This post began as a struggle with how to recognize this season of Imbolc. This is the hardest sabbat for me to relate to as it falls in the middle of Winter and I am not a cold and dark person. The Google doc file has been open for three days and I couldn’t find the right arrangement of adjectives and verbs to describe my inability to embrace Winter. That’s what Imbolc says to me, Winter.
I like the cyclical nature of the Wheel of the Year and the sabbats “holidays” it presents. They track the seasons and cycles of Nature and give me a way to recognize the changing seasons. I use them to enjoy activities that are quintessential to the season we are in. I am reminded of a quote from Henry David Thoreau.
I have read everything I can get my hands on, looking for something to pop and this time of year to make sense to me. Then, today it snowed.
It has been a not very cold, wet, gray Winter here in the middle of the North American continent. The temperatures have, for the most part, stayed between 30 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit and there has been rain and lots and lots of clouds and too much gray. I have a hard time being enthusiastic about this kind of weather and have no way to relate to it. But, today, magic (atmospheric conditions) happened.
This season went from something to get through to something beautiful. I thought the neighborhood pond would look awesome in the snow, so I put on all the outdoor things and went for a walk. In February.
The house looked so pretty in her first snow fall when she was ours.
The pond was indeed peaceful and I felt the tonic of Nature and I took a few moments to just be.
As I walked back, I found some tiny paw prints and thought how fun it is that the snow covers some things and reveals others.
So, today, I felt this season. I got out and experienced the air this time of year and felt the cold and let the peace of the snow ease my soul. Isn’t that what recognizing the sabbats is really all about?
Here is a list of activities we have planned to recognize the season and Imbolc.
- Make bird seed ornaments for our bare, Winter trees
- Make an ice ring with items foraged from our yard
- plan our garden for Spring
- Start seeds indoors while the snow falls outside
How do you recognize Imbolc and this time of year?
My Seasonal Journey 