Exploring Imbolc through the lens of duality

Imbolc or Candlemas (svečnica in Slovene) brings the hope, the light, the fire, the expectation of the birth – pregnancy, and snowdrops.

This year, I’m more than ready for the winter to end. I love the evenings and nights, but Winter each year leaves its mark on my mental health. This year, it’s been harder on me than in previous years. I’ve noticed I’ve really hidden from the world. Looking outside, I think maybe that’s the natural thing to do, really, but at the same time, I see that it’s taken a toll on me. Maybe I’m just getting old. Who knows.

Taking the time to reflect on how I feel, I am grateful for the symbol of the Fire that Goddess Brigid (or Saint Brigid) brings. This fire is different from the fire on other holidays, as it symbolizes the hope of a new life. I always find it interesting that in Christianity, new life comes for Christmas, when in nature, that’s really when everything sleeps. The time around Imbolc is a time of inner growth, pregnancy, and preparation for the birth of Spring.

For me, Imbolc always signified the start of the “Pust (carnival)” time. In Slovenia, on February 2nd at midnight, the “Kurent’s jump” marks the start of the Carnival season, which lasts until Ash Wednesday.

Kurent is one of the most magical Slovenian masks – it’s a traditional character that takes away all that is bad and brings happiness and prosperity.

Archetypically, I see Kurent, the male principal of Goddess Brigid. There really isn’t any recorded mythical connection between the two, but my intuition tells me there is. If nothing, I’ve always felt connected to both of them, so I think it’s worth exploring whether there is more to it than just my intuition. Let’s look at some of the aspects they embody and the potential connections.

It’s worth noting that in comparative mythology, both Birgid (Hearth protector and the White maiden of Spring) and Kurent (Wild man) occupy the same time and space in the calendar of the year, but they have never been officially mythologically connected. Godess Brigid, the Gentle but fierce power of the flame, originates in Celtic mythology (Ireland) and Kurent, the Chaos of the Beast, originates in Slavic mythology (Slovenia).

When we look at these two characters we can sense their complementary energies – Bridig, the cultivating feminine, and Kurent, the wild masculine. She represents the maiden, the fertile feminine aspect; he represents the energy of Dionysus. Together, they represent the renewal of life. Brigid through the gentle but persistent energy of a new dawn and Kurent through the fierceness of the thunder, both waking up the Earth in the middle of winter.

They both also serve as symbols of protection over the home and fertility. Brigid with her cross brings protection to the livestock and a blessing to the home, and Kurent, with his bell and wooden club, drives away the evil spirits and brings prosperity.

Furthermore, if we look at this pair through Jungian archetypal theory, we can talk about the union of opposites: Brigid provides the vision for the future, and Kurent provides the energy to manifest that vision in the physical world forming a balance to this time of the year that isn’t just mental.

This idea of a balance, is, I believe, what called me to explore this duality and the more I explore, the more excited I get. That said, I also know that this could just come from my own confirmation bias, so I’d love to know what others think of this. If you’ve been called to explore the duality of Imbolc or you’ve stumbled upon my thinking and have thoughts about it, feel free to comment.

I’ve had a quick chat with Gemini on the topic (I know, I know, but it got really interesting) and this is the comparison it gave me:

If you’re still reading, I’d love to know how this resonates with you, so feel free to reach out or comment if you have thoughts about this topic.

Until next time, Happy Imbolc!
Pia