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Beltane is a spring holiday. At this time, the Earth is fertile and rich as the Earth turns green. Beltane celebrate the world living (plants, trees, humans and animals), were Samhain celebrates the dead. It is said that the veil between worlds is thin and that it is not unusual to see faeries at Beltane, then it is to see spirits at Samhain. Beltane is also the first day of summer in Ireland.



Beltane is also called “Roodmas” or “Walpurgis Night”. It marks the start of spring. It is one of the four great fire festival along with Samhain, Imbolc and Lammas.



The Roman Goddess of flowers, Flora, is associated with Beltane.



Flowers are in bloom at this time, trees are in full blossom and gardens are growing in full. Animals that were in hibernation are now waking up from a long winters sleep. Beltane is a holiday of fertility and we celebrate the joys of being alive. Beltane fires are made for ritual magic. Maypoles are made or decorated to dance around, the Great Rite is performed to honor the May Queen. The God and Goddess are young and are in their prime. They become lover's and they consummate their union. There is much joy and celebration.



The Goddess of Beltane is known as Mother and Daughter. She becomes the Lover of all living things. She is known by many ancient names including Aphrodite, Astarte and Flora. In some rituals, people call her the Faery Queen who rides in from the Otherworld. The Goddess is beautiful, but fierce, and who honored her husband because he kind and generous.



The God at Beltane is the Green Man. He is the God of all things that growsd. He is also the Lover of all living things, protector of the forest and of all things wild. One of the Green Man's ancient names is Robin Hood. He dressed in green and lived in the woods. He protected the poor and taught valuable lessons to the greedy.



Arrange a bouquet of fresh flowers on your altar. May baskets can be made with branches of hawthorn and oak in them for the altar.



Bright colors of purple, green and gold are associated with Beltane. The deep color purple of grape wine, the dark green of the forest and shiny gold for the Sun.



Rose, jasmine, peach, musk, vanilla and ylang ylang should be intoxicating and erotic for incense. Fern, rose and chamomile are good choices for herbs to throw in a Beltane fire.



Make a wreath or garland of spring flowers, make May baskets and add fresh flowers to them.



This is the first of three spirit nights when faeries can be seen. Make a ring out of rowan and see through the ring. You may be able to see the faeries!



Make a bonfire or light a candle and jump over it for good luck.



Put wine in a bowl with fragrant blossoms soaking in the wine and drink it (this is actually quite good!).



Have a dish that is full of fruits, nuts and berries. You can leave this in a wooded area for animals and faeries to enjoy!



I always light a Beltane fire and have a ritual around the fire.

COMMENTS

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DarkestTemptation
04:11 Jan 19 2017

Very lovely indeed thank you for sharing this without us.

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POST COMMENT

Blodeuwedd (pronounced bluh-die-eth) (Middle Welsh name from blodeu 'flowers, blossoms' and gwedd 'face meaning “flower face”), is the Welsh Goddess of Spring created from flowers and is the wife of Lleu Llaw Gyffes, the son of Arianrhod, in Welsh mythology and is also a central figure in the fourth branch of the Mabinogi. Blodeuwedd was a very unique Goddess because she was created, by magic, for the specific purpose of being Llew Llaw Gyffes wife.



Arianrhod, Llew Llaw Gyffes mother, was tricked by her brother, Gwydion, and Uncle Math by placing a curse upon her son. He was condemned to never have a name, bear a sword or marry a woman of this Earth. Gwydion and Math, however, managed to get Arianrhod to name her son and give him the ability to bear a sword. It was, however, difficult to find a wife for him. The two of them, by means of magic, created a bride Llew using nine different flowers. The flowers included meadowsweet, cockle, primrose, broom and oak. They piled the flowers up high until their work was complete. There, stood before them, was a beautiful woman they named Blodeuwedd. Llew and Blodeuwedd were married and they seemed to have lived a happy life together.



After Llew became a man, his great-uncle Math gave him the Catrev of Dinodig to rule. He was a fair and wise ruler.



