Imbalc

Yesterday was Imbalc (pronounced Im-molc), the Celtic Sabbat that falls between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It's celebrated sometime around the first of February, as the "beginning of the end" of winter.

Imbalc means "surrounding belly" - the Earth Mother’s womb; soon the seeds in the womb of the earth will begin to swell and creative forces will begin to come alive in the world.

Imbalc is sacred to Brigid, the European and Celtic goddess of healing, crops, poetry, and creativity. As a sun goddess her powers are light, fire, inspiration, and vital energy: Wow! She’s one of my favorite images of the Spirit.

Brigid is the maiden aspect of the Great Goddess and so her color is white; her symbols are a sun-wheel, Brigid's cross, snake, and cock (herald of the new day).

Agenda for today: 

1. Read "The Spirited Walker"

2. Walking script

3. Make a Brigid's Cross

4. Make Irish seed cake

5. Seed blessing ceremony

6. Have a fire

2. Read "The Spirited Walker":

I'm reading this little book by Carolyn Scott Kortge (1998), with the subtitle, Fitness walking for clarity, balance, and spiritual connection. She equates walking to a regular meditation or mindfulness practice. " ... walking has many parallels to life. Walkers move forward, take steps, go toward something. ...the action changes your perspective. It offers a fresh point of view."

Chapter 3 is Words for Walkers. 

She wrote in the last chapter about the mental or meditative exercise that can accompany a walker; the goal is to narrow the mind focus as you walk, so as to block out mental stressors and create greater power, energy, and wholeness. She suggests choosing words to chant to help with focus - something that echos the mental and physical state I want to maintain - could be a phrase like Be Here Now, or a longer chant. 

Here she talks also about the negotiations you need to do just to get out the door, so maybe I need to start my mantra before leaving. And next she talks a lot about the power of affirmations and prayers. The main take away is that repeating positive statements can reverse negative self-talk and self-limiting beliefs, and produce a strong relaxation response.

3. Walking script:

So far, a daily walk has not become a solid habit. I'm not grabbing on to my Walking Script to get myself out the door.

Last fall I read The Sweet Spot by Christine Carter (2015), which lined out a way to write a script for building a new habit, so let's reviewing see what else I can ad:. 

Tip #4 is look for keystone mini-habits, like an alarm or second cup of coffee.

Tip #5 is play offense - think about the obstacles. The main one for me is inertia: I say, I don't have time for that today, and continue to play solitaire instead, so maybe it will work better if I'm up working on a project before I walk?

Tip #6 is identify my triggers, something that happens every day. I'm creating a new regular time for a second cup of coffee, something I always want, that will set off a cascade of events that leads me out the door.

Tip #7 is designate an intrinsic reward, something that will release dopamine. Maybe I get a cookie at Kiva or a donut at NF?

Tip #8 is measure your progress. Measurement drives awareness of behavior, so I will begin to track my habit on Strides again.

My updated Walking Script:

9:30 - Make my second cup of coffee; drink this while I finish up my art project of the day. When it's gone, set the visual timer to go off at 10. 

10:00 - Alarm beeps: Put on walking shoes, put on coat, grab my phone. Say, "I'm walking to honor the Earth". 

10:05 - Out the door - After a brief warm up, begin to chant "I am walking for the earth"; walk at least to NF every day (for a donut). 

4. Make a Brigid's Cross:

My cross has 40 pieces of straw. 

The Bridget’s cross is an ancient symbol of the sun and the seasons. It's hung by the door or in the rafters to protect the house from fire, which is always a threat in Irish houses with thatch roofs. 

Making a Brigid’s cross is one of the traditional rituals in Ireland to celebrate Imbalc and the beginning of early spring. At Imbalc or Imbalc Eve a new Brigid’s Cross is hung above the door, and the old one is burned in the hearth.

The crosses are usually made of rushes, which are abundant in Ireland. The one above was made of straw, and instructions are in this post.

A few years ago I re-invented the crosses using pipe cleaners, and it was easy enough even for the six-year-olds in the group! Instructions for these are in this post.

Hang your Brigid's cross in the kitchen or over a door to protect from fire and evil.

3. Make Irish seed cake:

Celtic deities are not abstract but are a part of daily life; the fires of inspiration and the fires of the home and the forge are the same. 

I usually heat up the oven today to make Irish seed cake.

4. Seed blessing ceremony: 
This week I made a special creativity altar for Brigid with:

• a white candle - for light and purity
• a Brigid's cross - for the sun and the seasons
• a beaded snake - for healing and regeneration
• a small bowl - for openness and inspiration 
• and some of my garden seeds

Today I light the candle on the altar, and ask the Goddess to bless my garden seeds, and also my seeds of inspiration. 

May they all grow well when the time is right.

5. Have a fire:

Bits of winter collected to burn.

On Imbalc evening we seek out "bits of winter" and burn them in a fire. When our kids were young we hid things around the house -- old Christmas wrapping paper, some leftover wreath greens, last year's calendar... and had a fun search.

Imbalc 2017

This year we invited friends and family over for a backyard fire. We reminded our guests to bring something to burn.

After we burn winter, we will share snacks and drinks.