Imbolc is considered the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. It is recognized from February 1 – 2 and is also known as, Imbolg, Brigid’s Day, Oimelc or Candlemas. It’s a time to celebrate the recovery of the Goddess Brigid (It's pronounced “Breej,” or in some parts of Ireland, closer to “Breeds.”). Brigid is the daughter of Dagda and is one of the most well-known Goddesses in Irish Lore. Brigid is a Goddess that is usually celebrated and honored during Imbolc. She is a Goddess of the hearth, home, and inspiration. A protector of women and children and she is also associated with midwifery. The Goddess Brigid is well-connected to fire and encompasses all things to do with poetry, healing, and blacksmithing.
Imbolc is the first Fire Festival in the dark half of the wheel. This is a festival where we begin to see light and life returning to the earth. The Earth is being reborn with new life! 
A Celtic originated holiday that is meant to focus on brushing off the cold and dark of winter days and welcoming the life-giving light and fertility of the sun. The celts celebrated around this time, the birth of new sheep and goats. In fact, Oimelc literally means “ewe’s milk”.
Imbolc is associated with fire and sun and also with divination, water, and life. Imbolc is the perfect opportunity to renew your devotion to your craft and/or to any deities. It’s a time of purification and of appreciation for the revitalization of the Earth.
Symbols of Imbolc
Food: Beer, cake, honey, seeds, dairy, garlic, onion, raisins, mulled wine, and breads
Colors: Red, white, pink, yellow, light green, and brown
Crystals: Amethyst, garnet, bloodstone, onyx, turquoise, and ruby
Herbs: Rosemary, lavender, jasmine, chamomile, bay leaf
Incense: Cinnamon, vanilla, jasmine, camphor, frankincense, and myrrh
Animals: Sheep, cows, goats, snakes, and swans
Here are a few ideas you can utilize to celebrate Imbolc:
Honor Goddess Brigid – Bonfires may be lit to honor the Goddess.
Set intentions with candle magick – invoke the energy of the fire elemental.
Make a Brigid’s Cross or Corn Husk Doll.
Explore and connect with nature – go outside and breathe in the fresh air, observe any signs of spring you might find.
Perform a cleansing ritual bath – using lavender and rosemary.
Use cinnamon; as this is the perfect, fiery spice to work with to connect with the energy of Imbolc. You could light a cinnamon incense or do some kitchen witchery to incorporate cinnamon!
Spells can include: Cleansing, growth, new starts and wishes.
Cleanse and adorn your altar using natural elements such as branches, antlers, white flowers, and acorns.
However, you choose to celebrate Imbolc, may it be filled with happiness and feelings of renewal and fresh beginnings.
Until next time, Live, Love, & Magick!
-Laurie Gouley, The Eclectic Green Witch
Try this recipe for Imbolc, it’s all done in one pan, so clean up is so easy!
Imbolc Ritual Cake
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (you can use gluten-free)
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
2 tbs. poppyseeds
1 tbs. zested lemon
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
Powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking soda, and salt with a fork in an ungreased 9x9x2 baking pan.
Stir in the remaining ingredients, except the powdered sugar.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, and the top is golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Makes 8 servings. Enjoy! Happy Imbolc!
Laurie Gouley
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Kicking off a new month, we welcome hot summer nights, new beginnings, and self-care into our space as we all learn the importance of slowing down and grounding to our current environment. Entering the month of July, we are led by the sign of the emotional and intuitive Cancer, encouraging all signs to slow down and live more in the moment. This could have us turning more to our roots and becoming more in touch with our intuition and our emotions, helping us to build a more grounded foundation within ourselves mentally and spiritually.
In terms of planets, this month, we have the influence of many different planetary changes going on this month. This includes Venus, Jupiter, and Chiron as some of the main events. With that said, Venus will enter Cancer mid-month, highlighting a nurturing, compassionate, and gentle approach to love. This could also bring changes to the way we connect with and communicate with those we love, as well as invoke a deeper, more caring approach to our self-care routine. Following this, Chiron will turn retrograde on the 19th of the month, pushing the signs to turn within for wisdom and introspective for the next several months. We will then enter the Leo season on July 22nd, helping us to channel some fiery new confidence that invokes creativity, hard work, and a shift in focus towards creating the life we want. And finally, Jupiter will also go retrograde on July 28th in the sign of the Aries, pushing the signs to deeply examine and evaluate their life and their path to better navigate where they want and need to be.
As you can see, July is likely to be full of many unique energies that are likely to inspire many changes within ourselves as well. But, to give you some deeper insight into what you can expect this month, today, we're going to touch on what energies and changes each Zodiac sign can expect throughout July and how you can adjust your life this month to make the most of it.
As we move through June, we soar into new beginnings as the hot nights of summer take over and guide us to a season of fun, laughter, and adventure. Often referred to as the season of new hope, summer is a rich time of year full of optimism and new beginnings. It is a time when we channel more energy towards our personal endeavors, spend time with those closest to us, and make plenty of new unforgettable memories. Not to mention, it is also a time of personal empowerment as we embrace more of the fiery light within ourselves and allow it to shine freely with the guidance of the sun and the Solstice.
Because of this, doing what we can to welcome in and honor this energy is essential to truly make the most of it and can help to enhance our spells and rituals at this time. And what better way to do that than by setting up a summer altar? So in this blog, we wanted to share a few of our favorite ways to decorate your altar to welcome in and celebrate the summer season, as well as a few product recommendations that align with the energy of this time of the year as well. So, without further ado, here’s our personal guide to setting up a summer altar to make the most of this beautiful season.
Summer is finally here, and it’s time to get out, let loose, and get crafting on all your summer spells and rituals. With new opportunities beaming around us and a new burning flame of passion within us, this is the perfect time to align more with confidence and motivation as we pick up the pace in our lives and become more fearless in our approach to our goals and dreams. And one of our favorite ways to do that is by making sun water.
Energetically, the sun is known as the divine master healer of the cosmos and the creator of solar energy. It is the cosmic force that gives health and life to all, and without it, we and all life of our world would cease to exist. For that reason, the energy of the sun is incredibly powerful to work with in our practices and can help us to channel health, vitality, and healing within ourselves. Not to mention, it can also help us to see more of the light in the surrounding world as well as within ourselves. For that reason, sun water is a popular thing to make in the summer to absorb some of this radiant energy to truly make the most of the solstice and the season. For that reason, today, we’re going to direct our focus to sun water, its benefits, and a simple step-by-step guide for how you can make it for your summer practices. Let’s get started.