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Thought for the Week – Imbolc

You must be noticing it by now, the lengthening of daylight as the Sun, reborn at Solstice, begins to fulfil his promise and calls upon the living world to wake once more from its winter sleep. We stand midpoint between the Yule and the Spring Equinox – the middle of winter if you will.

Nearly every faith has a celebration of the returning light; for Druids it is known as Imbolc, dedicated to Brighid and celebrated with candles and other symbols of light. The word Imbolc probably derives from the Gaelic for ewe’s milk; a key aspect of the springtime when new life comes in the form of lambs along with green shoots, snowdrops and leaf-bud. It is a time of youthful energy, new promises and rededications; of crafting plans for the year ahead. This past winter has been both mild and vicious, with still-blooming roses and toppled chimney pots and fences, but in our centrally heated, double glazed, well lit and well provisioned homes even the coldest times are felt less harshly by us than our ancestors.

In such homes we can overlook the turning wheel and miss the importance of the returning Sun. We choose not to! So if you come across Druids and others meeting up in green spaces, on hills and in cities, gathering to celebrate the new light and make promises for the coming year, join in! Come sing your love of the new year into the ‘verse; call the Awen along with us. Blessed be.

Mark Rosher, for The Druid Network (charity number 1138265)