Imbolc - 2 of February

Imbolc

Imbolc is the traditional name of Gaelic origins of this pagan festival. This means "inside the womb". In this perspective, Imbolc reminds us of the ancient Roman festivities, The Lupercalia, was a pastoral festival, in which they honored the wolf, that fed Romulus and Remus, founders of ancient Rome. The milk was regarded as a nutrient, wisdom in the form of liquid light. It would not be surprising that, later, the festival was renamed by Christianity as "Candlemas" (The Mass of candles), because it is a festival honoring the birth of the divine mother. The moon appears as the goddess carrying the light into the darkness of our soul, as Brigid the triple goddess of inspiration. Brigid is the guardian goddess of fire. This is the fire that "triggers" poetic inspiration, healing the ills of the body and soul and  in the forge creates and shapes the plow, the hoe, the wheel, and many other farming tools.It is therefore not a fire from the sky as the sun, but a chthonic fire, internal, which acts inside the body and earth.

So Imbolc means "from the womb" and refers to the power of internal creation of matter, of the body, earthly germination.

Imbolc is a festival of purification. It is the feast of light as an expression of wisdom we find in the feminine archetype. And if it is a time of purifying, is also a moment of transgression and reversion, visible in the current carnival rites. The parties of masked people and musicians who hide behind those ritual masks, reveals the spirit of rebellion urging the spring time to arrive. The reversal of the normal pattern of conduct, helps the soul to free itself from the shackles and constraints. It's what reminds us of the feast of Imbolc, learning, and the child in all of us who learns and reverts to start growing alone.

The Thirteen Full Moons of the Year

The Thirteen Full Moons of the Year

The pagan practices bases its festivities not only on the sabbatical wheel of the year, but also in the thirteen full moons that occur throughout the year.

January - Wolf's Moon

With the deep snow of winter, hungry packs howled near the villages, this is why the full moon this month was known by this name. It was also known by the moon after Yule. We can associate these wolves with the  furious horde of wolves that came with the god of the wild hunt.

February - Snow's Moon

Usually the heaviest snow fell in February and hence its name, but it was also referred to as "full moon of hunger." So at this time comes the first festival of light of the year in the  Pagan Calendar , Imbolc.

March - Raven's Moon

The Ravens announced the departure of winter, which was at the beginning of the thaw, this was the reason that it was also entitled as the full moon's crust, as the snow thawed during the day and returned to form a crystalline crust overnight. Celebrating the arrival of spring in its equinox, Ostara.

April - The Moon of the Rose

This full Moon  owes its name to the pink colored-moss, one of the first flowers to bloom in early spring, but the April moon was recognized as the frog's moon or planter's moon.

May - The Moon of Flowering

Because May is the month that begins with Bealtaine and because the flowers reach their maximum brightness, color and fragrance this time of the year, this full moon is well known by this, or as the full moon flowers.

June - Moon of strawberries

It has this name because it is the season where people wanted to reap the fruits, in Europe it is known as the moon rose, since the roses reach their maximum splendor in this month. Litha is celebrated, or summer solstice.

July - The Thunder Moon

July brings heat and thunderstorms, showers and heat, being one of the months that have more climatic variations. However, this full moon is also nicknamed the blood moon because of the sacrificial rites that took place at this stage of the year.

August - The Red Moon

At the peak of harvest, the full moon appears in the sky with red tones, reflecting the light of the indomitable August sun. Reminds us of the sacrificial rites of the oak god in  Lughnasadh.

September - The Harvest Moon

In the month of threshing corn and early harvest, this is the most appropriate name to the full moon of September. Mabon is celebrated and all the good things that the  land gave us.

October - The Moon of the hunt

Since the peak period of harvest, and since the light of the sun was maintained to a late time, people began hunting in the woods. On the last day of the month it is celebrated Samhain, the beginning of the pagan year, announcing the wild chase of  Winter.

November - The moon of the Pig

It was in this month of the year, when people killed the pigs and began to to replenish the flue as a way of ensuring subistencia in winter.

December - The Icy Moon

Also known as the long night moon, is closely linked to the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. Yule is celebrated and the full moon was also known as the Oak Moon.


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