​While no one has pinpointed the exact origin of the holiday, one good place to start is ancient Rome, where men hit on women by, well, hitting them. The holiday Lupercalia was celebrated from February 13-15 to honor the founder of Rome and to purify Rome’s women. The priests of Lupercalia struck the women, gently, we hope, with the skin of a freshly slain goat called a “februa”.  So our month is named after the skin of a dead goat. Anyway, the Romans believed this grisly ritual assured their females fertility and easy childbirth.

Another legend contend that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century of Rome. Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldier than those with wives and families, so he outlawed marriage for young men, who made up his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the Emperor’s decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When his actions were discovered, Claudius had Valentine put to death on February 14, now Valentine’s Day.
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Another Roman custom of Lupercalia was the festival of natural “heat”—the sexual readiness that permeated nature, especially the wolves, or “lupa”. To celebrate, willing young maidens wrote their names on slips of papyrus, put them in a box, shook them up, and let young men pull out the names of their valentines. These couples paired up for the duration of the festivities. The names were equally matched by both sexes so nobody had to go home alone after the drawings.

As the years went on, the holiday grew sweeter. Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticized it in their work, and it gained popularity throughout Europe. Handmade paper cards became the tokens-du-jour in the Middle Ages. And as Christianity spread, the original pagan fertility flavor of the day was replaced with celebration love with the now Saint Valentine functioning as the patron saint of love. 

Eventually the tradition made its way to the New World. The Industrial Revolution ushered in factory-made cards in the 19th century. 

Eventually the tradition made its way to the New World. The Industrial Revolution ushered in factory-made cards in the 19th century. And in 1913, Hallmark Cards of Kansas City (my home town!) began mass-producing valentines. February has not been the same since.
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Today, the holiday is big business: Valentine’s Day sales now top $18 billion. 

​Just remember: A romantic overture is not a command performance. You don’t have to break the bank buying jewelry, candy and flowers for your beloved. There are so many other ways to celebrate!

For example, I decided to make the holiday a learning opportunity, by attending “Valentine’s Day Chat with a Coroner.” I’ll spend the evening hearing stories of cannibalism, murder and other examples of love gone wrong.

Warms my little black Valentine’s heart.

Hope your day brings you everything you desire.
Blessed Be.

The Festival of Imbolc commences on February eve, or January 31, and concludes February 2.

Imbolc has three major associations: the veneration of fire and water, the quickening of new life in the womb and world, and the lactation of ewes. So it is both a fertility sabbat (along with Ostara and Beltane) and a fire festival (followed by Beltane, Lughnassadh and Samhain).

The association with fire comes from Imbolc’s place as the midpoint between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox. Celtic in origin, this sabbat celebrates the midpoint of the changing season. It is referred to as “The First Light” and marked by the traditional lighting of candles, signifying purification, inspiration, and growing light. 

Fire is also representative of the Goddess Brigid in her aspect of patroness of smith craft.
Another aspect of Brigid is healing, represented by the well. On Imbolc, processions were made to her sacred wells, which were adorned with greenery, signifying the return of spring. Devotees would circle the well deosil, or sunwise, before drinking the waters in order to bring good fortune.

 Another translation of Imbolc is “in the belly,” referring to intrauterine fetal movement, also known as quickening. 

This is Brigid’s third Imbolc aspect, goddess of childbirth. She is associated with cattle, and Imbolc is the time just before birthing in the early spring. The presence of lactating ewes was of great importance to early Celts, as it often meant the difference between life and death. Ewes only lactate when there are lambs to nurse, and in the intensity of February’s cold, lactating ewes meant humans had milk, cheese and butter.

With its theme of preparation for birth, Imbolc has evolved into an auspicious day for rituals of rebirth as well. It is a time for reflecting on the nature of initiation and the evolution of the magical path. Traditionally at this time, witches are initiated, or the Wiccan “Year and a Day” training begins.

