Imbolc

Imbolc is the halfway point between Yule and the spring equinox.

A time when the days are visibly longer and although the ground may still be hard with frost, the first signs of spring start to become visible.

I don’t profess to be an expert when it comes to Druidism, it’s an aspect of my heritage I’m only just reconnecting with but since moving back to England and being here in somerset a place where I can trace my lineage back to the 5^th century, I’m inspired to learn more of the old ways. I have found myself embracing a lifestyle of rhythm aligned with the seasons, a subconscious shift initially but yule has held me in that reflective space of renewal where I have reflected on the internal shifts, transformations, and transcendence that occurred in 2022.

Intention manifestation

Imbolc is the time to plant both metaphorical and literal seeds for the coming year and/or beyond. A time to clean up any remaining dysfunctional energies, habits, and thought patterns that just don’t fit with that of your desired manifestations. A spring clean!

The one thing that has come to me very clearly over these cold introspective months is the importance of everyday acts. We have all heard the phrase actions speak louder than words and we all know words are a vibration of manifestation. And so, this year having worked on my mental and spiritual body, my intention is to focus greater attention on my physical body. And no I’m not dieting or planning a rigorous exercise routine. But my intention is to focus more on the little everyday actions that demonstrate self-love. The choices I make! A cup of tea or a glass of water, a biscuit, or a piece of fruit… The unconscious and usually unchecked routines and habits that vibrationally set the bar of our inner beliefs. Paying greater intention to the inner dialogue, is it supportive?

Within my coaching, I always advise people to choose which body feels right to work with first, mind, body, or spirit/emotional body. . It’s important to follow your intuition, which feels right to work with and when. Too many times have I seen people start their spiritual journey with such gusto. And a dead-set attitude to work on everything now. As if alignment is a race, a possession to be won. It’s their journey and I don’t stand in judgment. But not once have I seen any of those folk attain the levels of awakening that are truly available to them.

Introspection

This morning before writing this I undertook a manifestation ritual, using herbs, candles, and an incantation I wrote. Before doing so I had spent a good hour and a half out on the land calling in the four corners. Paying gratitude to the land through song as I walked. I was struck by the fact I didn’t care if anyone heard me. And I had to review how long that level of confidence had been with me! I say this as a reminder that sometimes the shifts within us can be so subtle, they often go unnoticed. But it’s important to acknowledge them when observed and celebrate them. These simple yet profound truths act as the fuel to keep moving forward, the sustenance that builds fortitude for times of challenge.

As Imbolc was of old, a time of celebration for our ancestors. A moment of respite from the harsh coldness and isolation of the winter. A moment of motivation that helped them embody the energies of hope, happiness, and joy at the prospect that spring was on its way and fairer times would soon be upon them.

I leave you with a beautiful Imbolc poem by Maria Ede-Weaving

Winter had settled over me,

The frost sealing my eyes, my mouth;
My bones as ice,
Stilled
Beneath frozen water.

You came
And planted your sun like a seed in me,
Warm,
Precious,
Pearl of light,
And my being became the song of snow-melt,
A river-burst of birdsong
Rising.

At your touch my body is a garden
Of snowdrops;
This tender blooming
The greening of my soul.