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Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials
Imbolc: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Brigid's Day
Imbolc—also known as Brigid's Day—is a time to awaken from our months of introspection and start making plans for the future. This guide to the history and modern celebration of Imbolc shows you how to perform rituals and magic to celebrate and work with the energy of the re-awakening earth.
Rituals Recipes Lore Spells Divination Crafts Correspondences Invocations Prayers Meditations Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials explore the old and new ways of celebrating the seasonal rites that are the cornerstones of the witch's year.
Rituals Recipes Lore Spells Divination Crafts Correspondences Invocations Prayers Meditations Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials explore the old and new ways of celebrating the seasonal rites that are the cornerstones of the witch's year.
164 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 8, 2015
240 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
January 28, 2026
I’m new to Wicca, Imbolc is only my third celebration, and I'm currently deep in my feral consume-all-the-books era. I picked this up thinking "cute seasonal vibes, maybe a recipe or two," and the author immediately spiritually adopted me.
Next thing I know... candles are lit, tea is brewed, my kitchen has been spiritually redecorated, and I’m whispering intentions at bread while emotionally bonding with oats. This book is cosy. Major hearth goblin energy.
The rituals are actually doable, like real-life-in-your-pyjamas doable, not "summon the ancestors using rare crystals harvested during a lunar eclipse." The recipes are sacred carbs and comfort food witchcraft, and suddenly cooking feels spiritual and I’m standing there like wow okay yes I will honour the turning of the year with soup. The lore somehow manages to be informative and fun, and I kept having little “oh?? OH???” moments while reading.
As a beginner, I absolutely loved how welcoming this felt. No gatekeeping. No pressure to already know everything. Just warm guidance, Brigid devotion, and gentle encouragement to do what feels right. It feels like being wrapped up in a blanket at the kitchen table while being handed a mug of something warm and told “you’re doing great, girl.”
I opened it "just to skim." I basically blacked out and when I came back I had seasonal intentions, bookmarked recipes, plans for an altar refresh, and a sudden desire to fill my house with all the candles.
Would recommend to baby witches (hi dat me), folklore lovers, anyone spiritually bonded to warm drinks, Brigid devotees, and folks who love seasonal living but also vibes. And speaking of vibes: hearth witch realness, emotional support candles, spiritually significant bread, and tea. Lots of tea.
Also this book somehow made FEBRUARY of all things feel meaningful, which is honestly its own form of sorcery.
Next thing I know... candles are lit, tea is brewed, my kitchen has been spiritually redecorated, and I’m whispering intentions at bread while emotionally bonding with oats. This book is cosy. Major hearth goblin energy.
The rituals are actually doable, like real-life-in-your-pyjamas doable, not "summon the ancestors using rare crystals harvested during a lunar eclipse." The recipes are sacred carbs and comfort food witchcraft, and suddenly cooking feels spiritual and I’m standing there like wow okay yes I will honour the turning of the year with soup. The lore somehow manages to be informative and fun, and I kept having little “oh?? OH???” moments while reading.
As a beginner, I absolutely loved how welcoming this felt. No gatekeeping. No pressure to already know everything. Just warm guidance, Brigid devotion, and gentle encouragement to do what feels right. It feels like being wrapped up in a blanket at the kitchen table while being handed a mug of something warm and told “you’re doing great, girl.”
I opened it "just to skim." I basically blacked out and when I came back I had seasonal intentions, bookmarked recipes, plans for an altar refresh, and a sudden desire to fill my house with all the candles.
Would recommend to baby witches (hi dat me), folklore lovers, anyone spiritually bonded to warm drinks, Brigid devotees, and folks who love seasonal living but also vibes. And speaking of vibes: hearth witch realness, emotional support candles, spiritually significant bread, and tea. Lots of tea.
Also this book somehow made FEBRUARY of all things feel meaningful, which is honestly its own form of sorcery.
February 6, 2022
This book is just like the rest of the series, wonderfully written and oh so helpful. I learned so much that I didn't know. I honestly don't know if it's good for the advanced but when it comes to beginners like me, it's great!
Second Read Review: Still super great for beginners and I enjoyed some of the spells in here.
Second Read Review: Still super great for beginners and I enjoyed some of the spells in here.
January 18, 2021
Not my favourite book of the series, but not the worst one either. It has some interesting information: for instance, I didn't know that the Vodou Maman Brigitte originated from the Celtic Brigid, i. e., the Brigid of Imbolc.
The recipes are interesting and appropriate, but very few and none are vegan-friendly.
Typos, of course, - but I've kind of grown used to this aspect of Llewellyn's books by now.
The recipes are interesting and appropriate, but very few and none are vegan-friendly.
Typos, of course, - but I've kind of grown used to this aspect of Llewellyn's books by now.
January 30, 2019
A wonderful book all about the Sabbat Imbolc, which is in the beginning of February. I'm Wiccan myself and found this a great book about Imbolc with plenty of ideas on how one can celebrate it. It also makes a point to be inclusive. I definitely plan on getting the other 7 Sabbat books in this series.
January 27, 2021
Please note – I’m writing observations while I’m reading, so my comments weren’t written after I’ve completed reading it. It’s long. Sorry, but I could not go back and edit it for fear of throwing my computer against the wall. Buckle up.
REPETITIVE. I understand wanting to reinforce certain concepts, but my goodness, every other paragraph is a bit much.
I’m not quite sure this was written for adults. It’s very simplified and just glosses over certain concepts. It also suffers from what many Pagan authors do – “It is known…” “Since ancient times…” Please, authors, stop doing this! CITE YOUR SOURCES.
