
There is a change in the rhythm and we become more sensitive to the energies around us and physically more aware of the other worlds.
At this Sabbat we give thanks for what we have harvested in our personal and spiritual lives, we do need to balance these two areas, and abandon anything that has failed. We also turn inwards and deal with those unconscious blocks that hold us back. We acknowledge our faults and ask for forgiveness and we relinquish all grudges.
We celebrate this festival at dusk and so we are gathering at 19.15 and after the ritual we will share our food and feast. Enjoy Mabon.
Monday, 1 August 2011
Today we celebrate Lammas
This is the festival of the Celtic God Lugh, sunflowers bloom in his honour – a Celtic Fire Festival when bonfires used to be lit.
The Goddess moves into her Crone phase and wields her sickle to cut the grain – other crops are still ripening and our own goals may be ready for harvesting or still ripening. Ideally the Lammas ritual is held outside and today's weather is perfect. For the ritual you need:-
· Wheat, oats or barley ears
· White candles x 2
· Deep orange candle
· Red grape juice
· Fresh bread (ideally coated with poppy seeds)
· Poppies or sunflowers
· Sandalwood and Sage
· Marigold petals and Chamomile flowers
If you cannot find everything you need then just set your intention to give thanks for the first harvest. The ritual follows the traditional way:-
· Create the altar and cast the circle
· Light the white altar candles to represent the God and Goddess
· Raise your energy by linking hands and dancing in a circle
· Light the orange candle and scatter the corn etc in the sacred space
· Stand with linked hands and in turn list the goals that have come to fruition now
· Then say which projects have failed and need to be let go of
· Spill some of the red grape juice before passing it around and taking a sip
· Tear of a piece of the bread to honour the Goddess and thank her for the food
· Eating and drinking the bread and wine says thanks and farewell to the God and Goddess
· End the ritual and open the circle in the usual way
“Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again”
The Goddess moves into her Crone phase and wields her sickle to cut the grain – other crops are still ripening and our own goals may be ready for harvesting or still ripening. Ideally the Lammas ritual is held outside and today's weather is perfect. For the ritual you need:-
· Wheat, oats or barley ears
· White candles x 2
· Deep orange candle
· Red grape juice
· Fresh bread (ideally coated with poppy seeds)
· Poppies or sunflowers
· Sandalwood and Sage
· Marigold petals and Chamomile flowers
If you cannot find everything you need then just set your intention to give thanks for the first harvest. The ritual follows the traditional way:-
· Create the altar and cast the circle
· Light the white altar candles to represent the God and Goddess
· Raise your energy by linking hands and dancing in a circle
· Light the orange candle and scatter the corn etc in the sacred space
· Stand with linked hands and in turn list the goals that have come to fruition now
· Then say which projects have failed and need to be let go of
· Spill some of the red grape juice before passing it around and taking a sip
· Tear of a piece of the bread to honour the Goddess and thank her for the food
· Eating and drinking the bread and wine says thanks and farewell to the God and Goddess
· End the ritual and open the circle in the usual way
“Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again”
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