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“Not being ready yet” is a theme in my world.

It has been since I was a child.

I was never quite ready on time for whatever was going on. I was always that little bit behind. Always on catch up. Never quite in step with everyone else.

Traditionally in our northern hemisphere, western Celtic culture, Imbolc has signalled the official start of the wheel of the year, and yet each year I am taken aback by its sudden and unforeseen arrival….which is disconcerting given that I plan my working year around this wheel.

Each year, as Imbolc swings into view (2nd or 3rd Feb) I start to feel under pressure to be ready for it, which does funny things in my brain. It isn’t always a bad thing either. The adrenaline rush mends the gap in my brain where I can’t do the organisational things which are required to be ready for Imbolc, and the new year ahead. It gives me a huge sense of satisfaction to be able to get myself sorted and ready, and so that triggers a domino effect where I can do more, and more, and MORE…..until POOOOOFFF! Suddenly my adrenaline is all used up, BUT LOOK AT WHAT I’VE ACHIEVED in that time!

And this is where I feel that the energy of Imbolc is so useful and helpful. Imbolc is the cultural explanation for the tiny shoots of internal excitement we feel when the day is sunny and bright and we don’t need to wear 3 jumpers in order not to freeze in place. Imbolc is the starting line, the blocks, the diving board from which we reach towards the lengthening lighter days. And that is all.

That. Is. All.

Imbolc isn’t the fanfare which requires us to be ready, already.

This is just the very edge of the beginning. This is the first alarm you set ready to snooze before the real alarm goes off 15 minutes later at Ostera/Easter/Spring Equinox. Don’t worry that you’re missing out on something special by not being ready just yet, this is how the wheel turns. Slowly. With intent. You are a part of something marvellous. A world which knows when to wake and when to sleep. Capitalism, caffeine and electric lights have us believing that we must always be up and ready for the day, no matter how our internal clocks groan. A gentler way is in front of you here. A circadian rhythm which works with your internal clock. A gentle wave of rousing from a deep winter slumber. Look up, look out, see how the world around you is waking slowly. Emulate her.

You do not have to be ready yet.

Imbolc welcomes a time of preparation for the business ahead. In your unready state, it’s a great time to indulge your inner perfectionist housekeeper, fling the windows open, wash down every surface and give yourself a fresh, clean slate from which to start! If this feels like too much, just try getting fresh air and sun on your skin as often as you can. It’s amazing what a little bit of exposure to the natural world’s cycle of rebirth and regeneration will do for your inner sloth.

There are some wonderful resources available to support you in this liminal space between sleep and wakening, which can help you to reconnect with the burgeoning world around you, and help you cleanse your home and heart spaces ready for the year ahead.

The Celtic Goddess Brigid

Imbolc is an important date in the agricultural year, when farmers would prepare their fields for the first sowings and fishermen would return to the sea. It is a celebration of the Celtic Goddess Brigid, and many of the traditions of Imbolc are linked to her magic as Goddess of fire, blacksmiths, wells, healing waters, springs and poets. She is also linked to motherhood, fertility and abundance.

What to read: Celebrating the Great Mother - A handbook of Earth honouring activities for parents and children by Cait Johnson

Make a Brigid straw doll (Brideog)

One way to bring the magic of Brigid into your homes at Imbolc is to make a Brideog (pronounced Bree-jog). Brideogs are made with straw or rushes twisted into the shape of a doll, wrapped in white fabric to represent a little dress and decorated with the first flowers, greenery from the garden, and other pretty things you find in nature and the little Brideogs were hung over the doors of people’s homes.

What to read: The Earth Child’s Handbook - Crafts and Inspiration for the Spiritual Child by Brigid Ashwood

Make a Brigid cross

Brigid crosses were also made at this time of year and may be familiar if you had a country childhood. Straw which has been soaked overnight is woven around a frame made of sticks. There are many different styles, some with three or four arms, Googling Brigid crosses comes up with various ideas for your family. Hang your Brigid cross wherever you like in your home. It was believed that a Brigid cross tucked under the mattress helped aid conception, and they were used to bless seeds before planting in spring.

What to read: Nature’s Children - Celebrating the seasons in a Pagan Family by Rachel Mayatt

Feasts and fire

Another Imbolc tradition, as with many Celtic celebrations, is the lighting of fires. Fires celebrated not only the Fire Goddess Brigid, but also recognised the returning power of the sun. In the Christian calendar, Imbolc is known as Candlemas, when candles are lit for Virgin Mary. Lighting a fire is a good opportunity to gather with friends and family, and reflect, share and laugh together. Imbolc was also a time of feasting so you might want to make some food you can cook in the fire, and toast some marshmallows!

What to read: Festivals, Family and Food - A Guide to Seasonal Celebration

Spring clean your home

Now is the perfect time for a good spring clean of your home, usually undertaken before Imbolc Eve. Get rid of anything that is cluttering up your home and stagnating the energy, and scrub all the surfaces down thoroughly. If you can bear the cold, open all the windows and let some refreshing clean air flow through your home.

What to read: Sacred Space - Enhancing the energy of your home by Denise Linn

Visit a stream, river or well

Traditionally, Imbolc was a time for visiting holy water; a spring or a well, to both purify us and bring fertility to our dreams. If the water in the well, stream or pool you find nearby is clean, splash some over yourself as you set your intention to cleanse and purify. Glennie Kindred suggests dipping a piece of ribbon in the water and then hanging it from a nearby tree (trees near water are especially sacred) to carry messages of hope and healing. She also reminds us to thank the spirits of the place you visit.

What to read: Sacred Celebrations - A sourcebook by Glennie Kindred

Whatever you do, or don’t do, in celebration of Imbolc this year, I wish you all the blessings of a fresh start, a clean slate, and a new year beginning. May your hearth be bright and warm, your home be filled with love and laughter, and your heart brimful with joy and contentment; both this season and for the coming year.