The Pagan festival of Imbolc takes place at the beginning of February and symbolically marks the first day of Spring. One of the cross quarters of the Celtic Wheel of the Year, Imbolc is associated with Brigit (Bride/Bridget), maiden Goddess of Healing and sacred fire.

There are many holy wells and sacred sites across the UK dedicated to Brigit, including the unspoilt Brides Mound in Glastonbury, where it is thought a spiritual community existed since pre-Christian times and where St Brigid of Kildare is said to have stayed in 488AD.

Traditionally at Imbolc, new seedlings start to push their way through the soil, and we see the beginning of a new farming cycle. ‘Imbolc’ means ‘in the belly’, which relates to the time when lambing begins. Thus the Goddess Brigit is often depicted milking a ewe and is said to breathe life into the mouth of winter.

We noticed the first signs of Imbolc here in Avalon last week when we visited the Chalice Well to cleanse and bless some crystal skulls in the magical waters there. There was a sense of optimism apparent everywhere in the signs of nature and as we absorbed the fresh, Spring sunshine we were greeted by a friendly Robin who treated us to a few moments of joyful song.

Spending time at the Chalice Well always helps us return to a point of stillness, gratefulness and balance regardless of the challenges we face. Nature teaches us about the certainty of cycles and reminds us that inner security can always be reached as long as we see ourselves as part of the whole.

Today, Pagans see Imbolc as the time for a fresh start. It’s the perfect time for spring cleaning and de-cluttering on a physical and an energetic level. Start thinking about what you’d like to achieve, set new goals and look for seeds of inspiration in the emergence and quickening of nature.

In honour of Brigit, corn dolls and Bride crosses (fire wheels) are made, which are traditionally woven from reeds or straw. Milk is an ideal offering to Bride, Goddess of healing, as you ask for assistance in improving your physical and spiritual health.

This Imbolc feels particularly powerful, as we welcome a Full Moon on 7^th February, also known as the Chaste Moon. Its name relates to the notion that we approach the fresh start marked by Imbolc with a pure, clear Soul. It’s an ideal time for releasing that which no longer serves us, so Banishing Rituals, Purification Ceremonies and Karmic Clearance will all make for powerful magical work under the Full Moon.

If you’re drawn to crystals, Selenite, Smoky Quartz and Howlite will support your healing and magic beautifully. Herkimer Diamond will offer you the boost of clarity you seek if you are struggling for guidance about how to move forward. Full motivation will return with the Full Moon, when it’s time to work with crystals that empower your Free Will centre, such as Pyrite, Sunstone and Carnelian.

Interestingly, the Goddess Brigit is also associated with the fire of the Sun, which increases from Spring towards Summer. This seems pertinent right now because we can also capitalise upon the energies that still remain around us from last week’s gigantic Solar Flare as an opportunity for healing and release. Many people have noticed that this Solar Flare seemed to trigger a particularly marked emotional response, with issues of insecurity, self-doubt and uncertainty about the future coming to the forefront.

This very much reminds me of the energy of The Tower card of the Tarot, which speaks to me of the requirement to make a firm choice to rebuild the structures around one’s life in order to make a fresh start. It’s also about being forced to face the realities of life when we can no longer sit isolated within the barriers and protections we have built around ourselves.

How apt this Tarot card seems for us all today, as we are called to tear down and rebuild the structures of our dysfunctional world as we move from duality into Oneness. We feel this irresistible ‘call’ to Unity in the very fabric of our cells, emanating from our own inner core, the core of the Earth and the Heart centre of Source~Consciousness that beckons us home.

In this respect the Solar Flares are a double-edged sword, because while their powerful Light-codes catalyse much needed change, we become more aware of the fears we release as part of the transformation process and we are challenged to find ways to stay in a space of joy and Love while we make the necessary shifts.

My advice for this moment is to open the Heart to feel the Loving resonance of the future we now co-create, see it is already manifest when we transcend the illusion of time, and use this connection to transform any fear vibration overshadowing the process of change on a personal, planetary and Cosmic level.

