Imbolg Sabbat

Imbolg Sabbat
-by Lord Tanys

Imbolg is a very important Sabbat for me, not only because it is so awesome a time in itself, but because it marks several firsts for me. 

A Brighid's Bed c. 1997

I started my magical path as so many do, as a Solitary, with very eclectic practices. I began practicing Ceremonial Magick, and Witchcraft. I was in a dorm room on Nellis Air Force Base, and thanks to my gig with NAFB Honor Guard, was given a room to myself. 
I did many of the exercises I found in my Wicca books, and some spells, but I don’t recall doing any Sabbats- if only I had kept a journal.

My first recollection of performing a Sabbat then, would be Imbolg 1991, with my soon-to-be first wife. I believe the Ritual itself was mainly a mix of Scott Cunningham and the Farrars. And wouldn’t you know my wonderful son was born in October of that year. “In the belly” (one of the more popularly understood meanings of the name of this Sabbat) indeed!

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When I joined classes in the Temple of the Inner Circle, with our Founders Lady Morgana and Lord Mordred as my teachers was when my Witchcraft really kicked into overdrive. My first Sabbat with TOTIC was in fact Imbolg, with Lady Rochelle and Lord Karonis as the High Priestess and High Priest of the Ring. Our Sabbats have always been led by students, and after taking part in this particular one, my view of the seasonal practices of Wicca would never be the same.

We were in the desert near the lake and the glow of the fires lit strange shadows on all the rocky walls around us. The standard Sabbat set up for us in those pre-drought days included a fire in every quarter, and in the center, and one for Elders’ Row and one for Guests’ Row. The ring was immense, marked by a long rope, and even larger than the ring we had practiced in the weekend before in Lady Morgana’s front yard.

Lord Karonis was resplendent in the Black and Green robe of a First Degree Initiate, wearing a hugely horned helmet, and as he lit the Center Fire with a plumber’s torch, I thought to myself (and not for the first time in my burgeoning TOTIC career) “Wow, these people really know what they’re doing.” And when Lord Karonis delivers his lines, he proves this over and over again.

I remember Lady Rochelle also being an incredible earthly representative of the Goddess, in her robes and finery, and her voice ringing out into the night and one of the most Witchy deliveries I have ever heard. It gave me chills. Thankfully I got to see her do it again at Spring Equinox. These two were incredible leaders, and made my first Sabbat with Temple of the Inner Circle not only a game changer, but set the bar very high for Sabbat performance, which is a bar that to this day we try to reach and exceed.

“Wow, these people really know
what they’re doing.”

The beautiful thing about keeping to a Tradition, is that every time a Sabbat is done, it brings back memories, emotions, and Magick from Rings gone by. You can call it tapping in, or linking; Lady Morgana called it recharging your batteries. And it does.

As I read one of our Students’ essays, I was particularly struck by her description of the effect on her brought about by the sound of the High Priestess’ sword on the gravelly ground as she cast a more recent Ring. I could hear it in my memory, and it had that similar effect on me as I sat reading about it. In 1995, Lady Morgana’s yard, casting the Ring for practice, the sword pierced the grass, and wasn’t very audible. But a week later, in the desert at night, that sound was electrifying. 

Brighid's Bed c. 1997

Imbolg is one of the two times the High Priest of the Ring delivers the Charge of the Goddess. The slight changes in Grammar are very interesting, as is the energy of the person filling the High Priest role. At one point in the Ritual, six people embody different aspects of the Divine, as three Goddesses and three Gods. When the Crown of Lights is “lit” on the head of the Mother Goddess, it is quite spectacular. Entrancing is the procession of those Goddesses, led by the Maiden Goddess as She sweeps away bad from the rest of the Solar Year, while the Coven chants.

We make an offering to the Goddess in the form of Brighid’s Bed. This is a beautiful piece of work crafted by the High Priestess of the Ring, and the Maiden. People sometimes ask why we would burn such a beautiful thing in our Center Fire. It is our belief that offerings to the Divine should absolutely be the best thing we can bring, afford, or make. 
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Similarly, Ritual as we practice our Sabbat Rituals, can be seen as an offering of the best things in ourselves we can offer the Gods. 
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As Lord Mordred would say, “It’s what we do.”

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