Rekindling the Flame

Photo by Ronan Furuta on Unsplash

The Wheel turns. On my morning walks this week my feet have crunched through snow that has been thawed and refrozen, and is disappearing now on the higher south-facing slopes. The sun has felt brighter and warmer, and twice I have seen robins. The season of wintering is giving way as spring is conceived in the womb of the earth. Though the worst of the weather might not yet be behind us, the countdown to spring has begun.

This Saturday marks the Cross-Quarter festival of Imbolc, the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. Also known as Candlemas, Imbolc is the first of the spring festivals and the first of the four fire festivals celebrated during the magical year (the others being Beltane, May 1st; Lughnasadh, August 1st; and Samhain, October 31st or November 1st; all Cross-Quarter days). Literally translated to “in the womb” or “in the belly,” Imbolc (pronounced imm-olk) is an old Celtic word for the February festival of purification.¹ It is a time for blessing the fields and cleaning and consecrating gardening implements in preparation for spring planting. Candles were traditionally made for the year and new candles were burned in every window to brighten the cold night. Candlemas, celebrated the same day and closely related to the older festival, was the first feast day dedicated entirely to the Virgin Mary and celebrated her cleansing in the temple after the birth of Jesus. In Eastern Orthodox traditions, the Christmas season is still celebrated from Christmas Eve through Candlemas.

If, like me, you still have some Christmas decor up to brighten the dark days, now is a good time to take it down and pack it away. Put out that spring wreath, trade your winter-scented candles for floral ones. Among the ancient traditions around the world (in the Northern Hemisphere at least), February is often associated with purification. This makes sense, as it is a good time to purge before the growing season begins, after taking January off for Wintering. Our energies restored, blood beginning to quicken, Imbolc is a call to roll up our sleeves and shake out the dust. I’ve been intending to start a deep clean and de-cluttering of the house all winter, but cuddling up on the couch instead has just been too tempting (I’m obeying my natural instincts to hibernate, don’t judge me). Today, it being the New Moon and a great time for shedding and starting over, I cleaned out my closet and packed up a box and trash bag of stuff to rehome or donate. It’s a start! Now to just keep the momentum going…

Erica Feldman, founder and proprietor of HausWitch and author of Hausmagick: Transform Your Home with Witchcraft, offers a strategy for the reluctant de-clutterers (like me). She calls it the “Banishing Stuff Witness Spell.”

1. Light a white candle with a fresh smell. I like something minty but maybe fresh flowers or sweet vanilla feels better to you. All that matters is that the scent feels fresh and clean.

2. Open at least one window in your space, if possible.

3. Invite a close friend, partner, or family member to sit with you and go through your life artifacts one by one. They will act as a witness, allowing you to share your memories with them, while detaching from the objects that hold those memories.

4. Use the KEEP/DONATE/TRASH piles if that feels helpful. Treat everything as a sacred object, even if you’re getting rid of it. Try to express gratitude for everything you’re throwing out. This can be a silent acknowledgement or spoken out loud. For example, say the object is a trophy from a sport you played as a kid: thank the trophy for holding the memory of success and winning, and then allow yourself to pull that feeling away from the object. Let it be absorbed into your aura—and then release your attachment to it. For objects that you’re donating, see if you can set a loving, positive intention for whoever receives the item next.

5. Condense the amount of artifacts you keep to about one-third (or less!) of what it was. Maybe you can even put some of these treasures on display in your home rather than keeping them in boxes?

6. Thank your witness for holding the space for you to process and connect to your memories.²