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Horray,Horray, I t 's the f irst of May
Outdoor screwing begins today!
This month we celebrate yet another turn of the wheel, Beltane,
which falls halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice,
and means “good fire" as the warm fire of the summer sun get ever
closer and we "jump the fire" for fertility and prosperity.
Beltianne is a fertility festival, dancing round the maypole,
crowning the May Queen, jumping the fire and making love! If we are
to celebrate in a more traditional way, it would have been on the
full moon that falls closest to the end of April, however there was
not one this year so Beltane would fall on May 4th Beltane is a
full celebration of fertility, sexuality, fire, passion and getting
in touch with our instinctual natures. It is also known as the
festival of the ‘Bel-fire’, which is named after the solar deity
Bel or Belenus Bel was also known as Beli or Bile in Ireland, with
Bile meaning ‘tree’, so Beltane may also means ‘Tree-fire‘ which I
love! The tree typically associated with Beltane is the hawthorn
tree which traditionally was used for the Maypole dance. Expanding
a bit more on the etymology of Beltane, we look
Beltane May 1st
Planting seeds, Growing, Ripening
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to the Gaulish word bel, which means bright and the Gaelic word
tine means fire-Bel-Fire, thus the interpretation of Beltane as the
festival honouring the “Fire of Bel” or “Bel’s Fire.” Having said
that Bel or Belanus was associated with healing springs and spas,
places that were considered to have health-giving waters, he was
also associated with the symbols of the phallic shaped stone and
the bull. As we get deeper into the spring time season, our inner
fire also begins to wake up, igniting our creative passions as we
begin the gentle movement into the summer season. I love Beltane
for the aspect of getting to jump the fire, and have jumped for
many years, some fire's being in large gatherings and some years
only over a solitary candle, because the best part is the wishes
and intentions one gets to make for the up-coming season. Fire
transmutes and changes things, it can burn bright or smoulder into
a burning passion, and this is the season to take out passions,
intentions and things that need clearing to the fire!Beltane is
also a holiday of Union, both between the Goddess and the God/ man
and woman, and so Handfastings are also traditional at this time of
year as it is a time of fertility and harvest. Other Celebrations
include braiding of one's hair (to honour the union of man and
woman and Goddess and God), circling the Maypole for fertility and
jumping the Beltane fire for luck. Lighting fires is a must during
Beltane, and traditionally the Beltane fire was composed of the
nine sacred woods of the Celts, and traditionally folks would leap
through the smoke and flames of Beltane fires and then run off to
make love in the fields, as fertility rites. Special woods were
brought in at this time for burning and cattle were driven between
two fires to purify them from the winter illnesses. Most folks
hearth-fires were extinguished and then relit from the Beltane
community fire to bring them prosperity for the upcoming season and
lovers leaped across bonfires before running off into the fields to
spend the night together, as it is said that making love in the
fields is good to bring on a fertile year. Naming the May King and
Queen is also a fun custom among the young people, and they go
singing from door to door throughout the town carrying flowers or
the May tree, and singing for donations that will go into the
merrymaking in return for the "blessing of May" which is
essentially a symbolic marriage. As the kids go from door to door,
the May Bride often sings to the effect that those who give will
also "get" nature's bounty through the year. Other things
associated with Beltane are Labyrinths, making alters dedicated to
the sun, honey and fire, flower wreaths, labyrinth walking, and
lots of candles. It is said that in the Scottish highlands there is
an old tradition of making big oat cakes and offering them to the
fire on Beltane night as a mock sacrifice, each little piece being
dedicated to aspects that they wish prosperity on, such as
their
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livestock, health, crops etc.. Another tradition is to take some
smaller bits of that same cake and toss them into a sack marking
one only with charcoal from the fire. The person who chooses the
blackened piece is given in a mock sacrifice to the fire, so that
any spirits that wish unwell on the community think that got their
due.
Jumping the Fire!
