Breathe Of Heaven

The Spiritual Importance and Meaning of Imbolc

Imbolc is an ancient Celtic festival that celebrates the first breaths of spring deep in the winter earth. It's a time of hidden but real change, when the days get longer and there's a new sense of hope and vitality in the air, even if there's still snow outside.

While winter isn't over in many places yet, Imbolc celebrates that the winter's time of rest and retreat is soon over, and that the natural world as a whole is once again vibrant with new growth and life.

The Imbolc festival takes place towards the beginning of February, on the quarter day, or midpoint, between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox.

Traditionally, Imbolc celebrations begin at sundown on February 1st and continue until February 2nd.

The exact cross-quarter date for 2024 is February 4th this year.

The wheel of the year turns

Imbolc is one of the eight major seasonal celebrations that make up the Wheel of Year. For those unfamiliar with the concept of the Wheel of Year, it's essentially a map showing the journey of the Earth as the seasons change throughout the year.

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The Wheel of the Year divides the calendar year into eight segments. These segments track the Earth's progression through the seasons and the symbolic cycles of death, rebirth, growth, life and decay. Imbolc marks the beginning of one of these segments.

The hidden beginning of spring.

Although Imbolc still has a strong winter feel to it, within the earth there is a surge of light, growth and warmth.

Suddenly, after the cold and darkness of winter, there is more light and small signs and hints that spring is on its way.

There is a sense of hope and anticipation as Spring arrives… but there can also be a sense of heaviness and even loss at this time of year.

We are still in the winter of Imbolc, introspecting and looking within ourselves, but we may still be beginning to truly understand how much change is occurring or being prepared for in our lives. Expansion is on the way, but as humans we tend to resist change and expansion, simply because we are scared of leveling up our lives.

The challenge and opportunity of this time is to integrate all of the experiences of the past year and alchemically transform them to create the new growth and life that will emerge in the coming Spring.

If you are experiencing difficulties during this time, know that it may simply be the major seasonal changes and energies at work. You are in a process of growth and expansion right now. Even if you can't see it fully yet, there is growth, transition, and change happening within that may feel uncomfortable. Also, depending on the change you are going through, there may be a lot of resistance.

Remember the power of welcoming yourself wholeheartedly with tender care and compassion. This is a wonderful time to strengthen self-care and self-love, and to nurture and nourish your body, mind, and soul.

The symbolism of daffodil bulbs buried in snow

A beautiful symbol of this time of year are the daffodil bulbs buried under the snow.

One of the first signs of spring, the daffodils are still frozen in the earth, but within their bulbs, the power of light, warmth and presence is awakening.

The daffodil withdrew inward, to its center, where it reconnected with the truth of its essence.

This is the opportunity that winter brings you too – an opportunity to reconnect with your core truth – to go beneath the illusion of outer manifestation and into silence, stillness and presence and remember the truth and core essence of who you really are.

Like frozen daffodil bulbs, the winter season invites you to embrace periods of rest, stillness and reflection, always knowing that inner reconnection precedes outer manifestation.

The final phase of winter is essential… to prepare for spring.

As spring arrives, the daffodil bulbs will begin to sprout and grow. They will sprout from the center of the bulb and reach towards the light.

The bulbs will grow, break through the soil and eventually produce beautiful flowers.

The natural beauty of the daffodil flower is already present inside the bulb, and even if the bulb freezes and is buried under snow, it does not lose its beauty.

All the beauty of wildflowers exists in their seeds, even when dormant.

Imbolc is the final time to dive inward – go deep into your core and reconnect with your truth, preparing you for the next stage of growth, spring, and the outer manifestations that will soon be in place for you.

A time to dive deep within…a time to develop the strength and courage needed to overcome the doubts and resistance to growing further into the person you are becoming in life.

This inner winter work is not easy, but it is essential to prepare for the coming flowering stage and it is very powerful.

And now, this time of Imbolc, this time of midwinter, is such a powerful time to go within and reconnect with the warmth, the light, the truth within. By quieting the mind, resting, and allowing oneself to simply be, we can reconnect with the divine within.

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Connecting with our inner self now powerfully prepares us for the season of growth that is coming our way in the Spring and for us to blossom into our true Divine essence.

The Meaning of “Imbolc”

The name Imbolc, pronounced Im-Blk, comes from the Old Irish I mbolc meaning “in the belly” and imb-fholc meaning “to cleanse”.

Understanding the meaning of your name can help clarify the opportunities available to you during this time.

This is a time of abundance, a time when we can go within and reconnect with what truly matters in order to bring more blessings into our lives.

At the same time, this is a powerful time for cleansing and purification.

Time for purification

If we look into the origin of the word “February,” we find that it comes from the Latin root “Februa,” which roughly means “purification.”

Here is another synchronicity, a clear reminder that now is a powerful time for cleansing and clearing.

With the hidden beginnings of spring upon us, now is the perfect time to do a little spring cleaning on a physical environmental level, but perhaps even more powerful and effective is the opportunity to cleanse our emotions and clear our hearts.

By focusing on cleansing now, by letting go of what no longer serves you and peeling back layers of old energy, you will be prepared and empowered to blossom more fully in the divine truth of who you really are in the Spring.

This is also a very effective time to detox your physical body – consciously cultivating health and vibrant life force – by cleansing and cutting ties to that which no longer serves you, and choosing to take in that which supports your life force and vibrant light.

By clearing your space, purifying your thoughts, clarifying your feelings and reconnecting with your inner light…this cleansing creates a tremendous opportunity for you to live a more full, more vibrant life now and receive new inspiration and guidance for how to move through this gateway into the future.

Imbolc Candle

Traditionally, Imbolc is seen as a time of increasing light and is the perfect time to make candles that capture the magic of this time of year and the bright new energy of the sun in celebration of the season ahead.

There is also a connection here with the holiday of Candlemas, when the Church blesses all the candles for the coming year.

For those who have never made candles before, this easy beeswax candle kit seems like the perfect way to experience the magic of this Imbolc tradition.

Imbolc Journal Prompts

How can I best nourish and care for myself right now? What is rising within you to create and expand in the coming months? What changes or transitions in your life are making you anxious or uneasy right now? What unresolved issues do you need to resolve to make space and openings for new beginnings in the future? What would it look like to bring more self-love into your life? What have you dreamed of this winter? What have you been drawn to? Where are you being called to grow and expand in your life?

Cultivating God's Presence

Imbolc marks the hidden entrance to Spring, and this is a wonderful time to look for the signs of Spring beginning to appear around the Earth, and also to look for the warmth of God's presence within yourself.

By cultivating the presence of God within now, you will be ready to bring more and more of it to the surface of your life as the wheel of the year turns and the seasons change, creating new levels of opportunity for new layers of your truth to emerge through all that you do.

Go within now and reconnect with your inner God Presence, your core truth, and your vibrant light so that in this springtime of growth and the days ahead, you can shine more fully in perfect harmony and truth, for you are truly a divine being.

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It's also the perfect time to start gardening for spring. What seeds will you plant in your garden this year? I'm currently putting together an order for berry bushes and trees. It's exciting to feel the power of spring and to plan a co-creation with the amazing power of life and nature. This co-creation will bring so many blessings into your life!

I hope this helps.

With lots of love and bright blessings,