Whenever there is a sudden event or shock that unsettles us to our very foundations physically, emotionally or energetically there is always a time of calm and silence that enables the dust to settle before we take whatever action is necessary to move forward. So the next few days are for stillness and reflection, while we ask the Higher Self for guidance on what it is that we need to acknowledge and release to enable the path ahead to be cleared.

Our challenge in 2012 is very much about staying in harmony with the cycles and shifts relating to the Earth’s process as we ourselves are an integral part of these changes. Listen through the Heart, hear the ‘call’ to Oneness and feel the magnetism of Source~Consciousness to ride the wave and stay right on track. Remember this beautiful planet is our home – so release resistance and synchronise with the natural flow as together we journey back to where we belong.

Rhian Kivits – Crystal Priestess

When I last commented on the spiritual energies of 2010 on March 1, it seemed as though the fast moving, explosive way in which the year was unfolding couldn’t get much more intense.

But here we are nearly two months down the line, and even the most energy-aware among us would concede that they hadn’t anticipated the rate at which the Earth shifts would continue or the ways in which significant numbers of people would be affected. 

Over the last few weeks, it’s suddenly become a reality that we can’t take overseas travel for granted, that we can’t assume our air will be clean and our water will remain unpolluted, and we certainly can’t rely on the Government to provide cost-free, quick fix solutions to environmental problems.

For lots of people, the instability of recent events has brought insecurity, and a deep sense of fear and panic. The comfort blanket of living in Western society has, in a small way, been revealed as illusion and the UK has been exposed as being equally as vulnerable to the consequences of Earth shifts as any other nation on this planet.

While TV news reports preferred to focus on irate, distressed travellers stranded in airports, running out of cash and losing all hope of returning home in a timely fashion while the cloud of volcanic ash lingered over the UK, the affect of Iceland’s latest eruption was not all doom and gloom. It’s worth pointing out that many positive individual stories emerged from the recent flight embargo, and the lessons learned are indicative of the perfect opportunities the Universe has provided to facilitate the awakening of those who are prepared to listen.

One of the most poignant lessons on offer for many was that of self-responsibility. Faced with the choice of sitting tight in foreign climes with no promise of a flight back to the UK, many travellers chose to make the decision to use their own resources and resourcefulness to find their way home via alternative routes. For some, this meant using public transport, hiring vehicles, booking ferries or venturing onto overland rail networks – an enforced adventure began that required them to think spontaneously and out of the box and develop solutions step by step, making use of the opportunities and possibilities that were presented to them at the time.

Although some experienced long journeys with extended waiting periods, a large number of travellers made it home through sheer determination and in the realisation that they would have to take responsibility for their own destiny. It’s worth thanking the Universe for this – there is no better time for this set of life lessons to surface than just before a general election!

Another unforeseen benefit of the lack of flights in or out of the UK was that hundreds, maybe thousands, of families and friends were granted an extended period of time together, forced to enjoy a little extra play and relaxation time – a luxury that will have made a huge difference to personal relationships and family bonding. Equally, many were involuntarily separated from their loved ones, forced to spend time alone, cope independently and to reflect on just how valuable those special people in their lives really are. Thanks again, Universe, for reminding us not to take the people that mean the most to us for granted.

For me, however, unaffected by the practicalities of the flight ban and simply observing events from my spiritual perspective, the most obvious message that emerged through all the chaos and mayhem lay right above my head, as I gazed day and night at the clearer, more natural skies, free from the noise of aircraft and the sight of the unhealthy chemtrails to which we’ve become so accustomed. Reminded that circumstances had provided me with a unique opportunity to survey an open sky similar to the one my ancient ancestors had enjoyed, I thanked the Universe for showing me that it’s totally possible for our dysfunctional system to crumble without taking everyone down with it, and that if we open our eyes and stay awake, there is always a new horizon ahead.

Rhian Gibbings