Beltane blessings from Coven Life
Category: Sabbats
2019 N. H. Samhain Gathering Wednesday, October 30th/ S. H. Beltane Gathering October 31st
This evening in the Northern Hemisphere celebrating Samhain your ritual was written by Coven Life and Witches of The Craft High Priestess Lady Beltane who will also lead it.
This morning in the Southern Hemisphere celebrating Beltane your ritual was written by High Priestess Beth of Guild of the Gods located in Lafayette, Indiana, USA. She will also be leading your ritual.
Everyone is welcomed to do both the Samhain and Beltane rituals no matter which hemisphere you live in. As the Beltane ritual uses planting of seeds for part of it those in the Northern Hemisphere might want to empower the package of seeds write down the goals and then plant them in the spring and carry on with the rest of the ritual then.
WHERE:
Anyone who applies to come into our chatroom you have to be approved by Lady Beltane first. Lady Beltane checks for new requests up to 10 minutes before the time the circle is cast.
If this is the first time you will attending anything in Coven Life’s Chatroom please read our Guidelines:
Courtesy Guidelines for All Coven Gatherings and Open Chats
Before the sacred circle starts at 7:00 PM Central Time in the USA anyone entering the chat room is welcomed to socialize with anyone else that is there. Socializing time starts at 6:00 PM CT for Esbat and Sabbat gatherings Ask Lady Beltane or one of Priestesses or Priest questions about lessons or anything else. During Open Chats please come and go anytime you want to. Please check our Homepage under “Coven Life Events” for dates of Esbat and Sabbat gatherings for Northern and Southern Hemispheres and the times of the open chats.
For Esbat and Sabbat gatherings once the circle starts ALL SOCIALIZING AND COMMENTS must stop unless you see the word EVERYONE come up in the ritual feed. You will get one warning if you break this guideline. If you do it a second time you will be asked to and expected to leave the gathering immediately. There will be no exceptions to this guideline. If you do not leave you will be banned forever from ever entering Coven Life’s chatroom again.
No one should enter or leave the chat room from 7:00 PM CT until the circle is finished. To enter or leave the chat room (your computer or internet provider knocking you out of the chat room during this time is the only exception for re-entering the circle) during this time breaks the circle and whoever is leading the circle needs to take their time and energy to close it up again.
All electronics in the room you are in during the sacred circle part of the gathering should be shut off except for the device you are using to access the chat room.
Anyone attending a gathering is welcome to stay after the circle is done to visit with the others and/or offer other ideas for the ritual performed at that gathering.
No one will be allowed to use hurtful or, discriminatory or foul or rude language in the chat room at any time during an Esbat or Sabbat gathering or Open Chat. Anyone not following this guideline will be told to leave the socializing time or the ritual immediately and be banned from the chat room immediately forever.
These are simple guidelines and show courtesy to all coven members and visitors. Not obeying all of the guidelines can get you banned from the Coven Life chatroom forever.
Any questions about these guidelines can be sent to Lady Beltane at covenlifescoven@gmail.com with the subject line “For Lady B Guideline Question.”
We host open chats twice a month for people to stop in for as long as they like to get to know others in The Craft, questions and answers about The Craft. or whatever anyone wants to talk about within reason. They are held on the second and fourth Saturday’s of the month for the time please see the banner “Coven Life’s Events”
This is not a place to try to hook up with anyone for a date!
Please read all Courtesy Guidelines above before entering the chatroom for coven gatherings or open chats. Thank you!
Coven Life’s Private Chatroom
WHEN and WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
Look for which Hemisphere you live in:
For the Northern Hemisphere the coven gathering for Samhain will be on Wednesday, October 30th with the social hour will be at 6:00 to 6:55 PM CDT with the circle being cast at 7:00 PM CDT
Samhain is a time for remembering those who have crossed the veil into the Summerlands before us. It is also celebrates the last harvest of the year, with anything not picked or gathered left on the trees, plants, and bushes for the wildlife and Fea Folk to help them through the cold months. Lastly if you follow the Celtic calendar (as we do with the Wheel of the Year celebrating the 8 Sabbats) it is last day of the year. This is the time of year that belongs to the Crone for life and death and rebirth in the spring.
