Imbolc: A Half Day Retreat for This Space in Between
Babes, I am of Irish descent, but I only learnt about this Gaelic Festival a couple of years ago, and I fell in love AT ONCE.
It’s essentially a half way house between the Winter Solstice, and the Spring Equinox, and don’t we fricking need one? It is officially THE LONGEST QUARTER OF THE YEAR even though it is obviously exactly the same as the other three.
I have a lot of feelings about Spring. I was born on March 21st, so it’s the beginning of my life cycle each year. But I don’t think you have to be a Spring baby to be into it.
Our bodies know that, despite what Roman calendars would have us believe, January is not fit for new beginnings, it’s peak hibernation time. It’s for rest, recovery, reflection, finding ways to keep warm. It is NOT well suited to resolutions, changes or anything that requires injections of energy.
At imbolc, there is the promise of light and new life, just round the corner. It’s thought to originate from the Old Irish i mbloc, meaning ‘in the belly’, relating to the lambs brewing in the ewes tummies at this time of year.
Babes, what is brewing in you? Which parts of you were still sleeping at the start of January that might begin to stir soon?
Don’t you just fucking LOVE to look at the trees right now, bare as in these images, and to consider…
- They always look like this underneath. This is the core of them, and they are still whole without the green flourishes.
- The green is pretty much guaranteed to arrive. I remember last year looking at the trees along the school run walk and thinking, “it seems late, they don’t seem anywhere near”, and then like a week later everything bursting into new life.
In so many ways babes, this is us. Always steadily there, even if we appear to be stripped of resources, or any kind of zest for anything. The core of us, from the outside, appearing stagnant, and devoid of life, but soon to burst into bloom. I even find it comforting to remember how temporary the blooming is! There’s absolutely no pressure to stick with anything we come up with this year as a life long commitment. It’s just the best expression we have of who we are and what we want right now. Phew.
You’re invited to join me for an exploration of your desires for the year. Together, we will facilitate peace talks between the inner believer, and the inner protector.
(She’s not out to get you babes, she just wants you to be safe, and she has had a lot on her plate over the last couple of years given, you know, everything).
This is an intimate group experience in a beautiful space, where you will receive coaching from me, and hold space for each other.
The details:
Location- Treasures on Sea, 30, 32 Elm Rd, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 1SN
Date- Wednesday 2nd February
Time 10-2
Refreshments- Delicious lunch and good coffees included
Investment : £125 (You can split the investment over 2 payments at the link here if you like. Or click here to pay in full).
(The use of the term Direct Debit doesn’t mean you will be infinitely billed, it’s just the language for taking a payment in this way).
Got Qs? Drop me an email hey@kerijarvis.com or DM me on Instagram x
