Imbolc, the Celtic festival that lies midway between winter solstice that passed in December and Spring Equinox is celebrated on the 1st of February. In the Celtic Wheel of the Year, Imbolc signifies the arrival of spring.
Here in the Northern Hemisphere, Snowdrops have blossomed and although the air is still crisp and chilly we are starting to some early signs of spring.
Goddess Brigid
Brigid 'Fire of the Hearth', was the goddess of fertility, new life, childbirth, poetry and healing.
At this time we can connect in with the essense of Brigid.
You've heard the expression 'she's got a fire in her belly'? This is derived from Imbolc meaning 'in the belly' and fire as the sensation we feel when we are passionate about something.
Journal Prompts
What new life am I creating?
(Creative projects, new intentions, new ways of being within our relationships or with ourselves)
What are your passions?
What get's you fired up?
What does healing mean to me?
How do I express my creativity?
How do I celebrate Imbolc?
There are many ways to celebrate Imbolc and you may already have your own ways but I thought it might be nice to share what I do.
Ginger is a typical warming spice for Imbolc and represents Bridgid's fire.
For our family we bake ginger cake or gingerbread (the kids usually vote for gingerbread)
Read aloud Poetry
Back when my daughters were home educated one of my favourite activities was 'Poetry teatime'. It's a chance to sit down together for a special tea and cake each week and read poems aloud with your children. Of course you can still do this if you are not home educating and you can enjoy poetry read aloud if you don't have children.
You can find more here https://poetryteatime.com/
Candles
We light candles most days but at Imbolc we like to have a candlelit dinner. Always something magical around eating in candlelight, I feel.
Cleanse your home
It is a wonderful time to spring clean, to have flowers in the home and to energetically cleanse your home with smudge sticks or incense, drumming, singing bowls, clapping or singing into the rooms.
Nature Walk
Can you spot any signs of spring? Take a walk in nature, it can be lovely to photograph what you find.
Set intentions and connect with your passions Intentions serve as conscious way to decide what it is that you want. We spend a lot of time thinking about what we don't want but this is your opportunity to get really clear on what you would like to welcome in.
This is also a wonderful simple ritual to share with children. We do this at dinner time each sharing 1 or 2 intentions. You can also write them down if your prefer.
Make a promise to yourself to do something you love and talk about what your passions are.
Lastly I'd love to share with you a beautiful poem by Molly Remer, if you don't already know her amazing work you can find her here especially if you are inspired to connect more with Goddess Brigid.
I hope you enjoy my recording of this poem.
I'd love to hear from you, do you already celebrate Imbolc or is this something you'd like to bring into your family life? You can connect with me on Instagram or come and share in the Where the Wild Women Are facebook community
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