Beltane

The Bright and Sexy Season, Whiringa-ā-nuku!

My sincere apologies!

Due to circumstances beyond of my control, this newsletter lands a few days later than on the New Moon as promised. A severe weather event, ripped through our community with record breaking winds, bringing down many trees and knocking out electricity and internet.

King’s Ransom Rose, Salvia Blue Bedder - all photos my own.

High Energy; High Fertility

Beltane or Beltain (and numerous other Gaelic spellings) is Celtic for “Bright Fire.”

A festival traditionally held on the 1st of May, “May Day” in the Northern Hemisphere (NH). It falls midway between the Spring equinox (Ostara) and Summer Solstice (Litha). Here in Aotearoa, New Zealand we can think of it either on the 31st of October or 1st of November.

Our Labour Day is on the horizon, the busiest gardening weekend on the calendar. When finally at least it is perceived to be safe to transplant frost tender crops like sweetcorn, pumpkins and tomatoes outside. A number of Agricultural shows, Canterbury Show week, Pet day at schools are also held around the country at this time. Mother’s day would be appropriate now, as in May in the NH.

Beltane invites us to feed our senses; falling during zodiac season of the indulgence and loving earth sign of Taurus (20th April - 20th May) in the Northern Hemisphere. Scorpio (23rd Oct - 21st Nov) the super sexy (if somewhat misunderstood) water sign for us here downunder.

Some daisy fun with my eldest Spike - all photos my own.

To me Seasonal living, following the Wheel of the Year, or if you like “Witchcraft,” is primarily about living with intent. An intent to manifest a joyful lived experience. One which harms no one, treads gently, is respectful to our amazing Earthly home, all of it’s people and creatures.

Being as we are nature, a part of this very Earth we inhabit and it’s cycle of seasons. Just like the newly leafed tree, we too are influenced by the season’s increased energy, whether you choose to pay attention to it or not.

Beltane, like all Pagan / Celtic festivals and celebrations of the season grew from the basic needs of our community. They were formed and created around the harvests, the health, and especially in the Spring time, the manifesting hope of a bountiful fruitful future.

Acknowledging each and every one of the Sabbats is deeply important to me. I believe being “witchy” isn’t just for darkness, nor for one season only. I try to mindfully think and plan very carefully to make each of our celebrations lively, generous and fun. Without consuming any more than we would normally and without impacting the Earth in a negative or more harmful way.

I don’t buy into any celebration. These days I try to spend no extra money at all. Use no extra energy, create no extra waste. I’d be lying if I told you I make them zero waste, unfortunately that is impossible. Instead I focus on re-using, re-purposing, foraging and growing what I believe we would like, or require to help us celebrate. We make experiences, small acts of kindness and thoughtfulness the gifts.

Now is the time to bring our own and our community’s dreams and intentions to fruition. It is also a time to indulge, play and have some seriously sexy fun!

Pink Blushed “May Blossom” / Hawthorn - all photos my own.

Rituals for Beltane

Fire - Beltane comes from the phrase “Bel-tan” which can be translated to “bright fire,” “good fire,” or “lucky fire.” Since ancient times Beltane, with the return of longer sun rich days has embodied the very element of fire.

Celebrations have always included numerous bonfires and hand held torches being lit. Large gatherings of people forming, circling the fires, playing music, sharing stories, dancing, courting and feasting. The bonfires burning throughout the night as the festivities carry on until dawn marking the start of the Summer.

These fires were important rituals for young and old and were believed to have purifying qualities which cleansed and revitalised. Farmers would drive their livestock, predominately cattle around and often between two bonfires, or make their animals leap over the flames or embers. Brave folks, themselves did likewise for good luck and protection from harm, both natural and supernatural.

When the bonfire died down, people would sometimes waft through the smoke or daub themselves with its ashes, collect and sprinkle it over their crops and livestock for continued good fortune, fertility of mind, body and spirit and happiness through the coming year.

