Sabbats ~ Beltane (Wheel of the Year)

Merry Meet,

This is a late addition to the Sabbat/Wheel of the year series as there have been a few things going on at home that has taken priority.  I've have been working towards my Beltane entry for my B.o.S and it's been a lovely journey!  This is the third post of the Sabbat series:
Click for Ostara

Beltane

Celebrating the Sabbats

1^st  May (Northern)

31^st October (Southern)

(Sun is 15^o Taurus)

History, Mythology & Culture

Beltane marks the coming of Summer and the time that we honour the Green Man, sometimes known as Robin or Jack-in-the-Green.  He is at his peek during this time and is now the consort of the May Queen Goddess.  Our ancestors waited for the Hawthorn to blossom to let them know that Beltane had arrived.

Herne is also honoured during Beltane celebrations; He is the Protector of the Greenwood and a symbolism of fertility, growth and change.  Herne takes his rightful place at the side of the Goddess.  Beltane is traditionally known for handfastings and marriages.  The Earth is at its peek to reproduce and generate life, animals sexual energies run high.

At Samhain the veil between the physical and the spirit world is at its thinnest, and with Beltane being its opposite, this means that the veil between the physical and the faery realm & world of the Gods is also thin.

In Celtic tradition, farmers would lead cattle through the Bel fire to protect them before sending them out to pasture, Bel meaning bright and indicated a link to Solar deities Bel, Belial, Baal, Belenos, Balor, and Belissama.  Many pagans will light a small bonfire so that all can leap it to gain Beltane blessings and luck.  When a fire isn’t appropriate, then a besom or broom is used instead, a symbolism of male (handle) & female (brush), and Spring & Summer.  On leaping, promises are made that are to be kept for the coming year.

The symbolism of the maypole: the pole is masculine and the wrapping ribbon is feminine, and marks the uniting of the Lord & Lady at Beltane.  The ribbons are traditionally white & red, the white symbolic of semen and the red symbolic of menstrual fluid.

Old English nursery rhyme:

“The fair maid who, on the first of May

Goes to the fields at break of day

And bathes in dew from the Hawthorn tree

Will ever strong and handsome be”

 Magical Workings:

Possible Activities:

¶   Hang ribbons from trees on your property as prayer tokens

¶   Sew ribbons onto a white square cloth or handkerchief, empower each ribbon with a goal or wish.  Keep this safe until all goals have been met or wishes granted

¶   Collect a Rowan branch and tie red thread around it and hang it above your bedroom door for protection

¶   Add self-love or self-esteem workings to your ritual

¶   Bless your garden or a field nearby

¶   Hold your ritual outside or bring greenery and flowers indoors

¶   Invoke the Sun God at sundown, keep it going until sundown May 1^st. (See below)

Craft Ideas & Activities

¶   Erect a maypole using a closet pole, then decorate with ribbons and flowers, this can be pushed into the ground when ready to use

¶   Collect the morning dew to use in your magical workings

¶   Weaving is also a traditional art at this time, symbolising the joining of two to make a third.

¶   Create flower candle rings to mark the quarters or for the main altar candles

¶   Make a wreath from a wire coat hanger and fresh foliage, as colourful as you like. Reshape the wire into a circle, attach small bunches of flowers with floral wire, add bows and ribbons

¶   Host a food drive and make food baskets for those less fortunate, bless them by chanting something like:

“Fire of Sky and Fire of Sun

End all hunger – be it done”

¶   Before bed, say a prayer for Universal Fertility (See below)

¶   Leave a food offering outside for the faeries

¶   Look into Floriography or Zoology as the plant and animal world are at peak during this time, each of them having individual meaning

Wishing Pot

Items required:

¶  Ceramic Jar or Pot with Lid

¶  2” square Parchment Paper

¶  Gold Ink/Pen

¶  Jar of Honey

¶  3 Silver Coins

Write your wish on the parchment, put it in the bottom of the pot, place the coins on top and pour over the honey. Put the lid on, hold the jar to your heart and chant the following empowerment nine times:

“Goddess of blessings and bountiful Earth

To my wishes and dreams give birth“

Place the jar upon the altar until your wish comes true and then toss it into the nearest natural water source.

Invoke Sun God

Items required:

¶  Indoor Fireplace or a Yellow/White 7-day candle 

Light the fire or wick and say something like:

“God of Sun, Fire in the sky

Light the Earth and warm the night

Warm our spirits, hearts & hands

Shed Your light upon this land”

Universal Fertility

Items required:

¶  Prayer

Say something like:

“Lord and Lady, Growing Sun

Bless us in our work and fun

Bless the land and animals too

Bless the crops and morning dew

Bless all that live upon this land

Bestow Your great abundance and

Fertilise all that we do

This we humbly ask of You”

Reference: Dorothy Morrison

Arin Murphy-Hiscock

Scott Cunningham

Silver RavenWolf

Edain McCoy

Ann Marie Gallagher

Lady Sabrina

☮ ♡ & ツ