I decorate my altar with a small loaf of homemade bread, a small pumpkin or gourds, fall leaves from my yard and pictures or mementos of my ancestors. Please keep in mind when thinking of ancestors that they do not have to be blood related , they can be anyone who has had a significant place in your life such as teachers, coaches, friends, a boss, etc.
Decide on 2 Ancestors you want to bring into our circle to visit with during the ritual
(SIDE NOTE FROM LADY B: you can set up an ancestors altar for October 31st to honor more of you ancestors if you wish to. I will do a post with some sample pictures for those of you who have not done this before. If you have a question(s) about the altar please write it or them in the comment section as others may have the same question(s))
Something comfortable to sit on for approximately 10 minutes and while the Beltane ritual is being done
2 – 4 inch White Candles
2 Candle holders
A SAFE place to put the burning candles as you will be leaving them to burn all the way down
Atheme, or Ceremonial Knife or Any Sharp Object to carve 1 name onto each candle
Matches or Lighter
Wine, or Fruit Juice or Water
1 Serving of Some type of an Apple or Pumpkin Dessert
2 Small Dishes or folded up Paper Towels
Lady Beltane: I walk this circle three times three as the Maiden and Crone walk with me. To celebrate a time of death and a time of rebirth. I take us from this Earthly plane and time to a place where this is no time and we are kept safe from everyday problems and fears.
EVERYONE: Please introduce yourself with just your 1st Name or your Pagan Name and the State or Country you live in do not put your town in.
This is the time for the Samhain ritual to start, The Beltane ritual will follow
Lady Beltane: We call upon the Crone and the keeper of the veil between our physical world and the spirit world to lower the veil so we may visit with the ancestors we call upon.
EVERYONE: You will say this incantation 3 times individually for each ancestor. As you are chanting this spell write the name of the person on the candle and light it at the end of the 3rd time as you say, “So Mote It Be”
Name of your Ancestor I call to thee
Name of your Ancestor I honor thee
Name of your Ancestor Come to me
Place a small bite of your fall sweet and pour a couple of drops of your beverage on to it than place this as an offering to the ancestor by placing it in front of their candle either in a small dish or on a a paper towel fold a few times. Now sit quietly as in meditation feel the energy your ancestors brings with them and ask your ancestors questions or tell them a story you remember about the two of you or whatever you want to talk to them about. You will have 10 minutes of visiting time.
At the end of the 10 minutes Lady Beltane will type in done.
EVERYBODY: Name of the Ancestor you call forth from the Spirit Plane I thank you for visiting me
Name of the Ancestor you call forth from the Spirit Plane one day I will walk with you there
Name of the Ancestor you call forth from the Spirit Plane I miss thee
Name of the Ancestor you call forth from the Spirit Plane until that time you go back and I stay here
When you are done type in So Mote It Be.
This is the end of the Samhain ritual. It is now time for the Beltane ritual to start.
If you live in the Southern Hemisphere and would be attending for the Beltane ritual please let me know if you will be attending or not please. If I do not hear from you by 8:00 PM AEDT on your Wednesday 30 October I will not plan on us doing the Beltane ritual. The Beltane gathering will be on Thursday, 31 October with the social part of the gathering starting at 10:00 to 10:55 AM AEDT with the circle cast at 11:00 AM AEDT.
Pillow and/or Blanket for Meditation or something comfortable to sit on for a total of approximately 20 minutes and why the Samhain ritual is being done
Paper and Pen
Packet of Flower or Herb Seeds
Wine or Fruit Juice or Water
Some kind of Sweet Treat
Beltane is a time when you can feel the ground coming to full life. It is a fertility holiday, but there is so much to that word! It is creativity, possibility. It is the vibrance of a new relationship, the inspiration of a new project, the challenge of a new adventure. It is the day we set things in motion, but the world itself is already in motion. It’s growing, blooming – filling the ground with green, the trees with leaves, and the air with new smells and possibilities.
On this day we leave the passive time of year, where we rest, learn, and recuperate, and begin the active time of the year. While the world is drunk on possibility, we embark on our own journey for the upcoming year. When we do this, we take all the lessons of the year before, all the plans we’ve been assembling, and we embark on a new start. But stating our intention helps.
I ask you to take time now to ponder the lessons you learned over this last winter. Pick up your own story, and really look at it. What is the next step for you? What is it about this world that challenges you, excites you, pushes you to be more than you were before? Rather than picturing what you want to accomplish specifically, instead imagine what would feel like home, belonging. What is the scent of perfection in your own personal world?