Gertrude Jekyll Rose - All photos my own.

Making Love - Beltane sits opposite Samhain (Halloween) on the Wheel of the Year, it is the complete and perfect contrast. While Samhain celebrates darkness and death, Beltane is a celebration of love and life.

Beltane is the most overtly sexual festival and rituals often imply falling in love and an air of heightened fertility. A time for courting and finding one’s life partner, or rekindling relationships or our sacred love match. Traditionally young couples may have gone collecting blossoms in the woods and later in the evening lit fires to dance and canoodle next to. These rituals would often lead to love matches and marriages, either immediately (conceiving shotgun weddings) or in the coming Summer or Autumn.

Seriously though, this is a season of maturity, connection and commitment. A time for making the most of early Summer’s abundant and fertile energy and reaping in the first rewards from the seeds we have sown. These seeds can be of a far more personal nature too, not only of ones sown in the bedroom or garden.

Yes it’s a time to make love, to make time for our own creativity and interests and to shine our own bright and lucky fires.

Emma Restall Orr, a modern day Druid, speaks of the 'fertility of our personal creativity'. (Spirits of the Sacred Grove, pub. Thorsons, 1998, pg.110). She is referring to the need for active and creative lives. We need fertile minds for our work, our families and our interests.

Mock Orange / Philadelphus - All photos my own.

May Day - an alternative name for this festival in the NH. May Day celebrations and rites have often included crowning a May Queen and King (or Greenman) and dancing around the maypole, where dancers circle and weave the centre pole with ribbons. This tradition of dancing round the maypole is believed to again reference fertility and sexual prowess, the pole representing the masculine; the ribbons the feminine energy; joining together and working in harmony. The earliest record of maypoles dates back to the 14th century, however they are still a very popular Beltane activity and illustrative symbol of peak Spring, early Summer.

May the 1st is also International Worker’s Day in Europe, akin to our Labour Weekend and the origins of the 8 hour work day. As with the first women winning the right to vote, New Zealand workers were among the first in the world to claim the right to an eight hour work day. Samuel Parnell, a carpenter from Petone won an eight hour day in 1840. Our very first Labour Day was held on 28 October 1890, Labour day now falls every year on the fourth Monday of October, i.e this coming Monday the 23rd.

Hawthorn (Crataegus)

The tree of the fae and their Faery Queen is blooming.

Sometimes seen as a representation of a pre-Christian archetype, the Faery Queen reminds us of a Goddess centred worship in sacred groves of hawthorn. Indeed Westminster Abbey resides on what was once called Thorney Island after a sacred stand of hawthorn trees sited there.

Hawthorn, “May Blossom” or the “May tree” as it is also known, is most prominent on the landscape when it blossoms in the NH during yes, you guessed it May! It is the only plant in the United Kingdom which is named after the month in which it blooms. Such is it’s spread throughout the British Isles, that “Thorn” is also the most common tree found in English place names and the tree most frequently mentioned in Anglo-Saxon boundary charters. The thorny hawthorn and prolific hedgerow tree is known as “sgitheach” in Gaelic, is a pagan symbol of fertility and regarded as the emblem of hope.

Cautiously used for Beltane / May Day festivities being as “dire consequences have attended those foolhardy enough to disturb a faery thorn.” The hawthorn blossoms were sometimes strung for garlands; leafy branches / “May bushes” cut and set in the ground, then decorated with wildflowers. While for some hawthorn decorations outside were allowed, it was considered an even stronger taboo bringing it into the house.

Perhaps you’ve noticed it too? As Medieval tales would suggest hawthorn blossoms “smell like the Great Plague” and will bring certain illness and death. In truth, botanists have since discovered the chemical trimethylamine in hawthorn blossom, one of the first chemicals formed in decaying animal tissue, so it is possibly not too surprising that hawthorn flowers somewhat unpleasant “rotting fish” aroma is associated with death.

