The Sabbats are based on astrological times. Culturally, we celebrate Beltane on May 1st, but the actual cross quarter time always falls a few days later, around the fifth of May. I personally recognize & honor the power of both days. All of the following times listed are in Universal Time.
I had the pleasure of attending a public May Day celebration with the coven. It's great to see how Beltane, the beginning of Summer, is celebrated in different places.
In Ireland, bonfires are lit to mark the coming of summer and to banish the long nights of winter.
In Edinburgh Scotland, there is a modern revival the Beltane Fire Festival, which marks and celebrates the blossoming of spring.
In Cornwall, there is 'Obby 'Oss day (dialect for Hobby Horse), where the festivities start May Eve, by singing the Night Song:
Night song
Unite and unite and let us all unite,
For summer is acome unto day,
And whither we are going we will all unite,
In the merry morning of May.
I warn you young men everyone,
For summer is acome unto day,
To go to the green-wood and fetch your May home,
In the merry morning of May.
Arise up Mr. ..... and joy you betide,
For summer is acome unto day,
And bright is your bride that lies by your side,
In the merry morning of May.
Arise up Mrs. ..... and gold be your ring,
For summer is acome unto day,
And give to us a cup of ale the merrier we shall sing,
In the merry morning of May.
Arise up Miss ..... all in your gown of green,
For summer is acome unto day,
You are as fine a lady as wait upon the Queen,
In the merry morning of May.
Now fare you well, and we bid you all good cheer,
For summer is acome unto day,
We call once more unto your house before another year,
In the merry morning of May.
In addition to the pagan holy day of Beltane, May 1st is also International Workers Day. If you are anywhere near Minneapolis next Beltane, check out the MayDay Parade and Festival. In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre puts on the Festival that has been using water, flour, newspaper, paint, and unlimited imagination to tell stories that explore the struggles and celebrations of human existence since 1973. The annual MayDay Parade has always been rooted in two important traditional celebrations—the celebration of the Green Root of Earth’s green energy rising in Spring, and the Red Root of human work energy rising from mind, heart and hand. They marry pagan and political in an eye popping fashion.
In ancient Ireland the Bile was a Sacred Tree, the center of the Tuatha, or clan. Seen as a Tree of Life, the Bile Pole, represents the connection between the people and their three worlds.
The three worlds are the heavens or Skyworld, the human or Middleworld, and the Otherworld.
The forgotten Bile pole has survived as the Maypole, a tall pole decorated with long colored ribbons and flowers, around which young lads and lasses dance, interweaving the ribbons.
The dance represents the TRINITY. It can be seen as the intertwining of life, death and rebirth. Reflect on the many levels of the Trinity and you will see a great many secrets revealed to you in the dance.
The day marks the return of nature to a fertile state. The pole is a phallic symbol penetrating the earth, the feminine aspect that receives the seeds which grow into the food that feeds us all.
Elder is long regarded as sacred and is intimately connected with magic. It is a tree of Venus and is associated with the element of air. In its branches was supposed to dwell a dryad, Hylde-Moer, the Elder-tree Mother, who lived in the tree and watched over it. Many people would not cut down the tree to make furniture or to burn the wood for fear of upsetting the elder-mother.
Thought to ward off evil spirits, it was considered good luck to plant elder near one’s home for protection. The word elder probably comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “aeld” meaning fire.
The secret to anything made with elderflowers is to pick them on a hot sunny day. If you are using wild elder, make sure you correctly identify the tree with the help of a knowledgeable friend and/or an excellent identification book. Do not use elder that grows along a heavily traveled road/highway, and be sure the area has not been treated or sprayed.
Elder Flower Faery Cakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, vanilla, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled (I use coconut oil) griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Sprinkle roughly half an elderflower head into the cooking pancake, snipping or hand stripping the flowerletts off the green stalks. Once bubbles have formed in the cake, flip over and brown on the other side. Serve hot with honey, syrup or jam.
All flowers, especially Marigold,Elder flowers (pictured above) , Rose, and Primrose and the following botanicals: Agrimony, St Johns Wort, Frankincense, Hawthorn, Ivy, Meadowsweet, Orchid Root, Rowan, Sorrel, and Woodruff
Want magical supplies that get you results? Visit our website FreeSpellsDaily.com. Instead of buying commercially mass produced products that were made with no concern to the day or hour - we provide candles, incense, oils, salts (and more) made by pagans who have been practicing their craft for a generation or two. Each batch is carefully made according to the proper concordance and in a dedicated sacred space. We put the Craft in Witchcraft!
A coven of Celtic Pagans, male and female, who celebrate the wheel of the year. We publish a blog, and teach classes for those interested. Our members have many backgrounds. Some come from practicing families with handed down traditions and others come to the tradition for the first time. We draw our influences heavily from Celtic culture and tradition. We do not consider ourselves Wiccans though some in the group have been ordained in that tradition.
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