Imbolc

Message:  Imbolc in the Celtic Tradition

Imbolc, celebrated on February 1st or 2nd, marks the midway point between winter and spring in the ancient Celtic calendar. Rooted in the rhythms of nature, it is a festival of light, renewal, and the first stirrings of life beneath the frozen earth. This sacred time honors Brigid, the goddess (and later, saint) of poetry, fertility, healing, and the hearth—guiding the transition from winter’s stillness to spring’s promise.

For the Celts, Imbolc was a time to recognize the return of the sun’s strength, with days growing longer and lambs being born, signaling new beginnings. Hearth fires were lit, wells were blessed, and candles burned to welcome Brigid’s presence. It was a season of purification, inspiration, and preparing the land—and the spirit—for what was to come. Today, Imbolc continues to be a celebration of hope, creativity, and the quiet unfolding of life’s next chapter.

A Poem: Imbolc’s Whisper

A hush of snow, a tender thaw,
The earth awakens, without a flaw.
Imbolc stirs in winter’s womb,
A quiet promise, life in bloom.

The lamb’s first cry, the ewe’s warm milk,
A flowing thread of life’s soft silk.
Candlelight flickers in the lengthening day,
A beacon to guide where shadows play.

Beneath the frost, roots stretch and yearn,
The wheel is turning, seasons churn.
Brigid’s breath, both fire and dew,
Blesses the seeds that push anew.

Snowdrops pierce the frozen ground,
Green whispers rise, though none make sound.
The hearth burns bright, its flame held high,
A pledge of warmth beneath the sky.

Imbolc calls with nature’s grace,
A time of hope, a sacred space.
We light our candles, we sing the song,
To midwife the spring as it moves along.

So kneel, dear soul, where earth is still,
Feel the stir of life, the quiet thrill.
Imbolc speaks in the pulse below—
The sacred rhythm all creatures know.

Journaling Prompts

As you reflect on the poem, consider the themes of awakening, renewal, and quiet transformation.

• What seeds of change or growth are stirring within you during this season?

• Like the snowdrops piercing the frozen ground, where in your life do you feel ready to break through and emerge?

• Imbolc honors both the stillness of winter and the promise of spring. How can you honor this in-between time in your own journey—what practices, thoughts, or intentions will help you nurture your inner flame?

• Brigid, the goddess of creativity, fire, and new beginnings, is central to Imbolc. If you were to dedicate a candle to a part of your life you wish to illuminate or transform, what would it represent? Why?

Let your pen flow freely, allowing your thoughts to rise like the first stirrings of spring beneath the surface. 🌱