Imbolc, the festival of inspiration and awakening is thankfully upon us.
Imbolc is celebrated sundown to sundown, between February 1st and 2nd. It is the Sabbat of Bridgit, fire and fertility which marks the middle point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox (midwinter).
It is a time of hope and preparation.
Imbolc means “in the belly” which signifies that the Earth is pregnant with the seeds of the coming harvest. This is a time for fierce purification and fertilization of our desired manifestation. The land may still lie in darkness but the seeds (intentions) we planted for this year’s harvest are in the unseen realms, gestating and coming into creation.
“It’s the most powerful day for stating our prayers, renewing our intentions and lovingly fostering the faith that our wishes and desires are coming into form.” -Kate Becker
Imbolc is also a celebration of the sacred maiden, the Celtic fertility Goddess Brigid, and many of the traditions are linked to her magic as Goddess of fire, blacksmiths, wells, healing waters, springs and poets.
“Brighid comes with her warmth and energy and quickens the seeds of our new life; she comes with the life-giving heat of her fire to thaw all that is frozen and trapped within us; she comes with the melting release of her healing waters, cleansing away the staleness of our spirits, the winter debris of our hearts. She is the liberation of the land from winter’s grip; freeing us from our own stagnation. She is the bright spark of life and inspiration that burns in us all; the hearth fire at the center of our homes and hearts, sustaining and warming – a place to gather and draw inspiration, nourishment and comfort. She is also the fire of passion that animates our creativity that we may create our world anew; that we too may become the spring.” - Maria Ede-Weaving
In the Northern Hemisphere, once the winter solstice has passed (Yule), and we’ve celebrated the return of light, the next Sabbat is Imbolc. Imbolc honors the first stirrings of life.
The divine spark that was born in midwinter is growing, and nature is beginning to wake up. Remember the intentions for the new year you made? Now is the time to clear the way for them to grow, symbolically, and perhaps literally!
