Tag: Sabbat Core

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The Sabbats

Approx. Reading time: About 5 Minutes

Introduction

The Sabbats celebrate the eternal circle of life – birth, death, and rebirth. These seasonal holidays have been followed for many thousands of years by ancient cultures such as Nordic, Celtic, and Greek. The Sabbats are attuned to the natural rhythms and cycles of nature and the passing seasons. Sabbat is a French word taken from the Hebrew Sabbath, meaning “to rest.” The Sabbats take place eight times in the year, they have spiritual significance. Most witches celebrate the Sabbats.­

Current/Upcoming Sabbat

Samhain

Samhain

Samhain is one of the Greater Sabbats, it is the witch’s biggest holiday and usually referred to as Halloween. It is New Year’s Day as it marks the death of the Lord. Samhain, is the death festival, and is the time when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead at its finest.
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Sabbats in Brief

The Major Sabbats include the four major agricultural festivals, Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh. The minor Sabbats include the solar festivals of the equinoxes and solstices, Yule, Ostara, Litha, and Mabon.

The midpoint of the four seasons is when the major Sabbats occur. The beginning of each season is when the minor Sabbats occur.

Each spring the day, when the hours between sunrise and sunset are exactly equal to the hours between sunset and sunrise, is called “vernal equinox. “There is also a day each fall when the hours of darkness and the hours of daylight are exactly in harmony, this is the “autumnal equinox.”

Halfway between each equinox, there are two points on the earth’s path which mark the Solstices. Daylight hours are at their longest during the Summer Solstice, the hours of darkness are at their shortest. During the Winter Solstice, we have the shortest day and longest night.

All Sabbat ceremonies begin at sundown on the eve of the dates given and continue to sundown. Each Sabbat is spaced at approximately even intervals throughout the year.

By celebrating the festivals, you attune yourself to the cycles of nature creating an inner calm and oneness with all things.

The Wheel of the Year

The Wheel of the Year is of Pagan heritage and is the calendar for the cycle of the seasons. The year is viewed as a wheel that keeps turning, and once it has completed a rotation, the wheel keeps going and turns again and again. Each of the spokes on this wheel represents one of the eight Sabbats.

The Wheel of the Year begins at Samhain, which is better known as Hallowe’en or All Hallows Eve, which is the Celtic New Year, this is when the veil between the worlds of life and death are the finest.

The Four Seasons are known as Solar Festivals because they mark a seasonal change caused by the Sun. The cross-quarter days are marked by Fire Festivals and are usually celebrated as significant agricultural festivals. The Solar Festivals and the Fire Festivals make up the Wheel Of The Year.

Wiccans look at the year as the continuing and repeating story of the life, death, and rebirth of the God and the fertility of the Goddess.

Wheel of the Year Cycle

  • At Yule, which occurs at the time of the winter solstice in December, the Lady gives birth to the Lord and then rests.
  • At Imbolc, in February, the Lord is seen as a young boy, and the Lady recovers from giving birth.
  • Ostara marks the first day of spring and the awakening of the Earth. The Lord is seen as a growing youth at this time.
  • At Beltane, the Lord has grown to manhood and he falls in love with the Lady, the two unite, producing the bounty of Nature. The Lady becomes pregnant by the Lord.
  • The Summer Solstice is the point in midsummer when everything in Nature is at its peak, there is abundance. During this time the Lord and the Lady are at the height of their powers.
  • Lughnasadh is the day in August of the first harvest. The first grains are cut, and the Lord begins to weaken.
  • At Mabon, the second harvest, the Lord is dying. The days grow shorter, and Earth readies for the slumber of winter.
  • At Samhain, in October, the Lord dies only to be reborn of the Lady again at Yule.

All The Sabbats

Imbolc

Imbolc

Imbolc is the time to sort out any pressing matters, such as making peace with those you’re in conflict with, returning borrowed items, and reconnecting with family and friends.
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Ostara

Ostara

Ostara is a Lesser Sabbat and marks the Spring Equinox when day and night balance. Called Ostara after the Saxon Goddess Eostre, this is a time of renewal, regeneration, and resurrection.
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Beltain

Beltain

Beltain (fire in the sky), celebrates the spring holiday and is a significant fire and fertility festival that begins at sunset on 30th April. Halfway around the year from Samhain, when we honour the dead, Beltain is the festival that honours all of the living.
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Litha

Litha

Litha (the Summer Solstice) marks the longest day of the year. During the summer solstice, it is the time of the first harvest and the celebration of this bounty. In times gone by this Sabbat was celebrated with large bonfires, they were burned to promote purification, fertility, and love.
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Yule

Approx. Reading time: About 7 Minutes

Introduction

Yule is one of the Lesser Sabbats, it marks the Winter Solstice and is the time of the year when the God is reborn of the virgin goddess. The God is represented by the Sun which returns after the darkest night of the year, to again bring warmth and fertility to the land.

During Yule, the daylight hours are the shortest in the year, and the nights are the longest. The Moon after Yule is said to be the most powerful of the whole year. Divine babies were born on this day – famously baby Jesus, Mithra, Oedipus, Hercules, Dionysus and many other holy beings.

The origins of Yule date back to the Egyptians, they held the festival to celebrate the rebirth of Horus, the son of Isis and Osiris, Horus took the form of the Sun. Because greenery was seen as magical growth, and they wanted the Sun to stay longer, everything in sight was decorated in all the greenery. Others followed, and when the Romans came along, they named their festival Saturnalia, they brought in things such as candles, singing, lavish feasts and extravagant gift giving. As this spread through Europe, it became Yule.

Many things that Christians use to celebrate Christmas have Pagan origins, such as the Christmas tree. Pagan families would bring a live tree into the home so the wood spirits would have a place to keep warm during the cold winter months. Bells were hung on the tree so you could tell when a spirit was present. The five-pointed star, the pentagram, symbol of the five elements, was placed at the top of the tree. The colours of the season, red and green, are also of Pagan origin, as is the custom of exchanging gifts. The Druids honored trees and collected and hung mistletoe. Group singing (caroling) was also a way of guiding the spirits towards the warmth of the homes. Yule is always considered a celebration of peace, love, spirituality and positive energy.

The origin of the word Yule has several suggested origins from the Old English word, geõla, the Old Norse word jõl, a pagan festival celebrated at the winter solstice, or the Anglo-Saxon word for the festival of the Winter Solstice, ‘Iul’ meaning ‘wheel’.

