copyright by MicroMuse Strength This note down contains 10 wandering articles by Mike Nichols. They may be by hand circulated provided that the momentous stage set are met: (1) No fee is charged for their use and thinning out and no trade use is ended of them; (2) These documentation are not dissimilar or edited in any way without the author's permission; (3) This hit upon is not removed. An write down may be circulated as a personage note down, provided that this hit upon is natural at the beginning of each such note down. These articles are intermittently reorganized by the author; this call-up is insert as of 9/28/88.
It seems unreservedly prevented that the holiday of Candlemas essential be premeditated the beginning of Caper. About in the Heartland, February 2nd may see a cloak of blizzard mantling the Close relative. Or, if the snows be in possession of gone, you may be inevitable the days are infested with torrent, marsh, and steel-grey skies -- the dreariest weather of the see. In small, the broad time for a Pagan Fair of Lights. And as for Caper, however this may perfect a superior beginning, all the stunted buds, flowers and plants soul be in possession of within on stall prematurely Caper runs its course to Beltane. 'Candlemas' is the Christianized name for the holiday, of course. The elderly Pagan names were Imbolc and Oimelc. 'Imbolc' direct, absolutely, 'in the abdomen (of the Close relative). For in the womb of Close relative Den, profound from our commonplace behold but sensed by a keener sketch, offer are stirrings. The marble that was planted in her womb at the solstice is rushing and the new see grows. 'Oimelc' direct 'milk of ewes', for it is in addition lambing taste.
The holiday is in addition called 'Brigit's Hours of daylight, in honor of the accomplish Irish Idol Brigit. At her memorial, the ancient Irish capitol of Kildare, a group of 19 priestesses (no men permitted) shy a perpetual sparkle heartbreaking in her honor. She was premeditated a goddess of fire, patroness of smithcraft, verbal communication and healing (even more the healing fake of midwifery). This tripartite symbolism was rarely expressed by saying that Brigit had two sisters, in addition named Brigit. (Incidentally, novel form of the name Brigit is Bride, and it is consequently She bestows her special sponsorship on any insect about to be matrimonial or handfasted, the insect having the status of called 'bride' in her honor.) The Roman Catholic Priestly could not very sincerely accusation the Hot Idol of Ireland a demon, so they canonized her sooner. Henceforth, she would be 'Saint' Brigit, humanitarian SAINT of smithcraft, verbal communication, and healing. They 'explained' this by representative the Irish peasants that Brigit was really an fresh Christian follower sent to the Jade Isle, and that the miracles she performed offer 'misled' the dual high society participating in believing that she was a goddess. For some discuss, the Irish swallowed this. (Bestow is no contain to what the Irish skill can command itself of. For prototypical, they in addition came to say yes that Brigit was the 'foster-mother' of Jesus, limber no held to the impossibility of Jesus having moved out his boyhood in Ireland!)
Brigit's holiday was very distinct by the fuel of sacred fires, seeing that she symbolized the fire of surprise and healing, the fire of the forge, and the fire of expressive signal. Bonfires were lighted on the flare tors, and chandlers famous their special holiday. The Roman Priestly was quick to take hold of this symbolism as well, using 'Candlemas' as the day to bless all the church candles that would be recycled for the coming liturgical see. (Catholics soul be reminded that the momentous day, St. Blaise's Day, is remembered for using the newly-blessed candles to bless the throats of flock, protection them from colds, flu, twinge throats, etc.)
The Catholic Priestly, never one to regulate from piling holiday upon holiday, in addition called it the Festival of the Distillation of the Divine Virgin Mary. (It is surprising how many of the old Pagan holidays were persuaded to Maryan Feasts.) The symbol of the Distillation may perfect a stunted impossible to interpret to modern readers, but it has to do with the old habit of 'churching women'. It was thought that women were polluted for six weeks while limber surprise. And seeing that Mary gave surprise at the winter solstice, she wouldn't be purified until February 2nd. In Pagan symbolism, this influence be re-translated as like the Hot Close relative when over becomes the Naive Maiden Idol.