About six (6!) pages on how to plant a seed. Does this author have a word count he must make?
Carl Neal has got the name of February’s/Imbolc’s moon completely wrong. Imbolc’s moon is called the Full Snow Moon! Wait. Am I going mad? Let me look this up…
Yup. A Pagan author got the name of February’s moon wrong. I’m not going nuts. He calls it the Milk Moon, which is one of the names for May’s full moon. He also claims that the Milk Moon can start on December 25 and its end is February 22. In my 27 years of practice, I have NEVER heard such a thing.
Finally, a section on candles. Of course, Mr. Neal doesn’t go into WHY candles are important on Imbolc. Sigh.
Multiple deities from different pantheons across the world are called upon in one spell. Talk about a recipe for a disaster. And I’m sorry but calling in Middle Eastern gods for a CELTIC ceremony just sounds so wrong.
“Goddess in the Air Divination” – a better idea would have been working with the element of Fire because, you know, Imbolc is all about FIRE. My face hurts from the number of times my palm has hit it.
NO explanation as to why dairy products are important to Imbolc. At this point, I’m not surprised. Pretty basic recipes. But WHY CHINESE FORTUNE COOKIES? I’m all for celebrating each other’s cultures, but randomly sticking in Far East foods, African deities, etc. in a CELTIC ceremony is bound to give one cultural whiplash. What in the name of Hel is this? MOVING ON BEFORE I POP A BLOOD VESSEL.
Why is the author discussing the Lupercus holiday in a book about Imbolc? It makes more sense, I guess, than Chinese Red Envelopes, WHICH ARE DISCUSSED IN THE VERY NEXT SECTION.
Rituals: one for solitary, one for couples, one for a group. The one for solitary and a group aren’t too bad, but the couple ritual will be best suited to Beltane, me thinks. Also, he doesn’t use the color red often: it’s mostly white or yellow. Red and white are the two colors of this Sabbat.
Correspondences: again, I have a problem with including God/desses from other cultures in a Celtic ceremony. It just FEELS wrong. Also, RED IS AN IMPORTANT COLOR, YO. It’s not listed here. Amethyst and turquoise as the only crystals and stones? WHAT? The Death Tarot card is NOT a correspondence to a Sabbat that is all about beginnings, not endings.
I certainly hope that the rest of the books in this series are a lot better than this one. I certainly cannot recommend this book to anyone.
REPETITIVE. I understand wanting to reinforce certain concepts, but my goodness, every other paragraph is a bit much.
I’m not quite sure this was written for adults. It’s very simplified and just glosses over certain concepts. It also suffers from what many Pagan authors do – “It is known…” “Since ancient times…” Please, authors, stop doing this! CITE YOUR SOURCES.
About six (6!) pages on how to plant a seed. Does this author have a word count he must make?
Carl Neal has got the name of February’s/Imbolc’s moon completely wrong. Imbolc’s moon is called the Full Snow Moon! Wait. Am I going mad? Let me look this up…
Yup. A Pagan author got the name of February’s moon wrong. I’m not going nuts. He calls it the Milk Moon, which is one of the names for May’s full moon. He also claims that the Milk Moon can start on December 25 and its end is February 22. In my 27 years of practice, I have NEVER heard such a thing.
Finally, a section on candles. Of course, Mr. Neal doesn’t go into WHY candles are important on Imbolc. Sigh.
Multiple deities from different pantheons across the world are called upon in one spell. Talk about a recipe for a disaster. And I’m sorry but calling in Middle Eastern gods for a CELTIC ceremony just sounds so wrong.
“Goddess in the Air Divination” – a better idea would have been working with the element of Fire because, you know, Imbolc is all about FIRE. My face hurts from the number of times my palm has hit it.
NO explanation as to why dairy products are important to Imbolc. At this point, I’m not surprised. Pretty basic recipes. But WHY CHINESE FORTUNE COOKIES? I’m all for celebrating each other’s cultures, but randomly sticking in Far East foods, African deities, etc. in a CELTIC ceremony is bound to give one cultural whiplash. What in the name of Hel is this? MOVING ON BEFORE I POP A BLOOD VESSEL.
Why is the author discussing the Lupercus holiday in a book about Imbolc? It makes more sense, I guess, than Chinese Red Envelopes, WHICH ARE DISCUSSED IN THE VERY NEXT SECTION.
Rituals: one for solitary, one for couples, one for a group. The one for solitary and a group aren’t too bad, but the couple ritual will be best suited to Beltane, me thinks. Also, he doesn’t use the color red often: it’s mostly white or yellow. Red and white are the two colors of this Sabbat.
Correspondences: again, I have a problem with including God/desses from other cultures in a Celtic ceremony. It just FEELS wrong. Also, RED IS AN IMPORTANT COLOR, YO. It’s not listed here. Amethyst and turquoise as the only crystals and stones? WHAT? The Death Tarot card is NOT a correspondence to a Sabbat that is all about beginnings, not endings.
I certainly hope that the rest of the books in this series are a lot better than this one. I certainly cannot recommend this book to anyone.
Read
February 3, 2021This is a fast, informative read about Imbolc. It gives a good back history and also some rituals, crafts, etc. I really quite like this series of books on the Sabbats that Llewellyn has put out, so I am trying to collect them all and read them as the year of the wheel goes by. :)
January 27, 2022
Quote:
“Imbolc is a sabbat about preparing for what is to come, getting rid of old things that no longer serve us, and introspection. Imbolc is about beginnings and the transformation from winter to spring.”