Yule Activities

  • Decorate a Christmas or Yule tree.
  • Exchange gifts with family and friends
  • Decorate with the colors Red, gold, and green in honour of the God.
  • Add mistletoe, this is both protective and representative of fertility.
  • Sing carols.
  • Donate food and clothing to others.
  • Private Meditation
  • Light Candles
  • Drink cider
  • Ring bells to greet the Solstice Morning.
  • String popcorn and hang them on an outdoor tree for the birds.
  • Hang little bells on the Yule Tree to call the spirits and fairies.
  • For prosperity, burn ash wood.
  • Make and burn a Yule Log.

12 Days of Yule

12 Days of Yule
The 12 Days of Yule, the ancient origin of most of what we celebrate during the winter holidays has a long and colorful history, rich with tradition. Come explore the 12 Days of Yule with us.
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Deity’s Portfolio

  • Division:Minor Sabbat
  • Other Names: Winter Solstice, Midwinter, Sun Return, Alban Arthan, Pagan New Year, Saturnalia, Finn’s Day, Yuletide, Festival of Sol, Great Day of the Cauldron, Festival of Growth.
  • Southern Hemisphere Date: June 20-23
  • Northern Hemisphere Date: December 21
  • Associated Holiday: Christmas
  • Associated Deities: Mother Berta, Father Winter, Santa Clause, Kriss Kringle, St Nick, Kings of Holly and Oak, Aphrodite, Fortuna, Gaia, Hel, Holle, Ishtar, Isis, Apollo, Attis, Balder, Dionysus, the Green Man, Lugh, Odin, Ra
  • Associated Herbs: Chamomile, rosemary, ginger, sage, and cinnamon
  • Associated Stones: Bloodstones, Garnets, Quartz crystal, blue sunstone, emerald, ruby, sapphire, and diamonds
  • Symbols of Yule: Yule log or small Yule log with 3 candles, evergreen boughs or wreaths, holly, mistletoe hung in doorways, gold pillar candles, baskets of clove studded fruit, a simmering pot of wassail, poinsettias, Christmas cactus.
  • Foods of Yule: Biscuits, Caraway cakes, roasted apples, fruits, nutmeg, nuts, pork dishes, turkey, or lamb’s wool.
  • Drinks of Yule: Eggnog, ginger tea, spiced cider, wassail, or lamb’s wool (ale, sugar, nutmeg, roasted apples).
  • Incense of Yule: Pine, cedar, bayberry, cinnamon.
  • Ritual Oils: Rosemary, Myrrh, Nutmeg, Saffron, Cedar/Pine, Wintergreen, Ginger
  • Colors of Yule: Red, green, gold, white, silver, yellow, orange.
  • Taboos: Extinguishing Fire, Travelling
  • Plants: Holly, Mistletoe, Evergreens, Poinsettia, Bougainvillaea, Tropical Flowers, Bay, Pine, Ginger, Valerian, Myyrh.
  • Element: Earth
  • Activities: Decorating the Yule tree, Gift giving, storytelling
  • Animals: Stag, Squirrels, Wren/Robin, Bear, Boar, Squirrel, Sow, Tiger, Bear,
  • Mythical Creatures: Phoenix, Troll, Mermecolion
  • Celebration of: The Goddess giving birth to the God.

Yule Recipies

Morning Julegroed

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups milk
  • A couple of almonds, finely chopped
  • 1 rounded teaspoon of butter/margarine
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup washed white rice
  • A pinch of cinnamon powder
  • 1/2 cup thick cream

In a large saucepan, heat the milk until boiling. Add butter/margarine, then add the rice and turn down the heat. Cover with lid, and let rice simmer slowly for about one hour or until the milk is absorbed. Transfer to a non-metal bowl and fold in the cream and almonds. Serve in small bowls with sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top.

Sun Up Egg Squares

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound pork sausage, cooked & drained
  • 1 1/4 cups bisquick
  • 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
  • 12 eggs
  • 1/2 cup sliced green onions
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 teaspoon each; pepper, oregano

Layer the sausage, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, and cheese in a well greased 13″x9″x2″ baking dish. Beat together the remaining ingredients in a non-metal bowl and pour over sausage mixture. Bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven until golden brown and set (about 30 minutes). Cut into 12 3-inch squares. Serves 12, can be halved.

Shortest Day Ham Loaf

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
  • 1 pound ground ham
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk

Mix all ingredients above and shape into 2 individual loaves. In a saucepan combine:

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon dried mustard
  • 1/2 cup water

Bring sauce to a boil, pour over the loaves, place loaves in a 350 degree oven and bake for 1 hour, basting regularly. Makes 10-12 servings.

Yuletide Slaw

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups red cabbage, shredded
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, corse ground
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/4 cup salad oil
  • 2 tablespoons parsley
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped

Combine and toss the vegetables together. Mix salt, pepper, salad oil, lemon juice, sugar and parsley and pour over the vegetable mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour, Toss briskly before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Festive Ham Balls

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups bisquick
  • 2 teaspoons parsley flakes
  • 10 1/2 cups smoked ham
  • 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
  • 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • 2/3 teaspoon milk
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Lightly grease a 15 1/2″ x 10 1/2″ baking pan. Mix all above ingredients in a non-metal bowl. Shape mixture into 1″ balls. Place the balls about 2″ apart in the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees, or until brown. Remove from pan and serve immediately. Makes 16 servings.

Brighter Day Cheese Ball

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
  • 1/4 teaspoon red hot pepper sauce
  • 1 pkg. (8-oz) Neufchatel cream cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 3 green onions w/tops, finely chopped
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup minced parsley

Preheat the oven to 350. Spread out chopped pecans on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes or until toasted, tossing once. In a small non-metal bowl, mix the cream cheese, onions, mustard, red pepper sauce, and garlic with mixer at a medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in the cheddar cheese. Wrap in plastic wrap and shape into approx. 4″ ball, refrigerate for 15 minutes. After, on a sheet of waxed paper, toss the pecans and parsley. Unwrap the cheese ball and carefully roll it around in the mixture, covering it completely. Rewrap the cheese ball and place in refrigerator until time to serve. Serve with crackers or fresh vegetables. Makes 24 servings.

Hot Spiced Wassail (non-alcoholic)

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups cranberry juice
  • 6 cinnamon sticks
  • 5 cups apple cider
  • 1 orange, studded with whole cloves
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 apple, cored and sliced
  • 1 cup soft bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix juice, cider, and water in large saucepan or crock pot. Add cinnamon sticks, clove studded orange, and apple slices. Simmer mixture for 4 hours. Serve hot. Makes 12 servings.

