Reemerging from the Depths & Living our Truth
Sending tidings of Imbolc and blessings for a lovely Aquarian New Moon! Midway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, the Celtic holiday of Imbolc represents a reemergence from the depths of Winter and a movement toward longer days, fertile ground, and the freshness of Spring. Though we aren't there yet, a palpable feeling of change lingers in the air, beckoning us to come out of our winter cocoons, if only one small step at a time. Yes, the snow continues to fall, and the ground remains coated with thick sheets of ice, but there IS an inkling of deep knowing that the light is returning. We can feel it in our bones, sense it in our hearts. And many of our ancestors felt this way too, anticipating the coming of Spring and the rebirth it brings. This cross-quarter day of transition reminds us that even though the stillness and bite of Winter's cold is still in the air, the days grow longer in an inevitable move toward warmth and renewal.
Imbolc holds an inherent connection with the goddess/saint Brigid, keeper of the hearth fire within our homes, sacred spaces, and our very own hearts. She has been called upon for centuries by many, especially at this time of year, to protect the animals who are often now pregnant, so that their gestation and labors may be easeful and fruitful. She reminds us that we must bring to life in ourselves and the world what has been growing in the dark within us, whether it's a new way of being, an inspiring project that is ready to be materialized, or a literal child who is ready to come join us earth-side! And though we've been keeping our homes warm all winter long with this fire, it is now time to begin offering these hidden intentions to the world. The sacred flame is alight, and with the lengthening days, it can grow even brighter.
The reign of the Cailleach, or the crone of winter, is coming to an end once again. Imbolc, too, represents this symbolic shift. Yet the Cailleach reminds us that even though the season is beginning to change, we must embody the wisdom we have integrated this Winter as we move forward through time. Darkness returns each year, and with it, a needed steadfastness to meet life's certain challenges. When we remain steady in the gifts we've learned through Winter (and life itself), we can meet the adversities oft associated with the colder months with perseverance and calm.
The Cailleach has many connections with the planet Saturn in astrology, the Father Time whose slow march through the Cosmos will eventually lead to death. He is not macabre, but real; not foreboding, but practical. Saturn beckons us to become the wise elders that we're meant to be, and teaches us that making this choice absolutely leads to elder status in our communities and in our lives. But it is always a choice to face the hard lessons of life, showing up fully to them in a way that forces us to endure what we must, and without becoming bitter scrooges either!
For this Aquarian New Moon on January 31st or February 1st, depending one which coast you're sitting on, Saturn is conjunct the Sun and Moon in the sign of the water-bearer, asking us to hold a boundary regarding what it means to live our truth. The sacred flame aforementioned wants to shine its light from within us all, but Aquarius teaches that only when we are completely authentic to ourselves and our own inner guidance system will this be possible. When Saturn comes into an aspect with any part of our natal charts, he's reminding us that we can't go on doing things in this area of life in the way we have in the past. It is time to hold even more integrity in how we're carrying ourselves in the world. And since Aquarius is all about marching to the rhythm of our own drums, we're being asked to really do this, even if our parents, siblings, partners, spouses, best friends, and/or children think it's weird! We are here to learn to listen to this inner rhythm and let it guide us toward what is most true to us, and that will make the world a better place. It's kind of like the saying, "be yourself; everyone else is taken!" A perfect Aquarian sentiment, we are not necessarily taught how to listen to our own inner compasses, but this birthright lives within us all, and once uncovered, can never be put aside. If it is, we become automatons, life becomes meaningless drudgery, and the dissociation that follows keeps us further and further from the inner knowing we carry inside. A more skillful approach, then, is to heed the deep-rooted guidance of our hearts, envisioning and creating a reality that is inspiring and purposeful.
May your Imbolc and Aquarius New Moon be inspiring, and may your zest for life be rekindled as we move across the cross-quarter threshold! May you begin to reemerge from Winter's slumber with delight, and may you shine the light of your spirit and truth in the world in just the ways you're meant to!