“Imbolc is a sabbat about preparing for what is to come, getting rid of old things that no longer serve us, and introspection. Imbolc is about beginnings and the transformation from winter to spring.”
November 29, 2015
I would like to thank Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. for a free ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an open and honest review.
Another great reference book from Llewellyn Worldwide for those wishing to learn more about the sacred ‘Wheel of the year’.
This is the second book in the ‘Llewellyn Sabbats essentials’ series I’ve read and, although again strongly focussed on the faith in the northern hemisphere, it still represented the quality of work I’ve come to expect from this series.
And, what I liked a lot was that I’ve never really done much for Imbolc, as I focus more on Ostara at the end of September (here in Australia) and I do love how the book not only taught me the importance of this Sabbath, it’s inspired me to do more for it come the end of July next year.
As with the other book I’ve read in this series, ‘Imbolc’ encouraged me to keep doing things “my way”. While also teaching me a few new things that I feel will really help lift the darkness of winter and bring a little light back into my home a little earlier. A book not only of knowledge, history and ritual… but inspiration and passion too.
Would I recommend this book to others? Yes I would. Again, the stronger connection to the northern hemisphere (just like the book ‘Yule’) means other southern hemisphere folk may draw more inspiration than actual ritual practices from the book… but it is still a worthy reference book and guide for those wanting to know ‘what it’s all about’ and reconnect to the cycles of our seasons and our glorious Mother Nature. It also gives us a broader look at the world and our Pagan faiths within it.
Would I buy this book for myself? As with ‘Yule’… I might. I do have some books that follow the Wheel that are more Southern Hemisphere orientated that work for me… but I did enjoy reading this series and do find the books so inspirational that they are a strong contender to add to my library of faith reading.
In summary: A well written book of reference for anyone wanting to get back in touch with the Sabbath of Imbolc, the Quickening, the Goddess Brigid, and so on. Although a book better suited to those of the Pagan faith in the northern hemisphere, it is still a good reference book for southern hemisphere Pagans too. It’s a good nudge in the right direction, rather than a strict statement of how it should be. A perfect book to embrace into your faith, and to help you find more balance in how to live.
Another great reference book from Llewellyn Worldwide for those wishing to learn more about the sacred ‘Wheel of the year’.
This is the second book in the ‘Llewellyn Sabbats essentials’ series I’ve read and, although again strongly focussed on the faith in the northern hemisphere, it still represented the quality of work I’ve come to expect from this series.
And, what I liked a lot was that I’ve never really done much for Imbolc, as I focus more on Ostara at the end of September (here in Australia) and I do love how the book not only taught me the importance of this Sabbath, it’s inspired me to do more for it come the end of July next year.
As with the other book I’ve read in this series, ‘Imbolc’ encouraged me to keep doing things “my way”. While also teaching me a few new things that I feel will really help lift the darkness of winter and bring a little light back into my home a little earlier. A book not only of knowledge, history and ritual… but inspiration and passion too.
Would I recommend this book to others? Yes I would. Again, the stronger connection to the northern hemisphere (just like the book ‘Yule’) means other southern hemisphere folk may draw more inspiration than actual ritual practices from the book… but it is still a worthy reference book and guide for those wanting to know ‘what it’s all about’ and reconnect to the cycles of our seasons and our glorious Mother Nature. It also gives us a broader look at the world and our Pagan faiths within it.
Would I buy this book for myself? As with ‘Yule’… I might. I do have some books that follow the Wheel that are more Southern Hemisphere orientated that work for me… but I did enjoy reading this series and do find the books so inspirational that they are a strong contender to add to my library of faith reading.
In summary: A well written book of reference for anyone wanting to get back in touch with the Sabbath of Imbolc, the Quickening, the Goddess Brigid, and so on. Although a book better suited to those of the Pagan faith in the northern hemisphere, it is still a good reference book for southern hemisphere Pagans too. It’s a good nudge in the right direction, rather than a strict statement of how it should be. A perfect book to embrace into your faith, and to help you find more balance in how to live.
March 1, 2018
This book was interesting and informative, however, I feel like it was a bit rushed or just looked over since it is one of the "lesser" sabbats. I found a lot of typos, awkward sentences, or repetitious wording/phrasing through out the last few sections of the book that should have been caught by an editor before going to print. The section "Winter to the Ancients" was especially repetitive and could have been cut down by several sentences, if not paragraphs.
As is usual with Llewellyn books there was some "historical" information that felt vague or even iffy to me. For example, on page 26 the author states, "The common theme throughout the stories and poems of the Celts...is that Brigid is all about transformation and new beginnings." The author however never mentions which stories or poems. As well, no where in the book could I find any primary sources for finding these stories or poems. Since Imbolc is Brigid's sabbat, it would be nice to know some good resources where one can learn more about her.
Despite the issues I have with the historical aspects of the book (I've learned not to take any historical information Llewellyn provides at face value), the reason to purchase this book, and possibly the series, is for the divination, recipe/craft, blessings, and ritual portion of the book. These sections are what make these books great for beginners or pagans who live in non-pagan friendly areas, like myself, and don't have any like minded people to talk to and learn from.
I really like that this book provides rituals and blessings for solitary practitioners, couples, and large groups, as well as non-ritual ideas for how to celebrate the sabbat. While I would have liked more in depth information like why certain correspondences are linked to this particular sabbat or, as mentioned above, some examples of the stories that included Brigid, this is a good book to lead into further research.
