Imbolc

Today is Imbolc. In ancient Celtic tradition "i mbolg" meaning "in the belly." It's the turning of the season. Seeds deep within the Earth are beginning to stir and will soon show signs of budding and emerging. This is a good time for the seeds inside that have been lying buried all winter to begin to stir and begin to manifest in my life as well. I have been holding inside the seeds of creation. I've wanted to write so here I am. I begin my blog.

I light a candle and call the directions.

I turn to the North and call in Earth. Home of the Eagle, Bear, Winter, healing herbs, trees flowers, the seeds growing deep inside, me and the Earth. I connect with the Earth. I sit by my door and look out onto a wintry scene of my personal sacred space on my deck. It is now devoid of any greenery, but I still love it. I sit by a beautiful huge amaryllis with 8 magnificent blooms on the ends of stalks that have grown to 35 " tall and pots of large elephant ears. I drop a drop of water that I have energized by the Goddess Brigit, the keeper of holy water and sacred flame, into each of the flowers and onto myself. I light my holy candle and connect with Earth. I ask Earth to reveal to me how I can honor the element Earth in my life. The answer comes to me. I need to get outside as much as possible this year: walk in the woods, dig in the Earth planting, eating organic healthy raw fruits and vegetables. Detox myself. And, to honor the cleansing time of the year, I can cleanse my home. I can clean closets and every room of my home releasing those things that no longer serve me . Things that no longer serve me physically, if I don't use them or aren't beautiful, need to be released. I need to be grounded and take steps toward my goals. I will fill out the application for herb school and Metaphysical University. And, I will take more time to reflect, write, connect with the Earth.

Air - I turn to the East. Home of the winged creatures and home of the new day-new beginnings. This is the beginning of a new season. The sun will begin to shine warmer. I open the door to my deck and stand in the cold-feeling air, breathing air, being air. The cool, crisp, freshness fills my lungs and every cell of my body feels cleansed. I left the door open a little as I return to sit on the floor looking outside and the cold breeze cleansed the candle smoke from the room. I will remember to invite air into my home more - especially as the weather warms.

Air is the mental realm. I'm reading and memorizing the traditional Goddesses and where they are from. I need to remember to use my mental capacities and stretch. One thing I love about my life is comfort, contentment, stressfree, the actual freedom I feel. Free as air. Blowing breezes. Occasionally the Goddess Oya comes in blowing a storm with worries, shaking things up. Then I realize that in this moment, this moment in which I am living right now, I am comfortable, happy. I cannot live in any of my past or in any tomorrow. I am right now.

Fire - I turn to the South and call in fire. Home of the sunshine, warmth, Passion and drives fill my center and I glow outward. I call in the power of the Phoenix, the firebird as I sit by my lone candle. It is a wooden wick candle and I can hear the fire, I can see it, I can smell it, I can feel it. Fire is powerful as is the fire in my belly. The fire of passion and desire in my third chakra, my center is very strong. And, my lists of passions is long. The seeds of desire are planted and nurtured and need to come forth. Maybe the time for solitary learning needs to be balalnced by being taught by others. That takes money. Maybe it's time to release my inhibitions on spending so I can learn and grow. I really want to take that herb class. I will let the fire spread. Share my light. Glow forth. Let it out. Let the masculine, fearless part of me have free reign to forge a new path. New ideas. A new life.

Water - I turn to the West. Home of Oya, Goddess of the rain and storms, to nurture the new seeds, help them grow. The rain water runs to Oshun, Goddess of streams and rivers, all the way to Yemaya, Goddess of the ocean. Besides my bowl of energized water, I look out at frozen water on my deck. Snow. So much snow this year. But it's still water, just as the rain water that I long for that will briing forth the tree buds and start the stirrings of the seeds.

Water runs through me. I am mostly water. My blood, tears, degestion juices, my milk I had for my babies, my womb. I am pulled by the moon cycles just like the seas of the Earth.

Water is the emotional realm. Do I need to go with the flow? Hmmm. Always a good idea. Now is a good reminder to honor intuitions. Connect with the feminine aspect of me. Feel my connection with the Divine in me. Let her out. Compassion. Love. Serving others. Give the Goddess a gift. A gift of me. My hands. My heart. My voice. Let me do your work for you

Spirit - I turn to the center. The center of me. The center of time. The center of everything. The within. Before we were here. After we are gone. Those who come before us. Those who have yet to come.

I connect with Spirit inside of me. I feel it very strongly. The me that I am. The one who sees what I do, what I say, how I act. The one who stays the same. The one who changes. The same one I was when I was a little girl, a young woman, a new mom.

I look inside a baby and I can see the new Spirit fresh from Heaven. The Divine has many forms and displays. The ancient Gods and Goddesses are aspects of the one Divine Spirit. My Guides and Spirits help me keep the connection. The Muses speak through the heart, into the crown. I connect and hear ideas, answers, and I feel the love.

I close my ceremony. I thank Brigid for helping me. And, I know I walk the rest of the day and every day with Grace and Love.