Imbolc
“At this time of year it sometimes feels as though winter still grips the land and the weather may be fierce. But if we seek them out, there are signs of new life stirring all around, even beneath deep snow. New shoots will be beginning to show in many plants, and for those of us out early, the dawn chorus of birdsong will be growing noticeably louder and last longer as the days visibly lengthen. Catkins, the flowers of the hazel, appear by mid February, and are followed by those of the willow…
Try to take some time out in nature during Imbolc and you’ll be amazed at what you find, even in a city park. Breathing slow and easy, try to be as present as you can to the simple act of walking, one foot after another, the earth beneath your feet and the sky above you. If the winter has felt long and tiresome, or if you feel seasonally affected by the lack of sunlight, take these moments as a gentle meditative exercise to encourage you, day by day. We all have times when winter reflects darkness or depression within our lives and these first stirrings are nature’s gentle medicine for easing our recovery, as well as adding some extra magic to our understanding of the seasonal wheel.
Even for those of us in a positive state of mind, there is something so beautiful about the quality of light on these early days of the year, and the quiet way life returns to even the bleakest landscape, that can support and nurture us, coaxing us gently into alignment with nature’s rhythm to find a more relaxed, present and reflective state.”
From The Magical Year by Danu Forest
Chorlton Unitarians 