Violet Hour Tarot

I’m forgoing “Wordless Wednesday” to wish you a very blessed Imbolc, or if you celebrate tomorrow, blessed Candlesmas. For Pagans and Christians alike, this is a time of purification, a time of dedication, and a time to welcome those first tentative signs of spring here in the northern hemisphere.

I’m responding more to the increase of light, than I am the fading of winter.  We have had such an amazingly mild winter here, that I feel like it never arrived. Normally we would see scenes like this one I photographed two years ago:

Imbolc / Candlemas is also the day of the Goddess Brigid, later transformed into St. Brigid by the Catholic Church.  Brigid is the Goddess of the forge, a patron to artist, poets and “makers” , a Goddess of healing and a Goddess of the home and hearth.  If Brigid’s divine inspiration has touched you, now is the perfect time to thank Her and ask for Her blessing.  This is also a wonderful time to dedicate yourself to something new, or make a personal pledge for yourself, your local environment, for the planet or all three!  Vows at this time are traditionally made for a year and a day.  You can pledge you service to your deity, a cause, a spiritual path…anything meaningful to you.  One a personal level, I’m pledging to continue my dedication to my spiritual path, and to the Goddess.  For my local community, I pledge to support local businesses as much as possible and to eat locally/seasonally as much as possible, too.  And for the planet, our beloved Mama Gaia, I pledge to offering a healing prayer for the Earth as part of my daily spiritual practice, and to continue to try to “green” my home.

Brigid by Wendy Andrew

Here is my healing prayer to the Earth; feel free to make it your prayer, too!

Mother Gaia, Holy Well of the Universe, cradle of life,

We offer You this intention of love and healing:

Mother of the beasts and wild places, we cherish You.

You are healed, we are healed.

Star of the Sea, Cauldron of Inspiration,we honor You.

You are renewed, we are renewed.

Old Woman of Spirit and Destiny,we revere You.

You are blessed, we are blessed.

The great circle of our love surrounds You.

We are one.