As winter slowly melts away and warmer trends draw near, I find myself reflecting on the pivot and contrast of shadow versus light, stillness versus action. The cycle of death and rebirth, leaving and returning, release and growth — present everywhere and in everything.
When the weather transitions from deep cold to thawing rain, we also transition from the matron energy to that of the maiden. From internal isolation to external blossoming.
I’ve been intensely focused on healing and releasing anything standing in the way of the full embodiment of my highest potential for the past few weeks. The unavoidable pull of this current has been strong and unrelenting, carrying an extreme sense of urgency and a reverberation of thrumming, insistent clarity.
Have you felt it too?
It seems the empowerment energy of 2020 will not be denied. This time of shedding skin and passionate renewal feels very Divinely appointed, considering where we are on the wheel of seasons.
The festival of Imbolc approaches on February 1st, marking the first day of Mother Earth quickening towards spring, according to the Celtic tradition. As the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, this is a time of new life, new ideas, welcoming the return of the light, supporting recalibration and clearing what no longer serves.
“Though the ground may be covered in a pall of snow, there is a new freshness in the air, and a sense of possibility, a softly humming energy in the earth. Suddenly we realize that our winter time of rest and retreat is nearly over and that soon all of nature will be dancing and singing again.” — excerpt from the chapter on Imbolc in Celebrating the Great Mother, a Handbook of Earth-Honoring Activities for Parents and Children by Caitlyn Johnson & Maura D. Shaw (an absolute gem of a book ! .
Brigid, Lady of Light, goddess of fire, wells, sacred waters, poetry, pregnancy, motherhood and mother’s milk, shines throughout this holiday. That’s my kind of gal!
She has gone by many names in history; Brighid, Bride and eventually Saint Brigit, to name a few. When I connect with her, I feel a deep wellspring of nurturing, wise energy.
Channeled message from Brigid:
“Hello, child of creation. Walk with me into the singing wind, bring your basket for gathering cherished blooms and sate your desire for knowledge here in my arms. I’ll give you all you could ever need or wish for in the glowing bask of the brightening moon. The call of the Goddess can be felt in the deepest part of your soul — like calls to like.
I’ll share with you a song to lead you dancing among the stones of old. Can you hear the sound carried in the gentle swell of new life? Can you see its symbols in the sacred burning flame? Can you feel its depth in the waters of the Mother?
May her melody light a merry fire in your heart this day. Never forget your truest truth, dear one — you are made of starlight, sung into existence by the will of one who makes no errors, plants no mistaken seeds. One who glories in the unique perfection of your spirit and calls you back to yourself, evermore.”
Pretty wonderful, right? I think we could learn much from her.
Divine Feminine energy is rising once again in our world, taking its rightful place alongside the Divine Masculine and uprooting the corrupt patriarchal system that’s had a stranglehold on our lives for far too long. We need to honor both masculine and feminine wisdom, design & skills if we are to move forward on the path of healing our planet and societal structures in sustainable holistic ways.
We need balance and equanimity.
The upheaval we see in our collective reality right now is a direct reflection of the internal conflict that’s being played out within each of us.
Will we choose love or fear?
Connection or separation?
Empowerment or victimhood?
Nurturing or negligence?
We are at the precipice of huge transformation. I know I incarnated in this lifetime (as have many, many others) to help usher in a new age of conscious awakening.
I’ve always known this, even as a child, though that clarity has gained increasing momentum the farther I go in my journey toward Spirit.
Can you relate? Do you feel that you are meant to contribute something important in this time of upheaval?
The time is now, my friends. We are each being asked to lift the veil and look at the entirety of our truth — even the ugliness.
The energy of Imbolc can be a synergistic ally in this process, if we use our intuition as a compass and our hearts as an intelligent resonance meter.
I was serendipitously guided to find another lovely and inspiring book recently, titled Legends of the Grail: Stories of Celtic Goddesses by Ayn Cates Sullivan (also available on the Elements of Magic page under the Top Ascension Books s
After reading just the first chapter, I ended up having an entirely unexpected and magical download from a past-life as a priestess in the Celtic lineage of Danu.
