I can't reach this time of year without seeing it as a transitional period, of new beginnings with a deep sense of anticipation (more so than new year). The first signs of spring are now evident, though we have not quite crossed the threshold of the season, the shy but robust heads of the bulb flowers are peeping through a still, frozen ground ... and finally the days are getting longer too...
It's a happy time of year when the promise of something special laces the air like a delicate fragrance.
New life in its infancy.
So we can start afresh...with new ideas, eagerness and the promise of romance.
A not so romantic element of this time of year is the spring clean. This is not only in the home but in our lives too, preparing for things to come. We have to make space in our heads for the new and the abundance that the coming year will bring.
This has always been a part of tradition and it is interwoven into the Sabbat of the season, Imbolg. In the northern hemisphere, Imbolg is celebrated around the 1st/2nd of February and although it is not quite spring, it marks the end of winter in the Celtic calender. It's a time when the feminine is honoured as the maiden of spring emerges from the old crone of winter and the cycle of life begins again.
Imbolg is also about inspiration and the Goddess Brigid who represents fire encourages that spark of life that's needed for creativity such as poetry. It's a great time to settle old scores and tie up loose ends before the onset of spring as fire purifies and prepares for the new. Brigids meaning and origin does vary slightly however, believed to be connected to St. Brigit of Ireland representing fertility, labour and healing but she is clearly a womans inspiration and a symbol of the divine feminine.
As it is the time of year for inspiration and for all things female I have selected some pieces of work from various Etsy shops that encompass this - delicate romantic hues and empowering art. Please browse my selection and remember that if you like my blog please feel free to follow, comment or visit these wonderful shops :)
