🧹 🔮 Imbolc Cleansing Rituals & Divination 🧹 🔮 (Patreon)

Here are some cleansing rituals and divination you could do to celebrate Imbolc if you choose! If you’re celebrating Lughnasadh in the Southern Hemisphere, search “Lughnasadh” in the tags on the Magickal Witch Coven for rituals! This is a great compilation of resources from Learn Religions.

Imbolc is a time of magical energy related to the feminine aspect of the goddess, of new beginnings, and of fire. It's also a good time to focus on divination and increasing your own magical gifts and abilities. Take advantage of these concepts, and plan your workings accordingly. Because of its proximity to Valentine's Day, Imbolc also tends to be a time when people start exploring love magic–if you do, be sure to read up on it first!

Imbolc is known as a time of purification and cleansing. A great way to incorporate this into your magical practice is to take a ritual cleansing bath. The purpose of a ritual cleansing is to not only clean the body, but also to cleanse the mind and soul. It's a chance to meditate and reflect upon the things you wish to wash away–whether it's a bad habit, negative feelings, or anything else.

This isn't something unique to Paganism. In fact, many religious groups use bathing as part of their ritual purification. Rabbi Jill Hammer writes, "The ritual bath, the mikveh (gathering of waters), is an ancient Jewish tradition relating to the concept of taharah (ritual purity) and tumah (ritual impurity)." In Buddhism, most temples include a ritual basin full of water, the tsukubai, which is used for purification of the hands and face. As you bathe, you literally rinse away what you choose to eliminate from your spirit or body.

Perform a Ritual Bath

To perform a ritual cleansing bath, you'll first want to set the mood. Try to do this with some semblance of privacy, so you can have peace and quiet. This is supposed to be restful and empowering–and it's hard to achieve that if you're yelling at the kids to keep the noise down. If other people live in your home, either send them away while you're taking your bath or ask that you not be disturbed for a while.

You may wish to light some candles. Bathroom lighting tends to be harsh, and there's something very soothing about bathing by candlelight. Some people prefer to turn off the overhead lighting and just use natural light instead, which is easily done if you have a window in your bathroom. You may also want to light some incense, if there's a particular scent you find soothing or inspiring.

Finally, some people like to add music. Put in a CD of your favorite instrumental music, or of natural sounds. Noises like whale songs, waterfalls, rainfall or ocean waves are all appropriate. If you prefer not to have any music, that's fine too–it's really a matter of what relaxes you best.

Herbs for Cleansing and Purification

As you run the bath, you'll want to incorporate herbs that are associated with cleansing. The best way to do this is to tie herbs into a muslin cloth or bag, and hang it on the faucet so that the warm bathwater runs through it into the tub. Herbs associated with cleansing and purification include but are not limited to:

• Sage
• Chamomile
• Cinnamon
• Lemon Balm
• Sandalwood
• Lavender
• Rosemary
• Hyssop
• Sweetgrass
• Peppermint

Once you've filled the bath with warm water, running through the herbal mix, immerse yourself in the tub. Make sure you're completely relaxed–for some people, this may take a few minutes, but that's okay. Try to clear your mind completely. Focus on the warmth enveloping your body. Breathe deeply, taking in the scents of the herbal oils in the water. If you've got music playing, allow your mind to wander wherever the music may take you–a sandy beach, a forest glade, wherever. Close your eyes, and become attuned to the rhythms of your own body.

Visualize, for a moment, all the negative energy in your body. As you focus on this, imagine it being swept out of your body, bit by bit, one particle at a time, through the pores of your skin. See it being released from your body, and diluted into the water. While the negative energy is leaving your body, think about how rejuvenating the bath is. See your body, your spirit, your soul being cleansed and purified by the herbs and the water.

When you feel ready, stand up and get out of the tub. After you've gotten out of the water, release the plug so that all the negativity absorbed by the water can be drained away.

Talaj is a Pagan practitioner in Florida. She says, "Where I live, it's not too chilly at Imbolc–we don't have snow or anything–but it's still cooler than normal. A hot bath full of herbs helps me get grounded, reminds me that winter is going to end eventually, and is a really good way for me to relax and reconnected to my gods."

Important note: if you only have a shower stall, and not a bathtub–or if you just don't have time for a long bath–you can do this cleansing rite as a shower. Hang the cloth bag of herbs over the showerhead, so the herbal water runs over your body while you shower.

Hold An Imbolc House Cleansing Ritual

No one really likes to clean, but we all know we feel better when our physical space is tidy. It's one of life's necessary chores. Start your spring off with a good thorough cleaning, and then follow that up with a spiritual cleansing. This is a great ritual to perform at Imbolc–remember that for many of our ancestors, washing came only a few times a year, so by February, a house was probably smelling pretty ripe. Pick a bright sunny day to do a clean sweep, and then invite friends and family to join you in a blessing of your home.

