View Related
February 1st. is Imbolc the ancient festival to celebrate the first stirrings of spring. Imbolc was transformed into Candlemas by the churches in the same way as all the events to mark the turning of the year were changed into religious ceremonies. Imbolc belongs to Brigid the goddess of fire, inspiration, poetry, healing, childbirth and unity and her symbol is the snowdrop a reminder that the human spirit can overcome adversity. The snowdrop brings hope for just as it flowers with such beauty after a long hard winter then we too can flower when life gets hard and we retreat into our inner winters. The greatest teachings come to us when we are challenged in life and in time they become our greatest blessings.
A year ago today I stood at my mother’s graveside at her funeral and I placed snowdrops from my garden on her grave in the same way as each year previously I either took her snowdrops when I went to visit or I posted them to her as she lived at the other side of the country. During the recent year I have had an ongoing situation with the people who were seeing to her headstone as they would not complete the work. However this was accomplished on the anniversary of her death and I know she had a hand in this.
Several days after this I woke up with her favourite hymn in my head and I realised that I couldn’t find my previous grief and sadness, it had gone and I could feel her joy at this. The hymn was the one she had hinted that she would like to be played at her funeral although she would never discuss such matters apart from telling me that she wanted hot food at the “do” afterwards, she didn’t like cold food. So these last couple of weeks she has helped me to bloom again like the snowdrops.
The snowdrops are late this year, the winter has been a hard one and for many people life has been hard but renewal is here for all of us and Imbolc gives us the opportunity to turn ourselves around and face the sun once more. Brigid brings the sun and the fire; she brings her sacred flame and urges us to move forward. The energies of the new earth are quick and constantly changing and we have to move with them. We have spent long enough looking back and clearing and if you can embrace these new positive energies your life will change beyond recognition.
Here is a lovely quote from Florence Scovel Shinn, “Miracle shall follow miracle and wonders shall never cease.” This beautiful saying applies to now as we are given the most amazing opportunity to quicken our ascension. Move into the new constantly, even small things like changing the food you eat, changing the flowers you bring into your home, walking a different way to work, these are all changes and move the energy within you.
When your mind becomes heavy, lift yourself up with happier thoughts. This is the lifting up of your vibration, this is ascension and the energies of the two ways of being are totally different. Turn everything round to the positive and see the blessing in all things. Don’t deny anything you see but see it with your spiritual eyes and you will glean the wisdom.
So here we are, the year turns yet again; turn too and look forward. Here is a meditation to connect to these wonderful energies of new beginnings.
Sit quietly and let all your cares melt away, feel a deep peace enter into you. As you sit you feel a white energy surround you, brilliant white light and as you take it in you become aware that you are transforming into a white snowdrop, you are the snowdrop and the feeling is pure bliss. Within this energy you are transported to the most beautiful woodland filled with snowdrops, a very magical place. The sun is shining and light radiates through everything. You then feel a great wind and from the wind there emerges the old crone dressed in a black cloak; she tells you her work is done and she is ready to die so that she may be reborn again. She chants sacred words and immediately her cloak falls away and it is transformed into more snowdrops.
You now see before you the most beautiful being, it is Brigid and she speaks to you telling you that you have the power also to die to your old self to be reborn again. She asks you to put your hands into your heart and remove all the old energies stored in there, old memories and hurts you may still be holding onto; she tells you to hold these and to feel every feeling to the depths of your being. Then she pours her sacred flame into your hands and transforms everything you are holding into a golden book. This is your book of life and you are ready to now write the next chapter and create a life you will love. You put the book into your heart and a great tranquillity fills your whole being.
You bring yourself back into your body with the realisation that you have been renewed.
I wish you many blessings this Imbolc.
Post Article:
Submit Your Own Article