Solstice Surprise Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 large unpeeled cucumber
  • 1 15 1/2 ounce can whole chestnuts
  • 4 ounces cheddar cheese
  • 3 tablespoons French dressing

Wash and dry cucumber. Cut into quarters, lengthwise, then thinly slice into a non-metal bowl. Grate cheddar cheese and add to cucumber. Break up the chestnuts into fairly large pieces and add. Toss well to mix, adding the French dressing. Chill for one hour before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Roasted Lamb Feast For A (Sun) King

Ingredients:

  • 1-3 pound shank leg of lamb
  • 2 teaspoons olive or canola oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon each, salt and pepper
  • 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • 6 parsnips, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 lemon, sliced

With a sharp knife, trim all fat and cartilage from the lamb. Season with the salt and pepper. Make 1″ deep slits all over the leg of lamb. Use most of the garlic and all of the rosemary by pushing 1/2 garlic cloves and a few rosemary leaves into each slit. In a large roasting pan, combine oil with the sweet potatoes, the parsnips (turnips may be substituted), and the rest of the garlic. Move the vegetables to the side of the pan, and place the leg of lamb in the center. Move the vegetables around the lamb, surrounding it. Roast the lamb and vegetables for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Turn the vegetables occasionally so that they cook evenly. Remove from the oven, and with a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a serving dish. Keep warm. Place the lamb on a carving platter and cover with foil. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes. Slice the roasted lamb and serve with warm vegetables. Makes 6 servings.

The Best For Last Bars

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 pound butter
  • 10 ounce raspberry chocolate chips
  • 12 ounce can evaporated milk
  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
  • 3 1/2 cups sugar
  • 7 ounce jar marshmallow creme
  • 1 heaping tablespoon of instant coffee
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

In heavy saucepan or double boiler melt the butter. Add evaporated milk, sugar, and coffee. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add raspberry chocolate chips and bittersweet chocolate. Stir the mixture until all ingredients are melted. Add the marshmallow creme and stir until well blended. Stir in the vanilla. Pour into a slightly greased 9″ x13″ pan. Refrigerate. Cut into bite-sized bars when cooled. Makes 12 servings.

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Samhain

Samhain

Approx. Reading time: About 3 Minutes

Samhain

Introduction

Samhain is one of the Greater Sabbats, it is the witch’s biggest holiday and usually referred to as Halloween. It is New Year’s Day as it marks the death of the Lord. Samhain, is the death festival, and is the time when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead at its finest. This is a perfect night for communicating with the dead, and a powerful night of the year for divination and scrying.

In ancient times it was believed that this was the time that our ancestors would return to visit us, offering help and advice. Celtic countries would also leave food offerings on altars and doorsteps, for the “wandering dead”. Often candles were lit and left in a window to help guide the spirits of ancestors and loved ones return home.

The darkness increases during Samhain and the Goddess reigns in her powerful aspect of the Crone. The God passes into the underworld to become reborn of the Goddess again at Yule.

Samhain is a time of transformation and inner work, it is also a time of remembrance, when those who have died are thought about and honoured.

During this time Wiccans say farewell to the Pagan Lord, lore states that the Pagan god dies, and he travels through the veils into the otherworld, to be reborn at Yule.

Samhain was traditionally a time of sacrifice; livestock were slaughtered to ensure food throughout the winter.

This holiday marks the end of the old year and the beginning of the new.

Samhain Activities

  • Decorate your altar with photographs of dead loved ones, pumpkin lanterns, oak leaves, apples, nuts, and sage.
  • Drink warm apple cider mixed with cinnamon to honour the dead.
  • Bury an apple in the garden as food for the spirits of those who have passed away.
  • Carve a Jack-o-Lantern.
  • Make candles for the coming year, add colour and scent depending on its purpose.
  • Enjoy a night of trick or treating.
  • Bob for Apples
  • Make resolutions as you do when it is New Year, write your resolutions on a small piece of parchment and burn in a candle flame.
  • Samhain it is a good time for divination, Tarot cards, scrying, and crystal ball reading.
  • Private Meditation
  • Enjoy sweets.
  • Create a new magic wand or witch’s broom.
  • Hold a private ritual and focus on the traditional themes for Samhain, such as Life, Death, and Rebirth.
  • Host a Halloween party
  • At dinner, set a place for your loved ones that have passed this year.

Deity’s Portfolio

  • Division: Major Sabbat
  • Other Names: Witch’s New Year, Summer’s End, All Hallow’s Eve, Halloween, Day of the Dead, Festival of Spirits, Third Harvest, Celtic New Year, Festival of Pamona, Vigil of Saman.
  • Southern Hemisphere Date: April 30/May 1
  • Northern Hemisphere Date: October 31
  • Associated Holiday: Halloween
  • Associated Deities: Badb, Banba, Cailleach, Durga, Hecate, Hel, Inanna, Ishtar, Kali, Morrigan, Rhiannon, Persephone, Arawn, Belenus, Dagda, Hades, Loki, Odin, Pluto
  • Associated Herbs: Bay Leaf, lavender, mugwort, nutmeg, sage
  • Associated Stones: All Black Stones, Obsidian, black onyx, bloodstone, amethyst, opal
  • Symbols of Samhain: Gourds, Apples, Black Cats, Jack-O-Lanterns, Besoms, Balefire, Masks, The Cauldron, Waning Moon.
  • Foods of Samhain: Turnips, Apples, Gourds, Nuts, Mulled Wines, Beef, Pork, Poultry.
  • Drinks of Samhain: Ale, Cider, Wine, and Herbal Teas.
  • Incense of Samhain: Heliotrope, Mint, Nutmeg.
  • Ritual Oils: Frankincense, Basil, Yarrow, Lilac, Ylang-Ylang, Camphor, Clove
  • Colors of Samhain: Black, Orange, White, Silver, Gold.
  • Taboos: Travel After Dark, Eating Grapes or Berries
  • Plants: Mugwort, Gourds, Sage, Allspice, Catnip, Apple.
  • Element: Water
  • Activities: Divination, Past-Life Recall, Spirit Contact, Meditation, Drying Winter Herbs
  • Animals: All Creatures that feed on Carrion, the Raven especially, Bat, Boar, Cat, Cow, Dog
  • Mythical Creatures: Phooka, Goblin, Medusa, Beansidhe, Harpies, Fylgiar, Peryton, Erlkonig.
  • Celebration of: The Lord dies and awaits his rebirth at Yule.
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Mabon

Approx. Reading time: About 4 Minutes

Introduction

Mabon, one of the Lesser Sabbats, is the second harvest festival and is held on the autumn equinox to celebrate the last fruits of the year. Like the Spring Equinox, it is a time of balance between dark and light. At this time we are moving from light to darkness, from warmth to cold, we are gathering the harvest of summer to prepare for the winter months.

