A lot of people on Facebook have been
posting about their “Beltane” activities, and much of it has to
do with debauchery, outdoor sex, dressing up in costumes, may poles,
and various European folk customs, many of which are maybe medieval,
probably Renaissance, quite possibly not Pagan. This is fine, I
guess. This is what Neo-Pagan Beltane involves. That and sacred sex
festivals, and adult themed Neo-Pagan gatherings. Being a traditional guy, I like something more traditional, and would assume other traditionalists would too.
Fortunately this year I'm seeing a lot
more people also posting about Walpurgisnacht. That I can get on with a
little more. But I'm curious about what people are doing to that end
and how they're connecting with traditional European witchery.
I was asked tonight what I'm doing. And
what I'm doing is nursing an injured hand, and resting after a long
day of coaching my college kids in their local conference
championship, which involved another first place victory for one of
our women, a third place finish for one of our men, and me becoming a
Vice Commissioner and taking on organizing a new division of the
conference. So...yeah, long day, witchery and such will have to wait
til later, as it's 11pm and I'm just settled and home after leaving
at 5:30am.
That said...I probably won't engage in
much witchery. I grew up connected with Paganism (was not raised, but
began exploring around age 11), not as much Neo-Paganism, but more
traditional and reconstructionist varieties. I guess what people
would be calling polytheism these days...though I'm not sure I'm
ready to join in with that as a movement. So, Bealtain is still one
of the holidays I enjoy.
It's kind of like second Samhain.
Samhain marks the beginning of one of two seasons, the Winter, and
Bealtain the beginning of the second, the Summer. Both involve the
extinguishing and rekindling of the hearth, and both involve the
division between this world and the next becoming thinner. So it is a
holiday that lends itself to witchery, but can also have more
communal components, and components that connect to house-holding in
a way which is a bit different in my view than witchcraft.
For me I suppose it kind of serves as a
maintenance point, which being part of my religious apprehension,
isn't necessarily part of my witchcraft or my magic, but underlies it
because in reality, religion isn't separate from anything else in
life, and if you're a witch you simply are that so it is interwoven
into everything, and magicians should also integrate their magic into
the rest of their lives. So the division I guess is one of how I
approach what I'm doing and what I'm focused on rather than a
division in how it affects me and my life.
It isn't so much about magic as it is
about relationships and stopping and resetting.
I connect with the parts of the world, I
acknowledge the gatekeeper, I connect with my gods, and my ancestors,
and the land spirits – both accepting the aid of the beneficial
ones and paying off the not so good ones. I make offerings, and I
chill with my ancestors and relax and reconnect. As I mentioned in my
last post on the dead, this part of the relationship with the dead,
while magical, isn't magic, I'm not trying to accomplish something,
I'm visiting my relatives, being comforted by their company and
letting them be comforted by mine. They just happen to be relatives
who don't have bodies at the moment.
In my particular case Bealtain is about
a week before my father's birthday, and Samhain is a little over a
week before his Greater Feast, so these holidays also mark the times
of year for me to connect with his spirit especially.
But yeah, a point to touch base with
your spirits, help them feel good and connected to you, and you feel
connected to them, and highlighting your relationship with more
global and local spirits is work witches and magicians need to do.
The easy access to the dead and the land spirits during this time of
year makes it natural for this to be a significant witching holiday.
It's basically a time of year where nature makes witchcraft more
easily accessible even to those who wouldn't normally be witches. No
wonder it is a traditional night for spirit contact and meeting the
Black Man or the Queen of Elphaim.
Anyway...not particularly witchy, but
simple household Paganism...or just simple household living...here is
my Bealtain ritual, the words anyway, you can figure out where to
maneuver offerings, and when to walk perimeters and such pretty
easily from the words. This will be part of my observation this week,
along with some work with land spirits and some visits with my
ancestors.
Bealtain
I stand upon the land, beneath the sky,
before the sea.
By this good fire, may the gods be
present and may I know their presence always.
Praise first I give to Manannan who
opens the ways between worlds. Though the gates are open this night,
your aid and guidance deserve praise.
I offer this fat and blood of the mighty
cow that its smoke may rise and please the gods.
I offer this oil to the gods below that
they might enjoy it and it may please them.
I offer this drink to my ancestors that
they may be pleased with it and be pleased with me. Especially...may
I receive their guidance and their aid with an open heart.
I offer this bread to the spirits of the
land that they may be friendly to me and keep away all destruction
and befoulment from me, my family, and my property.
Let fall away the dark and cold of
winter, let the good fire bring the light of summer and all the good
therein.
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