A Little Bling for
Imbolc!
By Katharine Clark and Natalie Zaman
It's January 6th--for us, it means that it's time for our beloved evergreens to come down. The ornaments are packed away, the needles are swept up--and we steel ourselves to face a few months of long, cold nights. One thing that keeps us going is knowing that the year is always rolling along--and once the Yule festivities come to an end, it's time to get ready for Imbolc.
At Yule, we're reminded that the Sun will return, but come February when it's freezing outside, it's hard to keep up hope that it'll ever be warm again. Imbolc is a time to rebalance, remember and heal (it is the height of the cold and flu season in our neck of the woods!). Long ago, it was tradition for each member of the family to hang a strip of white cloth outside the window on Imbolc Eve, so that Brigit could infuse it with healing and protective powers as she walked through the village. These strips would later be used to aid in healing of all kinds.
Why not bring this tradition into your home to celebrate Imbolc and help you keep your chin up during the remaining dark days of Winter? You'll need:
36 or 48” x 5”
strips of white material (cotton is best)
Pine needles (Before your tree gets recycled, save some of the needles. If,
like us, you have a fake tree, gather some pine needles from nature next time
you're at a park, or if you have an evergreen in your yard. Place the needles
in a plastic bag and keep them in the freezer--they'll be just as fresh as the
day you collected them!)
Small healing stones such as jade, clear quartz, fluorite, or stones specific
to a particular healing problem (stone chips work best)
Black ribbon or yarn
White thread
Needle
Scissors
On Imbolc Eve (February 1) place the fabric outside where it won't blow away. Out a window is traditional, but it can also be hung off a clothes line, draped over an outdoor chair, or placed on a surface like a deck railing or picnic table with something to weigh it down. Bring the fabric in on Imbolc and allow it to dry.
Lay the strip of material on a flat surface and fold it lengthwise, then sew the open long end together to form a tube. The openings should be large enough so you can insert the needles and stones. Trim any excess and turn the tube right side out.
Keeping in mind that when the necklace is complete the ends will have to be tied to close it, knot one side of the tube several inches (allow about 5-6 inches) from the end.
Starting with the balsam, insert one or two full pinches of needles into the tube and push to the end; for this you can use a straw, chopstick, or even a pencil. When the material is compacted in the end of the tube by the initial knot, tie a piece of ribbon or yarn to make a link.
Next, take a stone, or a few if they are small, and insert these into the tube, push to the end of the last link made, and slide on another pony bead or tie another ribbon to make a second link. Repeat the process going back and forth between stone and balsam until nine links have been made, ending as it was begun with the needles.
As you are filling the healing necklace and forming its links, speak or sing the following spell to call on Brigid to invest your necklace with her healing touch:
Touched by Brigit as
she did pass
On the eve of Candlemas
Healing power now dwell within
When worn by me or kith or kin.
Knot the tube at the base of the last link, and trim the ends so that they are even.
Present the necklace to someone that is need of healing, or use it yourself. It will smell wonderfully of pine--a reminder of the joy of Yule and the hope of Imbolc! The ends of the tube can be tied together to form a necklace or bracelet--it can also be tied onto objects and plants.
Have a healthy and happy New Year and a blessed Imbolc!