SOCIAL MEDIA

Monday, February 5, 2018

Imbolc Altar 2018

Imbolc Altar 2018

Last week was Imbolc (Feb 1 or 2 depending on when you wanted to celebrate). Imbolc, sometimes referred to as Candlemas, is a festival of lights. Candles are typically placed on altars and around the home to usher in the coming Spring, representing the young Sun who is growing in strength to bring new life to Mother Earth.

To celebrate this year, I took a minimalist approach to my altar. I decorated using candles, dried roses, crystals, and some incense. Nothing too fancy.

Imbolc Altar 2018

Most of the altar is covered in white candles to represent the growing Sun's power as the Wheel turns towards Spring. The candles also work sympathetic magic by encouraging the Sun to continue to grow in power and bring Spring sooner. We have all had enough of the cold by now, I am sure, and I am personally ready for the Spring breezes and flowers to bloom in full.

Imbolc Altar 2018

The roses and rose scented incense represents love, both passionate- and self-love. I decided to go with roses instead of the traditional white flowers because I wanted to represent the love between the Earth and Sun. Without the Sun, our Earth wouldn't have any life to be reborn with each turning of the Wheel of the Year. Furthermore, I wanted an altar that I could easily keep up through February, our month of love.

Imbolc Altar 2018

Finally, in the center I constructed a crystal grid of clear quartz crystal, rose quartz, and carnelian. The clear quartz is there to amplify the magic within the altar, while the rose quartz represents love and carnelian the Sun. Simple, yet effective. In the center of the grid is a single white candle, again a work of sympathetic magic to bring Spring to us faster. 

Imbolc Altar 2018

Imbolc Altar 2018
Imbolc Altar 2018

How did you decorate your altar this Imbolc?


4 comments :

  1. I did not do an imbolc altar this year...well I sort of did but it was on the dark side. Not so much focused on the coming of light but it was me letting go off a lot of negativity so that translated to the design I guess!

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    1. I understand. Kinda hard in "light" of recent events, eh?

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  2. So beautiful. I love your altar ideas as this is my first time celebrating the turn of the wheel. Much appreciated!

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    1. Why thank you! I hope you enjoy celebrating this year. I love that basically every other month we have a celebration centered around the Earth and her rotation around the Sun. It makes me feel more connected with the Earth and keeps my mindful of the changing seasons. Sometimes that's difficult when you spend all day working inside a building, cut off from the world.

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