This is the second of the three harvest festivals; the ripe grain is being reaped from the fields. Vegetable season is ending and the fall fruits, such as apples, are ready to pick. This is a time to celebrate with feasts and thanksgiving.

An equinox is an astronomical point, and due to the fact that the earth wobbles on its axis slightly, the date may vary by a few days, depending on the year. The autumnal equinox occurs when the sun crosses the equator on its journey southward, during this time we experience a day and a night that are of equal duration. Up until Mabon, the hours of daylight have been greater than the hours from dusk to dawn. But from now on, the reverse takes place.

The Welsh Connection

In 1970 Aidan Kelly, a folklorist and poet attached the name Mabon to the Fall Equinox.

He acknowledges that his sources were all literary and not historical. The most influential author among them was Gerald Gardner, followed by the poet Robert Graves and then a list of lesser names including Margaret Murray and Doreen Valiente.

Kelly based this on an interpretation of the story of the Child of Light, Mabon, and the son of the Great Mother, Modron. Mabon, the son of Modron, was stolen from his mother only three nights after his birth at the beginning of time. The Great Mother grieved for her son and the world became dark and cold. During her mourning plants withered and died, and the animals, fat from the summer fruits, slept in their caves to protect themselves from the coming winter.

Mabon is eventually found, with the help of the wisdom and memory of the Oldest Animals – the Blackbird, the Stag, the Owl, the Eagle, and the Salmon. The battle to release the Child of Light is not an easy one and will take months to complete. Ever since Mabon was stolen, the seasons of cold and darkness prevail in sync with the grieving Mother Earth, feeling the loss of Her child. Because Modron’s child is imprisoned deep within the earth, the plants and animals of the earth slow down and move inward. Mabon is eventually found, although he will not be released until Yule when the days again begin to grow longer. At Yule, Mabon is reborn as the Child of Promise and the Son of Light.

The Wiccan Tradition

Even though Mabon was named after a Welsh deity, most Wiccans don’t hold the festival in his honor. Instead, there are many other Mabon deities you can raise a glass to this fall.

During this time, we see the moon goddess lie down and begin her descent. As the harvest nears its end, she enters her final Crone stage. The aging goddess has wild yet hidden energy, which is also abundant in several other female deities. So if you want to honor one of them, you can call on Hecate, Lilith, or the Morrígan.

The Druids call this celebration, Mea’n Fo’mhair, and honor the Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to trees. Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs, and fertilizer are appropriate at this time. Wiccans celebrate the aging Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort the God as he prepares for death and re-birth.

No matter the name you call it, the Fall Equinox is a time of celebration and balance, it is a time to finish the old and to ready ourselves for a period of rest, relaxation, and reflection.

Mabon Activities

  • Celebrate this festival with a feast shared with family or Coven members.
  • Private Meditation on the meanings of Mabon.
  • Take a walk outside and enjoy the cooling weather.
  • Eat a meal of fruits and vegetables of the season.
  • Arrange baskets of fresh fruit for friends or family.
  • Fill a bowl with fruits and leave it as an offering to the gods.
  • Make a protection charm of hazelnuts strung on red thread.
  • Hang dried ears of corn on the front door, doorposts, or outside light fixture.
  • Fill a basket with pinecones, colorful dried leaves, wheat, acorns, and fallen pine branches and leave it by your door.
  • Serve a Mabon meal, wine with some sort of soup with carrots, onions, potatoes, radishes, and/or corn.
  • Collect milkweed pods to decorate at Yuletide and attract the fairies.
  • Make wine.
  • It is a good time to walk the forests, gathering dried plants for use as altar decorations or herbal magic.
  • Go to an Autumn Festival.
  • Make a witch’s broom.
  • Make magic Apple Dolls.
  • Gather autumn leaves in bright colors.

Deity’s Portfolio

  • Division: Minor Sabbat
  • Other Names: Madron, Autumn Equinox, Harvest Home, Pagan Thanksgiving, Fall Equinox, Second Harvest, Festival of Dionysus, Wine Harvest, Alban Elfed, Cornucopia.
  • Southern Hemisphere Date: March 20-23
  • Northern Hemisphere Date: September 21
  • Associated Holiday: Thanksgiving (Second Harvest)
  • Associated Deities: Mabon, Madron, Persephone, Demeter.
  • Associated Herbs: Marigold, Sunflowers, Hibiscus, Rose petals, Myrrh.
  • Associated Stones: Sapphire, lapis lazuli, Amber, Clear Quartz, Tigers Eye, Citrine, and yellow agates.
  • Symbols of Mabon: wine, gourds, pinecones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates, vines such as ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty.
  • Foods of Mabon: Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions.
  • Drinks of Mabon: Wine, Ale, and Cider
  • Incense of Mabon: Autumn Blend-benzoin, myrrh, and sage.
  • Ritual Oils: Apple Blossom, Hay/Straw, Black Pepper, Patchouly
  • Colors: of Mabon: Red, orange, russet, maroon, brown, and gold.
  • Taboos: Passing Burial Sites and not honoring the dead.
  • Plants: Vines, Ivy, Hazel, Cedar, Hops, Tabacco
  • Element: Water
  • Animals: Dogs, Wolves, Stags, Birds of Prey (especially the Blackbird, Owl, and Eagle), Salmon and Goat
  • Mythical Creatures: Gnomes, Sphinx, Minotaurs, and Cyclops
  • Celebration of: The God now sleeps within the womb of the Goddess.

