Marking Imbolc, the birth of spring

journal prompts and tapping into the hope of Imbolc

Hello, I’m Jodie. A Yoga teacher & creator. I write about my quest to live a slower pace of life with themes of rest, living slower and seasonal living. Subscribe to support my work & to read more. Or, get cosy and join our Slower Space community to access all content and the journaling club!

How has January felt for you?

Despite doing my best to appreciate and lean into each season, a good chunk of this month has just felt tough. I’ve experienced the glimmers for sure, but found myself craving warmer, brighter days and the darkness of winter has impacted my mood more than usual.

I wrote about surrendering recently, and during those trickier periods it’s what’s made them actually easier to navigate. Not surrendering in the sense of doing nothing to support myself, but knowing it’s okay to feel how I feel - trusting that the feeling is temporary, and being curious about it instead of forcing something that just isn’t there.

A reminder that alongside the seasons we observe around us, we have seasons within us too… I guess I’ve been having my own period of wintering.

Basically, if you’re in the same boat, don’t be hard on yourself if winter feels hard - it’s a pretty normal reaction to the season given the lack of light, colder weather etc etc. Life is full of ebbs and flows…

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This past week I’ve started to notice a subtle shift, and with Imbolc happening this weekend (Saturday the 1st of February), it really does feel like a little turning point in winter to slowly start welcoming in the longer days and seeing those early signs of spring.

Imbolc: a time for new beginnings

Imbolc marks the midway point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox, so, after this weekend we’re very much heading towards the light with the darker days slipping behind us.

It feels like the point where things slowly start to come back to life again, and just that knowing is making me feel so hopeful for February and all of the glimmers of spring we’ll start to see as we ease out of winter.

Imbolc is said to honour the awakening of spring and return of the light. The name “Imbolc” derives from the Old Irish word meaning “in the belly,” which is actually referencing the pregnancy of ewes and the promise of new life.

Ahhhh, the promise of new life, the cycle has started again ✨

By the end of February, in the UK the sun will rise at 6:47am and set at 5:39pm, so we’ll really start to notice those longer days coming in. Although Spring Equinox is the 20th of March, this period inbetween can be one of a slow unfurling.

There’s no rush to head to spring, but noticing the changes and these markers and time can be a comfort and way to check-in and experience a sense of gratitude for where were at right now.

Life is beginning to stir once again…

Journal prompts for Imbolc

If you enjoy journaling

• During winter, what’s been stirring within you that you’ve felt a pull towards taking action on?

• What plans or intentions would you like to bring to life over the next few months?

• As the first signs of spring emerge, how can you reconnect with nature? Are there rituals, walks, or moments of stillness that you can embrace to honour the transition?

If this resonates, or you’re also marking Imbolc in some way I’d love to know in the comments!

Until next time,

Jodie x

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