Embracing the Quickening

For the past two Thursdays, I have tried to write an email to you about what I was feeling and thinking about the world right now. I couldn’t get the words right.

It’s ok. They will come.

But what I do know is that focusing on keeping ourselves cared for and grounded 🌿—and then extending that care into our communities, both local and online—is more important than ever. One of the ways I personally stay grounded is through reflection and ritual, which brings me to this special Friday email.

As the wheel of the year turns, we find ourselves at Imbolc on February 1st here in the Northern Hemisphere. Imbolc is the cross-quarter Celtic celebration that whispers the first promise of spring. 🌸 It’s a sacred day for me because it happens to fall on my birthday 🎂. And this year, it’s my milestone 50th birthday. 🎉

Though winter’s chill ❄️ may linger, beneath the surface, life is stirring. 🌱 Imbolc reminds us of the unseen yet undeniable movement happening in the depths of the earth—and within ourselves.

This sacred time, often associated with the Goddess Brigid (or Saint Brigid) 🔥 is a moment to honor the quickening, the subtle stirrings of new life and fresh possibilities. It’s a season of trust—the belief that what has been nurtured in the dark will soon blossom in the light.

Imbolc exists in the space between—the threshold where winter has not yet fully released its grip, but spring has not yet fully arrived. 🌿 This in-between time can feel uncertain, yet it holds immense power. It is a liminal space, a bridge between what was and what will be. In this transitional moment, we are invited to reflect on our own in-between spaces: the dreams forming but not yet realized, the shifts stirring within us, the quiet transformations preparing to emerge.

🌟 Reflections for Imbolc

Take a moment to sit with a warm cup of tea ☕, light a candle 🕯️, and journal or pull cards on these questions:

• What is beginning to stir within me? What dreams or desires feel ready to awaken?
• Where in my life do I feel the gentle spark of inspiration, even if it’s not yet fully formed?
• How can I nurture the seeds of my intentions before they break through the surface? 🌿
• In what ways am I currently in an in-between space, and how can I embrace it with trust?

🔥 A Simple Ritual to Welcome the Light

On the night of Imbolc, light a white or yellow candle 🕯️ to symbolize the growing sunlight. As you do, whisper your intentions for the coming months. Imagine them as tiny sparks within you, slowly growing stronger with each passing day. If you feel called, write down your intentions ✍️ and place them in a safe space, allowing them to incubate like seeds in fertile soil. 🌱 You can also symbolically plant some seeds in a tiny pot or jar to put in your window.

Imbolc invites us to embrace the sacred pause—the moment before the grand bloom—trusting that what we are tending in the unseen will soon come to life. 🌸

May this season bring you clarity, inspiration, and the warmth of new beginnings. 🌞

With light and renewal, ✨