Through Irish Mythology and the Five Elements

In the coming days, we will cross the threshold of Spring here in the Southern Hemisphere. We will celebrate the Goddess Brigid on Lá Fhéile Bríde and the day of Imbolc, marking the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. This significant light point initiates the springtime reawakening of nature and the element of WOOD.

Beneath the cold earth, the seeds of spring wait. As the sun's warmth strengthens, a stirring begins, awakening the 10,000 things. Brigid, the Goddess of Fire and Water in Irish mythology, oversees this transition. Her fire transforms the Cailleach from Crone to Maiden, calling forth new growth, while her waters, linked to healing and the village well, provide the purifying energy needed for the land and its people.

“When the end unfolds, open to the new beginning”
- I Ching

Imbolc has always been a time for ritual cleansing, both physically and spiritually, to prepare for the coming season of growth and abundance. This transition period brings inevitable chaos, with spring storms and August winds sweeping the ground out from under our feet. The uncertainty and dynamism of this seasonal shift hold the wisdom of all new beginnings. The I Ching’s Hexagram 64, Before Completion, suggests that life’s cycles never reach a final conclusion, just as hidden sadness resides in the heart of true euphoria, and something wonderful can sprout from adversity.

We may order life into timelines, ages, or phases, but experience itself is seamless. The Tao’s sixty-four-spoked wheel of change spins onward at Imbolc, with the rise of the Light marking the final segment before completion.

Welcome to the decisive energy of WOOD and the chaos of emerging life.

The first early blooms of bottlebrush and golden acacia pierce the cold, symbolizing hope and renewal. This is the frequency that Imbolc holds. Knowing what has died over the winter, we open ourselves to a future of great promise.

Immerse yourself in nature, feel your body open to the rising life force, and inhale the hope that lives here.

Imbolc translates as Ewe’s Milk, evoking images of sweet grass and baby lambs in the sun. In the South, its fixed day is August 2nd; however, this year, it aligns with the sun at 15 degrees of Leo on August 8th, coinciding with the 8/8 Lions Gate portal. A powerful time for manifestation and spiritual growth, this alignment with Imbolc amplifies the energy of renewal and new beginnings possible.

The Yang energy of summer, while still small, begins to surge within the Yin of winter, promising balance at the Spring Equinox and fullness at the Summer Solstice peak.

At Imbolc, the seeds rise to the surface, seeking light and growth. As winter wanes, we let go of old dreams and turn our faces to the sun, embracing the bright new chapter that awaits. Disorder and uncertainty are nature’s thrust into its purposeful future.

You are always on the threshold of change; how you approach it will determine your success.

As we transition from the darkness of winter to the light of spring, the days lengthen towards the equinox. Early spring storms create wild chaos, yet we slowly surface, adjusting to the new light. Despite the uncertainties of a world in flux, we open our abilities to perceive and manifest our dreams.

Imbolc is an observance of hope and potential. It encourages us to visualize life flourishing with abundance, creativity, and renewed strength. The tension of change is already at play; our work is to infuse that space with the best of ourselves and let it lead us into the future.

Nature does not give up winter because people dislike the cold.

As the sun’s warmth entices the element of WATER to rise, it nourishes the re-greening of nature, leading to the emergence of WOOD. Brigid arrives with purified water and a fire that symbolizes the coming summer.

At Imbolc, we honour all cycles of renewal and transformation in the world. The mythology of Brigid, the shift from WATER to WOOD, and the philosophical insights of the ancients all remind us that every end is a precursor to a new beginning.

The delicate energy of emerging life and the hopeful symbols of a growing spring encourages us to embrace change with optimism and courage. By connecting with nature and the ancient wisdom embedded in these traditions, we find the strength to let go of the past and welcome a future filled with promise and potential.

The Cailleach will gather her firewood one more time as we cross the threshold into the Spring where the Maiden frequency awaits.