Fire is a primary feature of this festival lighting candles,
burning away old patterns and things that no longer serve us and
allowing the element of fire to ignite our passions and goals for
the upcoming season! It has been also said that just as the Veil
Between the worlds is thin and permeable at Samhain, so too is the
veil during Beltane as well and when we jump the fire we have the
chance to touch divinity and manifest all we wish for... Adding
cedar or juniper branches to the blessing fire creates a scented
smoke to cleanse and bless as we jump, but also even jumping over a
single candle flame is enough for the magic to do it's workings...
Making offerings to the fire of chocolate and sweets is also always
a good thing as the fire loves anything that creates passion, so
chili peppers and cinnamon are also god offerings to a passion
filled beltane fire! Jumping the fire with someone you love is also
an old tradition as it is said to increase passion and promote
fertility, so you may wish to be careful when you choose a
fire-jumping partner. Jumping the Beltane fires with a friend is
said to strengthen your bonds so if you are not looking to be too
fertile, then perhaps jumping with a dear friend is a better
choice. In Celtic times, it is said that the druids kindled the
Beltane fires with specific incantations, but later on in history
the Christian church took over the Beltane
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observances and held instead a church service, followed by a
procession to the fields or hills, where the priest kindled the
fire. Like most if not all pagan festivities the church took them
over so now is a good time to reclaim and renew our observances of
the wheel of the year, celebrating our mother earth, the seasons
and the bounty she brings us.
Maypole Dancing:
The symbolism of the maypole has been continuously debated by
folklorists for centuries some saying that it same from the ancient
practise of sacred tree worship linking to the ancient shamanic
"tree of life" or axis mundi which is belief that the tree is the
pillar, or centre of the world, thus the term-world tree. In
certain beliefs and philosophies, is the world centre, or the
connection between Heaven and Earth. Either way the maypole was
once a fun way for communities to pick fin at an ancient fertility
symbol the penis! It is said that the may pole represented the
phalys and each community would try to have theirs be bigger then
the next, sometimes reporting to stealing others in jest in an
effort to have the "biggest in the region!. The poles were
decorated with flowers and greenery representing the spring time
and women would dance around the "Big pole" in sacred fertility
rites. It was not until the Victories period that ribbons came to
be a part of the pole where elaborate dances would be done around
the pole creating intricate weavings, which over time came to
become part of the culture and folklore of a region with dancers
wearing costumes specific to their region and including theatrical
elements along to music.
There are many ways that we can incorporate the maypole into our
celebrations even if we do not have a community to gather and
dance, Making Maypole wands: These are a fun activity for adults
and children alike and can take the place of an elaborate large
maypole in a pinch! In the image above you can see a lovely array
of maypole wands, each have a tiny bell attached to multi coloured
ribbons. They can be woven in ceremony or simply played
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with in celebration. Making them is simple, all you need is some
dowling bought at any hardware store, small eyelet screws and
ribbons. Make a mini Maypole for your garden: If you look to the
image above in the collage-{right hand corner} you can see a great
example of a mini maypole made for the garden. Making one is simple
and similar to the maypole wands, in that you will need a piece of
dowling and lots of ribbons. In this case you will also need a
small metal hoop which can often be found at Michaels in the
leather section where they keep dreamcatcher kits. Cover the
dowling and hoop in pretty ribbons and attach the hoop to the top
by hot glueing ribbons that you have tied to the hoop to the top of
the dowling. If you want to make it like big enough for a few small
children to dance around try sticking a larger piece of dowling
into a well-weighted flower pot like in the image here...
Baking for the celebrat ions:
Beltane Passion Cookies Ideally these are in the shape of yoni's
and penis's for added adult fun! You can either share them to eat,
or place on your Beltaine Altar. Alternately a goddess symbol or
shape is equally lovely for if children will be around. Recipe: ¾
cup unsalted butter 1 cup brown sugar 1 egg ¼ cup molasses 1¾ cups
whole grain flour ½ tsp. salt 3 tsp. ground cinnamon 1½ tsp. ground
cloves
5 tsp. powdered ginger ⅛ tsp. granulated 2 tsp. baking soda ½
cup crystallized ginger, coarsely chopped (optional) Preheat the
oven to 350°. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a
hand mixer, cream the butter with the sugar then beat in the egg
and molasses. Sift all the dry ingredients into a medium bowl, then
stir into the wet batter. Add
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crystallized ginger. Roll batter into 1 inch balls and dip one
side into granulated sugar, or roll them out and use a cookie
cutter, or hand-shape them into fun shapes! Place sugar side up on
baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on
wire rack.
