January 31 : Hecate; Brigantia; Up Helly Aa; Departed Ancestors.

On the last day of the month, which was sacred to Hekate, offerings were made to her in the crossways.

Bride is a Keltic goddess of Fire and Crops. An image of Bride, fashioned of cornstraw, was prepared on the Eve of Brigantia. Offerings of food and drink were left out overnight for Bride to partake of as she traveled around the land on her Eve.

Hold some green rushes in your hand, open the door to your house, and say: "Bridget, Bridget, come to my house, come to my house tonight. Open the door for Bridget, and let Bridget come in." Strew the rushes on the floor as a carpet or bed for Bridget. Prepare a festive supper, or at least a tasty dish, in her honor. Bake some Barm Brack, and place slices of it, or pieces of bread and butter, on your window sill outside for Bridget, along with a sheaf of corn or wheat for her white cow. Also leave a ribbon or other piece of cloth for Brigid to touch, as it then acquires healing powers. Her emblem, Brigid's Cross, is protection against both fire and lightning.

Up Helly Aa is a Viking feast of friendliness and Abundance.

January 30 : Feriae Senentiva (Feast of Spring)

The beginning of the beginning of Spring.

January 29: Roman Festival of Peace

There are many signs of the earnest longing for Peace in the Roman world. "Pax" and "Irene" became common names in the West and East; "Pax" was the legend on coins.

Ovid: "The course of my song has led me to the altar of Peace. The day will be the second from the end of the month. Come, Peace, thy dainty tresses wreathed...and let they gentle presence abide in the whole world. So but there be nor foes nor food for triumphs, thou shalt be unto our chiefs a glory greater than war. May the soldier bear arms only to check the armed aggressor, and may the fierce trumpet blare for naught but solemn pomp! ...Add incense, ye priests, to the flames that burn on the altar of Peace."

June Covella: Perpetual Calendar of the Fellowship of Isis (p.25)

Things to Contemplate at Imbolg

Purification...water...stars....Aquarius...Anthesteria....Bees...Candles...Emergence....Rising from the Underworld....Renewal...

The Lesser Eleusinian Mysteries were celebrated at this time in the ancient world. They were a purification and an educational preparation for the experiences that would take place at the Greater Eleusinian Mysteries in September.

Persephone is called "Hagne," The Pure One." This is the root of the name "Agnes." It is the name of Yagna, who was identified with The Earth, and was sacrificed for the sake of The Land in the novel "The Peasants" by Reymont.

January Goddesses

Sun went into Aquarius on January 21. Good time to meditate on Stars.

Star energy and Bee medicine.

Mead is a good choice for Imbolg offering.

January is sacred to Hera. The Peacock is the ancient Greek constellation which is the equivalent of Aquarius. "The Night has a Thousand Eyes."

The month of Brighde extends over the 4 weeks from January 23 to February 19th.

Order a copy of the CD "Braiding the Flame of Btigid" to celebrate. it doesn't get any more seasonal!

January 24

Today I am teaching a genealogy class for totally neophyte genealogists.

Today is a good day to look at our foundations. Pay attention to mundane matters. Read the newspaper. Pay the bills. Clean the house. Replace the lampshades. Today is a good day to ground ourselves and pay attention to the underpinnings.

Honoring the Goddess

Today the sun is in Aquarius and the moon is in Scorpio. A wonderful time for starting a path that honors technology (Aquarius) as well as our own deep inner mysteries (Scorpio). This project is dedicated to The Goddess of Ten Thousand Names.