Imbolc is celebrated on the 1st February and is the time of Bridie, Maiden Goddess, in her seasonal aspect of the land awakening. Danu, the old Woman of Winter and Solstice, ancient Cailleach of stone who holds the energy of stillness and death, slowly gathers her cloak of ice and snow as she passes back into the Northern gateway from whence she came. She makes way for the Maiden Goddess, who strikes the land with her fiery staff, creating a shout in nature… ‘wake up wake up!’ The promise of spring is still a distant echo clinging to winters chill, but we are feeling the awakening even so… This is the time of Imbolc, a fire season on the great wheel, when the year is as young as a maiden and awakening. Imbolc means ‘ewes’ milk’ and in ancient times our ancestors would bless the land with the first of the ewes’ milk, asking the Mother Goddess for a fertile crop for the coming year. It is a time for all things beginning anew. Growth, manifestations and projects begin to take on the energy of form… all things can begin again.