In spite of the above and being sacred to the faeries, thus sometimes regarded with fear and bad luck at the least and respect at most, young hawthorn leaves, flower buds and young flowers are all edible and can be added to salads. The leaves have been referred to as bread and cheese, the blossoms and berries made into wines and jellies. The hawthorn’s strong, fine grained and creamy-brown colour wood is great for carving and people often use it for making tool handles, wooden pendants and amulets. Witches broom handles are also believed to be made from it.

We are fortunate to have a sacred area of hawthorn growing on our property and many of the local roads are lined with hedgerows, often intertwined with flowering quince and elderflowers.

Te Puna Ora - The Spring of Life, carving by Riki Manuel

Whiringa-ā-nuku

Today (Sunday the 15th!) with Whiro (the new moon) begins Whiringa-ā-nuku, the 5th month of the Maramataka. (Māori Lunar calendar)

Ka ātaahua te māra ā tēnei Whiringa-ā-nuku / The garden is beautiful in Whiringa-ā-nuku

In truth traditionally the Maramataka was not measured by months, but rather through ngā wā o te tau (phases and observances) according to tohu (natural signs) such as the blossoming of a certain flower or the appearance of a particular whetū (star) in the night sky. Te ao Māori recognises everything in nature is fluid, yet intertwined and connected and these tohu appear differently around the motu (country), moving and changing all the time. Only with a respectful and holstic view of te whenua (the land), rangi (the sky) and moana (the water) can we try to understand and be guided each day by the tohu (signs) in connection with the phases of Marama (the moon) and her energy.

Tohu o te whenua (signs from the land) to notice during Whiringa-ā-nuku are the blossoming of our native Puawānanga (Clematis), Mānuka (tea tree), Tarata (Lemonwood), Tītoki, Hinau and Mairehau to name a few. These often small and fragrant flowers were traditionally bruised, combined with tallow or oils and made into perfumes by early Māori and their arrival signal a clear sign that late Spring and early Summer has arrived.

Legends proclaimed Puawānanga (Clematis), to be the child of the whetu Puanga (Rigel in Orion) and Rehua (Antares in Scorpio). The appearance of Puanga signalled Winter and Rehua Summer and the Puawānanga flowered between them.

Hinau was thought to be the “conception tree”, significant and sacred hinau on hilltops were visited by women hoping to conceive, when embraced on the Eastern side where the morning sun rose a boy would be had, hugged from the West a girl would be borne.

Tohu o te rangi (signs from the sky). Some whetū to look out for in this phase are the stars Te Kakau (Regulus) and later in November Whiti Kaupeka (Spica). Whakaahu (Castor), Puanga (Rigel) and Aotahi (Canopus) also continue to be visible, Punga and Aotahi are considered especially important to watch for guidance on when to plant, if Punga arrives late, so too would the planting season be late. If Aotahi appeared further out and apart from the Milkyway the season will be dry.

For times and positions of the aforementioned whetū see The Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand.

Tohu o te moana (signs in the water). The Inanga (Whitebait) runs have come to an end and kanae (grey mullet / Mugil cephalus) begin to run again, as described in “ngā tama korowhiti o Tangaroa” (the leaping of the mullet).

Sexy Stuff for the Season of Beltane

While obviously many of these first ideas would delight small children, I’d really like to encourage you to re-imagine them with your own ideas and adult aesthetic.

• Place ribbons and flowers in your hair, behind you ear, or sprouting from your boots. Failing that adorn your head with a hat, not only a sun smart practise but truly sexy and styley.

• Hang ribbons from shrubs and trees and floral garlands, bunting, flags, whirly windmills and chimes. Failing plants, give your clothesline a love.

• Make and dance with a floral or bubble wand, did you know blowing bubbles keeps sandflies and midges away?

• Build a small fairy garden or sand saucer. You can use any garden accessories, a basket, terracotta pot saucer or an unused kitchen dish, damaged or not as a base. Add small plants, flowers or incense, candles, seashells, pebbles, totems or goddess symbols that resonate with you.