First, do a complete physical cleaning of your house. Put on some music and thoroughly clean every room, top to bottom. Strip sheets off the beds, turn the mattresses, dust every surface, and vacuum every floor. Sort through those piles of paper on your desk, and get rid of things you don't need to keep; file everything else. Gather up the kids' toys and put them in baskets for easy storage. If you need to get rid of things, do it now–set aside a box for charity and put gently used items in it. Set aside another box for trash, and see if you can fill it up!

Once your house is clean–and this assumes you did the kitchen as well–it's time to have some fun. Call up some friends and invite them over for a potluck. Cook up some Imbolc-themed comfort foods, such as Braided Bread or Beer Battered Fish & Chips, and have a small potluck celebration. Ask each guest to bring a small token to bless your house -- pebbles, shells, interesting bits of wood, beads, etc.

You'll also need the following:

• A bowl of water
• Some sea salt
• A cleansing herbal bundle or sweetgrass
• A blue candle
• Some Blessing Oil
• A bowl or bag

Begin at the front door–it is, after all, where you welcome guests into your home–and go through the house in a sunwise direction (clockwise). Ask your guests to help you by smudging the perimeter of each room with the salt, sage, candle flame and water. You may wish to say some sort of incantation as they do this, something like:

With the purifying power of water,

with the clean breath of air,

with the passionate heat of fire,

with the grounding energy of earth

we cleanse this space.

As you pass from room to room, anoint each door and windowsill with the Blessing Oil by tracing the shape of a pentagram or other symbol of your tradition. This prevents anything negative from crossing into the home. If you like, you can offer a small incantation as you do this, something like:

May the goddess bless this home,

making it sacred and pure,

so that nothing but love and joy

shall enter through this door.

Finally, once you've gone through the house, ask each of your guests to deposit their blessing token in your bowl or bag. Keep it in a place of honor in your home -- on the mantel or in your kitchen is a good idea. Gather around the dinner table, break out the goodies, and enjoy a feast with your friends and family!

Tips:

* If you don't have Blessing Oil, you can use rosemary oil instead. Make your own by infusing fresh rosemary in grapeseed or flaxseed oil.

Fire Scrying Ritual

What is Scrying?

Scrying is the act of staring into something – often a shiny surface, but not always – for the purpose of divination. Visions and images are then interpreted intuitively by the individual doing the scrying. Many people prefer to scry using shiny surfaces – mirror, a crystal ball, even water – but another popular method is that of fire scrying. This ritual uses the element of fire, which is associated with change, destruction and renewal.

Setting the Stage

The best way to perform this ritual is outside, but realistically, that’s not always practical or safe. So, find a place, indoors or out, where you can light a large fire that will burn for a while. If you really can’t light a large fire, you can always do this ritual with candle flames. Some people prefer to use a single candle, while others may use several — use whichever you prefer.

Make sure you’ll be undisturbed during this ritual – turn off the cell phone, send the kids and spouse to a movie, and eliminate other distractions. You may want to have a notepad handy so you can write down what you see, and some people find it helpful to play meditative music in the background as they are scrying.

Some people even do a bit of yoga before scrying. Benjamin Rowe suggests, "Four of the traditional practices of yoga are intended to reduce and eliminate such distractions. Asana and (to a small extent) pranayama deal with physical distractions; pratyahara with external distractions, and dharana with mental distractions. These high-discipline practices are more than most people will need;... perfection isn't necessary, just something “good enough”.

If you normally wear a ritual robe, you may wish to do so, but it’s not required. Likewise, if your tradition requires you to cast a circle, feel free to do so before you begin.

Begin Your Scrying

Light your fire (or candle, if that’s what you’re using) and take some time to watch it. Let the flames grow taller and bolder and brighter, as each bit of kindling catches fire. Breathe deeply and evenly, allowing yourself to relax and become comfortable as the fire blazes. When you have a good strong fire going, focus your vision on the center of the dancing flames. Don’t worry about staring too hard, just rest your eyesight wherever is the most comfortable.

Draw the energy of the flames toward you, allowing yourself to feel their power. It can heal or harm, create or destroy. Fire is associated with strong will and power.

Watch as the fire flickers and flashes. Do you see images in the flames? Some people see clear images, while others see shapes in the shadows, mere hints of what is within. Look for images that seem familiar or for those that may repeat in a pattern.

Do you hear sounds as you watch the fire? You may hear the crackling of wood, the roar of larger flames, the snapping of embers. Some people report hearing faint voices singing or speaking in the fire.

Thoughts and ideas may pop into your head, seemingly unrelated to anything you see or hear. Be sure to use your notepad or journal so you can write these things down for future exploration. Spend as much time as you like watching the fire — once you start to get uncomfortable or fidgety, it’s time to wrap things up.

