Imbolc is a time of renewal and rebirth as the Goddess springs forth from deep within the earth where She has rested since Samhain. We see the physical form of this in our gardens – as the daffodils and crocus begin to sprout and bloom (in some parts of the world, anyway), we are secure in the knowledge that our blessed Goddess has returned to the land. These are the first days of Spring and they bring the promise of new life and new opportunities embedded within a renewed hope. Now fleeing are the dark days of Winter as the Sun, born at Yule, grows in strength. Today we welcome the return of the Goddess as She is released from Winter’s embrace, rejoicing in Her resurrection from the grave. We ask Her blessings upon our lives as we plant the seeds we wish to nurture to fruition in the coming year. We ask for Her guidance in cultivating positive change in our lives and ask that She illuminate our successes as well as failures so that we may learn and grow.

I remember, when I was in high school in New Hampshire, February was the month where were were most likely to have days off on account of ice.

Here in Southern California it just means the weather is unpredictable. Our seasons are shifted and start later than most of the rest of the country. The leaves have just finally all dropped off my pomegranate trees. We’re having warm-ish days on and off, but the evenings are still pretty chilly. The challenge, living here, is being keys to most the astrological shifts and the shifts in our more immediate surroundings. Imbolc is a cross-quarter day, meaning it is halfway between Solstice and Equinox. While it gets associated with fertility because of the seasonal shifts in the British Isles, it really is an astrological marker.  Which means that, regardless of what the flora around you are doing, the days are getting longer again. If you celebrate nothing else, celebrate the return of the light.

On Sunday, we’ll be down in the art colony of East Jesus, near the Salton Sea, building a labyrinth. Combination service and devotion. A wonderful way to observe what is, to me, the first rite of Spring.