The Sacred Flame

Imbolc is the Celtic festival of light, renewal, and awakening. This sacred time invites us to shake off the stillness of winter and embrace movement, warmth, and intention for the year ahead.

Imbolc is the halfway point between Winter Solstice (Yule) and Spring Equinox (Ostara). Traditionally we celebrate this holiday near the first day of February. In our household, we dont hold strict calender dates for the Celtic festivals. Rather, we work seasonal practices into our lives in the way that is most practical. It’s ok to celebrate Imbolc anytime in late January or early February, according to what works with your schedule.

Imbolc is a time of purification, renewal, and setting intentions for the coming season. In Celtic traditions we give offerings to the triple Goddess at this time. Imbolc is closely associated with the goddess Brigid (keeper of the fire) in Irish traditions.

Here are 8 ways you can honor Imbolc:

1. Light candles, perhaps inviting your household to spend an evening together only in candlelight, without electrical light.

2. Host a bonfire outside, play drums and instruments to greet the new season. If you have your Christmas tree or evergreen boughs from Yule, this is the time to burn them. It is also a good time to burn any Brigid’s crosses that you made last Imbolc.

3. Wassail the trees, especially in the local orchard. This helps them to “wake up” for the new growing season. “Wassailing” is a MIddle English word meaning to sing blessings. Wassailing parties were held all throughout the winter. Usually wassailing is accompanied by drinking cider and ale. It’s believed that wassailaing the trees help to maintain a good relationship with the forest and ensure a healthy growing season.

4. Cleanse your home- burn a purification bundle (Sage, Mugwort, Palo Santo, etc.) and open a window to refresh your interior air.

5. Make a Saint Brigid’s cross from reeds, symbolizing the sacred intersection of the vertical and horizontal energy axis. Hang the cross as a protection in your home until next year.

6. Play with weather divination- Groundhog’s day comes from the old tradition of doing weather divination this time of year. I love the Scottish figure of the Cailleach, the wise and fierce winter goddess, who is said to reign over the cold months. She shapes the land with her powerful storms and icy breath. A fierce and formidable figure, she is often depicted as an old woman who carries a staff to control the weather.

   According to folklore, on Imbolc, the Cailleach gathers firewood for the remainder of winter. If she intends to prolong the cold, she ensures the day is bright and clear so she can gather plenty of wood. If the day is dark and stormy, it means she is asleep, and winter will soon loosen its grip. Spend some time out on a walk and notice how your local forests are weathering. See if you can guess when Spring will come by observing the new growth of the plants around you

7. Connect to the element of fire by gathering with loved ones around the fireplace or wood stove. Spend some time gazing into the flames together.

8. Start planning your garden! Although it’s still too early to actually plant in the ground, this is a great time to order seeds and think about any adjustiments you want to make in the coming growing season. Reflect on what worked last year, and how you can improve. Get ready for action after the spring equinox.

As we honor Imbolc, we rekindle the sacred flame within ourselves—awakening from winter’s stillness and stepping into a season of renewal and possibility. Whether through firelight, purification, or planting the first seeds of intention, this time invites us to align with the rhythms of the earth and embrace the return of warmth and light. However you choose to celebrate, may this sacred threshold inspire you to move forward with clarity, purpose, and a deep connection to the cycles of nature.

“The Cailleach” by Gabrielle Wildheart, charcoal on paper

-instagram is where I hang out -

*Disclosure: Some of the links in this blog may be affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through those links. Thank you for supporting my work!