It is easy to hide from the real goals we all wish to set, but I invite you to challenge yourself. Take a moment to sit with me now.
EVERYONE: We are allowing 15 minutes for you to answer the questions below. But remember you can always go back and follow the ritual High Priestess Beth has written here to add to your answers at anytime. Pull up a blanket or pillow to allow you to comfortably sit on the ground, or rest on the earth itself if that’s an easy option. Feel the earth beneath you, the air around you, and invite all of you into this moment.
Take a deep breath, and feel yourself fill up with the living energy. Feel your soul breathe, as well as your body.
Take another deep breath. Relax, and comfort yourself. Be a good companion to yourself – greet this person who is you, and be kind to him or her. Welcome him or her into this moment.
Take an even deeper breath, and hold it for a longer moment. Ask every part of you to be honest, comfortable, and present, relaxed completely.
Sitting with yourself, ask that person who is all of you – what do you want?
What would you love to be, to do, to feel?
What would “accomplishment” feel like to you?
Feel the world growing around you, even right now, and allow the energy beneath and around you to fill you.
How will the next year unfold in a way to help that happen?
How can you help yourself to get there?
Are you brave enough to get there, from here?
Relax deeply into this moment as you listen to your inner honesty. Whether you see images unfolding, feel a certainty, imagine words, or simply know that certain plans are going to work – stop for a moment.
Take a piece of paper now and write down what you discussed with your inner self. Feel no fear as you set your goals. Be open and honest about everything you’ve witnessed internally. Take short notes for now – you can fill in all necessary details later, so long as you remember all the pieces. If you would like, you can share a couple of words here that sum up what you want to aim for. If not, be sure to tell us “done” once you’ve got your short notes recorded.
Now take your packet of seeds – and hold them in your hands. Charge them with the intention of what you want from this upcoming year. Picture the end result from your intentions. Fill the seeds with your energy, so that you can feel them ready to grow.
Now, as we finish our Beltane rite, picture the daily reality of seeking these goals. Prepare yourself for the actual doing of it. Pray to the divine as you picture this. Ask them to help indicate anything you can prepare for, look out for.
Other questions to ask yourself as you journal or meditating on your goals:
What might you find yourself needing along the way?
Will you perhaps need extra support at some point?
Is there anything you can do to help ease the journey?
Are there any specific opportunities you should keep an eye out for?
(SIDE NOTE FROM LADY B: When I do this I pick only up to 3 goals per year and break the over all goal down into smaller parts that will make reaching it more manageable. I keep a weekly journal for what I am doing to reach each step of my goal and how big my plants have grown. When doing a long tern spell to bring about 1 or more goals I need a touchstone of how I am achieving what I want my touchstone is my journal. I use a new journal each time I plant seeds to help my intention reach it’s goal. I also separate the goals by writing each goal as a title than skip about 4 to 8 pages depending on the size of the journal I am using a smaller one I leave more pages in between goals than I do with a larger size journal. Spiral notebooks are good to use for this)
AFTER THE CIRCLE IS FINISHED and YOU FEEL READY: Get a flower pot or two and plant them. If you want to use some symbols or words written in any alphabet on the outside or even the inside of your flower pot to infuse more of your energy to help your intention to manifest go right a head and do it.(SIDE NOTE from Lady B If you want your flowers or herbs to be able to be transplanted outside then I suggest you use a Terra Cotta planter or a cardboard or peat moss starter planters. the first type you will have to break open to plant the dirt, roots, and plant. The second you can just pull it away some from the dirt and root ball and plant the whole thing. Make sure you do not get the cardboard or peat moss containers that do not have growing chemicals in them. Also if you plant herbs after they are a fairly good size try to keep them only SLIGHTLY moist at all time because if they get dry and than you water them they flavor of the herb will not be as strong.)
Put a couple of seeds into the paper, and crumple it small. Soak it in water, compressing it into a wet ball. Push the ball down into the dirt – following the instructions on the packet, please, as to the depth and soil type for the plant you’re using. If you feel the need to preserve your notes, you can put the flower pot on top of the paper, instead. Either way, be sure to moisten the soil once you’re done, asking the seeds to help your goals grow with you.
