and open to Her Wisdom."
26th Day of the 4th Lunar Cycle
Ruled by Hecate
Lunar Tree Cycle of Fearn/Alder
14th Day of the Celtic Tree
Month of Saille/Willow
26th Day of the Cycle of Annwyn -
Days of Avalon
Moon Phase: waning half
Moon rises: 3:54AM EDST
Moon sets: 4:09PM EDST
Moon in the Mutable Water
Sign of Pisces
Ceridwen's Cycle of the Moon
Lunar Meditation: The song of
Spring's new life
Sun in Taurus
Sunrise: 6:24AM EDST
Sunset: 8:11PM EDST
Solar Question for the Day: ""Where
is the Spring in your life?"
Imbolc (Gwyl Mair) Quarter
of the Year
April 28th, 2011
Thor's Day - Jupiter Day - the Day of Vision, Spiritual Insight, and Expansion....
Beltane - some bits of information
Saturday evening, April 30th, is Beltane Eve. Beltane is the midpoint between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice. This is one of the four ancient fire festivals of Europe, also called the 'Power Gates', which contain the fixed zodiacal signs. The sign of Beltane is the Power Gate of the Earth element. There is a focused release of earth energy, the beginning of an elemental power tide and the full potential of the earth.
Beltane is opposite of Samhain on the Wheel of the Year and this is the time when the worlds are furtherest apart while at Samhain the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest. Beltane, May Day, or Roodmas falls on the first of May and is another of the spring festivals of fecundity and the moon, with special aemphasis on the living spirit of vegetation, newly awakened in spring. In Briton its eve is called Walpurgia Nacht and special emphasis is placed on rituals of protecting oneself from the evils of others. The fires of Walpurgis Nacht are called Beltane, still the Gaelic word for May. Huge bonfires were kindled on hills after which a large meal was prepared. When they had finished, they sang and danced around the fire in a ring. They leaped over the glowing coals or even through the flames. Towards the end of the gathering a large cake was brought out baked with eggs and scalloped around the edge, called the Beltane cake. Pieces were broken off and given to each one. May Day and our month were named after the ancient Roman Goddess Mala, meaning to 'increase'.
On her day, folks rose early and went 'a-maying' in the woods to the sound of music to gather flowers and greenery for garlands and gifts. Garlanded revelers went from door to door singing and were given gifts to insure prosperity of the householder in year to come. Sometimes the singers were accompanied by one woman completely covered in leaves, called the Leafy One or the Leaf Queen, to represent the vegetation.
The Maypole or Maytree was a straight green tree, an embodiment of the tree spirit, or spirit of vegetation. It was brought from the woods with much ceremony. Its lower branches were removed, its trunk smoothed and was set up in a public place. Its top was left green and fresh above the ribbon streamers and garlands of flower with which it was decked. Each dancer takes the end of one streamer and dances around the tree, thereby interweaving the ribbons, symbolic of bright colored leaves, flowers and fruit, all gifts of the moon goddess, giver of fertility.
Your altar setup could be fruits, greenery, spring flowers, green and other bright candies, bowls of fruit, nuts, cakes and jugs of sweet cherry, peach, and apricot juice. Breads, fruit, and Hawthorn branches could also be placed on it.
[This information comes from Ffiona Morgan's Goddess Spirituality Book]
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