Imbolc Season: The Season of Inspiration

As the darkness of winter begins to loosen its grip and the light gradually comes back, the cross-quarter day of Imbolc reminds us of the hope of spring and to begin preparations for it. Imbolc is also known as Brigid’s Day, Candlemas, or the Feast of St. Brigid, is observed on February 1st or 2nd.Imbolc marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It is a time of cleansing, dreaming, and the first signs of the rebirth of the light. Light candles to symbolize the returning light, cleanse your home and energetic field, and focus on what you want to manifest in the coming seasons.

Why Imbolc is Celebrated:

Imbolc is a celebration of the first signs of spring and the awakening of the Earth from its winter slumber. The name “Imbolc” is derived from the Old Irish word meaning “in the belly,” representing the ewes that are pregnant with the first lambs of the season. It symbolizes the stirring of life, the promise of something new, and the anticipation of the approaching spring.

Spiritual Themes of Imbolc:

Renewal: Imbolc is a time to embrace fresh starts, a chance to leave behind the old and discover the next path of your journey. Imbolc is associated with beginning again and cleansing rituals to prepare for the coming seasons of light.
Inspiration: Life is stirring and Imbolc season invites us to join in. What do you want to birth/create? Let yourself dream and get inspired so when Ostara Season/Aries Season rolls around you’ll have vision for what you want to manifest and can capture the fire high energy that’s coming.
Transformation: We’re in the womb now, being crafted and created into our next season – what do you want to become? Take this time to reconnect with your spirit guides and spiritual practices. Tap into the youthful innocence of having the courage to believe you can become anything you dream of.

Imbolc Correspondences and Facts:

Date: February 1/2
Themes: home, hearth, hope, fertility
Time of Day: Second half of Night
Generational Cycle Correspondence: Soul
Season Correspondence: Second half of Winter
Astrological Correspondence: Second half of Aquarius Season – End of Pisces Season
Moon Energy: Waxing Crescent
Tarot: The Empress & The Fool
Crystals: Clear Quartz and amethyst
Colors: Light Purple, Yellow, Light Green
Keywords: Hope, beginnings, emergence, return of the light, renewal, birth

Imbolc on the Witch’s Calendar

Generational/Universal Time – Soul: Imbolc season is the transition period from soul to maiden energy – think of it as a soul being crafted and preparing before being birthed into a new life. Just as we are being reborn, the light is also being reborn. Now is the time to get yourself ready for the adventure that’s to came. Reemerge from the darkness of Yule season and prepare for the long days coming.
Season – Winter: The second half of winter is here and it’s time for longer days, milder weather, and the cleansed energy cool air brings.
Astrological Seasons: Imbolc falls during the second half of Aquarius Season and all of Pisces Season. Now is the time to focus on the bigger picture. Use your intuition and connection within yourself and your community to make plans for the seasons of light and fire.
Moon Phase – Waxing Crescent: The new moon is behind us and we’re seeing the creeping rise in our energy. We’re no longer bundled up in our hermit phase, instead we’re actively making plans and preparing for what’s to come. What do you want to birth when the light returns?
Time of Day – Night: It’s the second half of night, we’re still resting, but we also are starting to hear the rustling sounds of the world beginning to stir and wake up. It’s not time to get up yet, but you might start coming back from the dream world and preparing yourself to get out of your bed and take action on the day.

If you want to learn more about Sacred Cycles, check out this post: Cyclic Magic

Imbolc Rituals:

Here are my favorite rituals for Imbolc Season:

Candle Magic: Prepare a candle ritual to celebrate the glimmer of light we begin to see at the beginning of Imbolc season. Make candles or do candle spells as a symbol of purifying what was old through fire and giving thanks for the returning light.
Seed Planting via a Vision Board: Imbolc is an ideal time for planning and planting seeds, both literally and metaphorically. Craft your vision board or refresh it.
Spring Cleaning: Begin your spring cleaning now. Prepare for the longer days and the busyness that comes with it by taking care of your home. Declutter, reorganize, sweep. This is also the time to cleanse your spiritual tools, altars, and your energetic field.
Connect with your Spirit Team: We’re in soul time and it’s easier than ever to connect in with our intuition. We’ve been resting and hibernating during Yule season – but now as the light is returning and so is our energy we are preparing for what’s next. Use this growing energy to plan with your team and connect with your intuition to figure out what your next steps should be. And a few more rituals…
Prepare to take action on your goals
Make a Brigid Cross
Bake bread
Tap into your creativity
Declutter
Make natural cleaning sprays
Energetic Clearing
Replacing Wards and Protections
Refreshing your Altar
Connecting with your future self
Sow Seeds
Tend your plants
Do a tarot spread for this season
Start a Gratitude practice
Connect with Brigid through meditation
Put out seed for the birds
Cleanse your Spiritual Tools
Refresh your planner
Take walks in the crisp air
Do a Surrender Practice
Set 1-3 Intentions for this Season

Imbolc Altar Ideas:

Your vision board and things that inspire you: Imbolc season is the time to dream and trust that your dreams found you because they were meant for you. Decorate your altar with things that connect you to your dreams.
Spiritual Cleansing Tools: Craft your altar to honor the tools that you use to cleanse – smoke cleanse bundles, clear quartz, black kyanite – whatever you use to clear your space. We are about to have a fresh start and our cleansing tools help us purify our energetic fields to release what no longer serves us so we can calibrate to what’s next.
Honor Your Spirit Team: Decorate your altar to thank and connect with your spirit team. If there’s symbols you use to connect with them, add those to your altar. If it’s a goddess or deity put an image of them on your altar. We’re in soul time, where we’re closest to our spiritual essence and our team is about to lead us to our rebirth and emergence back into the fast pace of life in the maiden season.

Imbolc invites us to connect with the cycles of nature and embrace stirrings signaling the approaching arrival of spring. This season provides a meaningful opportunity to align ourselves with the themes of renewal and transformation, honoring the sacred cycles all around us. As we begin to slowly release winter and welcome the light, let Imbolc Season inspire you to sow the seeds of your dreams and believe that you can birth into this world anything you want.

Learn More:

All about the Wheel of the Year and the Sabbats of this Sacred Cycle: Wheel of the Year.
FREE 2024 Calendar (includes each Sabbat of the Wheel of the Year, the Astrological Seasons, and the Daily Moon: Free 2024 Witch’s Calendar here.

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