Wishing you a Blessed Imbolc

Imbolc is often thought of as preparation for spring. It’s a good time for ‘spring cleaning’ of the home, as well as of the chakras, mind and heart to get ready for the upcoming season of growth. It’s a good time to release the stagnant energy of late winter and light the fires of creativity and inspiration.

Imbolc, in spiritual terms, is a Sabbat at the beginning of February, signifying the first stirrings of spring. This sacred occasion is a time to celebrate the awakening of the Earth from her wintry slumber and welcome the blessings of inspiration, fertility, and healing into our lives. As we light our candles and tend to the hearth, Imbolc reminds us to embrace new beginnings, spiritual growth, and the ever-turning wheel of life.

Here are a few ideas to inspire your Imbolc Ritual;

* A pre-ritual Milk Bath.  Adding milk’s symbolic connection to Imbolc to the luxurious self-care of a cleansing bath makes for a lovely setting for releasing, cleansing and energizing before ritual.

* One of my favorite Imbolc rituals is to empower and bless bulbs and seeds before planting for the coming season. I like to focus on specific goals that I’ll be working toward that can be reached in the time it takes for the bulbs to bloom – which is often summertime in my planting zone, giving me a 4-6 month window to ‘act in accord’.

* Imbolc is also known as Candlemas, making it an idea time to make the year’s supply of candles, or to do candle magick. As much as I like making my own candles, I’m never sure what specific colors I’ll want to use over the coming year, so while I do make a variety, I also focus on stocking up on white candles. White is an all-purpose color, lending itself to many types of spellwork. Then I bring in other correspondences like herbs, oils, crystals and special candle holders.

Check out a few more ideas to celebrate Imbolc here.