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“Happy Days Are Here Again, the skies above are clear again…”
Saturday, February 2, 2008, is the celebration of Candlemas, also known as Imbolc, Brigit’s Day, Feast of Lights, and Candelaria. We celebrate and encourage the growth of Lord Sun on this date as we look for the familiar signs that winter’s cold is on the way Out! Part of the Lore of this time of year is found in this rhyme:
if Candlemas Day be fair and bright,
Winter will have another flight;
If on Candlemas Day be shower and rain,
Winter is gone, and will not come again.
Imbolc means “in the belly”; February is when ewes deliver their lambs and begin nursing; milk and all dairy products are an important feature in the celebratory meal, as are all spicy foods and seeds. If your menu involves sour cream, yogurt, curries, garlic, toasted pumpkin seeds, and raisins you will be doing your part to encourage Lord Sun to continue to grow in strength.
Decorate yourself, your table, and your altar with the colors of spring: light yellow, light blue, light green, pink. White, red, and brown are good secondary colors. Candle wheels*, corn dollies**, and many candles should form part of your decorations; Brigit’s Crosses*** made of wheat or other grain stalks may be exchanged with friends. Brigit is the patron saint of Candlemas. She is the patroness of poets and artists, blacksmiths and midwives. Shepherds and cattle herders also honor her.
An important ritual of Candlemas involves cleaning. Windows, mirrors, all reflective surfaces should be cleaned and polished so as to reflect as much light as possible. Sweep out the dust-bunnies from under furniture. This “spring cleaning” gets rid of the accumulation of last year’s spiritual energies as well as actual dirt and grime. At sundown, lead your guests in a procession to bring light into your home. Holding lighted candles, lamps, flashlights, or other light sources, begin with the front door and move“sunwise” (clockwise) through the house. Turn on all the lights in each room as you enter (you may turn them off when you leave the room), open all doors and drawers, and shine your light into all the corners. Be sure to have a door or window in the home cracked open to let out the old energy. If you and your guests are inclined to sing as you make this procession, sing cheerful songs with a good beat that welcome Lord Sun and encourage his continuing growth (“Good Vibrations“, “Here Comes the Sun“, and “Keep On The Sunny Side“ are but three suggestions).
*to make a candle wheel: shape wheat sheaves or other natural grain stalks into a circle; affix 8 or 13 red, pink, or white candles to the wheel and add some ribbons. The hostess (or a designated female guest) may wear this as a crown during the celebration to honor Brigit. It is acceptable to wait to light the candles until the wheel is not being worn and has been placed on a heat-proof surface as a centerpiece for your altar or table.
**to make a corn dolly: bundle and tie wheat sheaves or corn husks to approximate a human form. You may, if you choose, dress the dolly in white fabric to represent a bride and place her in her Bridal Bed (usually a woven basket, although a shoebox may also suffice). She traditionally resides on your altar during this celebration.
***to make Brigit’s cross: take stalks of wheat or other grains and arrange them into 2 bundles; place one bundle across the other to form a cross and tie the bundles together in the center with more wheat/grain stalks. They can make nice party favors
Reminder: 1st Annual Kerrville Wholistic Rodeo. Flyer that follows has all the information available at this time.
The 1st Annual
Kerrville Wholistic Rodeo
HEALTH – MIND – SPIRIT – ECO EXPO
Kerrville, Texas
Saturday, January 26th
Sunday, January 27th
2008
First 300 attendees receive a FREE Canvas Bag
Featuring:
45 EXHIBITORS
23 Life-Enhancing PRESENTATIONS
3 SPECIAL EVENTS & THE WALL OF WISDOM
Saturday Evening: Crystal Workshop
Sunday: Rare showing of the film
“The Lathe of Heaven”
WIN FREE Prizes by donating to South Texas Blood Center MBC
Kerrville’s very first Wholistic Rodeo: Health – Mind – Spirit – Eco Expo is for people interested in Holistic/Natural Health, Personal/Spiritual Growth and Ecology. Tools, unique and unusual gifts and products, services, and information that support health and well-being will be exhibited. Enjoy FREE gifts, lectures, special events, intuitive readings, interactive exhibits and more. See BIGBAG1, Faerie~Scape Artwork, Adrienne’s Crystal Chamber, the “Organic Matters” live radio show broadcasts and the Wall of Wisdom.
Where: Inn of the Hills Hotel & Conference Center, 1001 Junction Highway, Kerrville, Texas. For directions please call 830-895-5000. For discounted room rates please call the Inn of the Hills at 830-895-5000 or 800-292-5690, www.civicplazahotel.com.
When: Saturday, Jan 26th, 2008; Sunday, Jan 27th, 2008..
Hours: 10am–6pm Saturday, 11am-5pm Sunday. Expo Hall & Presentations: 7:30pm-10pm Saturday, Special Event. Opens 9:30am, Saturday, for registration at the door, 10:30am, Sunday, for registration at the door.
Registration: $10 for two-day pass covers entrance to exhibition halls, attendance to free lectures, Sunday film, and special exhibits. Children Under 12 free. Saturday Workshop, $30.
January 26-27, 2008
Health – Mind – Spirit Expo www.wholisticrodeo.com 877-454-3411
