At Imbolc we can see the promise of Yule made manifest. The days are markedly longer, the sun a little warmer. In the sheltered garden, a lone crocus pushes boldly through the late snows. Overhead, somewhere in the scudding clouds of February, we hear the calling of the wild geese. It is a time for shaking off the winter doldrums, for sweeping the dead leaves of winter out of our lives. What baggage, emotional or physical, is it you no longer need to carry into the new year? A ritual house-cleansing might be in order to rid your home of all the negative energies that accumulate during the closed-in months of winter. Try making a loose incense of sage, cedar, bay, rosemary, and frankincense to banish negativity and bless your home.