May Day. Walpurgis Night. Beltane. Whatever your observance
of this day happens to be, they are all an early acknowledgement of the
approaching Summer. We have had quite a bit of ‘April Showers’ on the marsh.
The temperatures have been topping out in the upper-70’s, with an occasional day
that hits the 80 degree mark. As someone who prefers the muted colors and
cooler temperatures of the darker half of the year, I am not particularly
looking forward to Summer’s heat and the accompanying heaviness of our southern
humidity. However, I do appreciate the color that returns to Gaia in the warmer
months.
Beltane is the last of the three Spring fertility festivals.
Per the pagan Wheel of the Year, it signals the start to the light half of the
year (the dark half starting on Samhain). Much like its darker opposite,
Beltane is a time when the veils between worlds are at their thinnest. It is a
time to honor those who have passed, and to celebrate new life. The new life
that starts to grow and blossom around us from the dormant and dead wake left
by the ‘sleepy’ side of the year. It is the celebration of the god and goddess having
their nuptials, and many others celebrating their weddings, ‘hand-fastings’, or
‘broomstick jumps’, as well.
Historically, the ‘Tein-eigen’ (need fire) would be lit, and
the jumping would begin. Jumps through the smoke rising from the fire for
cleansing, and protection. For fertility. Couples would jump to show their
commitment to one another. Farm animals of all types would be driven through
the thick smoke to make them fertile, and keep them free of sickness. Then when all was
said and done, flaming embers would be taken by each celebrant to light their
home fire…a fire to signal new beginnings. Today, Beltane is a fire (and fertility)
festival, a bonfire being at the center of celebrations the world over. The
symbolic fire honors the Sun, and the Celtic god Bel, so that the community
will be protected and the future harvests will be nurtured.
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| (Oak King) |
Midsummer. Summer Solstice. The official start to Summer
kicking into high gear is June 20th (in my neck of the woods). We
still have over a month before things get intense, and I know that intense they
well be. Intense heat. Intense humidity. Even now, the Oak King prepares
himself for his imminent, and inevitable, yearly battle with the Holly King at
Midsummer. As planned, the Oak King will be victorious in his defeat of the
Holly King. Until Yule, that is. Then
they clash again, and the Holly King will reign once more.
What follows are some images of various elements that are
representative of Beltane, and the return of thriving flora and fauna to our
northern hemisphere. Whatever your preferences in celebrating Summer’s
approach, wishing you the happiest of months ahead.
Cheers!
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| (The May Queen in a Scottish Beltane celebration; stone representation of the Green Man) |
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| (Left: Birch trees; Center: Rowan wood chips; Right: Acorns) |
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| (Flowers in the center picture above: Hawthorn blossoms) |
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| (Fruits from top to bottom: Peaches, Cherries, Mango, Pomegranate) |
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| (Left to right: Watermelon Tourmaline, Emerald, Rose Quartz, Garnet) |
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