The first yes of the year.
Begin by settling your body into a position that feels supportive and unrushed.
Let your spine soften rather than straighten.
Let your jaw unclench.
And imagine a candle.
The flickering flame of a candle is not the blazing sun of summer.
It's the soft light of imam.
If your eyes are still open,
Gently close them and take a deep breath in through your nose and sigh the breath out through your mouth.
And a sighing breath out.
Let the rhythm of your breathing be a very soft and steady rhythm like a drum beat.
Imbolc is the middle point between winter solstice and the spring equinox.
A place between what has been and what has not yet arrived.
You are not meant to do anything here,
But rather to listen a little closer to your soul.
Imagine that you are standing or sitting in a sacred space.
It might be a temple,
It might be a cave,
And shadows dance on the walls.
Each flame feels so soft and yet so calm.
The air here smells of earth and smoke.
And there is a sense that this place has been visited before by healers,
By ancestors,
And by those who knew how to wait for the returning of the light.
Imagine your feet there on the ground,
Feeling your toes wiggling into the earth.
And somewhere in this sacred space,
There is a candle that burns a little stronger than the others.
Allow your eyes to hold the gaze on this one single flame.
Approach it slowly,
Let your body guide you.
And as you get closer to this candle,
Let yourself notice what awakens in you here.
Gentle sensations,
A warmth in the belly,
A softening in the chest,
An awakening in your spine,
A connection to your fingers or your toes.
This is your body beginning to remember,
Beginning to awaken,
Beginning to emerge from hibernation.
Imbolc is not pulling you quickly to the light,
It is not demanding anything from you.
It simply asks,
Are you willing to feel the light again?
Are you ready for your first yes of the year?
Allow the warmth of the flame to reach your cheeks.
Imagine the light of the flame radiating inside of you.
The light illuminating your heart.
A gentle glow through your whole being.
This is not the fire of action,
But a gentle flame of potential.
This light says,
Something in me is stirring and awakening.
Explore once more the space that you are in,
The sacred energy of your temple or cave,
And look to the shadows beyond the flickering candles.
Feel the presence of your guides or ancestors or any sentient beings that wish to be with you now.
They may not be clearly seen,
But more felt within you.
They don't speak to you in words,
Yet they are here to share their energy and to watch the flickering flames.
You may feel their presence come closer,
And you may even feel the gentle warmth of a hand on yours,
Or your heart,
Or your shoulder,
Or your back.
Their support in gently moving you forward is there without any expectation.
As if they're saying,
There is no rush.
You will come out and return when you are ready.
With their loving presence around you,
With the flickering flames in this sacred space.
What is the smallest yes that I wish to offer right now?
Yes to a little idea,
Or a dream,
Or an intention.
It might come as a sensation,
An image,
A word.
It might not even be a yes,
It could be a yes.
Imbolc is honoring the first stirrings of life,
Rather than a big push out into the world.
Notice how your first little yes feels.
Yes to something new.
Yes to planting some seeds.
A little yes to testing the waters again.
And those who have joined you in this space may present you with a gift or medicine to support your little yes.
When you feel that your seed has been planted and your little yes has been received and heard the most gentlest and softest of intentions or affirmations has been said.
Send thanks to the sacred space that you are in and send gratitude to the flickering flames of your candles and gratitude to the seen or unseen guides who sat with you.
You are invited to take a candle with you imagine holding it gently in your hands the warmth on your cheeks and feel yourself preparing to leave this sacred space for now.
A moment of gratitude to maybe your first little yes of this year.
Keeping your eyes softly closed bring your awareness back to a gentle inhale and a soft exhale.
You have offered yourself your first yes of the year and trusting that the universe has heard and honoured and now holds that that from this moment forward the light is returning and you are gently awakening once more.
But just for now you can stay resting the flickering light within me sees and feels and connects to the beautiful light.
Thank you for listening and thank you for being here with me.