Blessed Lemon Custard From the book Beltane. Rituals, Recipes
& Lore for May Day.
The delicious lemon custard is magickaly crafted to express
gratitude for your Beltane blessings while manifesting even more
blessings. Ingredients: 4 cups milk 2/3 cups sugar 4 whole eggs and
2 yolks {6 eggs total, two separated]
4 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp vanilla extract Graham crackers 1 tsp
powdered sugar-optional 1 sprig of fresh mint-optional begin by
heating milk in a saucepan over med heat until it beings to bubble
slightly. Add in sugar and stir until dissolved. Add eggs slowly.
Stir slowly with a wooden spoon until completly blended. You may
need to reduce heat slightly , as you want it to bubble but not
boil over or burn. Onve the mixture starts to thicken and looks
visable different approx 15 min's {warning do not take your eyes
off of the pot!}reduce the heat further and give it another 5
min's. If your custard does not seemt o want to thicken no matter
what not to worry k=just sprinkle a bit of flour a tiny bit at a
time until it begins to thicken. Once it has the consistency you
like take it off of the heat and add your vanilla, stirring in and
then your lemon juice stirring in. While you are doing this think
of sunlight and moonlight and the energetic aspects of both of
these natures, one being male-sun and one being female-moon. Next
place your graham crackers in the bottom of either individual
serving dishes or a larger serving dish and as you fdo think of the
grounding energies of the earth, Mother natures womb as she bring
forth the bounty of May flowers, fruits and greenery. As you fill
each dish with with lemon curd contemplate all the
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delights you hope May will bring. Garnish with a light sprinkle
of powdered sugar and a sprig of mint. Vegan alternative
Ingredients
• 3/4 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk • 10g (1 tbs) Organic Corn
Starch • 6 tbs Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice • 1/2 tsp Natural
Yellow Food Coloring (optional) • 1/4 tsp Lemon juice • 72g (6 tbs)
Granulated Erythritol (or dry sweetener of choice) • 1/8 tsp Salt •
48g (1/4 cup) Butter Flavor Spectrum Organics Shortening
Instructions
1. In a small pot, whisk together the almond milk and corn
starch. Place over medium heat.
2. Whisk in the lemon juice, food coloring, lemon flavor,
erythritol and salt. Whisk every minute or so, then whisk
constantly once the mixture starts to bubble around the edges of
the pot.
3. When mixture starts to thicken and bubble constantly, whisk
for a few minutes and then remove pot from the heat.
4. Whisk in the shortening until fully combined and place on the
counter to cool.
5. Every five minutes or so, whisk the mixture. When mixture has
cooled down a bit, pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap
touching the surface and refrigerate overnight.
Notes: Recipe adapted from: Healthy Happy Life
Activ i t ies and Crafts:
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~If you are planning an outside fire, ask everyone coming to
bring some firewood and an offering to the fire. Once lit everyone
in attendance can cook on it, tell stories around it, make
offerings, drum, and once the fire has burned down low, you can
jump over it yelling your intentions as you fly! ~Of course the
creation of an altar or outdoor shrine is a must, filled with
spring flowers, candles to represent the fire and anything else you
feel moved to create beauty with. ~If you have access to a May pole
dance GO! As this is a traditional Beltaine thing to do, dancing
and weaving and moving your body in joyful celebration of the
arrival of spring! ~Make love! I really need not say anything more
on this :] ~Plant a tree and tie clooties or small strips of fabric
onto the branches with prayers and intentions written onto them, or
wishes into them, the hawthorn, birch and rowen are all sacred
Beltaine trees. ~Make a dreamcatcher, or driftwood wind chime,
attach long pieces of fabric to it and keep it simple!
