Imbolc 2

Imbolc tuesday Jan 30
Today I’m continuing with my reading of Sacred Actions by Dana O’Driscoll on the pagan holiday Imbolc.
As O’Driscoll writes, Imbolc is a time of Reskilling, relearning learning older skills. She writes that this time of year in the colder months we can learn from reading. I over the past three years have been actively trying to expand my knowledge of skills, from my knitting, to canning food, to emotionally caring for myself and others. I still want to learn (seemingly innumerable) things, mostly about homesteading. There’s always more to learn. And even in the beginning, foundational skills, there’s ways to hone in and learn deeper.
Reskilling, as O’Driscoll delves deeper, can also be about renewing misinformed beliefs and unintentionally bad practices into better practices—better for the earth, ourselves, and our communities—ie using reusable shopping bags. She calls these skills “tools for change”. With each new skill we are “taking one small step further away from modern industrial and consumerist society” (54).
This chapter details examples of skills we can learn related to homesteading and the bardic (creative) arts like visual arts and music etc. it also details where to learn these skills, be it from people, online, in books, etc. Some classes I take part in are local weekly classes like my flamenco, other classes are once in a lifetime events that I travel for. The jewel of my lifetime learning so far will be traveling to Peru this fall to learn with a group of fiber artists. Other types of people to learn from are people in groups or guilds. I meet with a local knitting circle, but also the KY state fiber guild, The Friendship Spinners. O’Driscoll also writes of Reskilling festivals and fairs, but I more experience that type of in-person learning through conferences, like the e Organic Association of KY annual conference. Learning from history is also detailed in this chapter and I was delighted to recognize one of the video programs cited, Victorian Farm by the BBC which I actually discovered separate of this book, for free on YouTube. Providing hours of beautifully crafted, engaging entertainment, that program has taught me so much. From straight traditions to timeless skills, that program is fantastic. Other YouTube videos are also invaluable learning resources for me.
The act of learning, itself, can be a sacred action. Learning can be an act of obedience, or disobedience. It is radical, in many ways. Reading, listening, witnessing.


I just also Want you all to know that while I read this chapter and wrote this blog, I had a 3 month old 3lb black kitten in my lap… my Witchy baby, Pluto. She sends her love ☺️