Imbolc 2006

Each year the women of the Grove create and perform our Imbolc ritual (the men get Lughnasadh). This year, Nora was the Orator, and Monica made her debut as the Sacrificer/Warrior. Julian was Seer and Arlene was the Bard.

For the Story this year, they took an idea from the Carmina Gaedelica, where a serpent is beaten on Imbolc, and combined it with the Indo-European myths of the Sky God killing the dragon (Indra and Vrtra, Apollo and Pythia, Thor and the World Serpent, etc.). There is no comparable Celtic myth, but the God who would most fit the Sky God in Irish mythology would be the Dagda (Ollathair - cognate with the Proto-IndoEuropean Dyeus Pater, Sky Father). Brigit is His daughter, and the 'serpent beating' is associated with Her day in the folklore. It's a stretch, but what the heck. Perhaps the tale became associated with Her after the advent of Christianity.

Anyway, the ladies chose to see this dragon as akin to a glacier, bringing the cold wind and ice of winter upon the land. In the Carmina Gaedelica, Brigit is said to take the cold (venom) out of the water:

Bride put her finger in the river
On the Feast Day of Bride
And away went the hatching mother of the cold,
And she bathed her palms in the river
On the Feast Day of Patrick
And away went the conception mother of the cold.

This could also be another way of 'killing the serpent.' So in the Story, the ladies of the Grove had Brigit come and lay her hands on the dragon, slaying it, and so spring once more came upon the Land.

As is usual for our rite at Imbolc, a young girl was chosen to carry the Brideog doll around the Circle for all to see. At the end of this procession, the girl and doll were elevated by the women.

Click on any photo below to see a larger version.
Photos by Bert Kelher and David Foster

Nora, the Orator, greets the People at the crossroads	The Procession	Monica, as Warrior, sacrifices to Morrigan, asking for protection	Nora explains the process of Purification	Julian, as Seer, centers the People
Ben is first to be purified	Mark is purified	"By the might of the Water and the light of the Fire, this Grove is made whole and holy!"	Kirk is lead drummer for this rite, driving the beat	The Women's Procession starts on the balcony with a hymn to Brigit
The Women's Procession enters the Circle	Nora opens the rite	During the Story, Andrea offers to Brigit	Cassie plays Brigit in the Story	The icy 'dragon' enters the Circle in the Story
Brigit slays the dragon	The Bard (Arlene) sanctifies the Fire	During the Working, the ladies sing while the People place their candles in the pool	The People come with their candles to the pool	The pool of lit candles
It's time to process the Brideog!	The Brideog Procession	The Maiden and the Brideog are elevated	The men (Mark, Jeff and Ben) clean up the ritual gear after the rite