As is usual with Llewellyn books there was some "historical" information that felt vague or even iffy to me. For example, on page 26 the author states, "The common theme throughout the stories and poems of the Celts...is that Brigid is all about transformation and new beginnings." The author however never mentions which stories or poems. As well, no where in the book could I find any primary sources for finding these stories or poems. Since Imbolc is Brigid's sabbat, it would be nice to know some good resources where one can learn more about her.
Despite the issues I have with the historical aspects of the book (I've learned not to take any historical information Llewellyn provides at face value), the reason to purchase this book, and possibly the series, is for the divination, recipe/craft, blessings, and ritual portion of the book. These sections are what make these books great for beginners or pagans who live in non-pagan friendly areas, like myself, and don't have any like minded people to talk to and learn from.
I really like that this book provides rituals and blessings for solitary practitioners, couples, and large groups, as well as non-ritual ideas for how to celebrate the sabbat. While I would have liked more in depth information like why certain correspondences are linked to this particular sabbat or, as mentioned above, some examples of the stories that included Brigid, this is a good book to lead into further research.
February 27, 2020
Short and sweet. A perfect introduction to the sabbat.
February 19, 2025
This book is a good choice if you're looking for some rituals, crafts, recipes, or other activities to perform on Imbolc. It features some history and legends, but the majority of this book is instructional.
I think recipe books are not ideally suited to being audiobooks. That made my experience with this book a bit more annoying. But the information was good as soon as I got past the 26 times the narrator said "Now would be a good time to get a pen and paper. I'll pause. Welcome back. Let's go!"
I think recipe books are not ideally suited to being audiobooks. That made my experience with this book a bit more annoying. But the information was good as soon as I got past the 26 times the narrator said "Now would be a good time to get a pen and paper. I'll pause. Welcome back. Let's go!"
February 11, 2021
I really enjoyed reading this book, and I plan to read the rest of the series! I really liked how the sabats aren't over commercialized, each way of celebrating is meaningful with a lot of symbolism behind it, and it can be adapted from individuals up to larger groups. I feel that I gained a thorough understanding of Imbolc with this book!
February 18, 2021
Loved it. Great, accessible crafts, recipes and rituals. Lots of ideas to appeal to different paths. Encourages personalization and inclusion. I felt inspired by the rituals described and more confident in correspondences and symbology associated with the celebration. The art between each section was nice too. Highly recommend. I'll be checking out the other books in the series as well!
February 18, 2022
I love this series. They're short books that give readers a quick view over each sabbat in turn, through its history, traditions, correspondences, and showcasing some recipes and crafts through which one could celebrate the sabbat. I intend to peruse these books around each sabbat until all its contents rests in my mind.
February 1, 2024
Always enjoy learning about holidays and traditions. Especially fun things (and easy) to do with family. Enjoyed the history of this a lot and makes me want to read more non-children's books about various holidays to continue learning.
March 12, 2025
Très décevant comparé aux autres livres sur les sabbats dans lesquels j’ai appris plein de choses. Ici j’ai l’impression que l’auteur brasse du vent. Beaucoup de bla-bla et de répétitions. Je n’ai vraiment rien appris de particulier.
March 28, 2024
Un livre très complet et intéressant historiquement sur cette fête ! Dommage que je l'ai un peu trop tard par rapport à la fête...
January 28, 2022
A very fine little book!
I intend to own all the little books in this collection as there is much, much good and useful information contained therein. I just love these books! 💜 Very handy!
I intend to own all the little books in this collection as there is much, much good and useful information contained therein. I just love these books! 💜 Very handy!
January 28, 2025
Excited to have some Imbolc celebrations with my friends!!
February 1, 2020
I bought this adorable little book kinda on an impulse. I had been looking at the sabbath series for quite some time but because my path is so eclectic I was worried that so much of the information I would find in a book like this would be directly linked to deities- which is not something that I partake in (it's complicated, I'm saving myself for "the one").
However, every chapter was informative and not directed to any one specific path-- a lot of different options were offered and it was very stressed to change whatever spells or rituals used to one's own practice- which I definitely appreciate. The recipes are great, and I'm definitely saving the soda bread one just for everyday use since it's so easy! I will definitely be performing a few of the spells and meditations, as well as the solitary ritual.
I, overall, found this book to be really pleasant and I really enjoyed it. Once I began reading it I sailed right through to the end, where it has all kind of correspondence for Imbolc- making it a handy reference. I am very glad that I purchased this book so I will have it in the future.
However, every chapter was informative and not directed to any one specific path-- a lot of different options were offered and it was very stressed to change whatever spells or rituals used to one's own practice- which I definitely appreciate. The recipes are great, and I'm definitely saving the soda bread one just for everyday use since it's so easy! I will definitely be performing a few of the spells and meditations, as well as the solitary ritual.
I, overall, found this book to be really pleasant and I really enjoyed it. Once I began reading it I sailed right through to the end, where it has all kind of correspondence for Imbolc- making it a handy reference. I am very glad that I purchased this book so I will have it in the future.
January 26, 2016
I liked this volume more than the Yule one, mostly because it remained pretty firmly fixed in Brigid lore, rather than being spread across a broader variety of cultures. This gives it a depth- although I also appreciate a broader approach!
Imbolc is a quiet festival, and the crafts and rituals described work well for it.
I will mention that in re recipes, one is for making butter; it would have been helpful to many people to be informed that ultrapasteruized cream will NOT make butter, no matter what you do. Often that is the only kind of cream available! But that failure is NOT an omen! it's due to the processes.
