For many pagans, this is the time of year where they honor and celebrate Imbolc one of the eight sabbats that comprise the Wheel of the Year. For those of us in the Northern Tradition however, we have our only celebrations known as holy tides (from the Old Norse hátíðir) that we may currently be celebrating instead: Charming of the Plough or Disting. (more…) Read more
The 6th Annual Brighid Poetry Festival is an internet tradition to honor Brighid, Goddess of Smithcraft and Poetry. It is that time of year again, when bloggers around the world post a favorite poem in honor of Brigid, the Irish goddess and patron saint of smithcraft, poetry, and healing. Brigid’s feast day is February 1st, so between now and then is the perfect time to publish a poem to celebrate. Here at Pantheon we decided to join in: Beginnings By... Read more
Blessed Imbolc! The interwebs are humming with interesting things on this quickening, sap-rising, sun-waxing, buds forming day! First is the 6th Annual Brigid Poetry Festival! Lots of really great poetry and inspiration here! The Wild Hunt is wishing everyone A Happy Imbolc with lots of good quotes and links! Over on our Mainline Protestant portal Christine Valters Paintner looks at Imbolc from a Christian point-of-view. The Juggler is musing on the magical properties of beer this Imbolc. Yum! Capital Witch... Read more
Of the four Irish quarter-days (Samain*, Imbolc, Beltene, Lugnasad), Imbolc superficially seems like a fairly straight-forward festival. It is considered, even in modern Ireland, to be the beginning of Spring, and it is a festival that is particularly associated with the goddess Bríg or Brigid, who is considered to be fundamentally the same as the Christian St. Brigid of Kildare, who was feted on the same day (February 1). Various signs of the beginning of Spring, therefore, have been attached... Read more
One of my favorite nicknames for the Pagan holiday of Imbolc is “the Quickening.” Spring stirs in the belly of the earth but is still weeks from emerging. Imbolc takes its name from the old Celtic imbolg “in the belly.” The term referred to the pregnant ewes. I can imagine the farmers looking at the ewes’ bellies for the movement of healthy lambs, feeling the udders to see if milk was forming. These signs of life were cause for celebration.... Read more
The 6th Annual Brighid Poetry Festival is an internet tradition to honor Brighid, Goddess of Smithcraft and Poetry. It is that time of year again, when bloggers around the world post a favorite poem in honor of Brigid, the Irish goddess and patron saint of smithcraft, poetry, and healing. Brigid’s feast day is February 1st, so between now and then is the perfect time to publish a poem to celebrate. Here at Pantheon we decided to join in: This Fire... Read more
The 6th Annual Brighid Poetry Festival is an internet tradition to honor Brighid, Goddess of Smithcraft and Poetry. It is that time of year again, when bloggers around the world post a favorite poem in honor of Brigid, the Irish goddess and patron saint of smithcraft, poetry, and healing. Brigid’s feast day is February 1st, so between now and then is the perfect time to publish a poem to celebrate. Here at Pantheon we decided to join in: The woman... Read more
Poet T.S. Elliot called April the cruelest month, but I’ve always thought February fits that appellation far more thoroughly and resolutely. I detest this month, though I have to admit that it wasn’t always so. My adopted mom died in February though and since then everything, from the snow and ice, to Valentine’s day decorations, to the joyful celebrations of Chinese New Year remind me of her passing. For me, it’s turned an otherwise innocuous month into something bleak and... Read more
Every Monday and Friday in January we will be asking people questions about Wicca. Want to weigh in? Find the next question at the bottom of this post! With the increased access to information and growing numbers of solitaries, does initiatory Wicca still have something to offer? *Once again everyone is speaking from their own point of view and not that of their traditions. The songs this time may seem a bit odd, but I chose popular music that reminded... Read more
We’ve all had too much snow. There is unrest in many parts of the world, notably Egypt. Though Spring is merely teasing us and has no intention of moving in to stay for a few more weeks, we can feel the sap rising, the trees buzzing and the energy sweeping us off of our feet. Personally I am finding the energy to be far more exuberant and optimistic than I can scrounge up within myself. I feel sluggish and unprepared... Read more
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