On Feb. 2, the secular world acknowledges Groundhog Day, when the arrival of spring is determined by the presence or lack of the groundhog’s shadow. Ever wonder why a shadow (sunny day) means more winter and not the other way around? It’s a modern weather divination that echoes Celtic folk beliefs. It was believed on Imbolc, the crone goddess Callieach’s grip of winter begins to loosen. She goes forth in search of kindling to keep her fires burning and extend winter a little longer. If Imbolc is rainy, she will find nothing but damp twigs and give up. But if dry kindling is abundant, she has plenty of fuel to feed her fire and continue winter.

In short, Imbolc is the seed that starts the whole wheel of the year turning once again. After the spark of Yule, the hard work of beginning another year occurs at Imbolc. The whole year stretches before you. You have the power to mold it into whatever you desire.

Imbolc serves as an “opening” of a season. Most of the activities and symbolic actions at this time are to sweep away the old in order to welcome in the new. The main thing that must be done again now, just as we did at Samhain, is to purify our houses and our souls so that we carry love into the time of spring planting and new birth.

Be aware that this is rooted in serious sympathetic magic, which is simply using an item or act associated with what you are trying to manifest. The premise is if we humans are healthy and strong in our actions, intentions and habits—so will the fields and flocks and offspring be. If we are cleansed of rancor and fear, and use feasts like Imbolc to teach our children cleanliness and order, the soil and the womb will be wholesome and ready for seed. 

Here’s some simple candle intention magic for you to try this week for Imbolc. It’s called Illuminating the Cauldron. Source: The Wiccan Year by Judy Ann Nock.

Fill your cauldron with dark earth. Take nine taper candles and plant them in the earth in a spiral pattern, beginning in the center and continuing clockwise (deosil). With each candle, contemplate a different aspect of Imbolc.

1. Light the candle in the middle first, picturing the first light penetrating winter’s darkness.
2. With the second candle, welcome the spring and picture the great wheel of the year turning to the halfway point. The cauldron is the womb of the goddess, the “belly” of Imbolc.
3. Think of the magic of the beginnings of life and all the possibility contained as new life emerges as you light the third candle. Each new dawn is a clean slate that can bring you closer to realizing your dreams.
4. Imaging the circumstances surrounding your own physical birth as you light this candle. Picture your relationship to your biological mother as a reflection of your relationship to the divine mother. All of us need mothering in one form or another. By facing your own vulnerability, you are preparing yourself for rebirth.
5. As you light the fifth candle, focus on the lessons your spiritual path has taught you. There are intimate truths that you have discovered. Give thanks for those challenges met and knowledge gained.
6. This candle represents the unknown, the lessons that lie in front of you and all the things you have yet to learn.
7. Light the seventh candle and meditate on all the things you wish to change. They can be material, physical, or spiritual. Use your magic to make a positive impact on your life.
8. The eighth candle represents the things you most need to heal. These include the physical ailments of yourself and of others, the suffering of the planet, rifts in relationships, and more. Invoke healing into your life and make room for it to begin. Release old wounds and past hurts. Take responsibility for your health in a new way. Focus on the best possible outcomes for situations that are beyond your control or influence.
9. As you light the ninth and final candle, welcome inspiration into your practice. Ask the goddess to illuminate her presence in a new way. Sing. Write a poem in her honor. Use the energy of the season to assist you in manifesting your magic in a tangible way. Create a charm, or a new blend of incense. Whatever you choose, ask goddess to inspire you so you can show her beauty in your work. 

Namaste people!

Happy Imbolc.
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Next week we’ll talk a little about the roots of Valentine’s Day.

​A sheet of white parchment paper.
Pen with red ink.
White 7-day day votive in glass.
Birch branches (or any local tree you enjoy).
Violet oil or your favorite perfume.
A safe place to burn your tree branches when you’ve finished the spell.
 
Start by drafting a short plan of what you want for this year. Remember, this is the time of the year when we boldly fantasize about the future, thereby attracting it to us!