Mildly recommended, and I will likely get more in the series.
Imbolc is a quiet festival, and the crafts and rituals described work well for it.
I will mention that in re recipes, one is for making butter; it would have been helpful to many people to be informed that ultrapasteruized cream will NOT make butter, no matter what you do. Often that is the only kind of cream available! But that failure is NOT an omen! it's due to the processes.
Mildly recommended, and I will likely get more in the series.
August 27, 2025
This is the first book I reached for in the series and sadly it was very disappointing. There's maybe one short chapter on the ancient Imbolc celebrations, the rest is just spells and rituals that call for deities from all over the place. Also, I almost abandoned the book at the beginning when the author went on about "imagine they couldn't call 911 in the ancient times, imagine they couldn't just go to the supermarket"...
Luckily he only wrote this book in the series so I will still give the other ones a try.
Luckily he only wrote this book in the series so I will still give the other ones a try.
February 13, 2019
A great introduction for even a beginer, and an interesting and educational read even for an intermediate to advanced student of magick. As an ecclectic, I especially appreciated the flexible and inclusive elements included in the rituals section. It was a lovely and almost meditative way to spend the season of Imbolg.
January 4, 2017
Quick read
A nice quick read with great info. I wish there were more recipes and crafts but otherwise a good reference for the sabbat.
A nice quick read with great info. I wish there were more recipes and crafts but otherwise a good reference for the sabbat.
January 30, 2021
I felt like the history section was way too short, other than that a fun little read.
March 15, 2025
Un libro de introducción a esta festividad con todo lo necesario para iniciar la rueda del año de la mejor manera.
February 4, 2026
CW: trans and nonbinary erasure, alcohol, heteronormativity
Sorry in advance, my notes are a bit out of order:
Shows a basic lack of understanding about how the light/reflection of the sun and the moon work, which is disturbing in the scientific literacy sense.
Unfortunately follows the Wiccan (and dare I say, colonial) tradition of duality of female and male, goddess and god, when we know many indigenous peoples knew non-binary and trans divinity as well. (The Norse Loki, the Greek Hermaphrodite, Ancient Egyptian Hapi, etc) I think we should all be more inclusive for our siblings and truer to our ancient ancestors.
The author is correct in mentioning that if one wishes to invoke Ganesha, it is proper to do so before any other deity, but he leaves it at that and doesn't explain why. In my understanding, (with a mere summer's worth of study of the Hindu gods) it is because Ganesha is the remover of obstacles, but I'm sure there's more to that, and I'll have to remember to go do more research later. Oh good, they come back to him later in the Prayers and Invocations chapter and explain more. I wish they would have indicated they would explain more about him later when they first mentioned him.
I was surprised there was so much detailed information on some subjects, like the section on incense, and others were so brief. It looks like the credited author's other books are mostly about incense.
The rituals are very Wiccan, unfortunately, and the one for lovers tries to be inclusive, but mentions heteronormative "traditions," which is laughable, as Wicca is less than 100 years old and heteronormativity is very colonial/Abrahamic. I found several of the phrases suggested for that ritual disturbing and codependency-leaning. "My life was empty before you" and "I am incomplete without you" sure sound like things people say in the movies, but they are actually quite terrible if you think about them, this author needs to go to therapy!
Fortune cookies? For Imbolc?? Because it happens to be near Chinese New Year? Yikes, that's a biiiiig stretch that just makes no sense. At least the author acknowledges they are an (Asian) American creation and not authentically Chinese. And then there is more information about Chinese red envelopes, and then they suggest co-opting the red envelopes and "adapting" and "blending" it to "a new idea" in "Western context." Giving people red envelopes with a nice phrase in them? Yikes, please don't do this. This sounds ridiculous and cringe and weird. I don't understand how the author and the publisher thought this was a good idea.
All of this really isn't appropriate for a book titled "Imbolc," if Llewellyn wanted to include all these other holidays (Lunar/Chinese New Year, Lupercalia, etc.) they should have named the book something else, "Imbolc and other Late Winter Holidays" for example. I kind of appreciate the impulse to be inclusive, but I'd guess that it's more of a lack of Imbolc information and ideas necessitating the filling of pages. Bearing in mind that this is the first book I've read in this series, and I intend to read the rest at the appropriate times later this year.
The further reading section is pretty good, but I found it strange that it didn't mention the earlier Llewellyn book for Candlemas by Amber K. and Azrael Ayrnn K. I luckily own that whole series of Llewellyn "Holiday series" books but never finished reading them thoroughly, I may have to try to remedy that this year or next. They are certainly longer books than this later series, but I can't say yet if they're better or worse. I certainly was not very impressed with this Imbolc book.
Sorry in advance, my notes are a bit out of order:
Shows a basic lack of understanding about how the light/reflection of the sun and the moon work, which is disturbing in the scientific literacy sense.
Unfortunately follows the Wiccan (and dare I say, colonial) tradition of duality of female and male, goddess and god, when we know many indigenous peoples knew non-binary and trans divinity as well. (The Norse Loki, the Greek Hermaphrodite, Ancient Egyptian Hapi, etc) I think we should all be more inclusive for our siblings and truer to our ancient ancestors.
The author is correct in mentioning that if one wishes to invoke Ganesha, it is proper to do so before any other deity, but he leaves it at that and doesn't explain why. In my understanding, (with a mere summer's worth of study of the Hindu gods) it is because Ganesha is the remover of obstacles, but I'm sure there's more to that, and I'll have to remember to go do more research later. Oh good, they come back to him later in the Prayers and Invocations chapter and explain more. I wish they would have indicated they would explain more about him later when they first mentioned him.
