Midwinter
Happy February, friends! And a blessed Imbolc if you follow the Wheel of the Year. I love almost every holiday on the wheel, and the different ways they connect me to the season, but Imbolc is one of my very favorites. Maybe because it marks the halfway point of winter, when the days are already beginning to feel a little brighter. And the knowledge that the Earth is slowly rousing herself from under her blanket of snow is enough to continue through the frigid days and seasonal depression. Where I live in New England, thereās also the budding hope of seeing some early signs of spring in the coming weeks. Sometimes we even have a warm spell here in February that thaws me out just enough to carry me through to late spring, when the sun make his (in my opinion) fashionably late appearance.
Even without the airy freshness that Imbolc brings, February is one of my favorite months. All the pinks and reds of Valentineās Day, along with chocolates and endless love heart decorations are saturating the entrances to most stores this time of year. Making it hard to resist swooning over the playful and inherently tenderhearted haze that settles over the middle of February. It also happens to be my 11 year wedding anniversary on the 8th, so it is a particularly sentimental and love filled month in my household.
With February and the noticeably longer days here, I am feeling the stirrings of my inner magic reawakening and truly some of my favorite magic happens at Imbolc. While some of us are planting literal seeds for spring gardens, others are planting the seeds of goals and desires. Itās an ideal time to take steps towards that thing youāve been wanting to pursue.
Though I donāt work with any deities in my personal practice, this year I have dedicated most of my celebrations and ritual to Brigid. My dedication and offerings to her this year hold symbolic meanings more than anything else, but it felt right to me to bring her to the forefront since the holiday itself is widely held in her honor. Besides that, I inadvertently started a daunting yet much needed spring cleaning of my home, made a pancake breakfast for my family, and attended a candle making party with my circle of like minded friends. All of which has left me feeling rejuvenated enough to come back to the work I let fall by the wayside during the Yule season. Iām looking forward tending to the seeds of hope and renewal, as well as creativity in my endeavors this year.
As Iāve often said before, I love that the magic of each turn of the wheel isnāt only possible or reserved for one day. Itās meant to anchor us into the season we are in, and to take notice of natural world when and where we have access to it. Even if you donāt have easy access to spaces dedicated to nature, or live in a place with heavily distinguished seasons, you can still use these seasonal rhythms to weave the correspondences of Imbolc into your life where and how it makes sense. Even just making yourself a small cheese plate, lighting a candle and setting a small intention to welcome spring is enough.
By now you probably know that celebratory foods are some of my favorite ways to celebrate any special occasion and saying a quick blessing over a homemade loaf of bread or a platter of some sort before setting it on the table is something I find myself doing more and more. Here are two small blessings if youād like to do the same.
Brigidās Fire meal blessing (from learnreligions.com)
Brighid is the lady of the flame, the fire that cooks our food!
Hail to her and to the hearth, and may our meal be good!
Traditional Irish Blessing (from The Kitchen Witch Companion)
May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours, wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures.
May all lifeās passing seasons bring the best to you and yours
Simmer pots are some of my favorite everyday magic. They add moisture to the air in winter, and I love imagining the steam carrying my intentions throughout our home for a happy and productive week.
Imbolc Simmer pot
a healthy pinch of salt, to protect and cleanse
1 orange sliced into rounds, to welcome back the sun and to call in abundance
a sprinkling of rose petals or 2-3 sprigs of rosemary for love
Cinnamon, for warmth and success
in a small sauce pan or similarly sized pot fill with water of your choice. Bringing in freshly fallen snow can be used for transformation, new moon water for clarity or full moon water to amplify. Regular water works perfectly well too! Set the pot on your stove and begin adding in ingredients one by one, stir clockwise to call in your intentions. Bring your simmer pot to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer to fill your home or workspace with the intentions of Imbolc. Simmer as long as you like, remembering to replenish with water so the ingredients donāt burn.
Note: When I am done with my simmer pot, I will often add a little bit of the strained leftover water to my mop bucket to imbue my home even more with my seasonal intentions.