Imbolc Full Moon: Wiccan Festival of Light's Return

Greetings of the Season of Imbolc!!

Derived from the word Imbolg or ‘in the belly’, Imbolc is celebrated ritually at the start of February in the northern hemisphere (and the beginning of August in the southern hemisphere). This festival of earth, brings an end to the dark phase of very short days and less light, to provide an opportunity for earth to awaken again and bear seeds in her ‘belly’.

It is time for Earth mother’s quickening and for us to be preparing seedbeds for plantation. The return of light to earth is illustrated with a symbolism of a young goddess (maiden or bride called Brigid) and a ritual of Candlemas (to crown the goddess with candles or light to pair her with God (solar deity) who brings the warmth necessary for the upcoming days of germination. Incidentally Christian symbolism has borrowed this festival of the Earth mother to create a festival around blessing of Virgin Mary who is a young lady selected to be impregnated by the seed of God, and called it Candlemas. (Just like Easter is borrowed from Ostara and Christmas from Yule).

IS IT IMBOLG OR OIMELC?

Imbolc is often wrongly described in modern explanations as a festival involving humans using animal milk/ dairy, or the lactation of ewes because some people pronounce it as Oimelc or Ewe’s milk (sheep lactation). While this interpretation has become common, it reflects a narrow and later overlay rather than the deeper spiritual and earth-based meaning of the sabbat. At its heart, Imbolc is not about consuming animal products, but about the subtle yet powerful moment when the Earth herself begins to stir again after the long dark in order for us to prepare soil for planting seeds in her ‘belly’. Even if sheep lactate at this time or any other, it is only for the purpose of producing milk for their own children, and never for human exploitation. Sheep or any other animal would lactate only when they produce a baby and not necessarily at a specific time of the year.

WHY DAIRY MUST BE AVOIDED

From a Wiccan perspective rooted in non-harming and reverence for life, the modern emphasis on dairy at Imbolc deserves careful reconsideration. Dairy is not a neutral or benign substance. It is a product of exploitation, involving the control of animal reproduction, separation of mothers and offspring, and ongoing physical harm. To include such products in a festival dedicated to renewal, purity, and alignment with the Goddess creates a spiritual contradiction.

Wicca teaches respect for all living beings and seeks harmony rather than domination. Consuming products rooted in suffering and exploitation, does not align with the principle of non-harming, nor does it support spiritual clarity or attunement to the higher self. Explotation is harm.

When honouring the Goddess as Earth Mother, it is more consistent to celebrate her through plant life, seeds, grains, herbs, and simple offerings that reflect cooperation with nature rather than extraction from it. The correct way of understanding this festival is described below.

BLESSING THE SEEDS

Imbolc actually is about blessing new seeds, for new beginnings, and preparing the soil, before planting them into the earth, as it marks the turning point where the light, once at its weakest, begins its return and days start growing. The days are still cold, the land may appear lifeless, and growth is not yet visible, but something profound has shifted beneath the surface. The Earth has entered a phase of quickening. Life is no longer fully dormant. Energy is moving again, quietly and inwardly, preparing for what is to come.

Rather than focusing on milk or animal reproduction, Imbolc is more accurately understood as the time when Mother Earth once again carries seeds in her belly. These seeds, both literal and symbolic, are held within the soil, nurtured in darkness, awaiting the strengthening light of spring. This is not a time of birth or abundance, but of preparation, intention, and potential. The Goddess is present not as the giver of harvest, but as the bearer of possibility.

Traditionally, this season was associated with cleansing, readiness, and quiet work. Tools were repaired, land was tended, and seedbeds were prepared. Nothing dramatic was expected to happen yet as it is still very cold in olaces further from the equator. The wisdom of Imbolc lies in recognising that true growth begins unseen. Roots form before shoots appear, just as inner transformation precedes outer change.

WICCAN MAGICK FOR IMBOLC

In Wiccan spirituality, this mirrors the inner path. Imbolc invites reflection, purification, and alignment. It is a time to release what has grown stagnant during the dark months and to make space for new intentions to take root. The returning light is gentle rather than overwhelming, like a candle flame rather than a blaze, reminding us that transformation does not need force to be powerful.

Spells for Imbolc: Try candle magic, using brightly coloured candles to manifest your positive wishes, especially if dressed in herbal potions or magickal oils. This time Imbolc also falls on the full moon and is especially powerful. You may also use seeds for spells, by blessing the seeds with powerful intentions using the candle, and plant them for germination. How about a spell with seeds to bless the earth with positive energy and healing for our planet, and then planting these seeds in the soil with this powerful intent? You could also try to bless crystals or stones and plant them with written spells or intentions into the earth for fruition energetically.

The association of Imbolc with Brigid reinforces this understanding. Brigid is a goddess of fire, healing, inspiration, and renewal. Her fire is not destructive but illuminating, warming the frozen ground and awakening life. This sacred fire represents consciousness returning after dormancy, creativity re-emerging, and the soul remembering its connection to the living Earth.

Imbolc belongs to the land, the light, and the unseen work of becoming. It reminds us that life renews itself quietly and that the Earth is not a resource to be taken from, but a living presence to be honoured. As the light returns, so does our responsibility to walk gently, act consciously, and align our practices with the values we claim to uphold.

Imbolc is the whisper before the green, the breath before the sprout, the moment when the Goddess carries the future within her once again. To honour this sabbat is to honour potential, purity of intention, and the sacred rhythm of life awakening from within.

May you have a peaceful and positive festivity of the growth of light within and spreading of the seeds of knowledge. Bless the seeds of love and light and may the Goddess as the Higher Self always shine radiantly in you to spread positive energy and awareness of truth all around.

Blessed Imbolc

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Rev. Swati Prakash