Dark days of winter

embracing darkness, being friends with demons

I must seek to befriend the hidden parts of self, the darkness that embraces the whole of who I am.

Imbolc is the midway point between Yule, the beginning of winter, and Ostara, the beginning of spring, a time of year that heralds some of the darkest storms and nights. This card suggests you are experiencing a similar situation in your life: that fears and traumas are coming to your emotional surface. Know that they aren’t here to scare you, that just as rain nourishes the earth your shadow also holds the key to bigger growth when you enter your spring season. The earth cannot avoid winter, and neither can you avoid your darker side for long.

Receiving this card is confirmation that now is the time to face your demons, if only to realize they are actually trying to help. In greeting your demons as friends you may find they can teach you how to be sharper, wiser, more experienced, self-aware and even sexier or more alluring. It’s understandable to want to avoid reliving any pain associated with unpleasant experiences. However, ignoring them will not erase them from your life story. Why not use them to your advantage and gain as much as you can from what they have to offer?