10 Ways to Celebrate Imbolc in the Southern Hemisphere
Imbolc marks the transition from Winter into Spring, when the plants are starting to grow fresh shoots and the days are getting longer. It is a time of growth and renewal, fertility, light and new beginnings. Celebrate by Spring cleaning, decorating your home and feasting on dairy, eggs and seeds.
Here are simple 13 ways to celebrate Imbolc:
1. Forage for early Spring blooms to decorate your home
It’s important to get out in nature to truly honour the seasons. Go for a walk and pick white, yellow and pink Spring flowers, such as daffodils, camellias, dandelions, crocuses and snowbells. Plus fresh ivy, jasmine and budding twigs to decorate your home.
2. Create a seasonal inspired altar
Create an Imbolc altar using a white cloth with red fabric draped across it, adorn it with pink, red and white floral candles, a chalice of sacred water, a glass of fresh milk, a bowl of seeds or a jar of honey, a vase of dandelions and snowdrops and a priapic wand.
3. Honour Brighid, the goddess of hearth and home.
Display images or figures of the Goddess on your altar and make her a bed of flowers by your fireplace.
4. Make a Brighid's Cross
This symbol was traditionally made from rushes, to celebrate at this time of year and welcome the Goddess Brighid into your home. I've made this one out of harakeke (flax) as that's what is often used for weaving in New Zealand.
5. Make a Priapic wand
A budding twig adorned with ribbons and bells, traditionally made be shaken to "wake up" the sleeping bulbs in the ground after Winter.
6. Do Spring cleaning
Including sweeping the entrance to your house with a broomstick, which is a symbol of Brighid, the Goddess of hearth and home. Declutter as much as possible, Imbolc is an important tie to get rid of the old to make room for new beginnings.
7. Make a Spring wreath for your front door
Create a Spring wreath from ivy, jasmine and early Spring flowers.
8. Burn Imbolc incense
Made from fresh ginger, rosemary, cloves and orange peel. You can put these in the top of a wax burner with some beeswax or coconut oil or make a simmer pot instead and boil them in a pot on the stove letting the aroma fill your home.
9. Cook with seasonal foods
Such as eggs, dairy, seeds, citrus fruits and root vegetables. Make custard and chia seed puddings, lemon poppyseed cake and a bacon and egg pie.
10. Wear Spring colours and a Brighid’s crown
Bright red, vibrant green and pastel pink are a few perfect colours to match the Spring theme. Adorn your head with a crown of flowers and fresh ivy like Brighid is often depicted wearing.
You don’t have to do every single one of these things, why not just try a couple? If you are wanting to feel more in tune with the seasons then celebrating Wheel of the Year is a fun and creative way to do that!