Welcoming Imbolc: Celebrating seasonal shifts

Rediscovering ancient traditions and their connection to nature’s calendar

The pagan holiday of Imbolc falls on the 1st-2nd February each year. After what can feel like a long month, the frosty grey days often associated with January come to a close, and are marked with celebrations, where the winter darkness fades and the first flickerings of new light come into focus. 

For those seeking a deeper relationship with the earth and our ancestral traditions, learning more about what those who came before us did to connect with the land and its natural changes can be a grounding and enlightening experience.

So, what is involved in Imbolc celebrations, and how might you mark the occasion?

A deep history

Rooted in Celtic wisdom and history, Imbolc translates to ‘in the belly’ or ‘in the belly of the mother’ – marking a sign of new life and the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. 

Ewes have long been tied to the celebration, where farmers and stewards of the land would mark this time in the year as a sign to begin preparing for the farming months ahead. 

Seasonal shifts brought promises of fertility and prosperity, a sentiment that has stood the test of time and still rings true today.

Brigid: the Celtic Goddess

Imbolc celebrations are heavily intertwined with the Celtic fertility and fire goddess Brigid. Brigid symbolised youth, creativity, poetry and protection, and communities would gather to create their own representations of Brigid out of oats and rushes. 

This time for craft and creation was paired with lighting fires and burning candles to encourage her blessings of vitality and abundance in the warmer months ahead.

How to celebrate Imbolc

If you’re eager to tap into nature’s rhythms as the seasons turn, here are five steps to celebrating Imbolc:

Spotting signs of new life

You may begin to spot signs of new life during this seasonal shift, where snowdrops begin to shoot up on woodland floors, migratory birds return, farmers begin turning their fields for fresh seed sowing, and cows and sheep begin to produce milk with spring and new birth around the corner.

So, you may wish to celebrate Imbolc by simply going for a walk in your local area. Can you spot any new signs of life or wildlife you may have overlooked in years gone by?

Home and hearth renewal

At a time associated with hope and renewal, many would gather around the hearth, lighting a fire and candles at sunset to welcome the dawn of a new sun. Early spring cleaning would take place, leaving space for new life to grow in the garden and for creativity to blossom around the home.

If you’re looking for renewal in this year, why wait until March or April to start your spring clean? Whether it’s simply sorting the dreaded messy draw or clearing space in the garden for a new veggie patch, it’s refreshing to start the year on a clean slate by taking the opportunity to restore your home.

A time for creativity

New beginnings often bring us the space to get creative and manifest what we truly want and need for the year ahead. Imbolc was often celebrated through poetry, and featured in Irish poetry from as early as the 10th century.

Whether you’re eager to get creative with your words, want to use this powerful shift to manifest or wish to paint, read or draw – allow your creativity to flow in view of the seasonal steps towards spring.

Setting the wheels in motion

The winter darkness is a period of deep reflection and healing for many. A time to look back on the past year and set intentions for the months to come. Where you may have taken the darker, colder months as a time to retreat, reset and rest, Imbolc offers a starting point for you to set new intentions in motion. 

So, whether it’s selecting which seeds you’d like to grow ready for the warmer soil of March and April, joining a community group or finally launching your business – Imbolc could be the turning point for your new beginning, initiating change in line with the seasons.

Preparing a seasonal feast

With abundance around the corner, Imbolc has historically been celebrated with feasts – using seasonal ingredients like winter cabbage, oats, dried fruits and grains, eating in harmony with the changing landscape.

This would often be a community affair, so why not tap into tradition by bringing and sharing one dish of your choice to a feast filled with family and friends?

As we emerge from the hibernation of winter, setting goals and tackling new challenges can feel overwhelming, so a slow reawakening is a gentle step to begin setting intentions whilst remaining in tune with the natural world.