The Gifts of Imbolc

Sacred Fire

Imbolc Blessings dear friends! This is one of my favorite times of the year, as we find ourselves straddling the seasons of Winter and Spring. Like all cross-quarter holidays, Imbolc is a time of transition. Today, we are invited to honor the darker time of the year that we are starting to move away from, and turn toward the light that is preparing to fill our days. We are getting a real sense of the “quickening” that our part of the earth is experiencing, and perhaps some of us are already seeing the landscape expressing the first signs of Spring.

Originally, Imbolc was celebrated by ancient Pagans to honor the Celtic triple-Goddess, Brigid. Brigid is beloved for a great many reasons, some of which are her connections to fertility, smithcraft, poetry, healing and Fire. It has been said that she was born with a flame in her head, and that she drank the milk of a mystical cow. So she is also associated with dairy and baking.

Most interesting to me though, is the essence of Imbolc - that which we are being invited into at this very “betwixt and between” time of the year. It is a time of awakening potential, rebirth, clearing/cleaning, new beginnings, connecting to hidden desires and sowing seeds of intention, just to name a few. Imbolc translates to something like “in the belly”. We are metaphorically pregnant, or expectant, with dreams for our future. It is a time to connect with the Spirit of those dream seeds, without forcing or pushing this most crucial gestation process.

You may find yourself suddenly cleaning house, getting rid of the superfluous in order to make room for the new. You may find yourself revisiting some intentions and resolutions, and recalibrating them so they are more aligned with the current energies at play in your life. All of this can be explored without force - most of us will be best served now by keeping things simple. So keep it simple! And remember that there is nothing to push.

It is important for us to let go of that which is no longer serving our highest evolution, so that we can remain fluid, adaptable, and open to change. Soon, Springtime will ramp everything up and push us to birth our dreams into reality - we want to make sure that we are aligning NOW with the essence of that which most wants too emerge from us in the coming months, and not carrying the burden of projects, commitments and energy that is no longer supportive.

If you have a writing practice (or a meditation practice), here are a few prompts that may inspire you as you look within for how to best harness the energy of the Imbolc portal:

~What do I need to let go of in order to make room for that which wants to grow?

~When I connect to the Spirit of the seed within me, what does it look like/sound like/feel like?

~What am I dreaming of for myself and for the Earth?

~What new beginning is arising at this time in my life?

~What is seeking to emerge from the deepest depths of my longing?

My favorite way to connect with the magic of Imbolc is with a nourishing, healing ritual bath. You can make a bath tea from dried rosemary, lavender and chamomile. You can also add essential oils by mixing them first into sea salt and then adding the fragrant salt to your bath. Rosemary is a wonderfully purifying herb, so tying a handful of sprigs together with kitchen twine or dental floss and floating the bundle in your bath would add a wonderfully clearing energy to your soak. You can invite the energy of Brigid by adding a milk powder (goats milk or coconut milk powders are my favorites) and light many candles in your bathroom to invoke the Spirit of Fire into your space.

The important thing about an auspicious day like Imbolc is that we LISTEN. Listen to those first stirrings of life force within, trust our listening, and make a good home for that which speaks to us from the heart.

Wishing you peace and Imbolc blessings.

Love,

Saoirse

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