Imbolc Forest Bathing Walk: A Celebration of Women's Strength, Renewal, and the Return of Light

Imbolc is a sacred Celtic festival marking the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, a time when the earth stirs from its slumber and the light begins to return. This ancient festival honors Brigid, the Celtic goddess of fire, poetry, healing, and fertility, whose energy embodies transformation, creativity, and renewal.

Join us for a powerful day of forest bathing, ritual, and community as we embrace the return of light, honor the wisdom of the earth, and step into the energy of new beginnings. We will honor Imbolc’s themes of purification, renewal, and the awakening of our inner light. During our walk we will weave in a variety of rituals that connect participants to the natural world, the energies of the season, and each other. However, if the weather is too cold or windy, we will adapt by offering a shortened outdoor walk followed by longer indoor rituals for warmth and comfort.

What to Expect

Forest Bathing Walk

Immerse yourself in the serene beauty of a winter landscape and awaken your senses through mindful practices that embrace nature’s quiet stillness. Together, we’ll reflect on the season, let go of what no longer serves us, and create space for growth and transformation.

Highlights of the experience include a stop at the Healing Stream, where participants can symbolically cleanse away old energies by washing their hands in the water, welcoming renewal and fresh beginnings.

The journey also features a Listening to the Silence ritual—a practice designed to foster a deep connection with nature through stillness and presence. Participants will embark on a silent walk through a carefully chosen part of the forest or nature reserve, observing the natural sounds around them—birdsong, rustling leaves, the whisper of the wind—allowing the quiet to center and ground them.

This experience invites you to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the rhythms of nature.

Imbolc Ritual

Whether outdoors or indoors, we’ll honor Brigid’s sacred flame by lighting candles and a bonfire to mark the season’s turning. Through ceremony and connection, we’ll purify, reflect, and embrace the transformative energy of Imbolc. If the weather moves us indoors, we’ll create a symbolic bonfire in a warm, sacred space and offer our intentions for the year ahead.

Imbolc Candle Blessing

At the close of our walk, we’ll gather to honor Brigid and the returning light of Imbolc. Each participant will receive a candle, and together, we will light them in a collective blessing. As you light your candle, you may share a short blessing or intention, or simply hold the flame in silence, connecting to the transformative energy of the season and the renewed light it brings.

Group Sharing

After the ritual, we will gather for an herbal tea and group sharing circle, where each woman can reflect on her personal journey, share insights, and offer support. This is a time for deep connection, healing, and celebrating the strength of the feminine. Together, we’ll honor our collective power and the cycles that unite us.

Why Join This Offering?

This gathering is for women who want to:

• Embrace a nature-based, spiritual practice that nourishes your mind, body, and soul.
• Create a sacred community of like-minded women who support each other through each turning of the seasons.
• Honor your connection to the Earth, cultivating rituals that deepen your peace and spiritual fulfillment.

What You’ll Receive

Before our Imbolc Forest Bathing Walk, you will receive a special Imbolc Seasonal Guide (PDF) via email. This handout is designed to deepen your connection to the season and the sacred rituals we’ll be sharing together. Feel free to print it out and bring it with you to the walk. Inside, you’ll find:

• Imbolc Rituals & Practices: Step-by-step guidance on seasonal rituals, including a Healing Water Ritual, how to honor Brigid’s flame, and a special Imbolc Candle Blessing to complete your walk.
• Journaling Prompts: Reflect on Imbolc’s themes of renewal, new beginnings, and transformation. Use these prompts before or after our walk to help set intentions and invite growth into your life.
• Seasonal Self-Care Tips: Practical suggestions for embracing the purification and light of Imbolc in your daily life, from lighting candles to simple practices that invite clarity, creativity, and healing.
• Creating Sacred Space at Home: Ideas for bringing the energy of Imbolc into your personal space, helping you honor the return of light and the beginning of a new cycle.

Additionally, each participant will receive a beautiful tote bag to carry your seasonal guide, personal items, or nature treasures you collect along the way.

What You Need to Know:

• Limited to 10 women to maintain an intimate, sacred circle.
• Location: The walk will take place on a private 60-acre farm in East Haddam, with the indoor ritual held in a warm, sacred space afterward. Exact locations will be provided upon registration.
• Investment: $50.00 (non-refundable)