Photo by Magenta
But it’s not just Groundhog Day, so happily we don’t have to try and get Andie MacDowell to fall in love with us.
For those of us still in the grip of winter, this is the time of year called “Imbolc”. It is the first “cross-quarter” day of the calendar year and it starts at midnight on the first day of February and goes into the 2nd of February. This festival traditionally marks the first signs of spring. It is generally a time for purification and a celebration of the first signs of life after the winter. It is a good time of year for observing the first green shoots from the earth.
For those of us enjoying the summer, this time of year is Lammas or Lughnassadh. This festival marks the first celebration of the harvest, the growth that has happened to this point and a reminder to enjoy the remaining warmth and light before the next equinox. As the Wheel of the Year turns, we can mark this point in time by celebrating and feasting as Lammas is a good time of year for enjoying the fruits of nature and celebrating all we’ve achieved at this point.
These festivals are traditionally ‘fire festivals’ so we can mark the time of year through lighting a candle or fire in the hearth or enjoying a barbeque or firepit outdoors. It’s also worth noticing that the sun is busy making its journey through Aquarius during this time, and Aquarius being ruled by Uranus, symbolises renewal and shaking things up.
As the Wheel of the Year turns, we can mark this point in time by checking in on our goals and intentions for the year. Checking whether we are still on track, or do we need to shake things up a bit? Maybe spend some time connecting back in with those New Year resolutions (pfft, yeah. Remember those?) and all those other goals we set for ourselves as 2021 ended….Check your vision boards and see where you are in terms of progress or any actions you still need to take.
Spending time reflecting on what you set for yourself as 2022 began can be enlightening. If you find you’ve wandered off course, pull some tarot cards to help you find your way back on track or even whether you need to adjust your course at all.
Photos by Magenta