Category Archives: Magic and Occult

Imbolc: The first day of Spring

Posted on by
Reply
Snowdrops at a creek announce Imbolc. The first blooms of snowdrops or blackthorns or the first birth of the new lambs were often considered the announcement of Imbolc's arrival. (photo by Tony Eaglehart)

Snowdrops at a creek announce Imbolc. The first blooms of snowdrops or blackthorns or the first birth of the new lambs were often considered the announcement of Imbolc’s arrival. (photo by Tony Eaglehart)

Blackthorn blooming at Imbolc.

Blackthorn blooming at Imbolc.

The Celtic — and magical! — festival of Imbolc, celebrated February 1-2, was considered the first day of spring in Celtic cultures and across Europe in general during the medieval period. Although we nowdays generally consider the soltice or equinox the first day of a season (December 21 as the first day of winter, March 21 as the first day of spring, June 21 as the first day of summer, and September 21 as the beginning of autumn), those days were previously considered the mid-seasons. (That is why we can sing Christmas carols about “midwinter” in December and have Midsummer night dreams in June!) The traditional changes of the seasons were the “quarter days” which marked the midpoints between the mid-seasons. So we get the Celtic/magical festivals of Samhain (October 31, the first day of winter), Imbolc (February 1-2, the beginning of spring), Beltane (May, the first day of summer), and Lammas (August 1, the beginning of autumn). 

Because Imbolc is the beginning of spring, it is often associated with various means of predictng the coming weather which is so crucial during the planting season of agricultural societies. Hence, we consult the groundhog to determine if he sees his shadow or not in order to know if cold and snow will last another six weeks or not. In Serbia, a bear who wakes from his hibernation to stumble out of his cave and see his shadow will know whether to go back to sleep for another six weeks or not, based on whether he sees his shadow.Imbolc was believed to be when the Cailleach—the divine hag of Gaelic tradition—gathers her firewood for the rest of the winter. Legend has it that if she wishes to make the winter last a good while longer, she will make sure the weather on Imbolc is bright and sunny, so she can gather plenty of firewood. Therefore, people would be relieved if Imbolc is a day of foul weather, as it means the Cailleach is asleep and winter is almost over. At Imbolc on the Isle of Man, where she is known as Caillagh ny Groamagh, the Cailleach is said to take the form of a gigantic bird carrying sticks in her beak.

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

Posted on by
Reply

Jonathan-Strange-Mr-Norrell

This first novel by Susanna Clarke, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, is an intriguing exploration of the alternate history of magic’s restoration to England during the war against Napoleon. Mr.. Norrell, an unlikeable old man who dares to make the jump from theoretical magic to practical magic(!), struggles to keep magic in England completely under his control but is forced by circumstance to take on Jonathan Strange as a student. Strange’s attitude toward magic is much more open and welcoming, eager to make magic available to the English public. Lurking in the background is a malignant fairy king, to whom Norrell owes a terrible debt. There a several storylines going on in the novel that weave together and overlap while each maintaining its own integrity as a subsidiary tale. When Clarke brings them all together at the novel’s climax, the effect is stunning.

A lengthy but delightful romp through the possible alternative history of the United Kingdom, I urge everyone interested in bringing magic back into the modern world to read the record of Strange and Norrell.

Carnation, the birth flower of January

Posted on by
Reply
Carnations were given to the gods by the Romans and later used to provoke love in the hearts of those who received them.

Carnations were given to the gods by the Romans and later used to provoke love in the hearts of those who received them.

Composed of tightly packed, fringed petals of white, yellow, pink, or red, carnations have many different meanings. To the Indians of Mexico, they are the “flowers of the dead,” and their fragrant blooms are piled around corpses being prepared for burial. (Perhaps because carnations are poisonous and should never be eaten!) For the Koreans, three carnations placed on top of the head are a form of divination. The flower that withers first indicates which phase of the person’s life will contain suffering and hardship. To the Flemish people of Europe, red carnations symbolized love, and a kind of carnation called a pink was traditionally associated with weddings. Red carnations were also used to provoke love and admiration in the recipient for the giver and to overcome heartache.

Also known as Jove’s flower, white carnations were used by the ancient Romans to pay tribute to the gods they love.  Wreaths of white carnations mixed in with other colors of carnations are laid in front of the statues of Roman gods.

Associated with the element of fire and the sun, carnations were also used in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I to prevent death (execution) on a scaffold and can still be used in protective magic.