Preparing for Beltane

  

Well met kith and kin, 

 It's the beginning of April, nearly tax time in the modern world, but for us pagans who live between worlds as it were, we are seeing that spring has sprung and it is a wonderful time to begin looking forward to our next great festival, the festival of Beltane. There are plenty of great resources out there on the history of this spring rite, and I will leave you to search for those, but here I will offer some reflections and some traditional ways in which you might celebrate with others or own your own! 

 Back in February we celebrated Imbolc or St Brigid's day and this marked the transition out of winter and looking forward to spring, the preparation time for when the ground will once again become fertile and ready for seeds to be planted. Now as we approach Beltane which marks the beginning Summer, we are seeing the first rites related to fertility and abundance. 

 I'd like to offer several Beltane essentials for your celebrations either by your lonesome or in a group setting. Feel fret take or leave and adapt as you will. 

 A bonfire on the eve of the festival is a great way to invoke our ancient ancestors and set the mood for your celebrations. Animals such as cattle were typically driven between fires to ensure fertility but people would often jump over the fire as well, and couple hand in hand. This is also a time like any other to appease the faeries or elves and so mink and honey given at the threshold or at a local fairy haunt is a good way to celebrate. Decorating a bush with ribbons is a custom we have adopted and is great for young children. During the bonfire, light a torch and go around the bounds of your property or house to ensure protection. After the fire has died down, take the ash and daub yourself and sprinkle some on the fields or gardens. 

 This time of year is all about renewal and preparing for abundance. May we all experience growth and renewal of ourselves in the coming summer months. 

-Jacob