Alright folks, here’s how my Imbolc tarot session actually went down. Buckled in for a messy, real-time replay.
The “Figure it Out” Phase
First off, Imbolc… early February thing, right? Some pagan holiday before Valentine’s candy hits the shelves. Means winter’s halfway done, new beginnings sprouting, that kind of hopeful vibe. Figured a tarot spread focused on that could be useful. Found chatter online about “Imbolc spreads” but nothing clear. So I thought, screw it, let’s just make one work.
Grabbed my trusty Rider-Waite deck – the one with the pictures I kinda-sorta understand. Cleared a spot on the coffee table, pushed aside yesterday’s half-finished mug. Fired up a white candle (couldn’t find a green one, close enough!) and lit some incense my friend gave me months ago. Set the intention: “Alright, what’s stirring under the frozen dirt?” Nothing fancy.
The Actual Spread & Fumbling
Found a simple 6-card spread layout mentioned:
- Card 1: The Crone Wisdom: What needs honoring from the past winter?
- Card 2: The Maiden Potential: What new spark wants to ignite?
- Card 3: The Hearth Fire: What sustains me now? (Home, self-care, etc.)
- Card 4: The Seeds Below: What hopes/goals are actually planted already?
- Card 5: The Thaw: What’s blocking energy flow? What’s ice melting?
- Card 6: Brigid’s Flame: Action step? How to nurture this new start?
Shuffled like crazy while thinking about winter’s weight and a flicker of spring energy. Honestly felt a bit clunky. Cards flew everywhere – knocked over my tea coaster. Total facepalm moment. Gathered them up, reshuffled, calmed my butterfingers.
Laid them out one by one, face down, in the little lines I drew on my journal page. Flipped ’em over slow.
The Card Reveal Mess
- Card 1 (Crone): The Hermit (upright). Ha! Spot on. Said loud and clear: The quiet, hibernation time wasn’t wasted. Needed that introvert recharge. Stop beating myself up for not “doing” more.
- Card 2 (Maiden): Ace of Cups (upright). Okay, heart flutter moment. New emotional beginning? Maybe reconnecting creatively? Felt exciting but vague.
- Card 3 (Hearth): Four of Wands (upright). Stability! My home, my regular writing time, my partner. Simple foundations holding me up. Need to appreciate them more.
- Card 4 (Seeds): Seven of Pentacles (upright). Whoa. This hit. Work’s been planted! Effort spent last fall? Those seeds are down there, waiting to sprout. Patience needed. Don’t dig ’em up.
- Card 5 (Thaw): Eight of Swords (reversed). Oof. That mental prison. Worries trapping me, feeling stuck? Thaw means those self-imposed limits are melting. Big sigh.
- Card 6 (Brigid): Page of Wands (upright). Action? Message? Dive into enthusiasm! Start small, be playful, explore that spark from Card 2. Stop overthinking the fire, just light a match.
Honestly? The spread worked better than I thought. The “Seeds Below” card showing the Seven of Pentacles was a massive relief. Told me the quiet work counted. The “Thaw” card with the reversed Eight of Swords felt accurate – been my own worst enemy lately. The Page of Wands for action? Cheeky little nudge to stop planning the perfect bonfire and just light some damn kindling already.
After the Dust Settled
Wrote it all down in my journal, messy scribbles and spilled tea stains included. Felt lighter. Less like I was wasting winter, more like things were composting underneath. The spread gave names to the weird in-between vibe: honoring the rest, seeing the planted seeds, and a kick to melt the stuck bits. Not gonna lie, trying to remember the positions while flipping cards was sorta messy, but the overall picture clicked. Try it if you feel that winter hump – it’s messy, human, and strangely spot-on.