Messages often come to us from other realms and yet we frequently don't recognize them. If a bit of information doesn't make sense, don't worry — sit on it for a few days and let your unconscious mind process it. Chances are, it will make sense eventually. It's also possible that you could receive a message that's meant for someone else — if something doesn't seem to apply to you, think about your circle of friends, and who it might be meant for.

Wrapping Things Up

When you’re ready to end your scrying session, take a few moments to just relax, looking away from the fire. You may feel a high sense of energy, or an unusual sensation of clarity — if you do, don’t worry, that’s not uncommon.

You can either leave the fire burning, if it will be safe to do so, or you can extinguish it yourself.

Be sure to review your notes later, so you can reflect on the things you’ve seen. If you scry regularly, get in the habit of comparing notes from one session to the next, to see if there are messages or images that appear often.

Divination with Stones

Lithomancy is the practice of performing divination by reading stones. In some cultures, the casting of stones was believed to be fairly common–a bit like checking one's daily horoscope in the morning paper. However, because our ancient ancestors didn’t leave us a lot of information about how to read the stones, many of the specific aspects of the practice have been lost forever.

One thing that is certainly clear, though, is that the use of stones for divination has been around for a long while. Archaeologists have found colored stones, likely used for foretelling political outcomes, in the ruins of a fallen Bronze-age city at Gegharot, in what is now central Armenia. Researchers suggest that these, along with bones and other ritual items, indicate "divinatory practices were critical to the emergent principles of regional sovereignty."

It is generally believed by scholars that early forms of lithomancy included stones which were polished and inscribed with symbols–perhaps these were the precursors to the rune stones we see in some of the Scandinavian religions. In modern forms of lithomancy, stones are typically assigned symbols connected to the planets, as well as to aspects of personal events, such as luck, love, happiness, etc.

In her Guide to Gemstone Sorcery: Using Stones for Spells, Amulets, Rituals and Divination, author Gerina Dunwitch says,

"For maximum effectiveness, the stones used in a reading should be gathered from nature during favorable astrological configurations and by using one's intuitive powers as a guide."

By creating a set of stones with symbols that are significant to you, you can make your own divinatory tool to use for guidance and inspiration. The instructions below are for a simple set using a group of thirteen stones. You can change any of them you like to make the set more readable for you, or you can add to or subtract any of the symbols you wish–it's your set, so make it as personal as you like.

You'll need the following:

• Thirteen stones of similar shapes and sizes
• Paint
• A square of cloth about a foot square

We're going to designate each stone as being representative of the following:

1. The Sun, to represent power, energy, and life.

2. The Moon, symbolizing inspiration, psychic ability, and intuition.

3. Saturn, associated with longevity, protection, and purification.

4. Venus, which is connected to love, fidelity, and happiness.

5. Mercury, which is often associated to intelligence, self-improvement, and the overcoming of bad habits.

6. Mars, to represent courage, defensive magic, battle, and conflict.

7. Jupiter, symbolizing money, justice, and prosperity.

8. Earth, representative of security of home, family, and friends.

9. Air, to show your wishes, hopes, dreams, and inspiration.

10. Fire, which is associated with passion, willpower, and outside influences.

11. Water, a symbol of compassion, reconciliation, healing, and cleansing.

12. Spirit, tied to the needs of the self, as well as communication with the Divine.

13. The Universe, which shows us our place in the grand scheme of things, on a cosmic level.

Mark each stone with a symbol that indicates to you what the stone will represent. You can use astrological symbols for the planetary stones, and other symbols to signify the four elements. You may want to consecrate your stones, once you've created them, as you would any other important magical tool.

Place the stones within the cloth and tie it shut, forming a bag. To interpret messages from the stones, the simplest way is to draw three stones at random. Place them in front of you, and see what messages they send. Some people prefer to use a pre-marked board, such as a spirit board or even a Ouija board. The stones are then cast onto the board, and their meanings are determined not only by where they land, but their proximity to other stones. For beginners, it may be easier to simply draw your stones from a bag.

Like reading Tarot cards, and other forms of divination, much of lithomancy is intuitive, rather than specific. Use the stones as a meditation tool, and focus on them as a guide. As you become more familiar with your stones, and their meanings, you'll find yourself better able to interpret their messages.

For a more complex method of creating stones, and a detailed explanation of interpretation methods, check out author Gary Wimmer's Lithomancy Website.

Sources:

https://pixabay.com/photos/nature-crocus-plant-outdoors-3103701/

https://www.learnreligions.com/divination-with-stones-2561751

https://www.learnreligions.com/fire-scrying-ritual-2561755

https://www.learnreligions.com/hold-an-imbolc-house-cleansing-ritual-2562110

https://www.learnreligions.com/how-to-take-a-cleansing-ritual-bath-2562124