The Celtic Wheel of the Year

Last Wednesday was Imbolc or St. Brigid’s day, the celebration of winter reaching completion and the first signs of spring appearing. I say that as I look out and piles of snow and an outside thermometer reading of 10 F degrees. Perhaps it is because of the climate where I reside, but my primary sense of this holiday is that it symbolizes and celebrates Hope. The light gets noticeably brighter and the days longer. Spring is coming. New beginnings are on the horizon.

Celtic WisdomJeanne CraneFebruary 7, 2022Imbolc, festival, holiday, hope, sun, spring, celebration, St. Brigid

Mating season

The cycle of life comes to life in the spring. The Celts celebrated Imbolc (lambing) followed by the spring equinox Eostre (eggs and bunnies) and then Beltane (livestock driven through fire to cleanse and increase fertility). They were not only celebrating Nature bursting forth in new life but trying to assure that it be bountiful.

Celtic Spirit, Celtic Wisdom, Stone Circle, thin places, holidayJeanne CraneApril 19, 2021Imbolc, eostre, nature, heiros gamos, Divine Feminine, Avebury, fertilityComment

Imbolc and St.Brigid

The thrill of seeing the first flower of the season pop up is at the heart of the Celtic Festival of Imbolc: that time midway between winter solstice and spring equinox. Thus, the snowdrop is its symbol and green and white are its colors. Here is the US, it is Groundhog Day. But to the Celtic people it was lambing time. Since the Goddess Brigid was responsible for birthing, she was celebrated on this day which later also became known as St. Brigid’s Day..

holiday, celtic blessingJeanne CraneFebruary 1, 2021Imbolc, Brigid, fire, festival, Divine Feminine

Roses, Hawthorns and Hope

There is so much going on in the world, so much causing stress and destruction. We must look for signs of hope and carry sweet songs like this in our heart.

Brigid, celtic blessingJeanne CraneFebruary 20, 2020angel number, Finger Lakes, Brigid's Day, Imbolc, hope, phoenix

The Bee

Our oracle card draw for February is THE BEE, a symbol of community, activity and organization across cultures but with the additional aspect of celebration being added because of the Druid tradition regarding mead, the honey drink.

Read more about this card and the impact of bees in our environment and the connection with Celtic Spirit.

Celebrating Brigid

February 1 (sometimes February 2} is Imbolc, the Celtic festival between winter solstice and spring equinox. As with all the Celtic holidays, it celebrates the coming of the light and is set around a fire burning throughout the night, with the emphasis on preparing for the season ahead…

Brigid, holiday, Celtic WisdomJeanne CraneJanuary 28, 2019Celtic Spirit, Celtic wisdom, Kildare, Solas Bhride, Brigid, Imbolc, Brigit’s WellComment