Imbolc - The ancient pagan holiday to celebrate the midway point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. This is a time when we begin to plan for the upcoming Spring season:
What do we want to Harvest - so we plan on what to plant
What projects do we want to do?
Plan goals for improving our health and fitness
What do we want to learn
We have spent half of our winter reflecting on what we accomplished, mistakes made and the things that we didn't have time to do. We also celebrate and have gratitude for things that went well. We spent this time being grateful for the success and generosity of others. Now that spring is approaching we want to plan for the upcoming seasons.
Imbolc is celebrated on the 1st and 2nd day of February and is also a time to celebrate Brigid who was the goddess of creativity, smithing, healing, and verse (poetry) in ancient Celtic pagan traditions. Christians now recognize this celebration as Saint Brigid of Kildare who founded a monastery in the 5th century in Kildare, Ireland. Saint Brigid is known to protect us from fire, illness, and evil; and she is also known to be the protector of farms, livestock, and birthing. She is the Saint who helps all women to recognize their gifts and strengths.
The cross of Saint Brigid is woven from straw and hung over the doorway and around the home to welcome protection into the home. Other ways to celebrate Imbolc:
a simple candle-lit meal shared with family
baking bread and sharing with neighbours and friends
using the winter vegetables in a simple meal
a crystal grid to help energize your goal planning or protection
a tarot spread to find out what you need to do/have to accomplish upcoming goals
However you decide to celebrate, do it with positive intentions that will have you manifest your goals.
Celebrating Imbolc With Good Intentions, Tarot and Crystals:
Crystal grid:
Clear quartz- in the centre to direct crystal energy where it needs to go
Pyrite: turns any negative energy blockage into positive energy to help manifest your goals
Garnet: to attract the support you need to reach your goals
Carnelian: creative energy, helps to ignite your creative passions
A note of intentions is written on a piece of paper and placed under the clear quartz centre crystal
Candles:
Blue candle: for writing, planning and speaking with intention
White candle: to appeal to the universe to give you support
Green candle: growth, abundance and healing
A Tarot Card spread for Imbolc
A tarot card reading helps us to do self-reflection and discover aspects of ourselves and what is influencing us (and much more). Since Imbolc is a time to take what we have learnt from self-reflection during the dark days of winter and turn it into plans to manifest goals, a tarot reading is a great tool for:
self-discovery
checking our blindspots; in other words what is in front of us yet cannot see?
who is supporting us
advise from our spirit guides
Here is a tarot spread that I use:
Card 1. Lessons learnt: Remind me of things I have learnt in the past seasons.
Card 2. Celebrations: what I have achieved, accomplished and/or gained. It's important to remind ourselves of victories
Card 3. What I am still working on and what should I work on to achieve my goals?
Card 4. What are my blind spots?
Card 5. Who or what is there to help me? Who can I go to for support? What resources do I have or need to have?
Card 6. My goals and the outcome that is possible if I plan well.
A sample reading:
There is much to celebrate, you understand that friendship is important to have in life and you have learnt who your friends are as the Three of Cups indicate. You managed to keep the positive people who celebrate your victories in your orbit. What you have accomplished is worth celebrating with others. The High Priestess tells you that you can trust your intuition. You have finally learnt to trust yourself and know what you want. You do not need others to tell you what you need for yourself. You have also become a person who is trusted by others. You are also open to new ideas and want to learn much more. There is still that little voice inside you that is casting doubt. That doubt that you have about yourself comes from a deep-seated experience where you have learnt that you are not good enough for your goals. We feel that we do not want to "rock the boat" and "stay in our lane" because "who do we think we are?". The message from the reversed Empress is not listen to these voices. You are enough. The Ten of Wands wants to remind you to not let negative influences come between you and what you want to achieve. Do not be afraid of asking for advice and do not be hard on yourself if there are some mistakes along the way. Sometimes we encounter negative comments from others, but remember if you are true to your goals you do not have to carry any negative energy that is directed to you. Spend more energy being mindful of supportive people who are around you. The Nine of Swords card indicates that you have to be aware of the negative thoughts that are becoming a pattern. This could be a block, so when this thought pattern happens, go to your plan. Remind yourself of what you want to achieve and talk things over with an advisor i.e. financial advisor to make sure you have the resources. Go to the supportive people around you for encouragement. Look after your health and don't let yourself go into a hole of negative thinking. Finally, the reversed Strength card indicates that a plan is just a plan. To achieve your goals you have to push yourself. No one can make you do the things you need to do. Adopt some discipline and put things into action. You will find this hard to do at the beginning, but if you make yourself do the things you need to do, you can achieve your goals.
The Tarot Deck used is the Vintage Rider Waite Deck - Designed by Pamela Coleman Smith under the direction of Authur E. Waite. Lo Scarabeo