Imolc

At Imolc, it is the first light of spring. It is the time of ewe's milk beginning to flow, a symbol of Bridget, the Star Goddess of the Milky Way, readying for conception in the following season. It is the time when the spiritual self that was born at Winter Solstice becomes an un-impregnated ovum within the Maiden's womb. The notion of the un-manifest as opposed to the manifest is important here. There is a spiritual reality and a physical reality associated with each season. This is the Goddess Bridget's holiday season. She is the Maiden Goddess at this time of year. Her womb becomes ripe with sovereign fertility, filled with countless eggs ready to be fertilized, without the male energy present; she symbolizes the great potential of everything,

In many ways the un-manifest is more powerful than the manifest because there are limitless possibilities in the un-manifest. Once a reality has become manifest, it is defined and infinite possibilities have been eliminated. Nonetheless, in the manifest, the potential is again containing a new infinity of possibilities.

The sacred tool that group members begin looking for is the tool of the element of air and wind, which is the Athame, which is a sacred double bladed knife. We are working in the Fairy tradition in which the Athame may be made of stone, copper, bronze, silver, or wood, etc., but not of iron or steel. Group members must find it and purify it in salt for a complete lunar cycle, 28 days. It will then be empowered in the next season of spring equinox.

Ritual for Imolc
The ritual for Imolc is Bridget's ritual, honoring the divine feminine, the spiritual feminine. The ritual usually involves lighting candles to Bridget, emphasizing the balance between fire and water, thus the candles are usually placed to float upon water. The ritual focus is upon lightness and white. Special emphasis is placed upon the Milky Way of the stars and the Star Goddess. This is the time of the virgin and pure Goddess within and without. So it is a time to focus on the divine feminine within oneself. This is a time to focus on ones spiritual womb, which will allow new fresh things to begin in the next season; it is about shaping yourself up for the potential of new things to happen. In New Age philosophy there is a lot about thinking about having a new life. But, in the ancient ways it is about actually making space in your life to make way for new things to happen.

For example, if you were an artist, you would need to prepare a canvas before you could begin to paint. Sometimes there may be a sacrifice of something to make room for something new to come into your life. In the Buddhist conception, this is the place of having a still mind.

It is a time of pouring milk on stones. A time of inner contemplation, a carrying over of the time of Winter Solstice and preparing for the Spring Equinox. The Dark Goddess birthed the soul light at the Winter Solstice and sent the soul light on a journey towards incarnation. At Imolc, the Light Goddess prepares her womb to receive the soul light and birth it in the future.