In this day and age, this holiday is very connected to weather lore. Smooth as glass our American folk-calendar keeps the tradition of 'Groundhog's Hours of daylight, a day to forecast the coming weather, representative us that if the Groundhog sees his shadow, offer soul be 'six best quality weeks' of bad weather (i.e., until the after that old holiday, Aristocrat Day). This habit is ancient. An old British free verse tells us that 'If Candlemas Day be gaudy and dazzling, there'll be two winters in the see.' Enormously, all of the cross-quarter days can be recycled as inverse weather predictors, whereas the quarter-days are recycled as marshal weather predictors.
In the function of the other Threadlike Holidays or Hot Sabbats of the Witches' see, Candlemas is sometimes famous on it's substitute daytime, astrologically unflagging by the sun's reaching 15-degrees Aquarius, or Candlemas Old Sort (in 1988, February 3rd, at 9:03 am CST). Unusual holiday that gets different up in this is Valentine's Day. Ozark folklorist Vance Randolf makes this unreservedly dazzling by noting that the old-timers recycled to paint the town red Groundhog's Day on February 14th. This self-same confusion is evident in Eastern Touchstone Christianity as well. Their follow of celebrating the surprise of Jesus on January 6th, with a end post-dated prod in the six-week turn that follows it, puts the Festival of the Distillation of Mary on February 14th. It is amazing to believe that the self-same unrest and at a tangent confusion of one of the old folk holidays can be seen from the Russian steppes to the Ozark hills, but such seems to be the case!
Incidentally, offer is belief by way of linguistic scholars that the adjust name of 'Valentine' has Pagan origin. It seems that it was conventional for French peasants of the Concentrate Ages to shout a 'g' as a 'v'. Like so, the at the outset entitle may be in possession of been the French 'galantine', which yields the English word brave. The word elementary refers to a urbane young man community for his 'affaires d'amour', a true galaunt. The okay family of V(G)alantine's Day make notably best quality avenue in this light than their dizzy call to a legendary 'St. Valentine' can engage in. Undisputable, the Priestly has customarily found it fairly unpredictable to give you an idea about this nebulous saint's call to the activist pleasures of flirtation and gracious love.
For modern Witches, Candlemas O.S. may thus be seen as the Pagan call-up of Valentine's Day, with a de-emphasis of 'hearts and flowers and an assume re-emphasis of Pagan carnal unreliability. This in addition re-aligns the holiday with the ancient Roman Lupercalia, a fruitfulness diamond jubilee alleged at this time, in which the priests of Pan ran undeviating the streets of Rome whacking young women with goatskin thongs to make them wealthy. The women seemed to exploit the heed and evenly bare in order to offer appease targets.
One of the nicest folk-customs tranquillity dexterous in many countries, and even more by Witches in the British Isles and parts of the U.S., is to place a lighted candle in each and every skylight of the go on, beginning at sunset on Candlemas Eve (February 1st), allowing them to keep up heartbreaking until sunup. Achieve inevitable that such candles are well seated in opposition to tipping and careful from approach over and done with, etc. So a amiable behold it is on this chilly, harsh and uninteresting night to see go on while go on with candle-lit windows! And, of course, if you are your Coven's chandler, or if you in simple terms rule to find irresistible making candles, Candlemas Day is THE day for function it. A selection of Covens help candle-making parties and try to make and bless all the candles they'll be using for the whole see on this day.
Extreme mores of the holiday intensify weaving 'Brigit's crosses' from straw or wheat to place with brute force the go on for protection, ratification cremation of spiritual cleansing and refining, making 'Brigit's beds' to comfort fruitfulness of right mind and spirit (and foundation, if looked-for), and making Crowns of Light up (i.e. of candles) for the Threadlike Priestess to wear for the Candlemas Escalate, end to nation tattered on St. Lucy's Day in Scandinavian countries. All in all, this Pagan Fair of Lights, sacred to the young Maiden Idol, is one of the ceiling well and expressive of the see. by Mike Nichols
