Imbolc is only eight days away, and I'm dying to get started with Spring. So if you're like me, tired of winter, and ready to move, here are some budget-friendly ideas.
Clean your Home
Shake off those winter cobwebs and bring some fresh energy into your home. Now is the time to clean the home, paying particular attention to windows and entryways. Then, if you have the motivation, rearrange a couple of your rooms to feel if your house wakes up. Rearranging is also an excellent way to appreciate the furniture you have by seeing it with fresh eyes. Bonus, this new perspective will often revive your creative juices. Finally, sell any items you no longer want or donate them to your chosen charity.
Make Home Protection Wards
Once your home is clean, be sure to do a thorough cleansing. If you desire a guide to cleansing your home, click this link. Cleansing is crucial before warding your home. Not only does a ward prevent things from getting inside your home, but it also keeps things from getting out. You don't want an annoying energy stuck in your house with you. Below is a simple home protection ward I like to do during the four Celtic fire festivals (Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain).
Ingredients:
Bowl of Water
Salt
Small Candle
Incense or a handheld fan
Say these words:
Guardians of Air, Earth, Fire, and Water,
Honorable Ancestors of My Blood,
I ask for your protection of this home.
May only goodness enter
and darkness be repelled.
Find the northernmost point of your home. You can walk your property's perimeter if you live in a house. If you live in a condo, apartment, or shared accommodations, you can walk the internal circumference of your space:
Take your incense or fan (representatives of air) and walk clockwise around your home, blowing fresh air.
Light the candle (representative of fire) and take the same path, lighting up the dark corners.
Add salt (representative of earth) to your bowl of water (representative of water) and mark all the doors and windows.
Each time I finish with an element (the candle, incense, water bowl), I place it on my ancestor's altar as an offering.
Clean Gardening Tools
Not only is it significant to clean your home, but it's also particularly meaningful to clean anything tied to gardening. That means your shovels, gardening tools, gloves, etc., should all be cleaned. This is the time to prepare for Spring and all the hard work that comes with it. The purpose of this time is to lay the plans for your future.
Plant Your Seeds
Speaking of gardening, Imbolc is the perfect time to start any seeds you plan to grow in the Spring. Look up what planting zone you're in to see when the last frost should be and what plants thrive where you live. I found this article very interesting and lists plants by how long they need indoors for gestation before you can adequately transfer them outside. My grandfather was a farmer, and his rule of thumb was never to plant things in the ground until Ostara.
Take a Nature Walk
Now that the northern hemisphere is halfway to Spring take a walk outside to see if you can spot any signs of life growing. If you live in a warm climate, you may have plants year-round, but are there other changes to your wheel of the year? For example, here in southern Italy, it never snows, and the trees are green year-round. However, it constantly rains. So I love seeing the days get longer and more sunshine peeking out. Some pretty flowers bloom at different periods of the year, so I enjoy spotting the seasonal ones.
Read About a Deity
We've all heard of Demeter and Brigid, but how much do you know about them? How about Hestia or Cerridwyn? Since it is still dreary outside, take a moment to snuggle with a warm blanket and read up about one of the Imbolc goddesses that intrigue you. The pursuit of knowledge is always well-spent. Looking for a jumping point? I found this list of Imbolc-associated deities.
Make a Brigid's Cross
Speaking of Brigid, grab some tall grasses on your nature walk and make a Brigid's Cross. There are several different ways to make one, and a simple google search should yield many tutorials. Don't let the material intimidate you. I've seen many variations, including twine, pipe cleaners, and even drinking straws! The crosses are known to be tokens of good luck, fertility, and protection. Hang the cross above your entryway door, or display it on your altar.
Tie a Bratog Bride on Your Door
One lesser know tradition of Brigid's Day is of the Bratog bride. According to folklore, a piece of cloth is tied outside the home (usually on a door or a fence) the night before Imbolc. When Brigid passes by your home, she will bless the cloth by touching it. The cloth is now a Bratog bride and is supposed to endow the wearer with good health. In addition, this cloth would be used as an herbal remedy for ailments such as sore throats and colds.
Light Some Candles
Imbolc is the transition point from darkness to light. Our sun is returning. Honor him by lighting candles to banish the darkness; tealights, birthday candles, if you got 'em, burn 'em! While you're at it, why not try your hand at pyromancy? See if you can divine any messages from the other side or even catch a glimpse of the future. As always, please be cautious with candles and never leave them unattended. You want to bless your home, not burn it down. (or maybe you do? That's totally up to you.)
Do Some Journaling
As mentioned in my previous post, this is a beautiful time to change your journaling from internal reflection to external plans. Here's a list of some questions you can ask yourself to get into the future planning mode.
Set up your Imbolc Altar
This list item is my favorite part of the holidays. I love decorating and changing things up in my home. Your altar can be as minimal or elaborate as you want. Choose items that are meaningful to you. Some suggestions are seeds, salt, brooms, Brigid's cross, candles, white flowers, deities of your choice, chamomile, lavender, rosemary, twigs of evergreen, lamb or sheep figurines, and milk.
Show Appreciation
Our ancestors were constantly fighting for survival. Winter meant scarce game and no crops, so food storage was a high priority. When Imbolc arrived, it foreshadowed the sun returning. Livestock would start to produce milk for their offspring, offering another avenue of sustenance through milk and milk products. Take a moment during each of your meals to count your blessings. You live in a time with access to grocery stores. If you run out of bread, you can replace it within a day. This was different for your ancestors. In our daily routines, we are numb to the great triumphs we have taken for granted. Take a moment a meditate on that.
Additional Sources:
Comments