Ten of Cups from The Greenwood Tarot (Mark Ryan & Chesca Potter)

Imbolc

In my post the other day, I wrote of the new moon, the beginning of the Chinese New Year (Water Tiger), and the beginning of February. I failed to mention the Celtic holiday of Imbolc (or Imbolg), which traditionally begins at sundown on February 1^st and ends at sundown on February 2^nd.  Considering my nearly thoroughbred Irish lineage, this was an egregious oversight.

Imbolc derives from a Gaelic word meaning ‘in the belly.’ And occurring as it does at the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, it represents that time when life has been seeded and is quietly growing in the warm darkness of the womb (of cows, ewes, and – of course – humans).

In addition to the informational link above, I’d also like to introduce you to some dear friends, Karen Ward and Sean Cantwell, of Sli an Chroi (Pathway of the Heart) through this short video. In it, Sean and Karen describe the significance of Imbolc and offer a lovely ceremony to honor this time of year in our lives.

The link I’m giving is from Imbolc 2021, but the ceremony described for us to do for each other and our homes, and also offered to us as viewers, are timeless. They can be performed each and every Imbolc.

Especially Powerful

Since Imbolc always occurs (astronomically – as the midpoint between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox) at a technically calculated moment between February 1 and February 3 (the precise moment changes each year), it doesn’t always coincide with a new moon, as it does this year. And the Chinese New Year always begins on the first new moon following the first full moon of the year, so that, too, changes every year.

As a result, the synchronicity of these astronomical events is what makes the past couple of days particularly powerful energetically. A new moon, a new year, and the turning of the season toward spring all coinciding to call in and celebrate new beginnings, fresh starts, and a cleansing of all the stagnant stuff of winter.

Tarot Card for Imbolc

I thought I’d choose a card from a deck I have that feels especially connected to the Earth and the Old Ways: the Greenwood Tarot. What message would the Ancestors like us to focus upon as we begin to emerge from the darkest and shortest days of the year and begin to notice a quickening within? What are we gestating?

Ten of Cups – Happiness

What a lovely (and frankly unexpected) message to receive. Dare we take this as a glimmer of hope that there is, indeed, light in our future? Is new life and growth (all the sprouting leaves and grass on the hillside) on the horizon? Will our thirst for truth and accountability finally be quenched by the streams of water gently cascading into our waiting cups?

One thing I like about including in my posts photos of the cards I choose is the ability it gives us to magnify the images and really take a look at the details the artists provide. In the case of this card, not only are there a number of different trees (that undoubtedly have signficance and which I therefore should identify), but there’s also a couple – a green couple – standing at the base of the hillside, embracing each other, side by side, joyfully welcoming the cascading water filling their cups.

This card feels like a literal breath of fresh air, blessing of flowing water, and joy; a culmination of what we’ve been hoping would arrive; a fulfillment of our emotional needs and greatest yearnings.

I’m grateful for the appearance of this card at this Imbolc. Gestating happiness. May it be so.

(T+57)