As the upcoming year unfolds, tend to the seeds as they grow. Remember that goals need tending, the same as new plants. Allow your new plants to remind you that your goals are still with you. Even if the seeds do not grow, or do not grow the way you expected, know that you have contributed your part to the fertility of spring. You have asked your goals to take root – the seeds are to remind and represent, but the personal intentions you set are the real destination.
Now, as we finish our Beltane rite, picture the daily reality of seeking these goals. Prepare yourself for the actual doing of it. Pray to the divine as you picture this. Ask them to help indicate anything you can prepare for, look out for.
(SIDE NOTE FROM LADY B: When I do this I pick only up to 3 goals per year and break the over all goal down into smaller parts that will make reaching it more manageable. I keep a weekly journal for what I am doing to reach each step of my goal and how big my plants have grown. When doing a long tern spell to bring about 1 or more goals I need a touchstone of how I am achieving what I want my touchstone is my journal. I use a new journal each time I plant seeds to help my intention reach it’s goal. I also separate the goals by writing each goal as a title than skip about 4 to 8 pages depending on the size of the journal I am using a smaller one I leave more pages in between goals than I do with a larger size journal. Spiral notebooks are good to use for this)
Make a strong mental note of anything that comes up here. Feel free to record anything important.
(SIDE NOTE FROM LADY B: These questions are one of the reasons I use a journal that I have described above.)
EVERYONE: Please thank High Priestess Beth for being part of our gathering this evening/morning and for the time and work she to bring us a wonderful ritual.
Lady Beltane: I walk this circle three times three as the Maiden and Crone walk with me. To celebrate a time of death and a time of rebirth. I bring us back to our Earthly plane and time to celebrate life, death, and rebirth. We thank the Crone for her comfort in our time of remembrance and ask her to leave us. We thank the Maiden for blessing our seeds as we rejoice and ask her to leave us. As we will it so mote it be.
The circle is open but never broken go in peace and contentment dear sisters and brothers.
EVERYONE: Now put on a favorite song, and celebrate. This is not the time to do, not yet. This is just the first step. Enjoy it! Revel in it! Life is not simply to be lived – it is to be experienced in all its glory. Take a moment now to fill yourself with thanks for this new knowledge, and look forward to your goals. Feel the possibility inside you, and let yourself feel gratitude. Raise a glass of wine or juice, help yourself to a sweet treat. Welcome that sweetness into your life, and ask for a blessing that every goal you accomplish will come with the sweetness of this moment. Ask your own personal divine to sit with you now, and throughout the upcoming year. And smile.
Because you know they will, and you know you will get what you truly need.
This is not a time to mourn those who have gone before us but a time to celebrate their lives. Remember our time with them and rejoice we will see them in the Summerlands or even possibly in the new incarnation in your family or circle of friends. AS you dance and rejoice lift your glass to them and say whatever comes to mind.
Both hemispheres remember to take a piece of your sweet and a sip of your beverage outside to place and pour on the ground to honor the Crone and Maiden for their presence and help with our rituals.
What Do I Need To Have and Do to Be a Witch? – Introduction to Series
This is an introduction to help explain the title question. Today’s post is just going to answer frequently ask questions I have gotten over the years. Some of the other topics for this series will include but not limited to magickal tools, herbs, essential oils, crystals, precious and semi-precious gems, stones, your Book of Shadows, your altar and what you want to put on it, spells, rituals, etcetera. Most of the topics have other posts about them on Coven Life and Witches of The Craft. I also might add viedo links and/or a link for a general search on that day’s topic.
If you have questions about things in any of the post please ask them in the Comment box located below each post. This way if other people have the same question I only have to answer once.
If at anytime you want to share a picture of how you do something for that days topic please email it to LadyBeltane@aol.com subject line should have “For Sharing” please include your first name only or you pagan name and a short description about the picture. At the end of each days post the top I for tomorrow will be there. If you get pictures to me by 8:00 PM CDT for the next days topic I will include them in them post.
Any questions please ask them in the Comment section and I will reply to them by 8:00 PM CDT.
Tomorrow’s topic will be “Magickal Tool.” I look forward to learning different ways of doing things for every topic with you.
Mabon/Autumn Equinox Blessing
From all of us at Coven Life we wish you and yours a blessed and pleasant fall.
Ostara/Spring Equinox Blessing
From all of us at Coven Life we wish you and yours a blessed and pleasant Spring.
