In ancient Celtic cultures, the beginning of February was known as Imbolc. It’s the time of the year associated with pregnancy, and was the time to honor the fertility goddess Brigid. As the days lengthen, Imbolc comes at about the time when new growth and the change from Winter to Spring begins to show.
At our higher elevation here on the Western slopes of the Cascades, some of these changes may be a bit slower in coming. And yet the promise of new life to come still whispers to us in the green shoots of skunk cabbage coming up around the outflows of some of our springs, and we can soon expect snow drops and even crocuses to start nosing their way up along the edges of our snowbound footpaths.
Along with fertility, Brigid was also associated with fire, and in the world of forest stewardship, now is the time when we burn the piles of sticks, brush and slash collected from around our land during warmer months. This year we burned tons of slash left behind from our cleanup efforts, clearing the land and preparing for all that is to come.
Soon we will be planting thousands of new seedlings, sowing more open meadows with native wildflowers and grasses, and doing what we can in this dance we call, "Conscious Succession": thoughtful and intentional participation in the changing forest that is rebirthing all around us. We have many dreams for what to plant, what to build, and how we may grow again to support the incredible human transformation that is made possible here by the confluence of sacred waters from above and below, and the coming together of people and nature in celebration of the experience of life. We are planning forest stewardship service week events for Spring, Summer and Fall this year, so keep your eyes on your inbox for news about how you can come participate with us!