Danu is a primordial mother goddess, the great mystery, encompassing both light and darkness, giving us life and also reclaiming us in death. She is considered to be the mother of all the Celtic gods; often seen with a triple spiral, denoting the flowing and cyclical nature of energy, the progression of going within for enlightenment or evolution, as well as representing the threefold nature of many esoteric concepts: body-mind-spirit, life-death-rebirth, past-present-future, maiden-mother-matron, etc.
There are really no words to accurately portray how powerful and visceral this intuitive connected experience was for me. Danu told me she had been waiting for my return, that I was always welcome, that I belonged. I had tears streaming down my face for most of it and my heart was blasted open by the most unconditional love I’ve ever felt in my life.
The presence and words of this incredible being came through so strongly, I literally could not do anything other than allow myself to be swept away in the river of her love and give myself over fully to channeling her message through.
I almost couldn’t write fast enough! Each expansive sentence felt like a spiritual code, unlocking hidden parts of my soul.
As per the usual astoundingly synchronistic M.O. of the universe, the poem from Danu below aligns beautifully with the earlier message from Brigid :-)
Call of the Goddess
Come walk with me under the blessed moon
Come dance with silver stars and soon
Even the breath you sleep inside
That glittering veil, the myth of time
Sing to me of sacred well and stones
Sing to me of wandering souls reborn
Sing to me of graceful tide and loving sea
Sing the song of creation to set us free
Learn the colors and tones of the divine
Learn to weave them clear and bright
The wheel of destiny turns therein
Release your fears and smothered sin
Become like children; courageous hearts
Be merry and leap with linking arms
Drink deep the chalice of twinkling night
Let all darkness be remade with light
Sing to the Great Mother, naked alone
Sing to sky and earth with mind undone
Come what may, remember her voice
Map the crystal grid of sparkling choice
Recall your sword of shining might
Take up your shield, find your sight
Up the steps of the Tor we stride
Unfurl your gilded wings and fly
Follow the whispers of an ancient line
The Goddess speaks to all her kind
Join the harmony on the drifting wind
Rise with sisters and priestess kin
As I sat in the aftermath of this luminous kaleidoscope of reconnection, stunned into silence, I felt reborn. Boiled down and remade in the blazing forge of my true self.
May these words spark a remembrance in you, a rekindling of your ultimate nature & sacred self ❤︎
Some inspired ways to celebrate Imbolc (solo or in a group)
Release — write down on a small piece of paper what no longer serves you at this time, i.e. what’s causing limitation or pain. Burn it in a sacred fire to intentionally release what no longer serves you. Also a good idea to cleanse your energy in general. See the post Cleanse that Sh**!
Plant the seeds — write down on a small piece of paper what you'd like to manifest in your life. Ball this paper up into a small seed and plant it in the earth, to symbolize your intention of what you commit to nurturing and giving life to.
Light the sacred flame — light a candle and invoke some goddess wisdom by saying: "Brigid, Lady of Light, goddess of fire and sacred water, please hear my call. Bless me and my efforts with waters from your holy well. Help me wash away what does not serve, plant my seeds of intention and manifest my greatest good, healing myself & doing my part to heal this world. Thank you!" Tip: This one is especially nice in a group setting, gathered around a fire, an Imbolc altar or another central focus point with each person lighting the next person’s candle, creating a circle of light and an amplified energetic resonance (which will in turn amplify the results of your intentions & manifestations).
What will you release in the spirit of Imbolc? What new ideas will you decide to manifest? What seeds will you nurture? Will you choose to heed the call of the goddess?
To blazing fires of truth & brilliant transformation,
Starsong Maiden
P.S. If you feel inspired by this post, please show your support by using the heart icon on the bottom righthand corner, or comment below. You can also reach out to me on social media @starsongmaiden ❤︎