Imbolc Ritual February 1st-2nd, 2024

Imbolc Ritual February 1st-2nd, 2024

This Imbolc Season is in alignment with a Scorpio Last Quarter Moon, the completion of retrograde season and after the shift into the Age of Aquarius/ending of Kali Yuga. As we connect into the multitude of cycles and celebrations, I believe this awakening of the Goddess to be a significant rebirth for us all. As the collective ascends, we will notice a shift of the foundations within our world where we will see a new standard of spiritualism within the daily lives of society. We have approx one year of settling into this new shift before the rapidity of her evolution will soar through each and every avenue of our existence.

Imbolc is historically known to represent the season of “in the belly.” A common connection to the lambing season. The times in which the first inklings of spring will begin to express themselves. I love to interpret this to be in connection with the cycle of the human experience. Once an infant is born, there is a time of adjustment. This can relate to Imbolc in the sense that we are still technically in Winter, but the Sun is gaining strength and power each and every day. The child is technically born, however they are still fragile and require much rest and care. The mother has gone through the labor and she has been blessed with her greatest gift of work, but she requires time to adjust an to heal. Around 6 weeks after birth the infant is more alert and interacting with their outside world. As well as, the mother is mostly healed from her labor and delivery. Here we can see how the Earth has been reborn, but not quite ready to blossom. Another visual can be the poking of plant stems through the ground. Either way we can connect to this shift in energy after the cozyingly cold winter hibernation/gestation period.

It is common during this holiday season for a plethora of craftings to take place. Creating protective sigils out of candle wax, crafting a Cross of St. Brigid and baking delicious bun-ny treats. During this Sabbath you may find a desire to ritualize your entire day or simplify it by simply burning a candle in honor of the alternative holiday name “Candlemas.” Find whatever works within your energy, your schedule and your desires for this season. While these Sabbaths are yearly, I have found different years require different rituals. Of course, tradition is beautiful to maintain and you may find you have personal favorites. However, for myself, I connect into this Sabbath based upon the connection within other elements of the experience. For instance, the collective astrology, my birth astrology, the phase of numerology I am within on my path and so on and so forth. These holidays and rituals are best utilized when personalized into your soul evolution, as well as honoring the ascension of the collective/Mother Earth.

Ritual:

To begin this ritual, I suggest taking your time in the morning, if possible. Allow yourself the ability to sleep in later than normal. It is often suggested to watch the sunrise, which if you feel called to do so, can be energizing and therapeutic within itself. However, I suggest surrendering to the rest. Connecting deeply into the metaphor of child labor. You may connect to the metaphor by witnessing the “birth” or rising of the sun and then return to take a morning nap. Or you may connect to the metaphor in understanding that you went through a long and difficult labor and that now you need to rest and recover. Feel into your personal needs at this time and mirror your routine within such expressions. Once you have awoken, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea (or other preferred morning beverage) while sitting outside under the Sun. Pour an offering for the Goddess of the same beverage and share a moment with her. You may also go for a stroll at this time. I will say, either way, I suggest at some point through the Sabbath, taking a walk within nature. When walking within nature, stay open to the signs of spring. Listen to the birds, look for the return of greenery and forage for local plants to bring back home for your altar space. Breathe deeply into the peace of such divine return. Bask in the miracle in the ability to reincarnate, to die and become reborn time and time again.

I personally ritualize all meals throughout the day. I believe in cooking as fresh and from scratch as possible to reinforce such intention setting and connection to the craft. However, there is no shame in pre-made nor store bought. There are alternatives to blessing those foods with a prayer or other form of intention. Do not pressure yourself to be perfect nor to be an expression that is against yourself. There are ways to be traditional and to be modern. Lean into whatever feels best for you to do. Not out of any form of clout chasing nor people pleasing. The importance is fitting these moments into your life in a way that is fulfilling to you and your family. With that being said, I create a very light and semi-springy breakfast. Perhaps avocado toast with a poached egg and candied bacon. Maybe a lavender-lemon glazed loaf. With it still being winter, there may be limited “lightness” and fruitiness. I have found Imbolc to be a mixture of the sweetness of the Spring Equinox with the Heaviness of the Winter Solstice. Just a taste of the refreshing aromas of spring. A seed planting of mouth pleasure to look forward to!

Depending on your schedule and daily routine, you may find a quiet afternoon of crafting wards or talismans to be in order. Maybe you relax to some light reading or an afternoon nap if you missed the morning one. If you are feeling more restless? You can engage in some mild spring cleaning. This is not the large purge that comes with the Spring Equinox, but one that comes with clearing the way for the spring blossoms to have more room, but continued protection. For example, you may move some of the leaves and shrubs from the newly growing greenery, but you do not completely clear it out, for winter is still present and potentially harsh. Its a lovely connection of maintenance and starting the process or preparation of spring!

As we settle into the evening hours, a candle lit feast is in order! Red and White candles are typical of Imbolc/Candlemas. However, if you feel called to other colors or intentions, feel free to do so. Red is connected to the Goddess and the blood of birth. White for the purity and forth coming of the Sun. For dinner, I tend to create a hearty meal. This is one of the few occasions in which I will cook lamb, bringing forth a connection to the Imbolc etymology. However, other forms of meat or vegetarian options can be done. I suggest maintaining a red meat or turkey instead of chicken, as to continue in the honoring of the Winter season. But, if you wish to ritualize the chicken with the intention of bringing forth spring, by all means follow what aligns with you. Red Wine or another red colored drink of choice is another offering to include. Be sure to set a plate for ancestors, spirits and all the above, either at the dinner table or upon your altar.

Once the meal is complete, ensure you have taken the time to enjoy the meal and settle. To direct into your later evening ritual, I suggest creating a ritual in the realm of organizing the self. What are traits, perspectives, beliefs, habits, goals, dreams etc etc that you wish to take with you into the new cycle and the new astrological year? And what do you wish to clear away as rubble from the winter? This can be a wonderful time to engage in cord cutting and seed planting. With seed planting, this can be a literal time to begin seedlings within your home, greenhouse or other planting space. Or you can create other vessels of dirt to place written intentions or symbols within the dirt (preferably fresh dirt from the current outside) and plant the seeds of your next year’s manifestations. This is a great time to assess the January 1st New Year Resolutions, if you participated in such a ritual. You may pull from that ritual and plant them inside these new vessels or literally plant them outside, if the ground will allow you to do so. This can depend on which rituals you’ve engaged in and how you wish to build upon them, adding layer upon layer into your manifestation and allowing yourself to continuously radiate the frequency of your intuitions and desires into the quantum field. However, journaling or a creative symbolism as stated above, is a powerful engagement. Imbolc asks us how we can look forward into our new life. Set the foundation of your infancy for a successful childhood of spring, which will carry on into a stable teenage/young adulthood of summer and so on.

While Imbolc is not only associated with birth, it is equally associated with fertility. If you wish, a sex rite with a partner or self is a wonderful close to such a Sabbath. This is not necessary. As, if you just gave birth, you are not ready for such an engagement. Perhaps you wish to close out your night with a calm, cozy fire and relax into a slumber. We may be waking up, however, we still need our sleep to gain the strength required for the blossom of spring in 6 short weeks. But if a sex rite is appropriate or desired? After journal with your partner or mediating upon your journaling intentions with yourself, complete the physical act. Leaving the candles lit through the expression. Adding any other establishments to your ritual as you see fit. Once complete, leave any fluids as an offering if you wish. Close out with an Imbolc prayer or other preferred method of concluding a ritual. Snuff out the candles and drift off to sleep. You are awaiting the excitement of an entirely new journey.