A time for recovery and renewal
We can all use a bit of recovery and renewal right now
A bit of history about Imbolc. Skip to the next section if you want to go straight to recovery & renewal.
Coming up this weekend is the cross-quarter day known as Imbolc, which also goes by the names Candlemas and St. Brigid’s Day. It begins on February Eve (January 31st) and goes through February 2nd. The fact that Groundhog’s Day is on February 2nd is probably tangentially related somewhere along the line, since Brigid was known for a lot of mental powers, including the ability to foretell the weather.
It is a time of transition, midway between the start of winter (Winter Solstice/Yule) and the start of spring (Spring Equinox/Ostara).
Imbolc has traditionally been associated with both fire and water: fire to represent the light, which has been increasing since the solstice; water to represent life and the spirit. It was also traditionally a fertility event, since when you put fire and water together, things get steamy. I’m kidding, but not about it being related to fertility: in part, it’s because it’s the time of year that goats and sheep tend to give birth. It’s also the time of year when the three-part goddess (associated with Brigid) shifts from Maiden to Mother—again, likely related to birthing season for caprine animals.
While there are plenty of ways to observe or celebrate Imbolc, one of the ones I want to focus on is it being a time for recovery and renewal.
How to embrace recovery & renewal right now
Recovery is linked to Imbolc because of the holiday’s associations with birth—as we know, all mothers require recovery time after the work of birthing. Renewal is about making things fresh and getting them ready for the growing season.
Both of those things seem like a super good idea to me at this time of year every year, frankly, but they seem especially necessary this year, given the current events that surround us. Last week saw the inauguration of a felon, who quickly pardoned a bunch of other felons (most of whom were also seditious, though at least one was “a favor” for a top donor).
There were also a bunch of heinous executive orders (all expected by those who were paying attention to Project 2025, many of which will face court challenges), and a flurry of other announcements. All of it is designed to upset and demoralize the public, so that we get scared and sad and decide that it’s all too upsetting and there’s nothing we can do.
But of course there are things we can do. For instance, there are the things listed in this blog post from two weeks ago. There are organizations that would welcome your participation and/or funding. There are small acts of resistance and small acts of joy available to all of us, all of the time, which prevent us from becoming so apathetic that we allow ourselves to be steamrolled.
And one of the the things that you can, and should, do is REST. Rest is an act of resistance in a world that demands our productivity, and I wrote about it for Tiny Buddha a while back. You can read that article here. Rest is a part of recovery and renewal.
For Imbolc, here’s a list of some other ways you can recover and renew your own energy:
A spot of cleaning.
One way to help yourself recover is to engage in a bit of early spring cleaning. This is true whether it is looking like early spring outside or not. If the day isn’t too bitter, let a bit of fresh air into your home to literally sweep stale air (and energy) out. Wipe down things that have become sticky or dirty. Dust any areas that need it. Replace any cleaning supplies you are running low on. Set an intention of ridding the house of old or stale energy, grab a broom and sweep from the back of your house to the front door, then open the door and sweep that shit on out.
You might consider downloading my Energy Clearing Guide and doing a full energy clearing.
Blow good fortune into your home.
On February 1st, grab your powdered cinnamon, put a bit in your hand, Stand just outside your open front door and blow that cinnamon into your house to fill it with abundance, prosperity, and good fortune in the coming month. (You can also consider doing it on the first Sunday in February, which happens to be February 2nd.)
Light candles to celebrate the light.
This could mean lighting your favorite scented candle, or about lighting tea lights in each room of your home as a way of returning light to the space. Feel free to sit quietly and meditate, or just envision the flames from the candles burning off any stale energy that lingers after your home cleaning. (Just remember to make sure they all burn out, or extinguish them, before bedtime or leaving the house.)
Plant some seeds for the year (literally or metaphorically).
Now is about the right time to start seeds inside if you want to grow your own seedlings for spring crops (depending on your growing zone, of course, and what crop it is). Sitting quietly in a clean space near a lit candle and thinking about what you’d like to accomplish by this time next year is a really good exercise at this time of year—the energy for setting intentions is much more auspicious now than it was on January 1st.
Renew your own energy.
Take a nap, and/or go to bed early to make sure you get sufficient sleep. Do a brain dump to get everything you’ve been trying to hold in your head out and on paper, so your brain can relax for a bit. Have a nourishing snack or drink.
Traditionally, Imbolc is associated with bread and dairy products, so it’s the perfect time to cut up a crusty loaf of bread and make a cheese fondue, or put out a cheese tray with some bread or crackers. It’s also a good time to consider drinking hot cocoa, or perhaps milk and honey.
A simple recipe for milk and honey is to warm 2 cups of milk in a small saucepan. Once the milk is warm and off the heat, add a teaspoon of honey and a dash (1/8 tsp) of vanilla and stir until the honey is dissolved. Drink warm or cooled to room temperature. If you want something a bit more adventurous, try this recipe for Warm Spiced Mild and Honey.
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