new moon / imbolc

So this new moon is aligned with the pagan celebration of Imbolc as the halfway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox when the light is returning + seeds are planted and is really a powerful reset that we should be able to look back and see where something beautiful started around this time. there are a lot of hidden potentials because we’re in a space of letting go and embracing new things at the same time. aquarius rules the Star card in tarot which is a lot about healing, spiritual connections, creativity, renewed hope that comes from your faith in the universe and whatever higher power u believe in to always sustain you. It’s a reminder that we’re both unique individuals and integral parts of a collective, that we don’t have to do everything alone. that everyone has a unique gift to offer the world that no one else can replicate. new moons require a pause before the pace picks up again and an aquarius new moon requires a zoomed out perspective of reality. mercury ends it’s retrograde on thursday, sun conjunct saturn on the 5th (saturn tests us. good time to start a long term project) then a mercury-pluto conjunction (truth bombs.) also mercury will enter aquarius and probably bring a blessing or two if we’ve been patient. and then we’re just building up to a leo full moon with a venus-mars conjunction in capricorn lol. It’s way more of a new year vibe than actual new years because in january we’re still just closing out old cycles and deep in our subconscious realms, february we bring in real changes and find new paths and from the beginning of pisces season we integrate and explore them.

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Imbolc is our next stop on the wheel of the year on February 1st-2nd and marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox. as nature comes to life and our psychology mirrors this cyclical awakening we begin to climb out of the depths of the underworld of winter and start to thaw out (it's still freezing here but we're getting there ). Brigid, celtic goddess of the hearth is honored on this day along with persephone, demeter, aradia, gaia, venus and vesta. Brigid's flame is both a literal and figurative energy we can work with on this day, by lighting a candle in her honor and allowing her presence to bless us with compassionate warmth.

🌱 herbal correspondences for Imbolc include blackberry, coltsfoot, ginger, angelica, chamomile, basil, bay, cinnamon, rosemary, lavender, violet and any of the spring greens and edibles you can find in your yard or a nearby forest, including mushrooms!

🔮 crystal and gem correspondences include amethyst, garnet, bloodstone, carnelian, chrysocolla, onyx, ruby, moonstone, turquoise, moss agate, green calcite.

🍞🍷🍯🧀🥕 foods to make, enjoy or offer on this sabbat include breads and cakes, cheese, yogurt, milk, herbal butters, roasted root vegetables stored from last harvest, pomegranate, poppy seed muffins and spiced wines, sunflower seeds and honey.

🕯ideas for rituals include all fire, cauldron and candle rituals and those that support renewal and rebirth, fertility, protection, planning gardens and planting real or metaphorical seeds of manifestation and abundance, cleansing and creating sacred space, releasing, reuniting, visiting wells or natural springs and consecrating and blessing homes or objects. poetry and creative inspiration, herbal alchemy and spiritual gifts are also supported and energized at this time.

🌿 traditional magickal things to make on this day would be corn dollies, dream sachets, incense blends (frankincense, jasmine, lavender, vanilla, myrrh, cinnamon, lotus) brigid's crosses and spell candles, acorn flour, herbal infusions and flower essences, all types of metalsmithing and household diy!

💐 on the eve of imbolc, add fresh flowers in water or wildharvested herbs and white or red candles with some buttered breads or cakes to your altar or dinner table for the goddess along with any corresponding stones and talismans.

offer your time/food/money to animals in need and ask for Brigid to bless all animals in your life and on earth.

💬 tarot q&a: if you have a deck, or just a journal, grab yourself a cup of chamomile tea or prepare a gem elixir using amethyst and spring water, and gently dive into these questions or any that come to mind.

What am I releasing? What have i finally healed?

How can i honor the goddess and celebrate the rising energy of the creative spirit within?

What gifts are being birthed within me right now? how can I share them with others?