The first of the eight solar holidays to occur after both the solar and lunar new years, Imbolc is a time of new beginnings, of setting intentions, and of hope. The word “Imbolc” means “in the belly”, which references the pregnant sheep and herd animals in the Northern Hemisphere that are beginning to produce milk, the first fresh foods of the land after the final harvests and the deep dark of winter. Imbolc is a holiday associated with the Celtic Goddess Brigid, the goddess of healing, the creative spark, and springtime. This time of year she was celebrated for spreading her green mantle and bringing the first signs of Spring to the land.