Mabon/Ostara Online Gathering Monday, September 23rd
Coven Life’s Coven invites all witches, pagans, or anyone else to come celebrate with us if you would like to. All the information you need is in this post.
Whether you live in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere we ask that you remain attentively in the circle from the time it is casted until it is open. The reason we ask felt you to here the whole time is to share in your brothers and sister Sabbat celebration. You are welcome to do both rituals if you feel you want to and they are both calling to do them. No witch in or out oven a coven practices exactly like any other witch. Yes when we are at a gathering such as this we all are doing and saying the same things and we feel the closeness of our xpiritualnfamily but, a lot of us do other spellwork and/or ritual when we are by ourselves. This is true in almost all of the face to face covens I have visited over the years. I encourage everyone in this coven when doing things on your own, after doing the lessons that deal with rituals for safety reason, to do it in whatever why feels right to them. I did this with my face to face covens as well. So as I have told many people when asked, “How does an Online Coven Work?” I say, “That we are solitary witches some of which are learning The Craft and some of us mentor them and we come together as a spiritual family to celebrate the Moon and our holidays.”
WHEN:
Monday, September 23, 2019
Socializing starts at 6:00 PM CT
Sacred Circle will be cast at 7:00 PM CT
Please do not enter the chatroom after 6:55 PM CT as this will cause the circle to be broken
WHERE:
If this is your first time joining us please read the Chatroom Guidelines on covenlife.co Homepage. Thank you
What You Will Need
Northern: 1 Apple Sharp Knife 1 Orange Chime Candle (4 inches 10.16 cm long)
Southern: 1 Hard Boiled Egg colored only Crayon or a piece of wax 1 Yellow Taper Candle (30.5 cm or 12 inch long) Long Nose Pliers, Oven Mitt
Rituals
Lady Beltane: I walk our circle three times while I call upon Fire, Air, and Water to be in constant motion around us, I call upon Earth to form the bottom half of the bubble from the ground to our waist, I call Spirit to form the top half of the bubble around us interlock with Earth. Our bubble of protection takes to a place that is outside of time and place. As above, so is below. As within, so is without.
EVERYONE: Please introduce yourself (FIRST NAME ONLY) and what state or country you live in.
MABON CELEBRATION – Northern Hemisphere
EVERYONE: Cut the apple in half horizontally, so one point of where the seeds are looks like a pentagram. Place the 2 halves side by side. Place the orange candle in the middle at the top part of the two halves. Notice that the center of the apple looks like a pentagram. One point of the seed pentagram should be facing up towards Hekate’s orange candle.
Light the orange candle while asking Hekate to enter your home to help bless it. Prayer to Hekate:
Great Mother Hekate the protector of Witches I invite you into my home and ask you to give the building and all living things dwelling in your protection and that you help guide us with your wisdom. Thank you Hekate!
Now starting at the top point of the apple pentagram going clockwise around the apples pentagram. Start at the top point ask Spirit to enter your home and bless it. Remember to touch each point of the pentagram with the index finger of your power/receiving hand as you invite each of the elements in. Next, you will ask Air to enter your home and bless it. Next comes Fire ask it to enter your home and bless it. Next, ask Water to enter your home and bless it. Finally, ask Earth to come into your home to bless it. When you are done calling in the elements wait 2 minutes thinking about your home being blessed with warmth, enough food, and warm clothes to get you through the coming colder months. Then thank the elements and Hekate for their blessing and tell them to return from where they came.
Let your candle burn all the way down.
After the circle has been opened take one half of the apple outside to share with the wildlife around your home and allow the other half to dry out in an open glass or ceramic bowl or dish and leave it out somewhere in your home to help the blessing continue.
OSTARA CELEBRATION – Southern Hemisphere
Light the yellow candle and set it about 12 inches away but in front of you. Call Ostara to the candle. Prayer for Ostara:
Ostara from where all life comes please help give me the strength and will power to achieve the goal that I am setting for myself today. Thank you Ostara
Take 2 minutes to write one goal on your egg that you would like to achieve before Samhain arrives. Try to use only 1 or 2 words to write your goal in any type of alphabet you want to use Runes, Ogham and other types of “magickal alphabets or symbols can be found by using the search box on either Coven Life.com, WitchesofTheCraft.com or doing a search on the internet. Type in “DONE” when you are through. Now carefully holding the yellow candle allow wax from it to drip on to the egg, turn the egg so the wax gets all over it while asking Ostara to help you reach your goal. Take 2 to 3 minutes to do this step. Be very careful the hot wax does not drip onto you (I use a pair of thin long nose pliers to hold my egg and wear an oven mitt when using this ritual.) Type in the word “DONE” when you are through.
