seasonal happenings.....Imbolg

Southern Hemisphere - 2nd August
Northern Hemisphere - 2nd February

This is a celebration of initiations and beginnings. Imbolg literally means “in the belly ". It is the “quickening “of the year, the stirrings of spring in the womb of our Mother Earth. As such it is very much a goddess celebration. At Imbolg we dream, make plans and are inspired towards future achievements, through poetry and love. At Imbolg, when the first heralds of spring can be heard in bird song and seen in new growth, the spirit is inspired as well as the body and the earth. Traditionally this was the time when all the candles for the coming year were made - to symbolise the light coming out of the darkness. A new tide of life is recognised and we are called to get rid of the past and look to the future. The themes of cleansing and purification are carried out in the action of spring cleaning, where we prepare our minds and bodies for something new.

Following are a few ideas for your own Imbolg celebrations:



1. Light 3 candles for 3 dreams or wishes and place these around your room. The first candle is a wish for the world, the second for a friend, the third for yourself. This is a celebration of the 1st stirring of the light in the world, in your life, in your dreams.

2. Spring clean, and ritually sweep the floor with a brand new broom. Think about what you are magikally sweeping away from the world or your own life. What needs to go for new creative possibilities to be realized? Fear, guilt, despair, prejudice, deprivation, anger, doubt. Sweep it all away and as you collect it up and rid your space of it be sure to feel a real letting go! The limitations in your life are gone and you can start to open up to new possibilities.

3. Plant new seedlings, fertilise older plants, bring flowers into the house, above all nurture a positive attitude.