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Beltane, Bonfires, Horned Gods and Faeiries, The One Tree
This is a beautiful time of year and throughout history and human culture this turning of the wheel from spring towards summer is celebrated with flower festivals from the Kawoni from the Cherokee, Hanami in Japan, Florifertum in ancient Rome, to the Maypole dancing, Walpurgis night and Beltane itself!
All to celebrate the return of life to the trees and plants and promise of harvest to come.
Beltane, literally meaning “Bright Fire” or “Need – Fire” or “Bel-Fire’ [to honour the solar return] was to dispel the last of winter, the triumph of light over dark and the bonfires were lit were for purification and healing.
For the banishing of the spirits from the night half of the year, who roam one last time on Beltane.
So there shall be poetry and potions, connection to the Faeirie realm, a journey with Cernunnon the Horned God, the Green Man and a deep connection with Mother Nature – the Goddess.
Come and discover what awaits you if you dare!
On the night of the 31st of October we shall have ritual and ceremony in which we will light the Bel – Fire, weave garlands of white to wear upon our head, create a fetish of all that we are releasing into the fire and then we shall begin.
With beautiful ceremony and ritual we shall honour this turning of the wheel, we shall cast away all that no longer serves us, we shall leap the bonfire and then enter the womb of the lodge for rebirth into the world anew.
The hours are lengthening, the constellation of Orion arises in the sky, the summer approaches of the great union and communion between the masculine and feminine – both aware as they leave the cycle of adolescence behind them – that they require each other to honour the cycle of life – the creation of form [which is invariably and inevitably followed by the emptying of form].
The Great Mother of the Earth herself and all the plant life upon her represents the great yin power of the feminine – all the animals upon her represent the yang power of the masculine [except for the cat which belongs to the mother – lol – yes truly – why do you think they were so popular with witches lol] and it is around Beltane that this recognition of togetherness rises.
The beginning of summer is here and we light the “need fire” or ‘bel-fire’ to honour the return of the solar year. As the Sun enters Scorpio here with all of its transformational possibilities and the phoenix can indeed rise from the ashes – awakened and risen anew – so can we shed the things of winter that no longer serve and experience the great clearing and freedom of the bel-fire to cleanse us.
Here the goddess and the green man come together in union of the celebration of the fertility of the year unfolding and this is also the time of the witches gatherings to honour each other and the great goddess their mother who has kept them safe through the long winter months.
And so we weave garlands of white flowers and place them upon our crown as we then dance dance across the flames – releasing all into a fetish that is then burnt as an offering into the Bel-Fire.
We will then hold a beautiful sweat lodge, in which the last of the dark half of the year is released and the husk of what is no longer needed is burnt in the bonfire.
A time of bonfire leaping and then into the lodge for journey and renewal.
This is a beautiful ceremony and I invite you all to participate in the Brilliant Fire of Beltane.
We will then journey to the water – where we then recite the following
Blessed be our feet – that have carried us to this place
Blessed be our knees – that kneel before the sacred alter
Blessed be the loins – that carry the seed of life
Blessed be the womb – without which we would not be
Blessed be our lips – that utter the sacred names
Blessed be our minds – that imagine a life of freedom
Blessed be our crown – through which we engage with all.
We then cast our garlands of flowers into the water and leap into the water to wash our selves free.
This shall be followed by a great breakfast feast and celebration.
Contact Prue on 0419819089 or at prue.blackmore@thrivebydesign.com.au if you wish to attend the evening ceremony, or stay overnight at the site and also participate in the dawn ceremony and plunge into the ocean lol xxx
