It's Beltaine, the Celtic festival of welcoming the summer season and lighting a new light. There is a wonderful bit of background (& poetry) at this lovely blog I rambled upon this morning... And another lovely amble to inspire my own ramble, pulled out into nature on this day when the fairies themselves are said to move into a summer home of their own. (And if you're curious about more traditional ways of celebrating this holiday, this really wonderful website by a Scottish friend of mine covers all the details.)
Otherwise, it has been a day of finding my own way, working to fulfill this dream I have of settling in truly & surely with the rhythms of life that surround me. In the morning, my son & I ventured out into the "soft weather", kissed by a bit of rain were we as we picked the fresh buttercups for our hearth offering. This evening we blessed the family and the house with a bit of spring-water and made an offering of beer, firelight and water. Fire and water marked the start of creation, according to the Celts. I like the mix.
It is also a good day to set intentions, much like planting a garden as we've been busy with these last days. For myself, I have such a habit of sinking into slothfulness, and despair; a good discipline for me will be softening my approach, increasing my curiosity and fostering openness. One way to do this will be through simple ceremonies, such as I indulged in tonight... Acknowledging my forebears and the "invisible" realm of spirits and gods-- honoring that which lies beyond reason, and making friends with what I cannot know through blessings and music. I am always so glad when I do, and feel so much more alive, simple as the method may be.
Sláinte!
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3 comments:
what a lovely post, it really made me smile and it made me think of my own inner 'sloth'~the times when simple spiritual things become too much of a bother~what a dreadful way if being. i think my walk helped to wake me :)
yours made me smile as well :) so we are even then!
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