I was surprised there was so much detailed information on some subjects, like the section on incense, and others were so brief. It looks like the credited author's other books are mostly about incense.
The rituals are very Wiccan, unfortunately, and the one for lovers tries to be inclusive, but mentions heteronormative "traditions," which is laughable, as Wicca is less than 100 years old and heteronormativity is very colonial/Abrahamic. I found several of the phrases suggested for that ritual disturbing and codependency-leaning. "My life was empty before you" and "I am incomplete without you" sure sound like things people say in the movies, but they are actually quite terrible if you think about them, this author needs to go to therapy!
Fortune cookies? For Imbolc?? Because it happens to be near Chinese New Year? Yikes, that's a biiiiig stretch that just makes no sense. At least the author acknowledges they are an (Asian) American creation and not authentically Chinese. And then there is more information about Chinese red envelopes, and then they suggest co-opting the red envelopes and "adapting" and "blending" it to "a new idea" in "Western context." Giving people red envelopes with a nice phrase in them? Yikes, please don't do this. This sounds ridiculous and cringe and weird. I don't understand how the author and the publisher thought this was a good idea.
All of this really isn't appropriate for a book titled "Imbolc," if Llewellyn wanted to include all these other holidays (Lunar/Chinese New Year, Lupercalia, etc.) they should have named the book something else, "Imbolc and other Late Winter Holidays" for example. I kind of appreciate the impulse to be inclusive, but I'd guess that it's more of a lack of Imbolc information and ideas necessitating the filling of pages. Bearing in mind that this is the first book I've read in this series, and I intend to read the rest at the appropriate times later this year.
The further reading section is pretty good, but I found it strange that it didn't mention the earlier Llewellyn book for Candlemas by Amber K. and Azrael Ayrnn K. I luckily own that whole series of Llewellyn "Holiday series" books but never finished reading them thoroughly, I may have to try to remedy that this year or next. They are certainly longer books than this later series, but I can't say yet if they're better or worse. I certainly was not very impressed with this Imbolc book.
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September 4, 2023Imbolc
The Essential Sabats were another series I started but didn’t finish. I feel like I’ve neglected my studies slightly so as I try to complete incomplete series I returned to this one.
I feel like I understand basically what Imbolic is about. It’s about doing some spring cleaning. Getting rid or and letting go of things that don’t work for you anymore.
It’s also about renewal and starting new projects. It’s when winter is about to end and you see the start of spring. Reading this actually did make a new idea form in my head that I’d love to see grow into something one day. Just like the book talked about planting mental and actual seeds. That was the good part of reading the book.
Unfortunately, tho I didn’t get as much out of this one’s content as I did the last one But there were some. Lets look at these chapters
(The Old Ways)
This chapter made me appreciative. It made me think about the worst snowstorm we’ve had and how it took out the power for a whole week. This was years ago. Although we’ve had more outages now then I think there should be recently, there’s always power 98 percent of the time. And when we do have outages, it might be a couple hours (even during the winter months). There are only two in my household so when it talked about large families sharing a small space (and this included animals) I couldn’t even imagine this. When we did have a pet, he might have come in the house sometimes but he didn’t live in the house for months on end until the first signs of spring. The worst time being without food was during that bad storm. Although there have been times when food gets low again it’s not for months. So this chapter will make you very grateful!
(Other Celebrations(
It talked about Valentine’s (which I won’t talk about). It talked about Lupercali. (This may not be how this is spelled). The first time I heard about this holiday was on “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”, I think these are the two I was most familiar with.
(Prayers and Invocations)
There was a certain spell that stood out in this chapter and it had to do with a blessing for someone else’s mental health. I thought about my best friend and the worry I’ve felt about him. I’d use this prayer on his behalf (but only if he said it was ok as that’s part of this spell. You can only use it with the permission of the person).
(Recipes and Crafts)
This chapter showed how to make dairy foods (milk, cheese, yogurt) I think I’ll just continue to get mine from the store. The only thing I’d try was there was a milkshake recipe but even that was iffy because it had honey and blueberries. Maybe the blueberries. Definitely not the honey. Then it showed you how to make a corn dolly. A lot of these things for Imbolc tended to remind me if you were on a farm. They were a little too old-fashioned and didn’t have that many modern things that related to today’s times. I wouldn’t have any use for a corn dollie or making Bridgett’s cross.
Rituals and Celbrations
The only one I really could do is the “Fire Seed” Ritual. The other was for lovers and it was just too much. I was happy when it was done being read. The other was for a coven and I’m a solitary.
Rating: 5
The Essential Sabats were another series I started but didn’t finish. I feel like I’ve neglected my studies slightly so as I try to complete incomplete series I returned to this one.
I feel like I understand basically what Imbolic is about. It’s about doing some spring cleaning. Getting rid or and letting go of things that don’t work for you anymore.
It’s also about renewal and starting new projects. It’s when winter is about to end and you see the start of spring. Reading this actually did make a new idea form in my head that I’d love to see grow into something one day. Just like the book talked about planting mental and actual seeds. That was the good part of reading the book.
