Imbolc
In many neo-pagan religions, today is Imbolc, which the Catholics have borrowed and now refer to as Candlemas. In Wicca, this day is dedicated to the Irish goddess Brigid, Goddess of Poetry, Smithcrafting, and Healing. There are many associations for today, and even now a fraction of these traditions have been passed down and changed into what Americans refer to as Groundhog Day.
Being one of the 8 sabbats of the year, I would normally celebrate today by doing ritual of some sort. The regular demands of the day don’t provide enough time for that and to do the other things I need to do, so my ritual this year is going to be different. My ritual this year is going to be my life. Since ritual is just the symbolic acknowledgment and re-enactment of what is happening in nature at this time of year, I can think of no better way to honor that than by living my own renewal, my own new beginnings.
There are some habits I’ve been wanting, and sometimes trying to establish already, without much success. I’ve recently come into possession of knowledge and tools that will help me get there, knowledge and tools that I’m starting to use. I admit that I haven’t always been happy with my life. Despite my knowledge that I could make things different, I never quite seemed to be able to make that happen, though I had some knowledge and some less effective tools on how to do that. I never consistently applied them, and as a result, things never changed much.
Things are different now. Not going to be different, they are different. They must be, because I’m different. No, I didn’t radically throw everything overboard and become someone else entirely. Those kind of changes work rarely, if ever. No, I am changing on the inside, changing what I believe is possible for me, and how I react to certain things. Those changes will be reflected in my everyday choices, big and small. I’m sure that others will gradually notice the changes too, though they may not be able to define exactly what is different.
That’s what Imbolc is about to me. Nature moves at her own speed, and there is a natural rhythm to life that many in modern society have lost. It’s the time of year to clean out the old and make way for the new - planting season is just around the corner. I can’t wait to see what it brings.