Celebrating Imbolc

Since before I ever had heard of Sabbats, I celebrated them.  My husband and I had constant debates about the seasons… I was convinced Spring starts at the end of January or beginning of February, when I would see new growth on my daily walks.  And it made sense to me, because it was exactly halfway between MID Winter and MID Spring, ergo it must be the changing point!  My glee when I found my first Sabbat calendar was magnified by the ability to show it to him and say Ï told you so”!

Imbolc, falls on the 1^st or 2^nd Feb, but apparently it’s personal preference when anyone celebrates. I have been celebrating all week.  Others whom I spent the night with yesterday to celebrate the Blue Moon which coincided with the Supermoon will celebrate tomorrow.  Whatever, apparently there are no rules in the spiritual path.  Well, maybe two, but now is not the time to discuss them!

Imbolc is time to celebrate New Beginnings, so I was ready with a small vase of flowers and shrub foliage which I picked from my back garden.  This arrangement will remain all year now, until Samhain, as I will constantly add new growth to replace the old.  The display therefore will morph, but it will be the same display I started two days ago!  This month it will host snowdrops and crocii, next month bluebells, and occasionally the foliage will get changed out.

I also made an Imbolc spread. I love creating my own spreads, in fact I tailor make MOST of my spreads now. I start by considering the cards I want to use. The Paulina Tarot is full of wild flower and forest imagery, the sort of stuff fairies play in, so that was a no brainer!

Then I need to consider which shape I wish to use. Since we’re marking the beginnings of new growth, I thought a flower would be appropriate.  Then I formulate the questions I wish to use. I try to relate them to the season, so for this reading, I chose:

My Roots

1. What is feeding my interest?
2. Who is supporting me?

My Stem

3. What should be my main focus this season?
4. What issues will be crossing my path this season?

My Blossoms

5. What should I meditate on?
6. Which area of my learning should I focus on developing?
7. How can I boost my physical health?
8. What should I nurture in my environment?
9. How can I help others in their new growth?
10. What else do I need to know?
11. What will the outcome be if I follow this path?

I haven’t space in this post to read them to you…. but I have posted a thread in a forum over on TABI so that you can hop on over and join in the conversation about this spread: http://www.tabi.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?16890-Imbolc-Spread-Feedback-please!!!

Edit: If you head to my next blog post, I have posted the reading from this spread: Imbolc Reading

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Katie Horn

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