Unfortunately, tho I didn’t get as much out of this one’s content as I did the last one But there were some. Lets look at these chapters
(The Old Ways)
This chapter made me appreciative. It made me think about the worst snowstorm we’ve had and how it took out the power for a whole week. This was years ago. Although we’ve had more outages now then I think there should be recently, there’s always power 98 percent of the time. And when we do have outages, it might be a couple hours (even during the winter months). There are only two in my household so when it talked about large families sharing a small space (and this included animals) I couldn’t even imagine this. When we did have a pet, he might have come in the house sometimes but he didn’t live in the house for months on end until the first signs of spring. The worst time being without food was during that bad storm. Although there have been times when food gets low again it’s not for months. So this chapter will make you very grateful!
(Other Celebrations(
It talked about Valentine’s (which I won’t talk about). It talked about Lupercali. (This may not be how this is spelled). The first time I heard about this holiday was on “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”, I think these are the two I was most familiar with.
(Prayers and Invocations)
There was a certain spell that stood out in this chapter and it had to do with a blessing for someone else’s mental health. I thought about my best friend and the worry I’ve felt about him. I’d use this prayer on his behalf (but only if he said it was ok as that’s part of this spell. You can only use it with the permission of the person).
(Recipes and Crafts)
This chapter showed how to make dairy foods (milk, cheese, yogurt) I think I’ll just continue to get mine from the store. The only thing I’d try was there was a milkshake recipe but even that was iffy because it had honey and blueberries. Maybe the blueberries. Definitely not the honey. Then it showed you how to make a corn dolly. A lot of these things for Imbolc tended to remind me if you were on a farm. They were a little too old-fashioned and didn’t have that many modern things that related to today’s times. I wouldn’t have any use for a corn dollie or making Bridgett’s cross.
Rituals and Celbrations
The only one I really could do is the “Fire Seed” Ritual. The other was for lovers and it was just too much. I was happy when it was done being read. The other was for a coven and I’m a solitary.
Rating: 5
February 29, 2024
„Żyj w zgodzie z Kołem Roku i w pełni korzystaj z tego, co daje ci natura.”
Seria „Sabaty” w nowym wydaniu? A i owszem. Wydawnictwo Kobiece podjęło się nowego wydania popularnej serii, za co będą wdzięczne wszystkie okładkowe sroki. [współpraca reklamowa z Wydawnictwo Kobiece].
Czym więc jest seria? Są to pozycje, które całościowo opisują poszczególne pogańskie święta. Każda sabatowa książka na początku ma to samo wprowadzenie, mówiące o Kole Roku i stosunku neopogan do niego. Plusem tego właśnie wprowadzenia, które pojawia się na początku każdego tomu, jest to, że książki można czytać niezależnie od siebie – można zacząć od któregokolwiek z sabatów, a nie pominie się tych ważnych, podstawowych informacji.
Po wprowadzeniu przechodzimy przez poszczególne etapy w każdym ze świąt, zaczynając od starych praktyk przez nowe praktyki, zaklęcia i wróżby, receptury i rękodzieło, modlitwy i wezwania, rytuały świąteczne, aż po pojęcia związane z danym sabatem, któremu książka jest poświęcona. Otrzymujemy także wytypowane polecane lektury, do których można zajrzeć i uzupełnić swoją wiedzę.
Jeśli zaś chodzi konkretnie o recenzowany aktualnie tom... „Imbolc. Rytuały, przepisy i zaklęcia na święto światła” to książka Carla F. Neala. Imbolc to dzień świętej Brygidy obchodzony 1 lutego. W jego celebrowaniu główną rolę odgrywa symbolika światła.
„Uczcij Imbolc. Pożegnaj zimowy mrok i wypatruj zmian na lepsze”. Z okazji tego sabatu palimy świece z nadzieją na przywołanie wiosny i ciepła. Obserwujemy, jak dni stają się coraz dłuższe, a ziemia przygotowuje się do wydania nowego życia.
Książka ma charakter zarówno teoretyczny, jak i praktyczny. Dowiadujemy się, jak dawniej obchodzono święto Imbolc i jak celebruje się je w czasach teraźniejszych, jaki związek ma Imbolc z innymi świętami, poznajemy również sylwetkę bogini Brygidy. Otrzymujemy sporo ciekawostek, rytuałów i zabiegów magicznych, pozwalających nam na rozwój i otwieranie się na nowe możliwości (związane również z niedalekim nadejściem wiosny). W książce pojawiają się praktyki związane ze świętem Imbolc i wskazówki związane z tym, jak stworzyć np. krzyżyk Brygidy, czy specjalne kadzidło na Imbolc.
Również tematycznie skupiamy się na motywie światła, odrodzenia, odnowienia. Rytuały związane są z wejściem we wszystko, co nowe lub z próbą odbudowania tego, czego potrzebujemy. W książce opisane zostały rytuały świąteczne zarówno dla osób, które praktykują w pojedynkę, jak i dla kowenu czy innej większej grupy. Na samym końcu książki pojawia się zbiór pojęć związanych z sabatem.
Moim zdaniem, dla współczesnej wiedźmy, która pragnie praktykować czarostwo, jest to pozycja must have. Seria „Sabaty” jest trochę jak lektura obowiązkowa w szkole.
Za egzemplarz do recenzji dziękuję Wydawnictwu Kobiecemu.
Seria „Sabaty” w nowym wydaniu? A i owszem. Wydawnictwo Kobiece podjęło się nowego wydania popularnej serii, za co będą wdzięczne wszystkie okładkowe sroki. [współpraca reklamowa z Wydawnictwo Kobiece].
