The Ancient Fire Festival of Imbolc
Celebrating the Celtic Wheel of the Year
Tomorrow is Imbolc…
February 1st is a little-known Celtic holyday with beautifully ancient roots and powerful grounding for our lives today.
In ancient Irish, i mbolc means “in the belly of the mother.”
The name probably references the ewes who are—even now in the dark of winter—beginning to make milk and ready themselves for lambing…
Or perhaps the quivering seeds just beginning to stir deep in the belly of Mother Earth…
Yet here, as I sit surrounded by snow, staring out at a forest of bare trees and dark nights…
Another, deeper and older self whispers knowingly—
We are all in the belly of the Mother right now.
Light is beginning to come back to the world, but it is still dark.
The subtle stirrings of spring are beginning, but we must trust to hope that warmer days will come.
Right now—
We are in the womb of winter.
It’s a time of in-turning, of tuning in to ourselves and the quiet ways of Nature.
When summer comes, life is filled with activity—we run from one adventure to the next, happy and breathless.
Winter is when we stop.
The world grows quiet, and we can hear ourselves breathe. We can hear the quiet stirrings of that small, sweet voice inside.
I love this time of year.
Settling in by the fire with snow heaped all around, I am content to sit and listen… to watch… to wait… and to allow the silent unfolding of life in the womb.
As we allow this time to envelop us… I invite you to notice all the ways you are running from the reality of the Nature and the quiet, quivering life waiting to be born.
When we fill our lives with busyness, we ignore the important work of the seed, deep in the earth, quietly waking to new life.
The seeds inside of each of us are stirring. It’s time to pay attention.
There are many ways to celebrate the magic of Imbolc.
Here are a few of my favorites:
🔥 Light a candle for Brigid—goddess (or patron saint) of Imbolc. Fire, poetry, and healing are her domain.
🔥 Make a Brigid cross, an ancient symbol of protection for the hearth. Next year, you can burn your Brigid cross on Imbolc and make a new one for the new year.
🔥 Leave a scarf or ribbon outside on the night of Imbolc for Brigid to bless.
🔥 Slow down. Follow your breath. Find your rhythm. Rest. Allow the future to quiver with life inside you. Be intentional about the seeds you are planting right now.
My women’s circle will be gathering for a sacred fire and offering, as we do for all the Celtic fire festivals.
Celebrating these ancient holydays, we stand in solidarity with magical folks around the world. We join with humans through time who have stood before a fire in wonder and amazement, honoring the spark of creation in Everything.
How will you honor your Divine spark this Imbolc?
What sacred fires will you light in your life?
Will you celebrate with us?
We’d love to hear about it…
Quietly stirring,