The Celtic Wheel turned on February 4th, mid-point between Winter Solstice and Vernal Equinox, marking entry to imbolg, translated literally as ‘in the belly’ thought to refer to ewes in-lamb, preparing to birth, signifying that the gestation (sleep) of Winter is coming to an end and the land is waking up again to Spring. imbolg is thus, a time of great hope - pregnant with possibility for new growth, new birth, new beginnings. It is the fulfilment of the promise of grian stad geimhreadh, (Winter Solstice), at the mid-point and darkest day of Winter, that light will grow and expand, making our days longer and nights shorter.
At this time of imbolg, we choose which seeds to sow, based on what we wish to reap at harvest-time. There is no greater symbol of hope than sowing seeds and there is also no greater symbol of the art of manifestation. The seeds we choose to sow in Spring, will necessarily dictate the content of our harvest in Autumn. So, we must choose wisely.
The same is true for all that we wish to manifest in our lives. ‘The Power of your Subconscious Mind’, written by Dr Joseph Murphy over sixty years ago, could leave a reader with no doubt that the subconscious mind is, indeed, fertile ground in which to plant ideas - good or bad matters not because the subconscious is neutral in nature and, like soil, simply works with what it is given.
“Know that faith [belief] is like a seed planted in the ground; it grows after its kind. Plant the idea (seed) in your mind, water and fertilise it with expectancy and it will become manifest” - Dr Joseph Murphy
Life is cyclical in nature. As mammals, our lives begin with birth and move through youth, on to old age, if we are blessed enough to get there. Thirteen full-moons mark the passing of one cycle of the Celtic Wheel. During this time, we journey around the sun for approximately 365 days. Each one of those days, we move through daylight followed by the darkness of night. All of these cycles are made up of moments, from our perspective, since from a cosmic perspective, there is only the Eternal Now.
Each new cycle, brings an opportunity to choose, a new chance to manifest. If we become fully present in the moment, choice becomes clear and manifesation follows because energy goes where thoughts flow. Attention is a powerful energy source, which most often, we take for granted but that, which we give energy to, grows exponentially in relation to attention given. Hence, it is important to notice what we give our attention (energy) to.
We are always manifesting (creating our lives) through the power of the sub-conscious, which exerts itself during sleep and in the liminal space between sleep and waking. Waking hours, when we consciously go about our day, could be considered as the masculine elements of our nature - activity, structure, form, sun. During sleeping hours however, we delve into the more feminine aspects - passivity, fluidity, boundless, moon.
The seeds (dreams) planted during sleep, when the sub-conscious mind is imprinted with instructions (sowed), are then brought to the light of day, to grow (manifest) during waking hours. They are given form and structure as the life-story we live. Waking thoughts about our life-story, in turn, feed the dreams we offer to the sub-conscious (fertile soil) during sleep and so, it is crucially important that these thoughts nourish our dreams well.
imbolg feels to me like the liminal space between sleep (Winter) and waking (Summer). It is a time of huge potential, endless possibility and thus, choices to be made. A rule of thumb for sowing seeds is that it should be done only during a month containing the letter ‘r’ in its name. Therefore, once May arrives, bringing with it another turn of the Wheel to bealtaine, the time for sowing is past and a strengthening sun takes over the process of ensuring continued growth. This is where faith (belief) comes in.
I find the greatest impediment to decision-making in my life, is fear of getting it wrong. I am sometimes frozen, unable to act (make a choice) in any coherent way because my mind becomes so cluttered with thoughts about the possibility of negative outcomes. Yet I know that if I hesitate too long, I might miss the opportunity entirely. Inaction is a choice in itself, causing my dreams to remain in potential, rather than become manifest in the world. They may appear perfect (and safe) in that sea of possibility but they cannot attain form there.
The boundless potential of the feminine within, needs the boundaried structure of the masculine to gain form (become manifest). Once those seeds are planted into the fertile soil of the deep feminine, the active masculine has something to work with. It is only through integration of the masculine and feminine within us - both working together - that seeds (dreams) planted, can come to fruition.
In pregnancy, the masculine (sperm) and feminine (egg) come together to create form - another being. The baby must then be birthed into the world at the end of gestation. It is not possible to keep the baby inside, perfect, in potential. Labour and birthing can be challenging but there is no going back once the baby is in the birth canal. Sometimes, our dreams can be this insistent on being birthed. We are called to take the chance of bringing them from potential to form and risk them being tarnished in the process, thus, no longer perfect but manifest nonetheless.
Seeds do not stop growing up towards the light because they fret about whether it is the right way to go. They know which way to grow so that they can be nourished by rain and sun; the possibility of failure does not exist for them. Of course, seeds can and do fail to achieve fruition, for a multitude of reasons. However, they do not expect to fail. The impetus of all life is for living and so, trust is somehow implicit, except for those with the ability to apply reasoning, as opposed to pure intuition in decision-making.
Thus, choice and belief open the door to manifesting heart’s desire. Which seeds are you choosing to plant this imbolg? Do you believe they will grow?
The poem below (text & audio) speaks of the liminal space between sleep and waking, where there is an opportunity to weave dreams into the tapestry of life, bringing them closer to manifestation.
Dream-Weaving
I know I must arise into morning light
the dawning burgeoning of delighted birdsong
but I am tired of time-constraints
strange complaint in such a blessed life.
The merest glimpse in morning stream
of this quiet half-dream
scent of youth leaving its mark
on old age yet to be revealed
with return again to darkness.
Born fresh each day to weave the play
this cosmic dance of Lila
more practised hands as clock moves on
where stitches dropped can be redeemed
through careful observation.
Inspired threads in night-time dreams
blending there together
reveal themselves in the liminal space
to weave with little effort.
Then tapestry viewed in half-light
sleep lingering in still-closed eyes
impresses itself on fresh canvas
presented to willing child.
Small wonder then that I would stay
though called by the world to be engaged
in the busy-ness of its endeavour
for I have dreamed and brought into being
my own yet untarnished treasure.
© Áine Fortune 2024
So lovely and exactly what I needed to hear today. Thank you my wonderful friend ❤️