Imbolc
Welcoming Light, Renewal, and the Stirring Earth
Perhaps you’ve started to notice the shift. Started to feel like there’s an energy inside of you that is ready to make some moves. You’ve been patient, you’ve been resting and taking care of yourself as best you could, but you know that you’re ready for more action, more creativity, more life.
For many, this time of year is when intentions for the new year finally begin to feel actionable. Especially if January was more about rest, recovery, or simply getting through the days. This marks the moment when things start to stir and forward movement feels possible again.
This is the energy of Imbolc.
Imbolc arrives as a threshold moment in the year, reminding us that even when the landscape still looks dormant, change is already underway. Beneath the frozen ground and within our own inner worlds, something is beginning to stir.
Photo credit: @bingex via Unsplash
What Is Imbolc?
Imbolc is traditionally celebrated around February 1st and marks the midpoint between the Winter Solstice (Yule) and the Spring Equinox (Ostara). While winter is far from over, we’ve crossed an important energetic line as the light is noticeably returning and the days are slowly growing longer.
Though it’s often spoken of as a single day, Imbolc is really understood as a season. It’s a gradual shift guiding us gently from deep winter toward early spring. Snow may (most likely) still blankets the ground, trees remain bare, and cold air is still certainly lingering, but beneath the surface the earth is waking up.
You might already be feeling it, too.
It’s no coincidence that this time of year people are starting to feel a bit stir crazy from the colder days and gray skies (at least here in Michigan). It’s the time where people start jetting off to warmer and sunnier places for a few days of respite and a change of scenery. We’re ready to feel a sense of life with the sun on our skin and vitality that has perhaps been a bit distant during the darker winter days.
Imbolc in Story: Brigid and the Returning Light
The word Imbolc is often loosely translated as “in the belly,” a reference to pregnancy, potential, and what is quietly forming out of sight. Historically, it was associated with the lambing season and new life stirring while winter still holds its grip.
Imbolc is also closely tied to Brigid (pronounced BREE-id), the ancient Celtic goddess of spring. Later woven into Christian tradition as Saint Brigid, she bridges old and new worlds, much like the season itself.
Brigid is a goddess of hearth and home, healing, fertility, creativity, poetry, and smithwork. She carries both the warmth of the fire and the spark of inspiration. She carries the steady flame that sustains life through winter and the creative fire that shapes what comes next. At Imbolc, she reminds us that tending the small, steady flames matters just as much as preparing for future growth (most often because the small, steady flame leads to the growth).
Symbols and Seasonal Traditions
Imbolc is rich with imagery and symbolism drawn from the natural world. You can use these elements as inspiration to decorate your home, create a small seasonal altar, or simply bring a quiet sense of the season into your everyday life. Many of these symbols reflect themes of light, warmth, purification, and gentle renewal—mirroring what’s beginning to happen beneath the surface of the earth.
Colors: Soft whites, creams, pale greens, and warm golds reflect returning light, purity, and early signs of life.
Fire and Light: Candles, fires (in a fireplace or bonfires, too), and mood lights symbolize the growing strength of the sun and Brigid’s sacred flame.
Plants and Early Greens: Snowdrops, crocuses, early bulbs, evergreen sprigs, and dried herbs honor resilience and the promise of new growth. You’ll most likely start seeing more of these “spring” flowers in stores.
Water: Bowls of fresh water or ritual washing represent cleansing, renewal, and emotional clarity.
Natural Textures: Wool, stone, wood, and iron connect us to the land, craft, and Brigid’s association with smithwork.
Arranging these elements on a table, windowsill, or small altar can help you consciously mark the seasonal shift. Even something simple like a single candle lit with intention or a jar of water that you keep refreshed somewhere can help anchor you into the quiet magic of Imbolc.
Simple Ways to Celebrate Imbolc
One of the things I love about honoring the seasons is that it doesn’t require anything elaborate. A bit of awareness and a dash of intention and you’re there. Here are a few of my favorite (simple) ways to welcome this seasonal shift and honor Brigid:
Plan your garden - Flip through seed catalogs and dream about what you'll plant this year (and then buy some seeds for yourself 😉).
Winter sow seeds - Get your hands in the dirt and let nature take the lead. A perfect balance of embracing winter while looking ahead to spring.
Light candles (or have a fire) - Welcome the returning of the light and the energy of fire. You can even watch the flame for a few moments of mindful meditation.
Clean your home - Clear out the clutter, donate what you don’t use, and refresh your space. Make your home a place you want to be in.
Find your creative spark - Write, read poetry, paint, craft. Do anything that inspires and energizes you.
Step outside - Notice the small shifts around you. Longer daylight, louder birdsong, or maybe even early blooms like snowdrops or crocuses, depending on where you are. And if you can’t get outside, sitting by the window and looking outside can be just as meaningful.
These are just a few ideas, but ultimately, celebrate in a way that feels right for you.
Embracing the Season
Imbolc reminds us that transformation doesn’t always announce itself loudly. Sometimes it arrives as a quiet knowing, a subtle shift in energy, or a gentle nudge toward what’s next.
The light is returning. The earth is stirring. And whether you can see it clearly yet or not, you’re changing too. Let this season be an invitation to trust the process, tend your inner flame, and honor the slow, steady becoming that’s already underway.
Photo credit: @jplenio via Unsplash
Looking for a deeper way to work with this season?
The Winter Seasonal Workbook is available here.