One way that I like to connect with the seasons and cycles of the earth is by tuning into The Wheel of the Year. As we approach Imbolc (here in the Northern Hemisphere), I’m reminded of all that the Wheel of the Year represents: the cycles of light and dark, and of the constant flow and unending cycle of all things from birth, growth, and death to rebirth.
 

The Wheel of the Year can help you tune into natural cycles (similar to the Lunar Phases - but on an annual scale rather than just monthly) and helps you internalize these outward changes in nature as reflections of the growth and evolution you experience in your own life. Living in harmony with the seasons and the ebb and flow of nature helps you to lead a more soulful life and to cultivate a deeper understanding of yourself on a soul level. The Wheel of the Year helps you recognize who you are and your role in the world around you.
Learn more about the Wheel of the Year and Imbolc in my latest podcast! Tune in here…

 
So what is the Wheel of the Year?
Separated into 8 main holidays, the Wheel of the Year is a representation of seasonal cycles that focuses on the 4 Solar Holidays of the year (also known as the quarter days). This stems from the Anglo-Saxon cultural observations of the solstices and equinoxes, with the addition of the 4 Gaelic, agrarian, seasonal celebrations (the mid-points between the solar holidays known as the lunar cross-quarter days or fire festivals).
An Introduction to Imbolc:
February 1st is Imbolc (here in the Northern Hemisphere), the first of the cross-quarter days, which marks the beginning of spring (the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox). It’s origins are connected to the lambing season, or calving period when animals would begin giving milk, and the beginning of spring sowing of the ancient Celts. 

Though Imbolc is most widely celebrated on February 1st, it may also be celebrated on the true midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox (or on the evening of the Full Moon nearest this date - or on the evening of the Full Moon in Aquarius...though some dispute this and say it’s on the New Moon in Aquarius). You may also choose to adjust the date of your Imbolc celebration to coincide with your exact location, by celebrating when the first spring flowers (like Snowdrops, Crocuses, Daffodils, Dandelions, or Primroses) emerge and bloom.
Set up your Imbolc Altar with me!

Imbolc Crystals:

Red Garnet
Carnelian
Black Onyx
Bloodstone
Pyrite
Orange Calcite
Golden Calcite
Citrine
Amethyst
Azurite
Ruby
Golden Tiger’s Eye
Red Jasper
Malachite
Peridot
Turquoise
White Moonstone

 

Imbolc Signifies the Time for:

Renewal
Fertility & Midwifery
Coziness
Love
Purification & Cleansing
Birth & Rebirth
Transformation & Change
Emergence
Hope
Growth
Grief
Initiation
Gardening & Planting Seeds (Sprouting)
Late Winter
Anticipation
Release of What No Longer Serves You
Imagination & New Ideas
Inklings of Spring
Prosperity
Spring Cleaning
Protection
Communication
Planning & Preparation
New Beginnings
Awakening
Creativity
Warmth
Return of the Light

Why celebrate Imbolc?

Imbolc celebrates the first inkling of Spring and welcomes in new growth and the return of warmth to the land after we’ve made our way through the darkest and coldest of the winter months. This is a celebration of hearth and home as we prepare ourselves and our spaces for the ...