Honouring the natural flow of the Earth and its cycles, Imbolc, celebrated between February 1 and 2 in the Northern hemisphere, marks the half-way point between winter solstice and spring equinox.
Imbolc means ‘in the belly of the mother’, it is one of the four major fire festivals that mark the spaces in between the Equinoxes and the Solstices. The other three festivals on the Celtic calendar are Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain.
At Imbolc, the first colours of spring softly appear. Under the surface, seeds are beginning to form in the deep soil of possibility. We are not quite yet ready to move and in our stillness, we weed out what is no longer needed, to create fertile soil for the seeds to flourish and grow. We clean our homes, our bodies, our minds, our relationships and our lives. When we clean the old we create space for new dreams to birth, new inspiration to flourish.
With the returning light, we embrace time of change and new beginnings. The darkest nights are behind us. After a deep season of inward hibernation, reflection and rest, the life force of new things is awakening with us.
Honouring the space between seasons, this is a time of transition, change and preparation for the year ahead; the liminal space, where something ends and the new is yet to manifest. Trusting in the unknown, where all possibilities exist and none have yet been chosen.
Imbolc represents fertility of the earth, the waking of the Goddess, and the rising of the Sun, bringing more light to our days and preparing the soil for growth.
Traditionally, Imbolc was the Celtic festival celebrating the fire and water goddess Brigid. Brigid is the Goddess of inspiration, of healers, of the hearth, of creativity, fertility, birth and new beginnings. The protector of doulas, as well as the Goddess of agriculture, music, poetry, art and the gifts of prophecy. She is the Triple Goddess and at Imbolc she is in her Maiden aspect. She is a goddess of the dawn and relates to swans (purity and fertility) and snow drops (innocence and hope).
As we also come to the end of the astrological year, now is the time for self care, cleansing, inward spiritual focus, nourishment, rest and honest reflection. The final moments before our energy rises again with the light of the Sun.
For strong seeds to flourish and grow, they must be placed in a fertile, clean and healthy soil. The same with our ideas, inspiration and creativity in life. In authenticity, we must weed out what is not needed, with honest inward reflection – what needs to go and what needs to grow.
What is the new story you are beginning to tell
For your light to truly shine in this world
Suggestions to do on Imbolc:
Make a fire, light candles with intention
Write poetry, draw, paint
Plant a seed
Salt water bath or jump in the sea
Gratitude journal
Make a list of spring to dos
Spring clean
Weed your garden
Write a spring to do list – be creative – maybe make it into a vision board
Journal prompts
What has been slowly stirring in you over the winter months?
What new beginning are you experiencing?
What projects and plans would you like to bring to life over the next months?
What do you need to spring clean from your life? What weeds need removing?
Are there any changes in your life that are causing you to feel off balance ? How can you come back into balance?
This post was written by Kim Booth via research and online sources here here here
Cover image by Lindy Kehoe