After the circle is opened take the egg outside and bury it while asking Mother Earth to help your goal to grow and be harvested on Mabon. Then work towards your goal daily until you reach it. Let the candle burn all the way down and bury the melted wax with the egg so it keeps feeding the egg energy.
EVERYONE NORTH and SOUTH: Lift your glass of juice/wine in a toast to the goddesses, and elements that helped us with all with our rituals this evening or this morning. Repeat Lady Beltane’s toast. Remember to save a little to pour on the ground as an offering to the gods and goddesses that helped us tonight.
LADY BELTANE TOAST: We raise our glasses or cups to honor Hekate, Ostara, Mother Earth, Spirit, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth for their power and help with protecting and blessing our homes and/or helping us reach our goal.
EVERYONE: Type in “So mote it be” when you are done saying the toast.
EVERYONE: Raise your arms above your head palms facing the floor bring them down slowly until you touch the floor. With your hands on the floor say, ” I give this extra energy to Mother Earth to use in whatever way she needs to!” Make a one quarter turn and repeat the same movements and prayer. Type So Mote It Be when you done grounding the excess energy in your part of our circle.
LADY BELTANE: I bring us back to the Earthly plane and real time. This sacred circle is open but our spiritual ties are never broken. Go in love and peace dear brothers and sisters. Blessed be until we merry meet again
Time to visit some more!!
Remember to bring your offerings to the goddesses. Northerners bring that Apple half out for the wildlife it is fine to cut it into smaller pieces for say squirrels and birds, and chipmunk. Southerners remember to bury the egg and left over candle.
Can We Help You to Teach Your Children and/or Descendants about The Craft?
One of our Elders thought, and I agree, that we should post a survey to help us help you to teach your children about The Craft. If you do not want to put your answers in a comment below please email them to covenlifescoven@gmail.com, please include your child’s age so we can post information by age groups. This whole idea of helping you to help your children learn is in the planning stages any ideas and/or suggestions to make it how you think will help our descendants to learn are very welcomed.
1. As pagan parents, would you like to see children’s activities posted on Coven Life?
2. What age groups would you recommend activities for?
3 – 4 years old (mostly coloring pages of the different Sabbats with a small paragraph on what the Sabbat is for)
5 – 6 years old (Coloring pages of the Sabbats and Moon Phases with a small paragraph in wording they can read themselves to bring about a dialogue about what they are learning)
7-10 years old (Printable Information delving deeper into Moon phases. Brief introduction to Sabbat and Esbat rituals)
11-14 years old (Information for considering following a Pagan path building on what they would learned above)
15 – 18 years old (Introductory information on what it means to follow the Old Ways of The Craft including an introduction to Gods, Goddesses, Spellwork, Rituals. The spell work and.or rituals would be geared for the young adult to help their parent, grandparent, or care taker to prepare a spell and how to set up an altar if wanted and what preparation goes into writing and doing a ritual.)
This is a way that a child or young adult can build an understanding of the magickal and spiritual sides of witchcraft/ It will also help prepare them to become a novice in our coven or just to have the knowledge to work better with the adults that are solitary practitioner.
3. What topics would you like to see addressed?
4. What type of activities?
5. What other suggestions would you have for children’s and young adult’s activities ?
Remember you can answer the questions in the comments or email your answers to covenlifescoven@gmail.com. If you have any questions or ideas about this project please ask or share your idea. We are willing to start any child or young adult of any age so please do not think your child would have to start as a preschooler. There is no charge as you will be able to use what we post to teach your child the way you follow The Craft. We are here just to answer questions or help in anyway we can. We will be posting things for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres at the appropriate times for Sabbats.