Other Mabon Resources

Recipes

Recipe: Harvest Hearth Stew

Harvest Hearth Stew
Discover how to make a Harvest Hearth Stew, a comforting and nourishing dish that honors Mabon and the equinox. Learn about the magical properties of autumnal vegetables and herbs.
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Recipe: Apple Harvest Loaf

Mabon Apple Loaf
Discover how to make a Magical Apple Harvest Loaf, a delicious and festive recipe that honors Mabon and the equinox. Learn about the magical properties of this delicious combination.
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Deeper Knowledge

Mea’n Fo’mhair: The Celtic Celebration of Autumn Equinox

Mea'n Fo'mhair
Mea’n Fo’mhair is a Celtic festival that marks the Autumn Equinox and the balance of light and dark. Learn about its history, symbolism, and rituals in this blog post.
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Autumn Equinox: How Modern Practitioners Honor Nature, Balance, and Abundance with Mabon

Mabon Observations
Mabon: A Guide to Modern Pagan and Wiccan Celebrations of the Autumn Equinox. Learn how to honor nature, balance light and dark, and express gratitude for abundance.
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Embracing the Druidic Traditions of the Autumn Equinox: Alban Elfed

Alban Elfed
Alban Elfed is a sacred Druid festival that celebrates the autumn equinox and the balance of light and dark. Learn about its history, symbolism, and rituals in this blog post.
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Mabon: A Celebration of Balance and Harvest

Mabon Explained
Learn about Mabon, the Pagan festival of balance, gratitude, and the second harvest. Discover its origins, traditions, modern practices, and significance.
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Lughnasadh

Lughnasdah

Approx. Reading time: About 3 Minutes

Lughnasdah

Introduction

Lughnasadh (LOO-nus-uh), also called Lammas, is known as one of the Greater Sabbats, it marks the beginning of the fall harvest. This is the festival of Lugh, a Celtic God of Light, Fire, and God of crafts and skills. As fall approaches and the hours of sunlight begin to shrink, the God begins to lose his strength. At this time the Goddess is already pregnant with the God, who will be reborn again at Yule.

In Lughnasadh, we celebrate the fruits of the Sun Gods and Mother Earth’s bounty. Their labours are everywhere, in the vegetables, plums, onions, garlic, and especially herbs which now will be at their most potent and which will be used in our magical practices.

Lughnasadh is also known as the Feast of Bread because baking is traditional on this day. The name Lammas comes from an old English festival, the loaf mass, which was held on this date. Wiccans often hold feasts in honour of the holiday because everything is so plentiful at this time of the year.

It is a time not only to think about the fruits of the Sun God and Mother Earth but also about our own personal harvest. A time when we think about what has happened in our lives and let go of anger, injustice, hates, and past regrets, enabling us to move forward to plant our own new seeds.

Lughnasadh Activities

  • Bake a loaf of bread.
  • Place an ash leaf under your pillow for prophetic dreams.
  • Decorate sheaves of grain with flowers or ribbons.
  • Leave offerings of bread to the Fairy Folk.
  • Leave offerings of bread or wine for the pregnant goddess, and the Sun God.
  • Share a feast with family or coven members.
  • Eat a meal of fruits and vegetables of the season.
  • Private Meditation on the meanings of the season.
  • If you have a spring or well in your area, bless it and decorate it with flowers.
  • Float flowers at a local creek or pond
  • Plant the seeds from the fruits consumed during the feast.
  • Celebrate the first harvest by eating a meal with foods of the season, such as grain and corn.
  • Bless your garden, vegetables, fruits, and grains.
  • Gather the tools of your trade and bless them in order to bring a richer harvest next year.
  • Sacrifice bad habits and unwanted things from your life by throwing symbols of them into the Sabbat fire.
  • Harvest fruits from your garden
  • Play a game such as rhibo (a Welsh game) which is traditionally played at Lammas. Three pairs of people face each other and hold hands. A person is then laid across the hands and tossed into the air in much the same way grain is winnowed. For little ones use a blanket with two adults holding the corners. Be sure to be careful not to “toss” anyone too high!!!
  • Begin gathering and drying herbs, flowers, grains, or seeds for spellworking in the next year.

Deity’s Portfolio

  • Division: Major Sabbat
  • Other Names: Lammas, Lughnasad, Lugnassad, Lunasa, Lughnasa, Festival of Green Corn, First Harvest, Ceresalia, August Eve, Elembiuos, Feast of Cardenas
  • Southern Hemisphere Date: Feb 2
  • Northern Hemisphere Date: August 1
  • Associated Holiday: First Harvest
  • Associated Deities: Ceres, Demeter, the Corn Mother, Lugh, the Green Man
  • Associated Herbs: All herbs and grains
  • Associated Stones: Carnelian, Yellow Diamonds, Aventurine, Peridot, Citrine, and Sardonyx, golden topaz, opal, citrine, and ametrine.
  • Symbols of Lughnasadh: Sickles and scythes, Weapons, Armors, Corn dolls, Grapes, and Wine
  • Foods of Lughnasadh: Corn, Potatoes, homemade bread, nuts, rice, apples, berry pies, barley cakes, roasted lamb, Grains, acorns, oats, crab apples, squash, turnips, and Berries.
  • Drinks of Lughnasadh: Elderberry Wine, Mead, Ale, Meadowsweet Tea, and Cider
  • Incense of Lughnasadh: Aloes, Rose, Sandalwood.
  • Ritual Oils: Eucalyptus, Corn, Safflower
  • Colors: of Lughnasadh: Red, orange, gold, and yellow. Also green, citrine, and gray.
  • Taboos: Not Sharing Food
  • Plants: Corn, Rice, Wheat, Ginseng, Rye
  • Element: Fire
  • Activities: Share a feast with family or coven members, plant seeds, and bake bread
  • Animals: Roosters, Calves, and Pigs (sows in particular)
  • Mythical Creatures: Griffins, Basilisks, Centaurs, and Phoenix
  • Celebration of: A Festival of not only life and bounty but of harvest and death, the complete cycle of life. A Feast dedicated to Earth Mother. Give thanks for what you have.

Other Lughnasadh Resources

Recipes

Recipe: Lammas Bread

Lammas Bread
Celebrate Lughnasadh with this easy and delicious recipe for Lammas bread. Learn the meaning and history of this traditional Pagan dish.
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Recipe: Hlæfdige Lady of Loaf’s Sacred Bread

Hlæfdige Lady of Loaf's Sacred Bread
Learn how to make a Lammas staple, Hlæfdige Lady of Loaf’s Sacred Bread, a magical recipe that nourishes your body and soul with ancient traditions and mysticism.
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Deeper Knowledge

Lammas: Celebrating the First Harvest

Lammas Detail
Celebrate Lammas, the ancient festival of the first harvest, with this guide on its history, traditions, and safety tips. Learn how to honor the bounty of nature and the cycle of life.
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Lughnasadh: Celebrating the First Harvest

Lughnsadh Detail
Discover the meaning and magic of Lughnasadh, the first harvest festival in the Wheel of the Year. Learn about its origins, traditions, and how to celebrate it safely and respectfully.
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Ritual: Crafting Corn Dollies for Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh Corn Dollies
Learn how to make corn dollies for Lughnasadh, a harvest festival, and find out the significance and magic of these straw or corn husk dolls.
Read More

Lugh

Lugh
Learn about Lugh, the Celtic god of light, craftsmanship, and skill, and his mythology, roles, and legacy in this article.
Read More
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Litha

Litha

Approx. Reading time: About 3 Minutes

Litha

Introduction

Litha (the Summer Solstice) marks the longest day of the year. During the summer solstice, it is the time of the first harvest and the celebration of this bounty.

