- A Case for Astrological Timing of the Sabbats
- The Wheel of the Year
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- Important Astrological Dates for 2018
Holy wells were also visited, while Beltane dew was thought to bring beauty and maintain youthfulness. Beltane celebrations had largely died out by the midth century, although some of its customs continued and in some places it has been revived as a cultural event. Since the late 20th century, Celtic neopagans and Wiccans have observed Beltane, or something based on it, as a religious holiday.
Neopagans in the Southern Hemisphere often celebrate Beltane at the other end of the year around 1 November. Beltane was one of four Gaelic seasonal festivals: Beltane marked the beginning of the pastoral summer season, when livestock were driven out to the summer pastures.
Beltane the beginning of summer and Samhain the beginning of winter are thought to have been the most important of the four Gaelic festivals. A Study in Magic and Religion that the times of Beltane and Samhain are of little importance to European crop-growers, but of great importance to herdsmen.
Thus, he suggests that halving the year at 1 May and 1 November dates from a time when the Celts were mainly a pastoral people, dependent on their herds. According to the early medieval texts Sanas Cormaic and Tochmarc Emire , Beltane was held on 1 May and marked the beginning of summer.
The texts say that, to protect cattle from disease, the druids would make two fires "with great incantations" and drive the cattle between them. According to 17th-century historian Geoffrey Keating , there was a great gathering at the hill of Uisneach each Beltane in medieval Ireland, where a sacrifice was made to a god named Beil.
Keating wrote that two bonfires would be lit in every district of Ireland, and cattle would be driven between them to protect them from disease. Ronald Hutton writes that this may "preserve a tradition of Beltane ceremonies there", but adds "Keating or his source may simply have conflated this legend with the information in Sanas Chormaic to produce a piece of pseudo-history.
From the late 18th century to the mid 20th century, many accounts of Beltane customs were recorded by folklorists and other writers. Bonfires continued to be a key part of the festival in the modern era. All hearth fires and candles would be doused before the bonfire was lit, generally on a mountain or hill.
Such a fire was deemed sacred. The people themselves would do likewise.
A Case for Astrological Timing of the Sabbats
According to one theory, they were meant to mimic the Sun and to "ensure a needful supply of sunshine for men, animals, and plants". According to another, they were meant to symbolically "burn up and destroy all harmful influences". Food was also cooked at the bonfire and there were rituals involving it.
Alexander Carmichael wrote that there was a feast featuring lamb, and that formerly this lamb was sacrificed.
Some of the mixture was poured on the ground as a libation. Everyone present would then take an oatmeal cake, called the bannoch Bealltainn or "Beltane bannock ". A bit of it was offered to the spirits to protect their livestock one bit to protect the horses, one bit to protect the sheep, and so forth and a bit was offered to each of the animals that might harm their livestock one to the fox, one to the eagle, and so forth.
Afterwards, they would drink the caudle. According to 18th century writers, in parts of Scotland there was another ritual involving the oatmeal cake. The cake would be cut and one of the slices marked with charcoal.
The slices would then be put in a bonnet and everyone would take one out while blindfolded.
The Wheel of the Year
According to one writer, whoever got the marked piece would have to leap through the fire three times. According to another, those present would pretend to throw him into the fire and, for some time afterwards, they would speak of him as if he were dead. This "may embody a memory of actual human sacrifice", or it may have always been symbolic.
Yellow flowers such as primrose , rowan , hawthorn , gorse , hazel , and marsh marigold were placed at doorways and windows in 19th century Ireland, Scotland and Mann.
Sometimes loose flowers were strewn at the doors and windows and sometimes they were made into bouquets , garlands or crosses and fastened to them.
They would also be fastened to cows and equipment for milking and butter making. It is likely that such flowers were used because they evoked fire.
The May Bush was popular in parts of Ireland until the late 19th century. This was a small tree or branch—typically hawthorn, rowan or sycamore—decorated with bright flowers, ribbons, painted shells, and so forth. There were household May Bushes which would be placed outside each house and communal May Bushes which would be set in a public spot or paraded around the neighbourhood.
In Dublin and Belfast , May Bushes were brought into town from the countryside and decorated by the whole neighbourhood. This led to the May Bush being outlawed in Victorian times. Frazer believes that such customs are a relic of tree worship and writes: Holy wells were often visited at Beltane, and at the other Gaelic festivals of Imbolc and Lughnasadh.
Visitors to holy wells would pray for health while walking sunwise moving from east to west around the well. They would then leave offerings; typically coins or clooties see clootie well.
Hearth and Hedge: Astronomical Cross Quarter Dates to
We celebrate sexuality something we see as holy and intrinsic to us as holy beings , we celebrate life and the unity which fosters it. The myths of Beltane state that the young God has blossomed into manhood, and the Goddess takes him on as her lover.
Together, they learn the secrets of the sexual and the sensual, and through their union, all life begins.
Beltane is the season of maturing life and deep found love. This is the time of vows, handfastings and commitment. The Lord and his Lady, having reached maturity, come together in Perfect Love and Perfect Trust to celebrate the joy of their union.
This is a time to celebrate the coming together of the masculine and feminine creative energies. Beltane marks the emergence of the young God into manhood.
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Stirred by the energies at work in nature, he desired the Goddess. They fall in love, lie among the grasses and blossoms and unite. The flowers and greenery symbolise the Goddess and the Maypole represents the God.
Beltane marks the return of vitality and passion of summer. Another common focal point of the Beltane rituals is the cauldron, which represents the Goddess.
The Welsh goddess Creiddylad is connected with Beltane, often called the May Queen, she was a Goddess of summer flowers and love. May Day has long been marked with feasts and rituals.
Important Astrological Dates for 2018
May poles, supremely phallic symbols, were the focal point of old English village rituals. Many people arose at dawn to gather flowers and green branches from the fields and gardens, using them to decorate the village Maypoles.
The May Queen and often King is chosen from among the young people, and they go singing from door to door throughout the town carrying flowers or the May tree, soliciting donations for merrymaking in return for the "blessing of May".
This is symbolic of bestowing and sharing of the new creative power that is stirring in the world. Jumping over the Beltane Fire, moving through it, or dancing clockwise around it was believed to bring good fortune.
Livestock was driven through it or between two fires for purification and fertility blessings. In ancient times Druid priests kindled it at sacred places; later times, Christian priests kindled it in fields near the church after performing a Christian church service.
Rowan twigs were carried around the fire three times, then hung over hearths to bless homes. Getting head and hair wet in Beltane rain to bless the head. Blessing springs, ponds, other sacred waters with flowers, garlands, ribbons, other offerings.
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Collecting sacred waters and scrying in sacred springs, wells, ponds, other waters The Art of Scrying There are specific times of the year when it is believed to be easier to gain information from the spirit realm.
Most common is the use of a crystal ball or a scrying mirror. Scrying mirrors are concave opaque pieces of glass. They are very beautiful. However, you can gaze on just about any reflective surface; a bowl or pond of water, a piece of metal, a mirror, etc. You can also scry into smoke, flames, clouds, etc.
The purpose of scrying is to gain information. Some people believe this information is given clairvoyantly or psychically. Others believe the scrying technique simply clears the mind so information from the Universe or the Source can flow more freely.
The information given can be used to answer a whole host of questions and concerns.