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IMBOLC: February Sweeps

By Karen DePolito

Of all the Sabbats, Imbolc (February 1) is perhaps the most difficult to explain to non-Pagans, because it celebrates an energy that is not immediately visible to most people.

The word Imbolc is Gaelic for "in the belly," that belly being the "womb" under our feet – the fertile earth. Similarly, an alternate name for this holiday, Oimelc, translates as "ewe's milk," indicating mid-to-late winter as the time when pregnant sheep began lactating. So the theme here is imminent growth: present, but not obvious as yet.