  Fashion a small rake with wooden or metal utensil to draw Japanese zen designs through the sand, as a meditative and calming tool.

  Or take a different route making your fairy garden a bee and pollinator friendly cafe and bar.

• Mānuka is perhaps our native answer to Hawthorn / May blossom, try whittling a tool or amulet, or smoking something tasty with Mānuka shavings.

• Speaking of Mānuka, why not try out some new native honeys, Kānuka, Beech or Rewarewa and indulge in the sweet delights.

• Cook over fire. Labour weekend is a traditional time for firing up the BBQ and grilling our favourites. But try cooking some different and new things too. Perhaps a new spin on a burger, vegetable patties or pizza. Bannock, Oat cakes and dampers were all common fare at Beltane too.

• If it is safe and legal for you, perhaps build a bonfire to jump through, or not. The same rituals can be replaced with smaller, safer alternatives… such as small braziers, even a candle in a jar / votive. You may like to line pathways around your home and garden with a multitude of lanterns, jars with candles or create “spell jars” to invite more abundance in.

• Druids believed in building a special flint lit sacred fire utilising a collection of fallen branches, (naturally harvested) wood from a number of different trees, such as sacred oaks, rowan, willow, alder, birch, beech and ash.

  You could create a similar ritual with a collection of your own foraged branches, or simply draw / write down the names of various trees that are sacred to you and burn them. Or add representatives of various fire goddesses and/or sacred trees to your altar (or fairy garden!).

• Hold a party! Sure it could be a “barbecue” …but that’s a bit yawn, frankly. Words are powerful! Why not “market” your social event to your friends and family as a “Dance party,” a “Sexy Spring Party,” “Fancy Dress” or a “Garden party” with a super pretty afternoon tea, decorated with all the floral and berry delights of the season.

• Loosen your load, by purposefully choosing not to do something/s - perhaps forgo growing a few things, or outsource some help to free up your time. Or simply let it (whatever “it” is) go and embrace more free time without guilt. We don’t need do everything, to be everything, for everyone, all the time.

• Take breakfast in bed, lunch or supper, or all three! Set up a bed, snuggle area or hammock outside.

• Pack a picnic. Enjoy the outdoors before the El Niño Summer heat really kicks in !

• Pack your backpack or bicycle basket and take a ride.

• Go camping… An extended picnic!

• However remember even picnics do not need to be taken away from home, a small picnic taken away from the usual eating space can be a delight. Enjoy a simple packed sandwich, jar of muesli, yoghurt, fruit or berries in the garden, while weeding. Or sneak a cheese and cracker box to your bedroom.

• Spend quality time with your significant other/s, whether your lover, or another special loved one/s. It’s always a good time to make time with those near and dear. (“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.” - Simone Weil )

• It’s important to show and tell each other we love you. Taking time for short dates making each other feel valued, appreciated and respected is a wonderful way to boost our relationships. Small gifts of your time and thoughts are as rewarding if not more so than any physical gifts.

• Another way is to treat your lover (or any loved one) with a letter. I think Valentine’s day is overrated and any time can be romantic, but now with all the new season warmth, roses and flowers of Spring and early Summer, seems to me the most obvious time to share that kind of romance.

• Create a unique massage oil, or salve to share with loved ones. By infusing your own or foraged herbs, petals and flowers into a carrier oil such as almond or olive oil. You could gift the massage too!

• Start or revisit a devotional journal, a collection of love letters to yourself, or again, if you feel inclined share one with your significant other. A special sexy relay of notes can be an exciting and bonding ritual, or spicy way to break the monotony.

• Make a new playlist of Summery tunes and share them with me! I would love to know what music you’re listening to.

Spring has reached its peak, and Summer is around the corner - Let’s get it on!

Seasons Blessings 💫

Bron