SPIRIT

Begin discussing the nature of the Imbolg festival. Like all Sabbats Imbolg has many aspects and which you emphasize is up to you. In discussing the nature of Imbolg you might say something like:

"We come together to celebrate the festival of Imbolg, or Candlemas. This is the Feast of Light, when we celebrate the returning light of the slowly waxing Sun. In some places Spring has arrived and in others we pray for Spring to come soon. New life has begun to emerge from beneath the shroud of Winter and the Earth has already begun to be renewed. This is the time of the Maiden, the Lady of light and color Who rules the dawn and the Spring. It is a time of growth and creativity, of rebirth and renewal. Let us therefore like the newborn leaves and first Spring flowers strive to open and unfold, taking this time to begin to shake off the deep Involution of Winter."

ACT OF POWER
Fire Lighting

Our Act of Power for Candlemas centers on the idea of Fire Lighting. In this it is very similar to the Candle Circle from our Yule section –which is also appropriate for Candlemas with some modification.

The idea of striking a new fire and using it to relight previously extinguished lights is an ancient ceremony of rebirth and renewal that is almost universal. For many ancient peoples it was a ceremonial act of supreme importance. Here we have combined the idea with the idea of the Eternal Flame, also an ancient idea and one which is central to Correllian thought and the focal point of our Wiccaning ceremony.

For this Act of Power you will need lots of candles. As well as many altar candles, you should have a candle for each person present.

Have all your candles assembled on the altar. Begin the ritual with only one single candle lit at the center of the altar: this will be termed the Spirit Candle. By this solitary light, cast the Circle, invoke, speak about Candlemas a bit. Then you are ready for your Act of Power. You might lead into it like this:

“Now is the Dawn of the Year. The Darkest Night -Yule- is past. Life begins to stir and will soon return to the world. But we know that it always seems darkest before the dawn –the coldest part of Winter falls between Yule and the return of Spring: and though days grow longer they are no warmer yet. Indeed, though the Darkest Night is past it is still the Dark of the Year, and still we turn inward awaiting the return of warmth and green.

“It is now, in the coldest time, that we most ardently pray for the return of the Sun. Now when we raise our energy to help Him to re-awaken and restore the Earth to fruitfulness. Now that we think of the first creation, when the Goddess, trembling, beheld the God Whom She had created from Herself and desired Him -even as the Earth beholds the Sun and desires His embrace to bring on the Spring.”

Hold up the Spirit Candle. Continue along these lines:

“Now is the time of the Maiden, the dawn of the year when all things are possible. Now we consider our potential, for the year lays waiting yet undiscovered, even as the Earth, unfurrowed, awaits the planting season. What will grow? What we will plant? We will we plant whatever we wish. All is beginning: All is potential.

“To the Maiden all things are possible, as it was in the beginning when the Goddess had only just taken the first step of creation and all paths awaited to be trod. All is excitement at such a moment, for possibility is limitless. As She beheld the God, as She beheld the flicker of manifestation, She knew what COULD be: that ANY thing COULD be. Let us never forget that feeling –we carry it within us all for at our core we were there. We were within Her even as She is within us now. All things are possible –we can create, we can form our will through the physical plane. Remember…

“Let this one flame remind you. One flame –burning in the darkness: alone and without equal. So it is with Spirit. One flame, immeasurably ancient yet always new. One flame from which all other flames are lit, reflected in their myriad lesser flames.

“One flame –an Eternal Flame, which burns in all of us: which lights our hearts and informs our being. In token of this, let us each take a candle.”

Pass out the candles to everyone present. Then continue:

“One flame: One Spirit: One spark of life. But one became two.”

Begin now to light the altar candles. Use the Spirit Candle to light them. Do not light the four Quarter candles yet. Continue speaking:

“Two became more. More became many. Many became myriad. Myriad became exponential.

“Even so did the Goddess send the many souls into matter, and the world was made.

“Potential became manifestation. Possibility became life. Dreams put on form.”

Now hold out the Spirit candle to the person nearest you, moving deosil. Address them:

“Light now your candle.”

Let the person light their candle from the Spirit candle. Now move on from person to person deosil around the Circle, allowing each to light their candle as you continue speaking:

“May this flame serve as a token of another flame, a brighter flame, an Eternal Flame which burns within us all. May it remind us that we are all manifestations of Deity, and that because we are manifestations of Deity all things are possible to us, always.

“Candlemas is the dawn of the year, and for this year all hopes are possible. Yet every instant we exist is also a dawn: the dawn of a new moment of creation, for we create in every moment we exist. Some of our creations we are conscious of, some of our creations we are not conscious of: but conscious or unconscious we create. Let us strive to be conscious creators, responsible in our creation and rejoicing in our handiwork, even as She Whose greater light we embody and express.”

When everyone has lit their candle, return to the altar.

“Even as the Goddess has made Her one flame into many: Even as we have brought our Temple from darkness to light: so too shall the Sun’s light grow. Days will grow longer and warmer, the Earth will reawaken, Spring shall come to the world and the plants shall bud and flower. The Goddess will adorn Herself and welcome the God’s return. Let us too welcome the return of life!”

Now continue with your ritual.