Imbolc is the fire festival that marks the mid-point between the Winter Solstice (Yule) and the Spring Equinox (Ostara), which usually falls on February 1st. At Imbolc we are approaching the end of winter’s hibernation and things are coming back to life after the long slumber. The four Celtic fire festivals – Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh - commemorate the return of light following the dark of winter. Imbolc is a time for tapping into the promise of things to come, taking stock of our surroundings, and checking in with ourselves. This is prime time to plan for the future, and plant the seeds of what we want to see flourish as the year rolls along.
Imbolc itself is Celtic in origin, but it’s believed by multiple scholars that the earlier pre-Celtic indigenous population of what is now Ireland also venerated this time of year. No one knows for absolute certainty where the name ‘Imbolc’ stems from. The Irish root word translates to ‘in the belly’, and some etymologists think it comes from the medieval word that translates to ‘ewe’s milk’. At this time of year, certain livestock are pregnant, and an association was made between the animal husbandry of this time as well as when the light returns.
As the holiday known as “Imbolc” is specifically of Celtic origin, the main focus of most modern neopagan deity worship for this holiday is centered on the goddess Brigid. Traditionally, it’s focus is on dark days coming to a close and the return of the Sun with spring right around the corner. For many goddess-worshiping witches, Brigid: Celtic Fire Goddess, is the patron goddess of Imbolc. She represents the supernal mother, fertility, and creative inspiration. She’s also worshiped as a warrior and protector, a healer, guardian, slayer of serpents, a sovereign and – of course – a goddess of fire and Sun. In Celtic witchcraft, it is thought that Brigid’s light will cast out the dark of winter, warming Earth with the return of the Sun. In the traditional three-fold path, it is at Imbolc that the Goddess moves from her Crone phase to the Maiden. For a more nuanced and gender-fluid/femme-centric approach to this model, check out Jailbreaking the Goddess: A Radical Revisioning of Feminist Spirituality by Lasara Firefox Allen.
Saint Brigid’s Day is celebrated in Ireland on the same day as Imbolc, as Brigid was Christianized in order to convert the pagan Irish population. Saint Brigid’s Day was eventually popularized throughout Great Britain, and now the day is still marked in some places by practicing the tradition of making Saint Brigid’s Cross and bride dollies. Brigid’s Cross is usually a three or four armed cross made out of blades of wheat or oat. People hang Brigid’s Crosses over entrances and windows to welcome Brigid as well as to protect the home.
Just because Imbolc is Celtic in origin doesn’t mean that you can’t get creative and adapt your approach to mark this time to be more in alignment with your own personal practice. There are other paths that share commonalities during this time of year. Lunar New Year falls at this time, and is the biggest celebration of the year throughout Asia and all over the world in Asian diasporic communities. The Shinto holiday of Setsubun in Japanese culture falls on February 3rd. It marks the beginning of the coming zodiac year by scattering beans to banish any bad luck, negative spiritual attachments and illness. At Setsubun, good fortune, luck, and health for the year ahead are invited in.
Later on in February Valentine’s Day shows up full of chocolate, flowers and cards. It actually stems from the ancient Roman holiday of Lupercalia, which falls on February 15th. It is thought that Lupercalia predates ancient Rome itself. The name originates from “lupus” (wolf), and the Luperci priests were known as the Brotherhood of the Wolf. Lupercalia was a pretty gnarly affair that involved goat sacrifice, followed by the Luperci tearing the hide into strips, dipping them in blood and slapping women with them as they ran through the streets butt-ass naked because they thought that it would make them more fertile. Yep! There was a lot of sex as well. Because of course there was. Then Christians came along and made it into the boring holiday of Valentine’s Day. Lame.
Those who mark Lupercalia today are not inclined to practicing animal sacrifice or sexually harassing people with strips of bloody goat hide. Nowadays, the holiday is celebrated by having a decadent feast with wine flowing freely. Dwellings are cleansed, and sweetness is drawn in with rose bouquets decorating altars. Some use this time to engage in ritual sex – whether partnered or solo.
When celebrating Imbolc, there is no rule that says you have to follow strict or elaborate rituals to the letter. There are covens with their own specific rules applied to marking the holidays, but those of us on a more solitary, manyfold path choose to personalize the sabbaths in a way that is meaningful to us. In general, deities associated with fertility and love can be honored at Imbolc.
Frigga – Norse goddess of the hearth, fertility and romantic union is very much in line with Brigid. The Yoruba orisha Oshun oversees matters of the heart, protection and the sweet waters. She protects the poor and acts as a surrogate mother to orphans or those estranged from their family. Oshun is also associated with prosperity, fertility and divination – all major themes of this time of year. Greek goddess Athena and Roman goddess Venus have all things love covered, and this is their time of year as it’s big theme is love and fertility. If you’re interested in creating your pantheon: do your research, be conscious and reflective about respecting closed religions and get connected with deities who you feel connected to.
Engaging in ancestral worship alternative to or alongside deity worship can also be a way of getting in touch with our roots. When we consider the idea of ‘ancestors’, they need not be blood relatives (though if you have an ancestor who embodies those things, by all means look into seeking their guidance) to be ancestors. Our lived experiences and realities coincide with many who have come before us. For many of us queers, engaging in spirit work and/or ancestral veneration of a person from our community that has passed on who we feel a connection with can be a form of ancestral worship.
At Imbolc we seek out the bigger picture that extends beyond surface value. We look past drama, stress and anxiety to reflect on what’s really going on in our lives. Now is time to take the opportunity to examine our lives from multiple perspectives. We try to determine what the main theme seems to be, what shadows keep showing up, who we are and what our bigger truth is.
Taking stock of our lives requires honestly investigating what makes us tick. In order to honestly confront ourselves, we must confront our dark side. Imbolc is often when witches engage in shadow work. Shadow work involves reckoning with our messy, uniquely dark sides; the sides of ourselves that are less-than-perfect, that we might try to hide, ignore or are embarrassed about. This isn’t supposed to be about making ourselves feel bad: this is judgment-free. It’s important to check in with ourselves so we get to know what triggers us and affects our exchange of energy in the world.
While wading in the dark pools of our psyches we must surround ourselves in the grounding energy of the place where we are safe. Hunkering down in a safe space helps us remain centered.
Now is an excellent time for rest and contemplation. Of course, not everyone has the ability to access what should be our fundamental human right: rest. It’s essential to try to carve out time for sacred rest and renewal. In order to go along our journey, we must prioritize our tenderness to ourselves. It’s essential to rest and recharge our batteries in order to allow ourselves to heal and rejuvenate. Even just taking a tad longer in the shower to spend a couple minutes doing some breath work can work wonders.
Now is time to consider what we want to carry with us into the new year and what we need to get rid of for our greater well-being. We think about when we are at our most authentic, and what it takes to stay in that truth. Now is about embracing who we are. We can allow ourselves to be proud about our accomplishments and not diminish ourselves. Instead we should revel in them. We can summon the energy to move through the world walking our walk and talking our talk. We contain magic, and our magic deserves credence.
At Imbolc we seek out the bigger picture that extends beyond surface value. We’ll never get what we really need unless we give voice to that. We’re often so caught up in the daily obligations we must adhere to, that we often forget to ask ourselves who we are and what we want. Imbolc is when we take an honest look at what’s going on. We can hold this moment to release any excess baggage that has been piling up so we can move forward into spring without all that extra, burdensome weight. Now is the time to recenter ourselves in our goals as we move forward. It’s also the time to think about anything we would like to change about ourselves that might have resonated upon reflection during our shadow workings. By remaining gentle with ourselves, we are reminded that we are always a work in progress.
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