Llew, then, grew lonely for the company of Gwydion and Math and told his bride that he was going to Caer Dathyl to visit them. Then, while Llew Llaw Gyffes was away, something happened that would change both of their lives forever. Blodeuwedd was walking the grounds of her castle when a group of hounds ran past her. They were chasing a stag. Blodeuwedd watched the hunt. The man leading the hunt was Gronw Pebyr, Lord of Penllyn. Gronw Pebyr realized that Blodeuwedd had been watching the hunt and so he sent a messenger to convey his greeting to her. Blodeuwedd returned his greeting and went back to her castle. That evening, Gronw Pebyr appeared at the castle gate. It was unusual for Blodeuwedd to answer the door herself, instead of a servant.



Blodeuwedd invited Gronw to sit with her and talk. He accepted her invitation. Gronw found Blodeuwedd innocense appealing and told her how charming he found her to be. Blodeuwedd explained to Gronw the circumstances that made her different and how she was created by magic for the purpose of being Llew's wife. Blodeuwedd suddenly realized that she did not want to be married to Llew anymore. She wanted to spend her life with Gronw Pebyr who treated her like an equal. Gronw explained to her that he knew she was married to another man, but wished he could spend the rest of his life with her.



Dawn was approaching and Gronw prepared to leave, but Blodeuwedd reached out to stop him. She asked if he could stay. Later that evening they devised a plan that would allow them to spend the rest of their lives together. Blodeuwedd became worried because she knew that Llew was a powerful God. She cautioned Gronw. He listened to her fears, but remained undaunted. He told her they needed to find a way to kill Llew. Gronw told Blodeuwedd that she had to question Llew until he told her exactly what needs to happen to kill him. Once Llew was killed, she would become a wife again. To Gronw Pebyr.



The two realized that Gronw had to leave. Llew would be home shortly. After returning to the castle, Llew felt something was wrong and questioned Blodeuwedd. She told him how she had been terrified that he might have been robbed or even killed on his journey. Llew assured her it would be very difficult for anyone to kill him. Blodeuwedd kept questioning Llew on exactly what it took for someone to kill him. Llew finally told her what she needed to know. Llew told Blodeuwedd that a wound might kill him, but only by a spear that was created seven days a week for one year. He told her he could not be slain in a house, upon a horse, or by foot, but only by a bath that was made for him by a river's edge, with a thatched roof over a cauldron with one foot on the back of a buck goat and the other foot on the cauldron, then could he be killed.



The next day, Blodeuwedd sent word to Gronw explaining, in detail, what needed to be done. Gronw immedietely began to create the spear. At the end of the year, Gronw told Blodeuwedd that he was finished making the spear.



Blodeuwedd asked Llew, again, how someone might kill him, telling him she couldn't imagine a man balancing himself with one foot on a goat and the other on a cauldron. Llew indulged his wife and set the mood for his own demise. They took a cauldron to the river Cynvael, and they built a roof over it. Gronw waited in Bryn Kyvergyr for word from Blodeuwedd, telling him when to make his move. Gronw finally heard from her, but waited as Llew, wet from his bath, balanced himself on the cauldron and the goat. Gronw rose up and sent the flying spear at Llew, striking him in his side. Llew Llaw Gyffes was turned into an eagle and he flew away, screaming in pain. Blodeuwedd and Gronw returned to the castle and he ruled Dinodig as well as Penllyn.



When new of Blodeuwedd's betrayal reached Math, he was overcome with grief. Gwydion was just as furious. So, he set out for Maenawr Penardd, in Arvon. Gwydion made his way to a place beside a brook, which was known as Nant y Llew and watched a sow eat the putrid flesh that kept falling to the ground. He looked up into the trees, wondering where the flesh had fallen from. His eyes, then, fell upon an eagle. Gwydion sang a magical song to the bird and the eagle looked down at Gwydion and moved a little bit closer. Gwydion sang the song again and the bird came down and rested on a low branch. Gwydion sang the song a third, and final, time and the eagle came down and rested on Gwydion's knee.Llew returned to his original form as a man when Gwydion touched him with a wand. Gwydion brought Llew back to Caer Dathyl, calling in physicians in Gwynedd to care for Llew.



