Anticipating Imbolc

I have an interesting relationship with Imbolc.  When I first came to understand modern Witchcraft--when I first read about Rituals and Sabbats--I had years of experience with seasonal depression.  I am fortunate that my depressions are a mild version, but each winter, I experienced a dip in mood, difficulty getting out of the house, and low energy.  I remember a time years ago--it was about three weeks before Yule, and I cried to my husband at the time, that the shortening days were doing their dark magic on me, and that the Solstice was still weeks away, an eternity before the sun would even begin to return. 

But as I started understanding the Sabbats, I was able to notice the signs of spring as early as Imbolc.  February had always been hopelessly dark for me, cold, anxiety-producing, and frustrating.  I knew these were natural cycles, always to be repeated, and yet I still struggled.  But honoring Imbolc means seeing the crocuses as they pop up, where I used to just walk past them, too low and too small for me to see, and myself too grumpy to look;  realizing the livestock in nearby farms are pregnant, instead of driving by unseeing; and hearing the birds singing in the morning, instead of bemoaning the need to drag myself to work in the cold.  A good friend once said to me, "Witchcraft has provided you a reframe for winter." 

Now, even before Imbolc reminds me the light is returning, I have come to recognize the beauty of winter and the darkness.  We push ourselves to go to work and maintain our usual routines, but what I know in my heart is that we are creatures who are meant to be hanging out in the back of the cave, having sex and telling stories, sharing our oral histories to pass traditions down to the tribe.  It's ok for me to want to hibernate all winter, because that is the natural way.  There is no sadness in there.  Just rest.  Well-earned, I might add.

I also have come to realize that I perk up each spring, and I don't have to do anything to make it happen.  I must simply ride out the winter, resting, and come spring, my energy increases, I plan things, I get things done.

So I have come to love Imbolc as one of my favorite things about the Craft.  Yule and Samhain had already been big celebrations in my life.  But Imbolc was a gift that resulted specifically from discovering modern Witchcraft.

Now, decades later, I am rekindling my relationship with each of the Sabbats.  I am excited to rediscover each one.  So for the next few weeks I will be planning the details of my Imbolc Ritual.  I'm sad to say that I don't even remember what I did last year.  My journal skips from June of 2011 to September of 2012.  I can't believe I had dropped off like that.  But Facebook and Blogspot are starting to dig in to hand-written journaling time!

So, anyway, all this is to say that I look forward to planning my Imbolc Ritual with you.  We'll take a look over the next three weeks at different ways to celebrate, and I will pick out the ones that resonate.  I'm excited about this project, and about sharing it here.