We are part way through January, and Imbolc (falling February 1-2) will be upon us soon.

Imbolc celebrates early Spring. It is the first of the Spring sabbats (the others being Ostara and Beltane).

It is the first sabbat following Yule, and as a cross quarter festival, it marks the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. This festival marks the passage from winter toward Spring – days are getting longer and, at least here in Texas, often warmer. I know we will still have cold days, but overall the days are nicer. Even when the days are cold and the land seems bleak, there are signs of returning life.

For my seasonal alter, I tried to reflect the symbolism of the Imbolc festival:

purify, growth, renewal, new beginnings, fertility, and abundance.

I have incorporated colors (white, violet, green, red), stones (bloodstone, garnet, amethyst) and plant material (flowers, potted Pothos, oats and seeds), as well as pictures of Spring.

Imbolc is also called St. Brigid’s Day, named after the Irish Goddess of hearth, fire, childbirth and midwifery. Some traditional objects associated with this celebration, in honor of Brigid, are corn dollies and Brigid crosses. These are fun crafts that kids can help create and then display on the seasonal alter.

Having the seasonal alter is a great focal point for my main room, and even on dreary days like today, I can look at the various objects and feel energized thinking of warmer, brighter days just around the corner.

Beyond just alter displays and crafts, however, I want to be incorporate the spirit of Imbolc into my practices. I want to be intentional as I observe Imbolc not just in an alter and decoration, but also in what I am doing around my home and property.

What does this look like practically? For January, I have set several personal intentions that incorporate the symbolism of Imbolc – purification, growth, renewal, new beginnings.

Personal

I’ve been evaluating my health and fitness goals that I have been working on throughout 2022, affirming what has worked so far, updating some goals I’ve achieved and those I am still working on, and also making changes as needed.

I’ve come up with my 2023 reading goals, and while I have not been holding myself to as strict of a reading schedule as I have in years past, due to a lot of stress, just having goals and a written Reading List ensures I spend time each day with my nose in a book (or several) as I chip away at my goal.

I’ve set some personal goals for myself for 2023 after a season of self-reflection – topics I’d like to focus on for continuing education (nothing formal for certificate or degree, just things I want to focus some time and energy on as a life-long learner), and areas I’d like to work on as a wife and as a mom. My advice for goal setting – write them down and refer to them throughout the year and mark progress made.

At home

This is a great season for Spring Cleaning! I’ve been cleaning and decluttering inside and around the home – I’ve been sorting and bagging clothes for donations, organizing cabinets and toy bins, and scrutinizing book shelves for candidates for a possible book purge (gotta make room for my 2023 books!).

Cleaning and organizing rooms – while I try to keep up year round, this is also a time for deep cleaning, purging, and organizing areas, especially common use areas like dining room and living room.

Outside

Preparing garden beds – we are thankfully snow-free in my area and I’ve been working to move more dirt into garden beds, reinforce some hardscaping, and adding some soil amendments.

I’ve also been work on some erosion-control projects around our property, moving dirt and adding rocks and pavers as needed.

Seasonal upgrades to our chicken area – adding dirt to our enclosed chicken yard, a deep clean for the coop and some minor repairs as needed.

Using the Wheel of the Year, and the symbolism and meaning of the various festivals, is a wonderful way to guide your intentional living through the year. Use this time as we approach Imbolc for clearing away mental and physical clutter and make space for growth and new beginnings in the new year. Even in the cold, dreary days ahead, allow yourself to feel energized because the sunlight is returning!

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