In times gone by this Sabbat was celebrated with large bonfires, they were burned to promote purification, fertility, and love. To leap over the bonfire was to assure a good crop and to encourage these qualities in themselves. This Sabbat glorifies the Sun God and the Sun, fire plays a very prominent role in this festival. The element of Fire is the most easily seen and felt element of transformation.

Litha comes from the Anglo-Saxon phrase Aerra Litha, which means “before Midsummer.” At this time the Goddess is fully pregnant, and the Sun God is at the height of his power. Litha is the traditional time for gathering magical and medicinal plants to dry and store for winter use. In Wales, Midsummer is called Gathering Day. Midsummer Night’s Eve has traditionally been a day to perform love and healing magic. This is also a perfect time to communicate with fairies, forest sprites, and pixies.

June was said to be the luckiest month to be married in and is the time of the mead moon or honeymoon. One tradition was for newlyweds to drink mead daily for a month after their wedding, which is why the post-wedding holiday was named the honeymoon. Even though the days begin to grow shorter after the Summer Solstice, the time of greatest abundance is still to come. The promises of the Goddess and God are still to be fulfilled.

Most cultures of the Northern Hemisphere mark Midsummer in some ritualized manner and people past and present acknowledge the rising of the sun on this day. At Stonehenge, the heel stone marks the midsummer sunrise as seen from the centre of the stone circle.

This is a good time for protection magic, empowerment magic, male rituals, and becoming in tune with nature spirits. It is a time of bravery, strength, and overcoming.

Litha Activities

  • Put a ring of flowers around your cauldron.
  • Hang a bundle of fresh herbs out to dry.
  • Litha is a time for healing of all kinds, and protection rituals.
  • Make a Wicker Man and burn him in your bonfire.
  • Decorate your altar with Rose flowers.
  • Leave out milk and honey as an offering to the Fae folk.
  • Make a charm to hang around your neck with a seashell.
  • Have an outdoor breakfast picnic to welcome the Solstice.
  • Stay up and watch the sun come up on the longest day of the year, or watch the sun come down.
  • Take a picture of the sun at sunrise and sunset.
  • Try a fire divination, stare into the coals of your bonfire as it settles, or look for forms in the leaping flames.
  • Create a ritual to bring healing and love to Mother Earth.
  • Make protection amulets for friends and family, dispose of last year’s Litha bonfire.
  • Light a white candle and place it in front of a mirror. Say your own Litha prayer over it, and then let it burn out.
  • Burn the remnants of your Yule Tree in the bonfire to burn away bad luck.
  • Jump the balefire or cauldron.
  • Hang a bundle of fresh herbs out to dry and use them to spice up a Litha feast of cooked summer vegetables
  • * Offer a gift of lavender to the Gods in a bonfire.
  • Make staffs, dream pillows, or a witches’ ladder.
  • Go bird watching. Take a guidebook, so you will know what you are looking at. The birds may bless you with a feather.

Litha Recipies

Deity’s Portfolio

  • Division: Minor Sabbat
  • Other Names: Summer Solstice, Midsummer, Alban Hefin, Sun Blessing, Gathering Day, Whit Sunday, Feill-Sheathain, Whitsuntide, Vestalia, Thing-tide, St. John’s Day.
  • Southern Hemisphere Date: Dec 20-23
  • Northern Hemisphere Date: June 21
  • Associated Holiday: Feast of John the Baptist
  • Associated Deities: Mother Earth, Father Sun, and the fairy people
  • Associated Herbs: Rose, lavender, St John’s Wort, chamomile
  • Associated Stones: Emerald, Jade, Amethyst, opal, quartz, lapis lazuli, malachite, tiger’s eye, and diamonds.
  • Symbols of Litha: Fire, The Sun, Sunflowers love amulets Blades, Mistletoe, Seashells, Oak Trees, Balefires, Sun Wheels, and Fairies.
  • Foods of Litha: Garden fresh fruits and vegetables such as lemons and oranges.
  • Drinks of Litha: Wine, Lemonade, Meade, Ales, Herbal Teas, and fresh fruit juice of any kind
  • Incense of Litha: Frankincense, myrrh, sandalwood, lemon, pine, jasmine, rose, lotus, or wysteria.
  • Ritual Oils: Heliotrope, Cinnamon, Sandalwood, Lavender, Orange, All Mint Oils, Lemon, Saffron
  • Colors: of Litha: White, red, maize yellow or golden yellow, green, blue, and tan.
  • Taboos: Giving Away Fire, Sleeping Away from Home, Neglecting Animals.
  • Plants: Oak, Mistletoe, Frankincense, Lemon, Sandalwood, Heliotrope, Copal, Saffron, Galangal, Laurel, Ylang-Ylang
  • Element: Fire
  • Activities: All kinds of magic, Create protective amulets, dry herbs
  • Animals: Robin/Wren, Summer Birds, Horses, Cattle
  • Mythical Creatures: Satyrs, fairies, Firebird, Dragon, Thunderbird, Manticore
  • Celebration of: The Goddess is pregnant with the God.
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Beltain

Approx. Reading time: About 3 Minutes

Introduction

Beltain (fire in the sky), celebrates the spring holiday and is a significant fire and fertility festival that begins at sunset on 30th April. Halfway around the year from Samhain, when we honour the dead, Beltain is the festival that honours all of the living.

During Beltain the young God has blossomed into manhood, and the Goddess takes him on as her lover. This is a time to celebrate the coming together of the masculine and feminine creative energies.

It is the second most important Sabbat after Samhain, when the veil between the worlds is once again at its finest. During Beltain it is believed that mischievous elves and fairies make themselves known and care should be taken during magical practices.

Beltain is a time of Fairy Magic, and the Queen of fairies is represented by the Queen of the May. With her consort at her side, she rules over the celebrations and serves as a representative of the Goddess.

Fires were burned as beacons across the land to symbolize the sun’s return to the sky and fertility to the land. Livestock were driven between the fires to protect them from disease. Fertility to the ancients was a matter of life and death, and so the sick and frail passed between the fires to obtain the sun’s healing blessings.

