Brigid / Imbolc / Oimelc February 2

“…So also shall ye make merry on the day of Oimelc, which is the first day of the period of Earrach;” – DC(R) The Book of the Law, 4:3

Imbolc (or Oimelc, or imelc), is known in Modern Irish as L· na FÈile BrÌde (Laa Nu fÈ-li bree-di), in Manx as Laa’n Arragh (Day of Spring), and as Imbolc, Candlemas and Lady Day in English. L· na FÈile BrÌde means the day of the festival of “Saint Bridget.” Brighid, Bride or Bridget is yet another Pagan deity turned by the Christians into a “saint,” in order to co-opt Her worship. This goddess was a triple-aspected deity of Poetry/Divination (considered the same thing), Healing and Smithcraft, whose followers kept an eternal flame burning in Her honor.

Imbolc is also the "traditional" time in many pagan religions of "Initiation" into the mysteries - so many groves and covens initiate new members in a very formal way at this time, probably because of the growing intensity of the Earth energies and rebirth/new beginnings energy of the season.

By analogy with the Gaelic names of the other High Days, we may assume that the holiday was originally called L· hOimelc (Laa Hi-melc). It is the festival of the lactation of the ewes. In Paleopagan days (and, indeed, until the recent past) the sheep was a very important animal, providing both food and clothing. The occasion of the birth of lambs (not to mention kids and calves) was a cause for rejoicing and a sign of life in the “dead” world of a Northern winter.

Brighid is a deity who can be seen in many different cultures. She is believed to have been Brigantia in England, Bride in Scotland, and Brigandu in Wales and France. She is thought to be the same goddess who was worshipped at Bath in ancient Britain as well as the patroness of countless springs and wells in Ireland. The Romans were quick to identify in Brighid their own favoured goddess Minerva, or Pallas Athene, the maiden aspect of Athena.

Brighid was born in the instant between night and day and as she rose with the sun, a beam of flame was said to have sprung from her forehead. It is this legend that hints that perhaps she was once considered to be a sun deity. That she was born on a threshold is a very import aspect of the legend. The ancient Celts were fascinated by in-between places such as shores, the instant of sunrise, the instant season change, doorways, and other places that lay instantaneously between two places while being in neither.

She began as a triplicity of sisters, not unusual to Celtic lore. She is the Daughter of Dagda, "The Good God", and the Morrighan and sister to Ogma, a Sun God and the Creator of the Ogham. She was married to Bres of the Fomorians, who had a brief and tragic stint as the king of the Tuatha. Together, the two produced three sons - Brian (Ruadan), (who was slain by the goldsmith Govannon), Iuchar and Uar - and Brian's actions in The Battle of Moytura figure largely in Her evolution to a Goddess of Peace and Unity.

Brighid is the traditional patroness of healing, poetry and smithcraft, which are all practical and inspired wisdom. As a solar deity, Her attributes are light, inspiration and all skills associated with fire. Although She might not be identified with the physical Sun, She is certainly the benefactress of inner healing and vital energy.

Her connections to healing connect her to waters, as does her cauldron of inspiration. It is for this reason that Celtic countries, particularly Ireland, are filled with springs and wells baring the name of Brighid. Offerings to Brighid, such as coins or rings, were cast into these wells (leading to the modern tradition of making a wish and casting a penny into a fountain) to bring luck and the lady's blessing.

L· hOimelc begins the spring season of Earrach. It is also the day before Groundhog’s Day The lore has it that the ground hog comes out of his hole on this day, and if he sees his shadow, he gets scared and retreats back in, and we therefore will have six more weeks of winter. If, however, he does not see his shadow, he stays out, and it'll only be six weeks before spring begins. Now it happens that the Vernal Equinox is about six weeks away, so it becomes a matter of "is the glass half empty or half full?"