Imbolc
Imbolc (pronounced EE-Molc), falls on February 2nd, about halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, marking the middle of winter and holding the promise of spring. It is one of the four Celtic “Fire Festivals”; the other three being Beltane, Lughnasa, and Samhain.
It is also known as Candlemas, and St. Brigid’s Day, because it celebrates the Celtic Goddess Brigid (pronounced BREED). Brigid is the Goddess of poetry, healing, midwifery, and all things made by hand. She is also the Maiden incarnation of the Triple Goddess. Imbolc commemorates the changing of the Triple Goddess from her Crone form to her Maiden form.
Imbolc celebrates fertility, the first signs of spring. It is a festival of light celebrating the rebirth of the Sun. In mainstream culture, Imbolc is more commonly known as Groundhog’s Day.
Rituals
If you would like to observe Imbolc with a ritual, here are a few simple ones you can perform:
- Light a candle in every room of the house at sunset as a way to honor the Sun’s rebirth. Alternatively, if it is unsafe for you to work with fire, you can just turn on the lights in every room for a few minutes.
- One of the other ways to honor the Sun is to eat spicy foods or foods that are symbolic of the Sun like peppers, garlic, onions, or even raisins. I love spicy foods, so I’m totally on board with this.
- Spring cleaning – clearing the old to make space for the new. You can do a literal spring cleaning for your home as a ritual for clearing space, or you can do this Moon Magic Releasing course for a spiritual spring cleaning.
- Imbolc represents the start of a new agriculture year, a time to plant seeds. Symbolically, this is when you would make a wish, a goal, or a dedication to something you want to grow and harvest in your life. Take the first steps on a new project or goal you intend to manifest.
- It is also a good time for divination, so of course, we shall divine with our tarot cards (or any oracle cards you like) today with the Imbolc Tarot Spread I have created for you below.
The Spread
The Questions
1. Planting Seeds: What do I want to grow in my life?
2. Spring Cleaning: What needs to be cleared?
3. Bringing Warmth: How will I spread joy and happiness?
4. Shining a Light: What parts of my life needs illumination?
5. Rebirthing: What dormant gifts will be reawakened?
—
I hope that you enjoyed this spread and that it is helpful to you in greeting the spring, clearing space, and inviting the Sun’s warmth back into your life during this Imbolc festival.
You can also purchase the complete Wheel of the Year Tarot Spreads which includes this spread and all the other spreads in the Wheel of the Year series in one convenient 40-page ebook in the shop.
As always, I would love to hear back from you about how it worked for you if you use it. Please feel free to leave a comment or contact me at mynasmoon@gmail.com.
