Celebrating Imbolc

Posted on January 31, 2019

This weekend is Imbolc – the midway point between winter and spring. The perfect time of year for us all to be a bit more excited about the return of the sun. Even though it’s been so cold lately, here’s a little hint of spring to kindle some hope in your heart that we will all be warm again someday soon.

A brief bit of background

Traditionally, Imbolc is a festival that honours Brigid, who is bringing fertility to the land. It is a time of purification and cleansing. It’s time of shake off the cobwebs and take a deep breath of fresh air. After a time of hibernation and rest, depending on the weather, you might start spying daffodils and crocuses again. It’s a time of transition and change and we can easily mark that at home.

Celebrating:

Plan out your spring garden. It will be time to get things in the ground sooner than you think. Plan when you are going to start planting out, where and how.

Make room in your life for new beginnings and interests. Take a cleansing bath and reflect on all the things you might want to rinse away.

Make bread and winter vegetable soup. Or make a seed cake. Seeds are a powerful tool during Imbolc as they are pure potential.

Light a white candle (the Flame of Brigid) and make wishes for your family and friends.

Review your intentions for the year ahead of you.

If you want to mark the occasion with the use of essential oils throughout the day, I’d focus on rosemary, basil, and cinnamon. (Of course, always check if the essential oil you are using is safe for pets – not all are!)

Some crystals that you might be interested in using and helping you focus are garnet, amethyst, onyx, turquoise and bloodstone.