The Green Spiral

Welcome to The Green Spiral, Green Women Gathering's Newsletter!

Hello, beautiful community!

As the seasons shift and new energy flows in, we’re thrilled to bring you the latest updates, inspirations, and opportunities from Green Women Gathering. This newsletter is your space to reconnect with the heart of our mission - to foster a community of strong and supportive women, honor the Earth, and empower one another on our journeys of growth and discovery.

Inside this issue, you’ll find exciting announcements, upcoming events, and ways to get involved. Whether you’ve been part of GWG for years or are just finding your way to us, we’re so grateful to have you here.

Let’s continue to grow, gather, and ground together.

What We’re Up To

The Spring Gathering filled up fast, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Registration is now full, but we’re still welcoming wait list requests. Thank you all for the incredible interest and support. We can’t wait to gather together. More information will be sent to those who registered as the date approaches!

Seasonal Musings

In the brisk and biting air of January, spirit slumbers. We retreat into the warm cocoon of home to wait out winter’s solitude. We release the burden of what’s passed. Janus grounds, reflects, and prepares for the next transition.

We honor the liminality of this cold, dark turn of the Wheel. We expand the breath. We view loss and wonder with direct eyes. We seek moments of pure being.

We take stock of which seeds we have to plant. We make room for, if not the final plan, the swirl of energy that will coalesce into thoughts about a plan. We hold space for possibilities. We nurture hope.

The wolf moon shows the way. Relying on inner strength, instinct, we hold close to our pack until the moment comes to emerge anew. Until the moment to arise.

And then comes the day we hear February whispering her insistence that the once-long rest is almost at its end. Purified by the season’s stark severity, we feel Imbolc’s stirrings– those yearly reminders that the first step is cleansing. We notice dark corners to be swept, forgotten cabinets to be cleared, uncluttered, space opened for the new.

Snow drifts bow to snowdrops. The bravest crocus appears, astounding our disbelief that spring is assured, breaking the brittle barrier encapsulating frozen dreams. The soft silver of the pussy willow backs up her claim, and we release, finally, the weight of fears seen and unseen and settle into the warmth of hope replacing them.

Soon come the daffodils, but just now– before the soil and the planting and the toil and reward. Before the time to shake off these winter thoughts and return to the life of doing, we take a moment of gratitude for the blessings of silence. To honor the shadow between potency and existence. To ground. To release.

To be.

Imbolc

Imbolc, celebrated on February 1st–2nd, is a Celtic festival marking the midway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox, honoring the return of light and the first stirrings of nature. It signifies purification, renewal, and the awakening of fertility, often associated with the goddess Brigid, candles, and early spring cleaning.

Common Imbolc traditions include lighting fires or candles to welcome the lengthening days, crafting Brigid's crosses and dolls to hang for protection and blessings, spring cleaning and airing out the home, nature walks, planting seeds, and purification baths. Common foods for Imbolc feasts include braided bread or Bannocks, milk, butter, cheese, and pancakes and crepes to represent the sun.

Crafting a Brigid's Cross

Materials Needed

Traditional: 16 long, flexible rushes (or straw/reeds).
Alternatives: Paper drinking straws, rolled-up magazine paper, pipe cleaners, or willow rods.
Fasteners: Four pieces of wool, string, or small rubber bands.
Tools: Scissors.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preparation: Trim rushes to about 12-16 inches for uniform length.
Starting: Hold one rush vertically (the "centerpiece").
Folding: Take a second rush, fold it in half, and wrap it around the top half of the vertical rush, creating a "T" shape.
Weaving: Rotate the entire cross 90 degrees counter-clockwise. Take a new rush, fold it in half, and hook it over the arm that is now pointing up, sliding it down to secure it.
Repeating: Continue to add new, folded rushes, rotating counter-clockwise each time. Keep the weaving tight in the middle for a firm structure.
Securing & Finishing: Once the desired thickness is reached, secure each of the four arms with string or rubber bands.
Finalizing: Trim the loose ends of the rushes to make the edges of the cross even.

Tips for Success

If using dry rushes, soak them in water for 10-15 minutes to make them more pliable.
The center should be kept tight; if it becomes too loose, the cross will not hold its shape.

Imbolc Magic Cheese Spell

Purpose:

To welcome returning light, gently cleanse what has grown heavy, protect the self and home, and call courage forward as the year begins to stir.

Best Timing:

Imbolc, or any time the moon is waxing

Early morning or just after sunset for Brigid energy

Sacred Ingredients

1 gallon whole milk – nourishment, renewal, maternal abundance
1 cup white vinegar – transformation, separation of what no longer serves
1½ tsp salt – protection, grounding, preservation
Rosemary – protection, clarity, ancestral strength
Thyme – courage, confidence, quiet bravery
Lemon zest – purification, fresh beginnings, joy

Tools:

A small bell – sound cleansing, boundary setting, calling in light

Ritual Instructions:

Cleanse & Prepare

Gently ring the bell once in each direction around your space. As the sound fades, say:

“By sound and intention, this space is cleared.”

Clean your hands and take a grounding breath.
Warm the Milk (Awakening the Year)

Slowly heat the milk to 120°F, stirring gently. Visualize warmth returning to frozen ground. Add rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest, saying softly:

“Rosemary to guard and guide me. Thyme to strengthen my courage. Lemon to cleanse and renew me”
The Turning Point (Transformation)

Turn off the heat. Pour in the vinegar and stir clockwise for 30 seconds.

Ring the bell once as the curds begin to form, signaling change.
The Rest (Gestation)

Cover the pot and let sit for 15 minutes. Allow silence to hold the magic—nothing else is needed now.
Separation (Release)

Strain the curds through cheesecloth. As the whey drains, ring the bell softly and say:

“I release what has completed its work.”
Claiming Power (Protection)

Squeeze the curds dry. Sprinkle with salt and microwave 30 seconds, activating the spell.
The Shaping (Courage in Motion)

Stretch and fold the warm cheese repeatedly. With each fold, whisper:

“I bend, but I do not break.”
Sealing the Work

Shape into a ball and place in ice water for 15 minutes. Ring the bell one final time to seal the spell.
Completion

Remove the cheese, offer gratitude, and eat mindfully. The magic is now part of you.
Closing Blessing

“Light returns. I am protected. I am courageous. I am renewed.”