Imbolc?

[blackwitch]

i've been practicing wicca (soltiary) for a long time. in wicca, imbolc is about the return of th godess to the land, spring time, leaves growing, snowdrops. i light white candles and bring spring flowers intot he house.

what is the diffenrence between a wiccan imbolc ritual and a brythonic one?

BB Moira

[Blackbird]

ah... well strictly, Imbolc is an Irish festival, so it's not Brythonic at all. Some people argue that Imbolc was celebrated throughout the Celtic world, and that may be so - but no evidence survives to prove it.

The Christian Celts were celebrating Candlemas, which celebrates the purification of Mary. It may be that they deliberately chose to have their festival at a time when the pagans were doing something very similar.

In Wales, this was a time for divination, and traditionally, you would put a candle in the window as a sign that this was the last day that a candle would be needed to work by. It's usually called Gwyl Forwyn or Gwil Fair - Feast of the Maiden.

[goldenhand]

Gwyl Forwyn is 'feast of the maiden' - but Gwil Fair is the 'feast of Mary'.

Blessings,

Angharad

[Blackbird]

Thanks Angharad - I'm still struggling with the Welsh language ;D

Blackbird

[blackwitch]

So what are the Brythonic festicals then? do you still celebrate the Wehil of the Year?

bb Moira

[Blackbird]

Moira, this is going off the theme of the original thread - so I'm going to start a new one for your question, hope that's OK