Halfway point to Spring, Groundhogs Day. Yea! This is one of three celebrations taking place on this honored day, February 2nd. The other two are religious in nature, The Christian holiday, Candlemas and the Pagan holiday, Imbolic
Photo: celtic symbol Imbolic.jpg
"Imbolc" is derived from the Gaelic “oimele” which means “ewes milk.” This major Sabbat lies opposite Lammas, and represents the very beginning of spring. This festival is for the Maiden, her renewal, and has strong roots with the festivals for the Irish goddess Brigid. The ancient Celtic goddess Brigid was honored on this day, and even after she was absorbed into the Church as St. Brigid, celebrations for her changed very little from their Pagan roots. A traditional plated St Brigid’s Cross.“Candlemas” is from the adaptations of rites for the Virgin Mary that the European churches held at the same time of year. Candlemas is a celebration of light, the day of candles, but in many parts of the world it is thought of by both young and old as pancake day!
The plow is an integral part of Imbolc ritual, this being the earliest time of year in Europe to begin ground breaking or preparations for spring planting. Some cultural groups decorated plows or held processions around the fields. Seedlings for early spring planting can be started indoors at this time.
On the Celtic Wheel of the Year, Imbolc is celebrated on February 1st and belongs to Brighid, Brigid or Bride, a goddess who in later times became revered as a Christian saint.
In celebration of Candlemas the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In celebration of Imbolic. Imbolc is when the first spring cleaning can be done. Having hunkered down for the winter, what can go to make room for the growth of spring? Brigid has many associations with healing. Spend some time with activities for yourself and your own health, either to warm the chill of winter or to ready yourself for the coming spring.
How Candlemas/Imbolic gave birth to Groundhog Day
Like other cross-quarter days, Imbolc is associated with divination, being perceived as a time when the veils between worlds are thinner. One of the more common winter/spring divination rituals is Ground Hog Day. On February 2nd, it is said that a ground hog that comes out of his burrow and sees his shadow foretells six more weeks of winter weather. No shadow on this day and spring is right around the corner.
Most Americans are only familiar with the media glare cast on “Punxsutawney Phil” and a small Pennsylvania town each year, not realizing the more complex European roots of this rite. This practice came with German settlers, the Pennsylvania Dutch, who adapted their own hedgehog observations to a close American native.
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