Start by drafting a short plan of what you want for this year. Remember, this is the time of the year when we boldly fantasize about the future, thereby attracting it to us!

Using white parchment paper and red ink, write down the things you want this year, being as specific as possible.

If you don’t already have a home altar, find a place to establish one. Often people instinctively make a special spot for important things in their lives. There may be pictures of loved ones, or a special crystal   or piece of art. You just need to now recognize this space as special and sacred, and clean it up a bit.

​If you’ve like me, with the New Year comes the urge to clean, purge and de-clutter. So here’s a chart to get your house back in tip-top shape after a hectic holiday season. It’s a ‘baby steps’ approach, so no need to feel stressed. 

​31. Celebrate a job well done! I'll bet your house looks great. And do  you feel lighter?

A cluttered house can feel like a burden,  not a joy. 

My New Year resolution for 2020 is to the left. Here's to having a home that feels beautiful!

And that brings me to Halloween. This holiday allows you to literally live and play inside your shadow. You can dress as your darker side or lighter side. You can pick a gender side to act out. You can try out your power side. Or your latent naughty child. The trick is to learn more about yourself while playing.

So while the veil is thin and ghosts abound, I invite you to embrace your shadow. Attend to the part of you that never gets a look in.  Do it safely, and creatively, do it with consciousness, without harming yourself or anyone else.

This spell puts a twist on “traditional” pumpkin carving by creating the face of your shadow self.

Perform the work on Halloween evening.

​​How to Find Your Shadow

For this part of the spellwork, you will need a hollowed-out pumpkin (or an artificial one with the top cut off), carving tools, and a pen or sharpie marker.

Find a comfortable place to sit alone for a while. Turn off your phone, kiss your loved ones goodbye for a bit, and close the door.

Sit down and feel the ground beneath you, feel some deep breaths in your belly, and have a little check-in. How are you?

Run your mind back through the last week or two. Were there any points during that time when your shadow/inner critic made an appearance? Choose a moment.

Take yourself back to the memory and replay it. Where were you? Who was there? What was said? How were you feeling? Frightened? Angry? Passive-aggressive? Filled with hate, jealousy, sadness. You get the idea.

What were your shadow’s words in this moment? Replay the scenario and listen to your shadow as if it was a voice of another being, speaking about you (i.e. “You are…” “You’re not…” “You always…” “You should…” “You can’t…”). Choose a few shadow critic phrases and repeat them over and over in your shadow’s voice.

As you listen, notice which part of your body feels activated, this is where your shadow lives. Breathe into that part of you, keep repeating their phrases.

Now imagine your shadow as a creature that lives inside of you (not a person).

What’s it like? Does it have feathers, scales, claws, legs? How many legs? Wings? What’s its face like? What are its eyes like? How about its mouth? What size is it, and how is it sitting/standing? Look around. What is its home like? How does it move? Does it scuttle, slither, slide, fly? When it reaches its full height how big is it?

Deal a Tarot Spread. 
Samhain is also considered the perfect time for divination. Here’s a fun reading called “Haunted House.” In dreams, a house often represents you, the chambers and passages symbolizing your own inner dwelling place. So light your candle, open your mind’s creaky door, and peer into the darkened corner of your own Halloween haunted house!
Shuffle your favorite tarot deck in your usual way. Lay out seven cards as follows: 
1  The Forbidding Foyer: What has been trying to enter your life (for good or ill) that you have been warding off?

2  The Perilous Parlor: What aspect of yourself do you need to spend more time getting to know?

3  The Lurid Library: What lore or study is calling to expand your esoteric knowledge?

4  The Atrocious Attic: What neglected treasure should you dust off and use now?

5  The Chilling Cellar: What should be stored away and allowed to ripen for future use?

6  The Ghostly Garden: What needs to be weeded out?

7 The Twisted Oak Tree: What needs to sink roots and deepen?

Now, draw one more card for a message from an otherworldly visitor to your Haunted House. Boo!