Make Offering Stones:
These are biodegradable salt and flour dough stones or "cookies"
that are covered in herbs and other things that break down in
nature and can be used as safe creature and plant friendly
offerings. {The first image in the collage above is of the offering
stones} Recipe: ½ cup flour ½ cup salt ½ cup water--adding more if
necessary ¼ TBSP cream of tartar ½ TBSP oil (any cooking oil should
work) 1/4 cup oats
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Herbs: Rose petals, lavender, juniper berries, crushed sage,
pollen--anything you want to create an offering into! Mix all of
your ingredients together in a pan on the stove over low-Med heat
depending on your stove, stir until you have a dough, i.e. when it
pulls away from the sides of the sauce pan, and then let cool for a
bit. At this point you can roll pieces into a ball in your hands
then smash flat or form into any shape you want. Add any other
decorations, such as crystals,bee pollen or even use food colouring
to give them a pretty affect. Let dry for several days or dry in
the oven on the lowest setting.
Plant a Living Play Hut The Runner Bean “Teepee” DenThis one is
probably the easiest of all the playhouses/Journey Hut's to create,
plus one that will give you some tasty runner beans to enjoy
throughout the summer season. What You Need: 1] 8 – 10 long bamboo
canes (6 – 7 feet minimum). 2) Gardening string or a cable tie or
similar. 3) A packet of runner bean seeds. 4) Large roll of
gardening string or a roll of chicken wire (optional). 5} tar paper
or a large sheet of gardening plastic, the thick kind they use for
lining water fountains. Method1) Choose a spare area of garden,
either on a border, or on the lawn. You’ll have to remove a small
area of lawn to plant the seeds. 2) Push your bamboo canes into the
ground in a circle to form a large pyramid/teepee shape. Leave a
large gap between two of the canes for an entrance. Secure the tops
of the canes together using either a some garden string, twine, or
wire.
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3) For best results cover bamboo teepee in either chicken wire,
or a network of gardening string.
Creating an altar and simple Ritual for Beltane:
Creating seasonal altars is easy especially when one takes a
walk with a pair is scissors or cutting shears in their bag! Even
if you live in the city it is easy to find cherry or apple blossoms
and make a cutting form a tree, or gather small wild flowers such
as dandelions and sweet flowers considered to be weeds. Gathering
leaves, moss and other natural things is the perfect pace to start,
not to mention that being outdoors is the perfect starting place
for any ritual. In our home we have both indoor and outdoor altars
and shrines, each one changed seasonally, but also serving
different purposes. In the image above is our outdoor shrine where
we make offerings to the spirits of our land and the elvic realms
of the plants and flowers. To make a beltane altar red or orange
coloured candles or better yet beeswax ones are a must, offerings
of sweet cookies-perhaps shaped like a yoni or lingam, along with
any seasonal items and things that inspire you all make for a good
altar. This is the season to be looking ahead and setting goals and
plans, as the summer season ahead is an outward moving one, a time
for being outside, camping, gardening and generally taking holidays
and being with friends. When we take a moment at each of the
quarters to stop and reflect, or plan it allows our soul selves to
catch up with what is happening both in our spiritual world and our
outside environment. For beltane a simple ritual is to sit with a
lit candle on your altar and gazing at the
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flame think of all of the things that you are passionate about,
allow your mind to free flow through everything that makes you
joyful and happy... Next take a piece of paper and write a list of
all these things, write till your hand is sore and your heart happy
for the recounting of such joy! Now fold the paper in half and blow
all of that joy and passion you feel in your heart into the paper
and offer it to the fire. Ideally you have a small bowl beside you
so that when you light the fire you can place it there to finish
burning.. Watch as your passions become a smoke prayer to the sun
and know that this is your intent moving forward and into the
season. Lastly once the ashes are cold to the touch you can keep
them in your medicine pouch, add them to paint if you are an
artist, mark yourself or whatever your spirits calls for you to do
with them for these are the ashes of your most sacred and holy
passions and joys, made manifest into smoke prayers to the
divine!
Beltane Blessings Dear Ones...