Beltane
We have reached the Sabbat of Beltane. One of the fire festivals and one of the Greater Sabbats. Beltane is also known as May Eve, due to the fact that tomorrow will of course be May.
It is the third of the fertility festivals, and traditionally marked the beginning of summer. It is viewed as some to be somewhat of a counterpart to Samhain, and like Samhain is a time when the veil between the worlds is supposed to be at its thinnest.
The two most prominent aspects of this celebration tend to be the bonfire, and the focus on fertility. Fertility oriented imagery and icons are prominent on this day. It is said that in celebration of Beltane couples would sometimes go into the fields and indulge themselves (and each other) in the hopes of improving fertility of their fields for the coming year. The Great Rite, either literally or symbolically is often incorporated into this holiday. It has been said that a child conceived on this day will be blessed with great magical power and spiritual understanding.
Breads, cereals, honey and milk are the primary food elements in celebration of this holiday. Not to say there are restrictions on what foods one might eat, just that those are the most common. (Note that breads, cereals and milk can all fill you up rather nicely for some lengthy exercise, should you be exercising all night in the fields.)
It also is a time to gather plants and flowers to decorate your home to remind yourself of the life that is now fully in bloom all around us.
And such is a brief introduction to Beltane, a holy day in a life, or something close to it.
It is the third of the fertility festivals, and traditionally marked the beginning of summer. It is viewed as some to be somewhat of a counterpart to Samhain, and like Samhain is a time when the veil between the worlds is supposed to be at its thinnest.
The two most prominent aspects of this celebration tend to be the bonfire, and the focus on fertility. Fertility oriented imagery and icons are prominent on this day. It is said that in celebration of Beltane couples would sometimes go into the fields and indulge themselves (and each other) in the hopes of improving fertility of their fields for the coming year. The Great Rite, either literally or symbolically is often incorporated into this holiday. It has been said that a child conceived on this day will be blessed with great magical power and spiritual understanding.
Breads, cereals, honey and milk are the primary food elements in celebration of this holiday. Not to say there are restrictions on what foods one might eat, just that those are the most common. (Note that breads, cereals and milk can all fill you up rather nicely for some lengthy exercise, should you be exercising all night in the fields.)
It also is a time to gather plants and flowers to decorate your home to remind yourself of the life that is now fully in bloom all around us.
And such is a brief introduction to Beltane, a holy day in a life, or something close to it.
posted by Wanderer at 11:43 AM
2 Comments:
They are having quite the Festival this weekend for Beltain in Madison Virgina. One of my friends here at the University is the High Priest and another is doing security for the event. I may drop in and check it out. btw would you email me your email address? I'd like to share something with you offline. Mine is love4theword@gmail.com
Peace
LYB
Seraphim
his is thetoilet@bibsmomshouse.com
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