HONORING LAMMAS – THE FIRST HARVEST
A brief history of Lammas
In Earth-based traditions, Lammas is usually celebrated on August 1, honoring the first harvest of the season. Lammas is also known as Lughnasadh (pronounced Loo-NAS-ah). In some Wiccan and Pagan traditions, Lammas is also a day of honoring Lugh, the Celtic god of craftmanship, grain, the Sun, and late summer storms. Lughnasadh is still celebrated in many parts of the world today. At this time of year, the nights are beginning to lengthen and we anticipate the return of fall. This is truly the beginning of shadow season. Before the Wheel turns to the darker months, we can take time to appreciate warmth and sunlight and how they support the season of growth. Gratitude in times of plenty is a powerful practice. What we reap now wasn’t always full-grown. By celebrating Lammas as a harvest holiday, we honor our ancestors and the hard work they had to do in order to survive and secure our lineage.
Like all Celtic or Pagan holidays, Lammas also honors goddesses whose associations, strengths, and myths align with the work we’re doing at this time of year. Ceres, the harvest goddess, known as Demeter by the Greeks, and Tailtiu, mother of Lugh, are great forces of agricultural abundance. We receive their blessings in the bounty of food that will feed us through the rest of the year. Metaphorically, our mental, spiritual, and emotional crops are ready for the first harvest, too. If you set intentions in the darkness of winter or early spring, this is the time to see how they’ve manifested and will support you in the months to come.
To read the ritual ideas click here Lammas/Lughnasadh
Hold an Imbolc Candle Ritual for Solitaries
Hundreds of years ago, when our ancestors relied upon the sun as their only source of light, the end of winter was met with much celebration. Although it is still cold in February, often the sun shines brightly above us, and the skies are often crisp and clear. As a festival of light, Imbolc came to be called Candlemas. On this evening, when the sun has set once more, call it back by lighting the seven candles of this ritual.
The seven candles in this ritual represent various aspects of both the seasons and the human existence. Several symbolize the light that emerges as winter finally comes to an end, and another represents the purifying warmth of the hearth fires. One candle is symbolic of the barrier between the positive and negative in your life; a boundary of sorts between our world and the next. Another stands in for the magic of wisdom and inspiration, and for the light that comes into our lives when we experience love.
If you’re a solitary practitioner, don’t worry! This is a ritual you can perform all by yourself. Although this ceremony is written for one, it can easily be adapted for a small group by assigning each participant their own candle, or candles, to light and take charge of.
For the actual ritual click here Imbolc/Candlemas Solitary Ritual
Lady Beltane is Sort of Back
Well found out to get my laptop fixed would cost almost as much as buying a new one. So while I save enough to buy my new laptop I will be using my tablet, that was cheaper to fix, to do posts. Only problem with this is I do not get all the same information I get with a computer for some of the daily posts. For example I do not get the current Moon phase details but as always there will be a link to click on to get this information. All posts will always have a link back to the website I get the information from if you want to use it to find out more details about the post or finish reading an article. Hopefully, I should have the money saved for my new laptop by Samhain/Beltane.
I have had an Acer and HP brands laptops. I really liked my Acer but as I am not very knowledgeable on computer hardware I am going to ask the tech savvy of you to recommend a laptop in the low $400.00 USD range. Please add an explanation that a kindergartener can understand. Thank you for helping me to find the best user friendly computer for my needs. I need it to be able to play DVD and CD, not be over 4 pounds/1814 grams, have a 14 to 15 inch/35.56 to 38.1 cm screen, built in webcam/microphone/speakers, latest Windows running format. Please do no recommend any Apple or that type of running format. While this “old gray mare” is willing to learn something new every day, I do not have the ambition to learn a totally different way a computers basics are set up. Hades, I never even turned a computer on until I was about 34 and had to take as college course as a requirement. The last 27 years I still don’t know much more, luckily the Lord and Lady blessed me with my youngest son who knows has way in and out of hardware and software. (side note for a chuckle picture around 1995– How many parents have the FBI knocking on there door because someone from that address hacked into the FBI mainframe? Well I did because my youngest had did that. Thank they gods and Goddesses all they want was my son to show them how he got in and possibly help in the begging. He was just 11 years old at this time.) If anyone in the US has a laptop in very good condition and works with Windows 10 as its start up program and is willing to sell it to me please send a picture and information about it, like how much RAM it has and how old the computer is etc to me at ladybeltane@aol.com . Thank you!
So starting tomorrow I will strive to giving hthe best I can do posting via my tablet. I as you to please bear with fewer, short posts for the next few months. Who knows may I’ll get a new laptop.
From my herat to yours thank you for your support! Namaste dear brothers and sisters.