In Scottish Gaelic Bealtuinn means May Day. The word originally meant “Bel Fire”, and Beltain is associated with the Celtic God Bel. Fires were traditionally built at Beltain, and people would jump over the fire. Wishing for a husband or a wife, young unmarried people would leap the bonfire, and young women would leap it to ensure their fertility, couples leaped it to strengthen their bond. Older married couples were allowed to remove their wedding rings (and the restrictions they imply) for this one night. Women would braid flowers into their hair, and men and women would decorate their bodies.

Beltain is a time of self-discovery, love, union, and developing personal growth. It is a time to look forward to the future and to prepare for the warm summer months ahead.

Beltain Activities

  • Dancing around a bonfire
  • Scatter ashes from the bonfire in the fields as a fertility charm. Women wishing to conceive can tie a bag of ashes around their necks.
  • Collecting flowers
  • Erect and decorate a May Pole.
  • Enjoy a meal of fruits and vegetables.
  • Spend time outside enjoying the weather.
  • Private Meditation.
  • Make May Baskets to give to family and friends.
  • Gather the first wild herbs of the season.
  • Wash your face in dew at sunrise on Beltane for beauty in the coming year.
  • Braid flowers in your hair.
  • Make a wish at the hawthorn tree, a tree associated with fairies.
  • Make love in the woods. Beltane is the time of year when the Goddess and God consummate their passions.
  • Commune with the fairies.
  • Mark the boundaries of your circle with oatmeal, a traditional Beltane grain.
  • Decorate your home with fresh flower garlands or greenery.
  • Send flowers to loved ones,
  • Plant new gardens,
  • Spring cleaning is a traditional Beltaine gesture.
  • Light a fire in the fireplace at sundown to invoke the Sun God.
  • Serve an evening meal of breakfast foods to invoke the fertility of the Sun God. Pancakes, eggs, milk, cheese, bacon, sausage, and honey are good options

Beltain Recipies

Deity’s Portfolio

  • Division: Major Sabbat
  • Other Names: Beltane­­­, May Eve, May Day, Samradh,, Walpurgisnacht, Walpurgis Eve, Rudemas, Celtic Summer, Floralia, The Great Rite, Giamonios, Bhealltainn.
  • Southern Hemisphere Date: Oct 31
  • Northern Hemisphere Date: May 1
  • Associated Holiday: May Day
  • Associated deities: Stag Lord, The Green Man, Jack in the Green, May Queen
  • Associated herbs: frankincense, roses, lemon balm, lemon thyme
  • Associated stones: Sapphires, quartz crystal, sunstone, orange calcite, malachite, and rose quartz.
  • Symbols of Beltain: Fresh flowers, May Pole, May Baskets, Crossroads, Eggs, Butterchurns, and Chalices
  • Foods of Beltain: Dairy, Custard, Vanilla Ice Cream, and all kinds of Sweats. Also, Cherries and Strawberries, Green Salads, Oatmeal and Barley Cakes
  • Drinks of Beltain: Red or Pink Wines or Punch.
  • Incense of Beltain: Frankincense, lilac, passionflower, rose, or vanilla.
  • Ritual Oils: Passionflower, Rose, Tuberose, Vanilla
  • Colors of Beltain: Red, White, and Dark Green, or Yellow, Soft Pink, and Blue.
  • Taboos: None
  • Plants: Primrose, Cowslip, Hawthorn, Rose, Birch, Rosemary, Lilac
  • Element: Air
  • Activities: Wrapping May Pole, The Great Rite, Gathering Flowers
  • Animals: Goats, Rabbits, Honeybees, Swallow, cats
  • Mythical Creatures: Fairies, Pegasus, Satyrs, Giants
  • Celebration of: The Lord and Lady consummate their relationship.
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Ostara

Approx. Reading time: About 2 Minutes

Introduction

Ostara is a Lesser Sabbat and marks the Spring Equinox when day and night balance. Called Ostara after the Saxon Goddess Eostre, this is a time of renewal, regeneration, and resurrection. Not much is known about this Eostre, except that she was the Goddess of fertility and was celebrated at the Spring Equinox, she was also connected with hares and eggs.

Legend has it that the Goddess Eostre turned a colourful bird into a rabbit and the rabbit then laid coloured eggs, this is where the Easter bunny and egg hunts came from and the basis of the Christian festival Easter.

The Anglo-Saxon lunar month of April was called Eastermonath. The equinox is a time both of fertility and new life, and of balance and harmony. Light and dark are here in balance, but the light is growing stronger. Now is the time to balance ourselves and the subtle energies within us, such as our chakras, the inner masculine and feminine qualities, the light and dark aspects, and so on.

This is a time that witches cast spells for careers, relationships, and love. It is a time for planting new ideas and a time to free yourself from anything in the past that is holding you back.

You can acknowledge and celebrate this Sabbat by going into nature, taking a walk, or spending time in your garden, also to recognise the changes in the Earth as she awakens each day.

Ostara Activities

  • Have a traditional breakfast of buns, ham, and eggs.
  • Wear green clothing.
  • Bless seeds planted in the garden.
  • Place a lit green candle in a dish full of moist earth, let it burn down, and then bury the remainders (except the dish)
  • Plant some seeds in pots or in your garden.
  • Dye or paint eggs with pagan symbols and God/Goddess signs.
  • Make hot cross buns to honour the union of the earth and the sun for Spring. Slash the “X” and bless the cakes.
  • Participate in an Easter egg hunt put on by your community.
  • Take a long walk and take in the beauty of nature reawakening all around you.
  • Meditate and/or Private Ritual.
  • Create bird feeders.
  • Make hot cross buns to honor the union of the earth and the sun for Spring. Slash the “X” and bless the cakes.
  • Make pysanky and krashanky, magical amulets of fertility, protection, and prosperity.
  • Eat an egg you have empowered with a quality you desire.
  • This is a good time to cast spells for, careers, relationships, and love.

