SECTION I - HOLIDAY LORE

1. Beltane and It's Lore - StormWing
2. A Druid Ponders: A Walk in the Spring Woods - LadyToad
3. Beltane - Baboo Kyra Finch (not submitted)

Beltane and Its Lore
By StormWing

Beltane (most commonly pronounced "BELL-tayn", but also can be "BEEL-teen", "BEEL-tawn-uh", or "B'YAL-tinn") is one of the Greater Wiccan Sabbats and is usually celebrated on May 1st, but can be on the night of April 30th, depending on your tradition or - if you are solitary - simply your personal choice. In the Celtic tradition it is celebrated on May 1st or the first Full Moon in Taurus. The Scottish tradition of PectiWita celebrate their Sabbat on May 15th.

Other names used for this Sabbat are Bealtaine (Irish Wittan), Whitsun or Old Bhealltainn (Scottish PectiWita), Bealtinne (Caledonii or the Druids), Samhradh and La Baal Tinne (Faery Wicca), Roodmas, Rudemas (Mexican Craft), Walburga (Teutonic), Walpurgisnacht (German), Walpurgis Eve, Celtic Summer, Giamonios, Tana's Day - La Giornata di Tana (Aridian Strega), Floralia, The Great Rite, May Day, and May Eve. It is also known as Cetshamain in Ireland, and is one of the few specifically Irish festivals.

This Sabbat is primarily a fertility festival, concerned with Nature enchantments and offerings to wildlings and Elementals. The return of full-blown fertility is now very evident. The powers of elves and fairies are growing and will reach their height at the Summer Solstice. Celebrants sometimes jump over broomsticks (especially at Handfastings) or dance around May Poles, as both of these are symbols of fertility. Bonfire leaping and horn blowing are other traditional forms of celebration. Weaving and plaiting are especially suited art projects for this time of year, for the joining together of two substances to form a third is in keeping with the Spirit of Beltane. This Sabbat represents the Union of the God and Goddess, the Sacred Marriage, all new life, and fertility for all living things.

Most Wiccans consider this Sabbat to be the start of the Light Half of the Year - the Summer - as opposed to the Dark Half of the Year - Winter - which begins on Samhain. Most Wiccans view this as the half of the year which is ruled by the Goddess, while the dark half is ruled by the God. As I have stated above - this is a fertility Sabbat - and traditionally is considered to be the time that the God and Goddess are wed. It is also considered to be the time that He impregnates Her as they are "sexually connected" on this day. This is represented symbolically by the wrapping of the May Pole. In the olden days, the May Pole was made from a communal pine tree which had been decorated at Yule, with most of its branches removed at this time. A few of the uppermost branches could remain if desired. Traditionally, the ribbons attached around the top of the May Pole are red and white... this is to represent either one of these:
1) the red as the Sun God and the white as the Virgin Goddess, or
2) the white for the Maiden and the red for the Mother...
The participants dance around the May Pole carrying the ribbons - the males holding the red and the females holding the white. As they dance, they weave and intertwine the ribbons to form a symbolic birth canal wrapped around the phallic pole, representing the union of the Goddess and God. Many Wiccans also choose this time to perform their own Handfastings or Weddings. Another great choice would be the next Sabbat - at the Summer Solstice.

Traditional symbols used to represent Beltane are the aforementioned May Pole (the traditional full-size one is about 10 feet tall), May baskets, crossroads, eggs, butterchurns, and chalices. Symbolically, many Pagans choose to represent Beltane with fresh flowers all around the ritual area as well as their homes and the cauldron is often totally filled with gorgeous Springtime flowers. All of these flowers are symbolic of Beltane: roses, bluebells, marigolds, daisies, primroses, violets, and lilac. Mirrors are sometimes also associated with this time of year and used for Divination or other forms of Magick. Other than the things already mentioned, altar decorations may also include a small May Pole and/or a phallic-shaped candle (to represent fertility), and a daisy chain. Plaiting and weaving straw, creating things with wicker, making baskets and fabrics are traditional arts for this turn in the Wheel of the Year.

Traditional activities include the already mentioned wrapping of the May Pole, the Great Rite, jumping the balefire, blowing horns, and gathering flowers. Solitary Practitioners might consider the weaving together of ribbons as an alternative to creating and dancing around the May Pole. It is considered taboo to give away fire or food on this day.

Appropriate Deities for Beltane include all Virgin-Mother Goddesses, all Young Father Gods, all Gods and Goddesses of the Hunt, of Love, and of Fertility. Some Beltane Goddesses to mention by name here include Aphrodite, Arianrhod, Artemis, Astarte, Venus, Diana, Ariel, Var, Skadi, Shiela-na-gig, Cybele, Xochiquetzal, Freya, and Rhiannon. Beltane Gods include Apollo, Bacchus, Bel/Belanos, Cernunnos, Pan, Herne, Faunus, Cupid/Eros, Odin, Orion, Frey, Robin Goodfellow, Puck, and The Great Horned God.

