Imbolc

Goddess of fire, Goddess of healing,
Goddess of Spring, welcome again. 

I thought that I wasn't going to write about Imbolc this year. First I was writing about something else on the 1st, then I was sort of busy on the 2nd, and then I was sick on the 3rd...was recovering on the 4th...and after that I sort of gave up.

But the latest Pagan Blog Prompt has convinced me that it's not too late to write about celebrations, and what Imbolc means to me. :)




This year, my celebrating took the form of me just cleaning my room. I guess that's sort of trivial, and it's not like I had a huge job to do.

But as cleaned things up and wiped down surfaces, I thought about how just the act of cleaning can itself be a cleansing of sorts, even if you don't actually do any specific ritual or smudge. Even if the fanciest part of cleaning is wiping things down with a disinfecting wipe. Besides...ever heard of spring cleaning?

Which brings me to the next bit of what Imbolc is. It's a time to notice the earliest signs of spring. Things like the red-tailed hawks returning to my neighborhood, as they do each year to nest.

And of course, it is also an excellent day to honor Brighid. She's the goddess I'm most likely to turn to, so her day is pretty special to me. I wound up putting the following song on repeat, and the verse I started this post with are from it.

Pagan Values Month: Illness

The Pagan Blog Prompt I'm working from is the question of illness, which is particularly apt for me since I'm dealing with illness and today (which is Saturday, not actually the day this is being posted) stayed home from work sick.

How do you deal with illness?

Does being sick hinder your magic work?

Do you employ magic to make yourself healthy again?

What about others? Do you work magic to heal other people?

How do you deal with illness?

I usually deal with illness by staying in bed and sleeping in. Then maybe reading and maybe eating some kind of chicken soup. That is, when I don't have to go to work and when it's not too bad to keep me from work.

Does being sick hinder your magic work?

I'm not actually a witch, I'm a shamanic practitioner. But yes I would say that it hinders me. I can't really explain it, but I guess you could say that illness sort of gets in the way.

Do you employ magic to make yourself healthy again?

Not as often as I should. Remember I said before that I don't always do things that I know are good for me? this is one such case. Except that I often don't even think to. But when I do I usually call on Brighid to help me, and even if I don't feel better immediately it's comforting.

What about others? Do you work magic to heal other people?

Yes, I have. For three people that I can bring to mind. Two of them when I was still a practicing (though very inexperienced) witch before I discovered shamanic practices. The third one has been since. I didn't have miraculously results but I think I helped two of them. The third, my dad...I don't know. But he has post-polio syndrome and it would probably take an awful lot to make that go away.