Czym więc jest seria? Są to pozycje, które całościowo opisują poszczególne pogańskie święta. Każda sabatowa książka na początku ma to samo wprowadzenie, mówiące o Kole Roku i stosunku neopogan do niego. Plusem tego właśnie wprowadzenia, które pojawia się na początku każdego tomu, jest to, że książki można czytać niezależnie od siebie – można zacząć od któregokolwiek z sabatów, a nie pominie się tych ważnych, podstawowych informacji.
Po wprowadzeniu przechodzimy przez poszczególne etapy w każdym ze świąt, zaczynając od starych praktyk przez nowe praktyki, zaklęcia i wróżby, receptury i rękodzieło, modlitwy i wezwania, rytuały świąteczne, aż po pojęcia związane z danym sabatem, któremu książka jest poświęcona. Otrzymujemy także wytypowane polecane lektury, do których można zajrzeć i uzupełnić swoją wiedzę.
Jeśli zaś chodzi konkretnie o recenzowany aktualnie tom... „Imbolc. Rytuały, przepisy i zaklęcia na święto światła” to książka Carla F. Neala. Imbolc to dzień świętej Brygidy obchodzony 1 lutego. W jego celebrowaniu główną rolę odgrywa symbolika światła.
„Uczcij Imbolc. Pożegnaj zimowy mrok i wypatruj zmian na lepsze”. Z okazji tego sabatu palimy świece z nadzieją na przywołanie wiosny i ciepła. Obserwujemy, jak dni stają się coraz dłuższe, a ziemia przygotowuje się do wydania nowego życia.
Książka ma charakter zarówno teoretyczny, jak i praktyczny. Dowiadujemy się, jak dawniej obchodzono święto Imbolc i jak celebruje się je w czasach teraźniejszych, jaki związek ma Imbolc z innymi świętami, poznajemy również sylwetkę bogini Brygidy. Otrzymujemy sporo ciekawostek, rytuałów i zabiegów magicznych, pozwalających nam na rozwój i otwieranie się na nowe możliwości (związane również z niedalekim nadejściem wiosny). W książce pojawiają się praktyki związane ze świętem Imbolc i wskazówki związane z tym, jak stworzyć np. krzyżyk Brygidy, czy specjalne kadzidło na Imbolc.
Również tematycznie skupiamy się na motywie światła, odrodzenia, odnowienia. Rytuały związane są z wejściem we wszystko, co nowe lub z próbą odbudowania tego, czego potrzebujemy. W książce opisane zostały rytuały świąteczne zarówno dla osób, które praktykują w pojedynkę, jak i dla kowenu czy innej większej grupy. Na samym końcu książki pojawia się zbiór pojęć związanych z sabatem.
Moim zdaniem, dla współczesnej wiedźmy, która pragnie praktykować czarostwo, jest to pozycja must have. Seria „Sabaty” jest trochę jak lektura obowiązkowa w szkole.
Za egzemplarz do recenzji dziękuję Wydawnictwu Kobiecemu.
February 3, 2020
Imbolc is one of the eight sabbats celebrated by pagans throughout the Wheel of the Year. It occurs on February 1st and marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and vernal equinox-which means that every day is steadily getting longer and we are over halfway through winter. Major themes associated with Imbolc are renewal, awakening, change, emergence from sleep, and new beginnings.
Imbolc is also known as Brigid's Day... and Brigid happens to be one of my absolute favorite goddesses of any pantheon. She began as the Irish goddess of healers, poets, and smiths--protector of hearth and home and keeper of the flame, but when Catholicism snuffed out paganism in Ireland, the people's love for Brigid was inextinguishable. Thus, Brigid's identity was then transformed into that of a Catholic Saint--Saint Brigid of Kildare. Something I first learned about Brigid while reading this book is that she also became one of the Voodoo death loas (Maman Brigitte, the consort of Baron Samedi) as Haitian and Irish cultures mixed with immigration to the Americas. Anyway, I find this all extremely fascinating, but I also see that I've gone off on a bit of a tangent.
Reading these little Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials is an interesting way to see how the celebrations and rituals of our ancestors have morphed over the years into our current traditions. With Imbolc: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Brigid's Day, these parallels aren't quite so clear as we don't really tend to celebrate any holidays that are the modern day equivalent of Imbolc. I guess the closest thing would be Groundhog's Day, which uses a rodent and his shadow as a form of divination to foretell the nearness of spring. Either way, this little book gave me hope that spring will come--as it has always come... even though every winter I've ever lived through seems that it will last forever.
Imbolc is also known as Brigid's Day... and Brigid happens to be one of my absolute favorite goddesses of any pantheon. She began as the Irish goddess of healers, poets, and smiths--protector of hearth and home and keeper of the flame, but when Catholicism snuffed out paganism in Ireland, the people's love for Brigid was inextinguishable. Thus, Brigid's identity was then transformed into that of a Catholic Saint--Saint Brigid of Kildare. Something I first learned about Brigid while reading this book is that she also became one of the Voodoo death loas (Maman Brigitte, the consort of Baron Samedi) as Haitian and Irish cultures mixed with immigration to the Americas. Anyway, I find this all extremely fascinating, but I also see that I've gone off on a bit of a tangent.
Reading these little Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials is an interesting way to see how the celebrations and rituals of our ancestors have morphed over the years into our current traditions. With Imbolc: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Brigid's Day, these parallels aren't quite so clear as we don't really tend to celebrate any holidays that are the modern day equivalent of Imbolc. I guess the closest thing would be Groundhog's Day, which uses a rodent and his shadow as a form of divination to foretell the nearness of spring. Either way, this little book gave me hope that spring will come--as it has always come... even though every winter I've ever lived through seems that it will last forever.
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