Crystals for Celebrating Goddess Brigid at Imbolc

  Goddess Brigid is associated with Imbolc (when we celebrate her as a bringer of light). Occurring on February 1st, (here in the Northern Hemisphere), this sacred holiday marks the first of the cross-quarter days, and the beginning of spring. Discover the best crystals for celebrating Goddess Brigid at Imbolc!  Brigid’s connection with Imbolc is no coincidence... as a goddess of the fire and the sun, her presence is felt at this time of year when the cold days of winter are mostly behind us and we begin to welcome in the warmth and light of spring. The origins of Imbolc are connected to the lambing season or calving period when animals would begin giving milk, and the beginning of spring sowing of the ancient Celts. Imbolc celebrates the first inkling of Spring and welcomes new growth and the return of warmth to the land after we’ve made our way through the darkest and coldest of the winter months. This is a celebration of hearth and home as we prepare ourselves and our spaces for the return of spring. So let's dive into crystals plus more for celebrating Goddess Brigid at Imbolc. An Imbolc custom to honor the Goddess Brigid is carried out by women on La Fheill Brighid. On this day, an image of Brigid in her Maiden form is created, dressed in white, and placed in a woven basket (representative of a cradle). A crystal is placed over her heart (representing her purity), and the goddess is invited into the home by the female head of the household by singing sacred songs and chants to welcome her. There’s a reference, in the Carmina Gadelica, to Brigid’s connection to La Fheill Brighid, describing how a serpent came out of the mound here (the serpent, being a symbol of healing, has long been linked to Goddess Brigid). It’s said that this serpent emerges from the mound early in the morning each Imbolc in honor of the goddess. One final Imbolc tradition to honor Goddess Brigid is to leave a loaf of bread, a pitcher of milk, and a candle out for her on this day. In Avebury, Brigid devotees climb Silbury Hill (a neolithic earthen mound) to eat fig cakes and water in honor of Brigid.   Imbolc Offerings for Brigid: Bread (baked fresh and served with lots of butter and berries) Candles (Blue, Gold, Green, or White) Feathers (Blue, White, or Yellow) Flowers (Daffodils, Dandelions, or Snowdrops) Herbs (fresh or dried, or brewed as herbal tea) Incense (Bergamot, Cinnamon, or Vanilla) Music (especially Celtic harp)