Imbolc, St Bride's Day - the beginning of Spring?

 Today begins February, the shortest but in my world the most eventful month.

We woke this morning to see the deer bedded down in the back woods. The temperature reaching into the mid thirties brought some snow melt. The birds enjoyed the brief sunlight in the midday, as for me I have always seen February as the beginning of Spring. It's the abundance of day light that seems to progress so well.

Since ancient times this has marked the beginning of more light in each day as we head toward the warmer days of the year. My drawing below is one of the nine in my pagan calendar series. In the center is Bridget, the winter crone now a youthful maiden. Circles include the bedding plants that are planted now for later gardens, the new lambs of the spring season, the candles that will be lit for Candlemas, the wheat cross to symbolize St. Bride,  the early snowdrops , and the awakening dragon that will fuel the warmer days to come.

 

St. Bridget, St. Bride, Imbolc - Spring begins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Imbolc is a time of celebrating the spark of new life within us. At this point in our yearly cycle, we begin to see light and snow melt returning, and Nature starts growing again; we feel it deep inside, too, in an energetic way. We begin to sense the potential of warmth and light ahead, which makes our inner fire kindle brighter. 

Imbolc also marks the first stirrings of the Earth’s milk, at a time when we see animals give birth and shepherds call their flocks back home again.

Though the Imbolc meaning has a lot to do with new beginnings, Imbolc is ultimately a time to clear out the old and welcome the new. Hibernating animals are starting to wake up, and energetically, so are we!

We have begun to start the spring cleaning of cupboards and stored items no longer needed or of use to us.

However, Imbolc tradition states that it is also the celebration of the Goddess recovering from giving birth to the New Year’s Sun God, since Imbolc falls six weeks after the Winter Solstice. 

Despite the fact that this Sabbat falls in one of the coldest months of the year, it is a time when the forces of new life are moving across the globe.

The warm temps today will be covered by colder snowy attempts of Winter trying to hold on. but we know that Spring will win out, bursting forth with all the jewels we planted in the fall.

Winter struggles to hold on, but Spring is slowly replacing him with warmth. Seeds are sprouting under the frozen land, and the forces of nature are preparing for the young Sun God to begin spreading his light and warmth soon. This is also a time of new beginnings, so plans are being made for the future.

 

Here Comes the Sun - the Beatles