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Embracing the Rhythm of Renewal

“He who lives in harmony with himself lives in
harmony with the universe.”
Marcus Aurelius

As the first shoots of spring are just beginning to peep through the soil (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), I thought it might be fun to share a perspective on the rhythm of the earth, known more intimately by our ancestors. It can help ground us as we hurtle through twenty-first century living! 

For my part I don’t feel as if my year can really begin until family birthdays in January are complete, so now’s the time I really focus on making my dreams for the year feel tangible with plans and actions to allow them to manifest.

For this year, I will be highlighting the changing seasons according to the ancient pagan festivals falling on the Solstices, the Equinoxes and the midpoints between each. These eight points of the year coincide with the Sun passing through Gates of the Self / G centre in Human Design – how amazing is that?!  

The year begins with Imbolc (pronounced Im-molc) occurring at the beginning of February as the Sun passes through Gate 13, the Gate of the Listener.

Imbolc literally means “in the belly of the mother” as the seeds of spring begin to stir in the womb of Mother Earth. It was originally an Irish Festival honouring the Celtic goddess Brigid, later adopted as Saint Brigid’s Day for whom there is a shrine in Kildare, home of a perpetual flame burning in her honour.

Celebration of Imbolc often involves the lighting of bonfires or lamps, creating Bridey dolls from rushes or Brigid dolls from reeds. In the UK, from where I write, Imbolc is associated with snowdrops, the first flower to emerge from the winter.

There are also associations with herbs – notably bay, angelica, vanilla, basil and rosemary – and crystals, amethyst, onyx and turquoise.

The Christian Calendar adopted this time of year as Candlemas, a Festival of Light, celebrating the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. It marks the return of light, a symbol of protection and prosperity.

The Gate of the Listener is about fellowship with mankind, pursuing common goals and expanding all manner of human experiences. People with this Gate in their Design may find that they are a magnet for others who need someone to hear their story. Listening is part of their identity hence coming from their Self Centre (the heart in the diagram).

Our understanding of the different Gates derives in large part from hexagrams of the Chinese IChing. This one shows heaven above fire, perhaps inviting folk to gather around a campfire and listen to each other as the flames head towards the heavens.

The different lines of each Gate indicate alternatives approaches:

  1. Communing with everyone

  2. Seeing all sides to a story

  3. Learning to trust yourself 

  4. Hearing life at a very deep level

  5. Overcoming obstacles and finding purpose

  6. Seeking universal fellowship

Taking Human Design Gate 13 together with an understanding of Imbolc we can see the correlation with the pregnant pause before spring really gets underway. We are looking and listening for the harbingers of spring – listening with our whole body: ears, eyes, mind and heart.

Richard Rudd’s Gene Keys relate to the IChing as do Human Design Gates and as he says of the 13th Key / Gate, “That’s all we are – we’re the universe listening to itself.”

As many of you will know, I love mixing modalities and seeing how they add to our understanding by coming at the same thing from different angles. It is perhaps no surprise then that at this moment of the year, when we are listening for that transformation of winter into spring, the Colour Mirrors bottle 13 is Pluto, transformation: – “The number 13 relates to Scorpio, the sign of death, regeneration and rebirth.

This bottle relates to the scorpion and the phoenix and is about being able to go through the dark night of the soul and come out stronger. These colours signify the releasing of grief so that it might be used as service to the world. Stand up and let the world see the new you.”

These colours of lilac or violet are associated with Imbolc as the colours of spirit, along with white for purity, green for new life, blue for protection and gold for fire.

Given that numbers carry a vibration or frequency much as colour does, Colour Mirrors lend themselves to working with Numerology too. Numerologically number 13 is all about the desire for creative expression, bringing us back to the Earth, pregnant with promise for an abundant year ahead.

So, what’s your sense of the promise of early February? Are you waiting for the first shoots of spring? Delighted you’ve made it through January? Or are you enjoying a period of near hibernation?

St Brigid is associated with a wonderfully varied set of interests from metalwork to brewing beer, healing to poetry, and I see this as an implicit invitation to consider how we can enrich our own lives over the coming year.

The Gregorian calendar may start at the beginning of January but there is a longer tradition of the year beginning at or around Imbolc or even later at the Spring Equinox.

Imbolc is fast followed by Valentine’s Day on 14th February so maybe romantic love is in the air too? Romantic or not, let’s invoke all forms of love to nurture and support us, and all those we love, in the coming months.

With love and all good wishes,

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