One key action to keep in mind during this time in the Wheel of the Year is to take action (if you haven't already done so) on the activities and projects you had planned and possibly started on Ostara. Spellwork to consider include those for fertility, love, spiritual communion/closeness with deity, safety, prosperity, and conservation. When doing Spells, remember to include a mirror if it can be incorporated in an appropriate manner. This being a time of great magick, is a good time for divinations of all types, and for establishing a woodland or garden shrine. The Household Guardians should be honored at this time.

The most common colors associated with Beltane are white and dark green, and red... but also appropriate are all the colors of the rainbow spectrum itself. Stones to use during the Beltane celebration include sapphires, bloodstones, emeralds, orange carnelians, and rose quartz.. Animals associated with Beltane are goats, rabbits, and honey bees. Mythical beasts associated with Beltane include faeries, pegesus, satyrs, and giants.

Plants and herbs associated with Beltane are primrose, yellow cowslip, hawthorn, roses, birch trees, rosemary, and lilac. Also included are almond, angelica, ash trees, bluebells, cinquefoil, daisies, frankincense, ivy, marigolds, satyrion root, and woodruff. For Beltane incense, you could make a blend from any of the following scents or simply choose one... frankincense, lilac, passion flower, rose, or vanilla.

Linking your meals with the Seasons is a very fine way of attuning oneself with Nature. Foods in tune with this blessed day typically come from the dairy. Simple dishes such as vanilla ice cream and egg custard are quite traditional fare on this day. For something a little different, try Marigold Custard (you can find the late great Scott Cunningham's recipe in his book: "Wicca: A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner", p. 153 or look for it on my Beltane Lore Web Page:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/2007/beltane_lore.html. Sweets of all kinds, honey, and oats are all fine foods for Beltane. A few more goodies to include are all red fruits such cherries, strawberries, and tomatoes, green herbal salads, and red or pink wine punch. Oatmeal or barley cakes, sometimes known as "Beltane Cakes".

I am choosing to close this article a little differently than I have any so far, with an actual recipe for the Beltane Sabbat... this recipe is from Patricia Telesco's book: "A Victorian Grimoire: Enchantment * Romance * Magic", p. 123. Many thanks to Ms. Telesco and to Llewellyn Publishing. You can find or order a copy of this wonderful book in most bookstores, as well as ordering direct from any of the following Websites, including the publisher:

http://www.llewellyn.com, or :
http://www.amazon.com, or:
http://www.books.com.

Here is the recipe:

Candied Violets (For Beltane)
By Patricia Telesco
1 Egg White
Granulated Sugar
Violets

Whip your egg white until it is frothy, but does not peak. Gather the Violets, washing them quickly in cool water and allowing them to drip-dry. Then, dip each Violet in the egg white and roll the flowers in the sugar to coat them evenly. Be careful not to put the sugar on too thick. Finally, leave the petals on waxed paper to dry for 1 day. These may be stored for several months in an airtight container (waxed paper between each layer.) without losing fragrance or flavor.

May the Lord and Lady bless you all with lots of love and an abundance of success in your ventures...

Until the next time my friends, Be Blessed, StormWing

A Walk in the Spring Woods
by ladytoad

As a Druid, I am naturally moved by transitional states, those things that are and yet aren't -- dawn, dusk, fog, the will 'o wisp, and the two seasons that lead us into the others.

Spring is that fleeting romance between the end of winter and the fecund offerings of summer. It seduces us at winter's end with a kiss of warm breeze, a promise of bliss, and then bursts from its seams in one profligate display of flower and leaf. Then off it flies.

Overnight, the winter woods burst forth with bud. Trees that were yesterday naked, today swell with fragile life, tomorrow burst forth with blossom, and with the first good rain, are in full leaf. Spring cannot be captured in the full focus of the eye's lens; it demands to be seen from the periphery, caught in the corner, a fey thing only partially encountered. It is the delicate snowdrop poking from a thick mulch of dead leaves, the fragile violet dancing in new grass, the first gossamer butterfly, the call of the spring peeper, a burst of color here, a rain of blossom there.

Spring reminds us that life is new for a heartbeat, then propels us into the fullness of our harvest. Springs reminds us of what was, but also what will be.

A walk in the woods of spring is a concert of promise. The songs of the birds newly returned from their migrations celebrate rebirth, and we are cheered, reminded that we shall come again. For if we were not, we might dwell upon the realization that a lifetime of springs is, after all, such a little number.

no submission for this issue...so sorry