Deity’s Portfolio

  • Division: Minor Sabbat
  • Other Names: Spring Equinox, Eostre, Vernal Equinox, Alban Eiber, Bacchanalia, Lady Day
  • Southern Hemisphere Date: Sept 20-23
  • Northern Hemisphere Date: March 21
  • Associated Holiday: Easter
  • Associated Deities: Eostre, Spring Maiden, Spring Lord, Ishtar, Astarte
  • Associated Herbs: Jasmine, rose, violet.
  • Associated Stones: Jasper, Moss agate, green moonstone, orange calcite, rose quartz.
  • Symbols of Ostara: Eggs, Hare, the New Moon, butterflies, and cocoons.
  • Foods of Ostara: Leafy green vegetables, Dairy foods, Nuts such as Pumpkin, Sunflower, and Pine. Flower Dishes and Sprouts.
  • Drinks of Ostara: Lemonade, Egg-Nog, and drinks made from seasonal fruits and berries.
  • Incense of Ostara: Jasmine, Rose, Strawberry, Floral of any type.
  • Ritual Oils: Lotus, Magnolia, Ginger
  • Colors: of Ostara: lemon yellow, pale green, and pale pink.
  • Taboos: None
  • Plants: Crocus, Daffodil, Jasmine, Irish Moss, Snowdrop, Ginger
  • Element: Air
  • Activities: Dyeing Eggs, Looking for Spring Growth
  • Animals: Rabbits, Cougar, Sea Crow, Sea Eagle, Hedgehog, and Boar.
  • Mythical Creatures: Merfolk and any other Air or Water beings.
  • Celebration of: The God and Goddess begin their courtship.
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Imbolc

Approx. Reading time: About 4 Minutes

Introduction

Imbolc is the time to sort out any pressing matters, such as making peace with those you’re in conflict with, returning borrowed items, and reconnecting with family and friends. Rituals include those for manifesting desires, casting away destructive or old patterns, opening yourself to positive enlightenment, consecrating tools and agricultural tools, and celebrating the strengthening and renewal of self. This is a potent and powerful time.

The Imbolc Sabbat is the time we celebrate the passing of winter and the return of spring. The rebirth of the Sun is honoured on this day and the renewed fertility of the Earth. Imbolc means “in the belly of the Mother”.

Imbolc, also known as Candlemas, is a time for weather magic and divination, this is evident in the tradition of “Groundhog Day”.

It is a day of celebrating the Celtic Goddess Brigid. Brigid is the Goddess of Poetry, Healing, Smithcraft, and Midwifery. If you can make it with your hands, Brigid rules it. She is a triple Goddess, who is honoured in all her aspects. This is a time for communing with her, and tending the lighting of her sacred flame. At this time of year, Wiccans will light multiple candles, white for Brigid, and yellow for the god, this is to remind us of the passing of winter and the entrance into spring, the time of the Sun. These initiations are carried out during this time, be they in covens or self-initiations.

Imbolc is the time to sort out any pressing matters, such as making peace with those you’re in conflict with, returning borrowed items, and reconnecting with family and friends. Rituals include those for manifesting desires, casting away destructive or old patterns, opening yourself to positive enlightenment, consecrating tools and agricultural tools, and celebrating the strengthening and renewal of self. This is a potent and powerful time.

Imbolc Activities

  • Hang a scarf outside on the eve of Imbolg and Brigid will bless it with healing powers.
  • It is traditional upon Imbolc, at sunset or just after ritual, to light every lamp in the house – if only for a few moments. Or, light candles in each room in honour of the Sun’s rebirth.
  • Place a lighted candle in each and every window of the house, beginning at sundown on Candlemas Eve (February 1), allowing them to continue burning until sunrise.
  • Burn the Yule greens to send winter on its way.
  • Hold a candle-making party and then bless all the candles you’ll be using for the whole year.
  • Perform rituals of spiritual cleansing and purification.
  • Burn the Yule greens to send winter on its way.
  • Place three ears of corn on the door as a symbol of the Triple Goddess and leave until Ostara.
  • For a simple Imbolg observance, light a white candle and burn sandalwood.
  • On Imbolg Eve, it is customary to leave food and drink out for Brigid — buttered bread, milk, grains, or seeds. Also, leave buttered bread in a bowl indoors for the fairies who travel with the Lady of the Greenwood. The next day, dispose of it outside as the “essence” has been removed.
  • Let this be the traditional time that you make candles for the coming year, infusing them with colour, power, herbs, and scent depending on the magical purpose.
  • Imbolg is the traditional time to collect stones for new magic circles and general magical use.
  • Weave “Brigit’s crosses” from straw or wheat to hang around the house for protection.
  • Make dream pillows for everyone in the family.
  • Clean and re-consecrate your magical cabinet of supplies and craft tools.
  • Place a candle in each window of your home on Imbolc eve and let it burn until the morning.
  • place food a{“type”:”block”,”srcClientIds”:[“fbfe603d-a9b3-48ed-99c7-4567f91d0da5″],”srcRootClientId”:””}nd saucers of fresh water for the birds.
  • Start an herb or seed garden.
  • Have a walk outdoors and search for signs of spring. Collect natural “treasures” such as stones, sticks, feathers, pine cones for use in the rituals, decorations, and crafts throughout the year.
  • Perform a cleansing ritual of the home, use your broom to sweep out all the negative energies, and de-clutter to release new energy..

Deity’s Portfolio

  • Division: Major Sabbat
  • Other Names: Imbolq, Olmeic, Candlemas, Brigits Day, Bride Day, Disting-tid, Feast of Brigid, Festival of Light, Feast of the Virgin, Festival of Milk, Anagantios, Feast Day of St. Blaize.
  • Southern Hemisphere Date: July 31/August 1
  • Northern Hemisphere Date: February 2
  • Associated Holiday: Candlemass
  • Associated Deities: Bridgid, The Maiden, The Spring Goddess, The young Lord
  • Associated Herbs: Angelica, basil, bay leaves, myrrh
  • Associated stones: Amethyst, Quartz crystals, opal, moonstone, aventurine, sunstone, Onyx, and Turquoise.
  • Symbols of Imbolc: Brideo’gas, Besoms, White Flowers, Candle Wheels, Brighid’s Crosses, Priapic Wands (acorn-tipped), and Ploughs.
  • Foods of Imbolc: Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds, Poppyseed Cakes, muffins, scones, and breads, all dairy products, Peppers, Onions, Garlic, Raisins, Spiced Wines and Herbal Teas.
  • Drinks of Imbolc: Milk, Spiced Wines, and Herbal Teas.
  • Incense of Imbolc: Basil, Bay, Wisteria, Cinnamon, Violet, Vanilla, Myrrh.
  • Ritual Oils: Jasmine, Apricot, Carnation, Sweet Pea, Neroli, Olive
  • Colors of Imbolc: White, Pink, Red, Yellow, Green, Brown.
  • Taboos: None
  • Plants: Willow, Rosemary, Clover, Dill, Evergreen.
  • Element: Earth
  • Activities: Candle lighting, Searching for Signs of Spring, Gathering Stones
  • Animals: Wolf, Snake, Swan, Vulture, Robin, Burrowing Animals, Sheep, Lamb, and Deer
  • Mythical Creatures: Firebird, Dragon, Berometz
  • Celebration of: The God is a young child growing in size and strength.