Imbolc, or Imbolg, or Candlemas, on or around Feb 1st or 2nd, is the witchy counterpart of Groundhog Day. Irish goddess Brighid is wrapped up in Imbolc, and lots of folks think of it as her holiday. She's a fire goddess, a hearth goddess, and is also considered the patroness of bards, smiths, and poets- I like her for all of these reasons. She's still celebrated as a goddess in Ireland (and elsewhere), right alongside Saint Brigid, in early February. Friends of mine who've visited Brigid's Well in Ireland, where Imbolc involves an amazing candlelit procession, tell me that the nuns there laugh about the separation of goddess and saint where Brighid is concerned- they say she's the same, however you classify her. Maman Brigitte, of Haitian Vodou, is partner to Baron Samedi, loves pepper spiced rum, and is said to be the only known Lwa with pale skin and red hair. She came to the Lwa pantheon in the Caribbean via transported Irish and Scottish indentured workers. Brighid crosses cultures and pantheons, which makes her a great figure to look to where cultural sensitivity is concerned, and how we can step that up (both as individuals and as a spiritual community) as we walk our path "with both eyes open".

Imbolc is a holiday for celebrating new beginnings and is even observed as the true start of spring.

Milk is a traditional offering at Imbolc, hence my lyric, "pour the milk upon the ground."

--Sooj