Llew visited Math when he was well enough to do so. He wanted retribution for all the wrongs that had been done to him.



Upon learning of her husband's transformation back to his normal self, Blodeuwedd fled to the mountains with her ladies in waiting. While crossing the river Cynval, Blodeuwedd's ladies in waiting all drowned, leaving her stranded.



Gwydion caught up with her and placed a curse upon her. She would no longer be able to show herself in light because she was transformed into an owl: a creature of the night.



Gronw Pebyr went back to his home in Penllyn. He tried to make amends with Llew by offering him both Gronw's land and fortune, but Llew refused everything. Llew told Gronw that there was only one way to appease him. Gronw had to stand in the exact same spot where Llew stood when Gronw wounded him, thus allowing Llew to strike Gronw with a blow. Gronw realized all was lost and there was nothing he could do to protect Blodeuwedd. He agreed to Llew's terms. Llew Llaw Gyffes killed Gronw Pebyr upon the banks of the river Cynvael.



Gronw Pebyr was dead and Blodeuwedd was banished as a creature of the night. Llew took is proper place, ruling his own land and , as time passed, ruling Gwynedd as well.



Some people view Blodeuwedd as the May Queen, who was symbolically wed to the king who was then sacrificed to her. Others see her as a young rebel trying to break free from the restraints of the patriarchal world.



Many believe she was as deadly as she was beautiful. She was known as the “The Ninefold Goddess of the Western Isles,” and her totem was the owl, a bird of wisdom and mysteries.



Chart for Blodeuwedd



Colors

white

yellow



Animals

owls



Offerings

lilies

meadowsweet

oak

broom



My opinion about Blodeuwedd is that she doesn't seem to be a faithful person. She killed her husband to be with another man. She is also a bit of a trickster. She tricked her husband into revealing how he can be killed. I love owls and think they are beautiful creatures, but every time I see an owl I will think of Blodeuwedd!

Arianrhod was a Welsh mythological goddess that played a role in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi. She is a Celtic Goddess of the Moon, Stars and Sky. She was known by other names such as, Margawse or Morgause. She was the daughter of Danu and sister of Gwydion. Her uncle was Math ap Mathonwy, King of Gwynedd. Arianrhod had two sons, Dylan ail Don and Llew Llaw Gyffes. Arianrhod was beautiful, but with pale skin. She enjoyed the company of mermen. Her castle was Caer Sidi, or Annwn. This was the Otherworld, or land of the dead.



Arian means “silver” and Rhod means “wheel” or “disc”. She is ruler of Caen Sidi. She is worshipped as a priestess of the moon and is honored on the Full Moon each month. Each year on December 2nd she is celebrated.



Arianrhod's virginity was tested by Math who told her to step over his wand. She stepped over the wand and instantly gave birth to two sons. The first being Dylan ail Don. The second being Llew Llaw Gyffes. Gwydion took Llew and ran off. When Llew was four years old, Gwydion took Llew to Caer Arianrod when Llew's mother, Arianrhod, lived. Arianrod curses her son three different times. The first curse was he wouldn't have a name unless she named him, the second curse was he would not have the right to bear a sword or armor and the third curse was that he would never marry a woman of this earth. Gwydion tricked Arianrhod into naming her son Llew Llaw Gyffes, which means “fair-haired one” and “skillful hand”. Gwydion then tricked Arianrhod a second time into giving her son weapons and armor. Gwydion found it hard to break the third curse, so him and Math created a woman out of oak, broom and meadowsweet and named her Blodeuwedd, which means “flower face”, and she was a beautiful woman.



Arianrhod was not only humiliated, but she was thwarted as well. She went to her castle and drowned when the sea washed up to shore.



