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🌱 a story about Imbolc and the impulse to GO
before the body has said YES 🌱

Hey Reader,

Beaming into your inbox on this Cross-Quarter Day of Solar Imbolc from a sweet little town in the highlands of Mexico called San Miguel de Allende. More to come on how I wound up here and the magic unfolding from this leap of faith, but...

Got a little story-medicine for ya and a longer-form love letter about the wisdom of Imbolc... I hope it's nourishing 🫶

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First though… let’s clear up True Imbolc vs Calendar Imbolc

True Imbolc doesn’t always fall on February 2nd like most calendars try to push fixed days on events that don't abide by the Gregorian calendar. The true timing of Imbolc is based on the location of the Sun as it transits across the sky — specifically when it lands at 15* of Aquarius. This is the exact midway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.

In my book, this is the first day of Spring -- the start of a new season as the light increases. The seasonal experience of springtime then reaches its peak at the Spring Equinox.

This year, Solar (or True) Imbolc lands today, on February 3rd.

And as I tuned into the energetics of this Cross-Quarter Day and the mirror it makes to the final days of bleeding within the female fertility cycle—I remembered a hike I took last year on Imbolc and the lesson it gifted me that I'd like to share with you... 👇

A Story on Inner Imbolc and Saying “Nope”

First, let me say how much I LOVE HIKING. It’s one of my happiest places to be, traipsing through the forest. And even though most of the time I’m going it solo, I honestly don’t feel afraid in the woods. It invigorates me, lights me up, and while I may feel physically exhausted after a big hike, it feeds me energy in a way that a lot of “normal” exercise doesn’t.

I say all this because I need to express how TOTALLY OUT OF CHARACTER it was for what happened during a hike I went on last Imbolc while road-tripping through North Carolina...

I gave up.

I quit halfway through.

I didn’t make it to the top.

I didn’t get to see the waterfalls I’d been chasing (lolz forgive me 🎵)

As I made my way back down the mountain I chuckled to myself about the cosmic timing of this little Imbolc lesson.

You see, I was also on the last day of my bleed and genuinely thought I had the energy for a strenuous hike.

Both my body and the Earth were in the portal of their respective Imbolc days. This point in our female fertility cycles, the very end of bleed time, connects to the Earth’s Cross-Quarter Day of Imbolc.

At the time of our own “Inner Imbolc” in our bodies, we’ve made it through the depths of our Inner Winter (the bleed days of our Winter Solstice).

We might finally be feeling the uptick of energy that comes as we approach Inner Spring and the renewed hormone rise that accompanies it.

BUT.

It’s so easy to misjudge this time in the cycle and think, “YES! I’m back! Let’s GOoOoOOooo!” and come out of the gates, all systems (trying) to fire.

Only to pull an Em-hiking-on-Imbolc and realize… “ah shit, I might not actually have the energy I thought I did…”

SAME GOES FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.

During the days around the Earth's Imbolc, we might feel this sense of LET’S BE DONE WITH WINTER ALREADY! And in a frantic scurry, we try to rush forward and push ourselves out of the rhythm that Earth is trying to guide us through.

So. As we navigate our way into welcoming the season of Spring once again, here’s my reminder for you — both for this time of year AND when your own Inner Imbolc rolls around:

Move gently.

Go slowly.

Emerge with grace, ease, and even a little bit of caution so as not to hurl your sweet animal body into the fires of productivity (or overly strenuous hikes) before you’re truly ready for it.

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We’ve made it through the darkest part of the year, my friends (in the northern hemisphere 😉), and I’m so grateful to have you along for this next ride around the Wheel of the Year.

If you’re craving a deeper understanding of your own Inner Seasons and the wisdom they carry for you each cycle — make sure you snag the 20+ page journal & guidebook: Inner Seasons, Inner Wisdom

{on sale for $11!}

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🌱 How is your body feeling in these days around Imbolc and the shift to Spring? I know for many, the world outside doesn't exactly look like spring {my hometown just got dumped with another 4" of fresh powder ❄️}, but can you feel any energetic changes as the days lengthen in sunlight?

I'd love to hear from you and how this is landing with you 🫶 Just hit reply and it'll come straight to my inbox, for my eyes only 👀

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Big Love, all ways always

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