Imbolc
Festival of Awakening
End January/ beginning February, Northern Hemisphere
End July/ beginning August, Southern Hemisphere
Imbolc is Chapter 9, Winter Turns to Spring, in the Yoga Through the Year book
"Go boldly in the direction of your dreams and act as if it was impossible to fail."
Christina Feldman
“There is vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost.”
Martha Graham
Imitate the Creativity of Nature at Imbolc
Imbolc comes from the Irish word “in the belly”. The name the Celts gave the goddess of Imbolc was Brigid. She is a fiery goddess, ruling over creativity, healing, and fertility. She is sunshine on frost-bitten fields and daffodils peeping through snow. She heralds the coming of spring. The Romans called her Februa, she who wove a fever (febris) of love into the warp and weft of the winter landscape.
Pablo Picasso said: “The meaning of Life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” Traditionally Imbolc is a time for doing arts and crafts, and celebrating creativity. The waxing Sun ignites a spark of passion within us and our ideas bloom like flowers.
Between now and the Summer Solstice Mother Nature is at her most creative, and we can imitate nature by getting creative too! Now is the time to get out that Mindful Colouring Book and crayons that have been gathering dust on a high shelf; or pick up that half knitted jumper; bake an exquisite cake; make your body into a love-song; dance a dance; paint a room; write a poem; design a yoga practice; just do whatever it takes to get your creative juices flowing. At Imbolc, the irrepressible creativity of Nature is stirring. What is waking up inside of you at this time and wishing to be expressed? What is new within you and waiting to be brought out into the light?
Many studies show that creativity is good for your health and a great way of relaxing. Yoga and meditation practice can enhance your creativity, by allowing you to access your subconscious mind, which in turn unlocks a treasure trove of creative potential. The writer Alice Walker, author of “The Colour Purple”, speaks of “the magic of meditation”. She says that meditation has been a loyal friend and helped her to write her books. The Colour Purple, she says, “owes much of its humour and playfulness to the equanimity of my mind as I committed myself to a routine, daily practice.”
Pablo Picasso said: “The meaning of Life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” Traditionally Imbolc is a time for doing arts and crafts, and celebrating creativity. The waxing Sun ignites a spark of passion within us and our ideas bloom like flowers.
Between now and the Summer Solstice Mother Nature is at her most creative, and we can imitate nature by getting creative too! Now is the time to get out that Mindful Colouring Book and crayons that have been gathering dust on a high shelf; or pick up that half knitted jumper; bake an exquisite cake; make your body into a love-song; dance a dance; paint a room; write a poem; design a yoga practice; just do whatever it takes to get your creative juices flowing. At Imbolc, the irrepressible creativity of Nature is stirring. What is waking up inside of you at this time and wishing to be expressed? What is new within you and waiting to be brought out into the light?
Many studies show that creativity is good for your health and a great way of relaxing. Yoga and meditation practice can enhance your creativity, by allowing you to access your subconscious mind, which in turn unlocks a treasure trove of creative potential. The writer Alice Walker, author of “The Colour Purple”, speaks of “the magic of meditation”. She says that meditation has been a loyal friend and helped her to write her books. The Colour Purple, she says, “owes much of its humour and playfulness to the equanimity of my mind as I committed myself to a routine, daily practice.”
Spring Cleaning as a Nature Ritual
"The time between Yule and the Spring Equinox was called the Cleansing Tide. It was a time of thinking and planning, of assessing what had been achieved and what unfinished work could readily be cast away. It was a time when all things were washed clear, or swept away. In ancient Rome, February was cleansing time, "the month of ritual purification." During the season, a new tide of life started to flow through the whole world of nature, and people had to get rid of the past and look to the future. Spring cleaning was originally a nature ritual"
"Women's Rites, Women's Mysteries." Ruth Barrett
Spring cleaning can provide a gentle way of shaking off winter hibernation-mode and moving us into action mode. Completing a mundane job such as tidying your desk, or cleaning out a cupboard, can shift stagnant energy, lift your mood, and boost your confidence. And by cultivating a mindful attitude, we can begin to make the connection between our inner wisdom and our outer actions, and in this way household “chores” become sacred acts. Our home becomes our temple.
Imbolc is a time of new beginnings. Now is a good time to review all aspects of your life and consider where you need to make changes. What is working well? What do you need to let go of? Use the watery power of the Cleansing Tide to let go of that which no longer serves you. Use the solar energy of the season to fire up your intention to initiate change. In our yoga practice we can use the exhale to support the letting go process, and the inhale to energise. Each inhale is a new beginning: each exhale a letting go.
Imbolc is a time of new beginnings. Now is a good time to review all aspects of your life and consider where you need to make changes. What is working well? What do you need to let go of? Use the watery power of the Cleansing Tide to let go of that which no longer serves you. Use the solar energy of the season to fire up your intention to initiate change. In our yoga practice we can use the exhale to support the letting go process, and the inhale to energise. Each inhale is a new beginning: each exhale a letting go.
Plant Seeds of Love This Spring
During the growing season whatever is planted will expand and grow, so now is the time to plant seeds of love. Relationships are like plants; they need to be nurtured and fed if they are to grow strong and flourish. Below are some Seasonal Meditation Questions that will help you to be like a good gardener and grow healthy, strong relationships:
- Who is important to me?
- What do we enjoy doing together?
- What do I need to let go of create the time and space to nurture this relationship?
- How do I let them know how much I care about them?
Meditation Upon the First Snowdrop
|
You are the first snowdrop. You bring light into the dark winter landscape and a hint of spring to come. Your love of Earth and Sky has blossomed into a moon-white flower, danced by wind, rain, and snow. Over the winter, your heart, a bulb, is cradled in the womb-like embrace of Mother Earth. Your roots dream into the darkness of the soil; mother and child as one. And then a quickening, something inside of you stirs, a baby kicks inside the womb, and you send up green shoots to meet the light. You are the first snowdrop.
Jilly Shipway |
Imbolc Yoga Practice
Here are my teaching notes for an Imbolc Yoga session. The emphasis of the session is on integrating Seasonal Meditation Questions into a regular yoga session.
Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes and the grass grows by itself.
Zen Saying
Imbolc is Chapter 9, Winter Turns to Spring, in the Yoga Through the Year book