Arianrhod is a figure of feminine power and energy. She is a goddess of reincarnation, fertility and childbirth. She is a part of the Triple Goddess, being the Mother aspect, along with Cerridwen (the Crone) and Blodeuwedd (the Maiden). It is said that Arianrod can turn herself into an owl and see through the darkness of a human's soul.



Chart for Arianrhod



Symbols



Silver Wheel

The Moon

The Stars



Colors

Green

White

Red

Silver



Correspondences

Corona Borealis

Cycle of birth, death and rebirth



I see Arianrhod to be a spiteful person. I feel this is why she associated with death. She can reincarnate someone to make them better. I like Arianrhod, but I wouldn't want to cross her!

Okay, so we covered the history of Wicca, but what about what Wicca is and what it is not. I think I will cover this now so people know and understand what Wicca is truly about. If you still don't understand after reading then I suggest you research it.



What is Wicca?



Wicca is a neo-Pagan religion that focuses its sole intent on Nature and Earth. Wicca honors and worships a wide range of Gods and Goddesses. The list of Gods and Goddesses are never ending. It would take years to name them all. Each God has a counterpart and each Goddess has a counterpart. For example, the Goddess Athena's counterpart is Minerva while the Greek God Zeus' counterpart is Jupiter. Okay, moving on. Wicca celebrates Sabbats, which are holiday's. For example, Samhain is a Wicca Sabbat. To Christian's it's Halloween. Wicca does spell casting and rituals. The spells are prayers while the rituals are services or masses (much like what Christians do in church). Wicca does not have a bible like the Christians do. Instead, Wicca has Book of Shadows that keeps all spells, rituals, thoughts, meditations, etc. in it. Wicca is a very peaceful, loving, hopeful and calm religion. It is a positive religion.



What is Wicca not?



Wicca is NOT satanic. It does NOT believe in Satan (that is a Christian belief and myth found in their bible). Wicca is NOT a cult. Wicca does NOT sacrifice animals or humans. Wicca is NOT black magic. Wicca is NOT negative.



If you have any questions please ask.

The history of Wicca all began with the rise of the Neo-pagan religion. Wicca was believed to been founded in the early 1600's. Wicca was then “re-born” in 1954 by a number of figures, mostly by Gerald Gardner. Gardner's traditional form of Wicca was widely spread by both him and his own Wiccan tradition known as the Gardnerian Tradition. It was during this period that Wicca was spread to the United States. It was further adapted into new traditions such as Feri and the Dianic Traditions. Gardner was initiated into the Craft in 1939.



Wicca is a rapidly growing religion. More and more people are following Wicca due to its nature and Earth roots. Wicca comes from the Anglo-Saxon word "wicce", which literally means “one who practices sorcery”. Wicca came from Europe that had a Goddess and God at the center of the Wiccan religion. Wiccans believe in the karmic Three-fold Law which specifically states that whatever a person puts out into the world, whether it be good or bad, it will come back to them threefold, or three times over. Wiccans also believe in the Wiccan Rede, which is a statement of honor and promise. Its main line is “An it harm none, do what ye will”. This means that no harm will come to none and Wiccans do NOT believe in harming none. Wiccans try to live in harmony with nature and everything that lives within nature. Wiccans believe in life after death and that life is to be lived in a way that we can learn things to be used in the next life. Wiccans believe that they go to the Summerland, or the Spirit Realm, and Wiccans also believe in karma which makes them think about their past life actions.



In the 16th and 17th Century, a witch hunt took place across mostly all o Europe and America. This was called, at the time, the Salem Witch Trials. Some 40,000 to 100,000 supposed witches were killed (they were hanged and then burned on a stake). These people who were accused of being witches and, according to their accusers, supposedly worshiped Satan and committed acts of cannibalism of children. It turned out that they were falsely accused after their deaths had happened. The Salem Witch Trials were from 1690 to 1692. Many Wiccans believed that their religion was a constant continuation of this pagan cult. It wasn't until the 1980's and 1990's that Wiccans began to see that the cult was a myth rather than a fact. Since the 1990's, historians have published the history of Wicca and its true meaning of the religion.



For the longest time, