Pagan Portals: Breath of Spring
By: Melusine Draco - Moon Books, $12.95
Description: Possibly the most basic activity in our experience, breathing is also an important magical metaphor; A breath of spring air is a welcome change from the current situation.
Verdict: Candlemas/Imbolc is the re-awakening of the Old Lass within Old Craft belief and also coincides with the Roman Candelaria and Fornicalia - a spring corn festival celebrated in honor of Fornax, goddess of ovens, and observed by each ward of the city.
All this merging of primitive origins and rites, belonging to the European pre-urban agricultural culture, meant that it also commemorated the search for Persephone by her mother and the festival of candles symbolizing the return of the Light.
So it continued to be performed until the Christian era, when it was transformed into Candalmas in AD494.
In pre-Christian times, Imbolc observance began the night before 1st February, and celebrants prepared for a visit from Brigid into their homes by crafting an effigy of the goddess from bundles of oats and rushes. The clothed effigy was placed in a basket overnight, and the day was celebrated by burning lamps and lighting bonfires in tribute to her.
Traditions from both the pagan celebration and the Christian observance of St. Brigid’s Day can be found in the modern Imbolc festivities - while celebrants sometimes make a Brigid’s Cross out of reeds, as well as a Brigid corn doll or effigy.
As noted, a pagan holiday celebrated from February 1 through sundown February 2, and based on a Celtic tradition, Imbolc was meant to mark the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox in Neolithic Ireland and Scotland.
Our neighbors always used to celebrate Imbolc, themselves focused on celebrating Brigid, which they themselves would do by setting up an altar with the symbols of Brigid, like a corn husk doll, white flowers, a bowl of milk, and candles. Indeed, if there was a group gathering, they told us they might even cast a circle, and recite a prayer to receive a blessing from Brigid.
Melusine Draco originally trained in the magical arts of traditional British Old Craft with Bob and Miriam Clay-Egerton. She has been a magical and spiritual instructor for over 20 years with Coven of the Scales and the Temple of Khem, and writer of numerous popular books including Liber Agyptius: the Book of Egyptian Magic; The Egyptian Book of Days; The Egyptian Book of Nights; The Thelemic Handbook; The Hollow Tree, an elementary guide to the Qabalah; A Witch’s Treasury of the Countryside; Root & Branch: British Magical Tree Lore and Starchild: a rediscovery of stellar wisdom.
Thus, author Melusine Draco, as her name suggests, has long been plugged into the powerful currents of traditional witchcraft and ritual magic, which is then why this book is not only so compelling, but moreover notably compulsive reading.
Broken down into five chapters - Candlemas, Equinox Turbulence, Ostara, Beltaine and An On-going Celebration - this fourth book in the series brings forth (no pun intended) not only engaging prose on how to obtain other accessible information on the subject matter, but tells us stories of festivals in Spring, whilst also ensuring that this highly enjoyable read is grounded in a cocktail of mythology, poetry, history, whilst at the same time, sprinkling in a recipe or two!
About the Author - Melusine Draco is an Initiate of traditional British Old Craft and originally trained in the magical arts of traditional British Old Craft with Bob and Miriam Clay-Egerton.
She has been a magical and spiritual instructor for over 20 years with Arcanum and the Temple of Khem, and has had almost thirty books published. She now lives in Ireland near the Galtee Mountains.
Official Book Purchase Link
www.JohnHuntPublishing.com