Now I call on my Celtic roots and tune into the coming cross-quarter fire festival of Imbolc, the Gaelic celebration marking the halfway point between winter solstice and spring equinox in the northern hemisphere. Imbolc literally means in the belly of Mother Earth, because her womb is beginning to stir again after a long winter’s nap. Imbolc is also called Oimelc which refers to the milk of the ewes that starts to flow around this time of the year.

In the northern hemisphere, the kundalini fire within Gaia and all of life will now slowly start to change its direction in an upward flow. This is the time of a subtle seasonal change where the return of the Sun and early signs of springtime are observed. As we stoke the inner fire to help see us through these final weeks of winter, hope is on the rise! The divine mother is starting to recover after having giving birth to her son at winter solstice ~ Mother Nature is slowly transforming herself back from crone into youthful maiden.

Imbolc traditionally paid homage to Breo Saighead, the beloved Celtic goddess Brigid (Brighid, Bridgit), Exalted One, Lady of the Sacred Flame, and Druidic patroness of healing, fertility, poetry, smithcraft and magic. Imbolc is celebrated on the eve of January 31 (Sunday) and during the day and night of February 1, and is followed by its Christian counterpart Candlemas, a festival of light, on February 2. Here in this halfway point between winter and spring, the Moon is also at its monthly halfway point between full and new, a great time to consciously cultivate inner balance. The waning Moon now is also calling us to cleanse, heal and transmute whatever is not serving that balance.

Brigid, Bright One,
Goddess of the Forge.
Teach me to bear the fires of transformation,
The furnace that tempers my blade,
And makes me strong.
Be with me as I blaze my trail.
I light this candle in fiery offering to you,
Brigid, Goddess of Fire. (Author Unknown)

(thank you for this beautiful image of Brigid by Galaxis Mist)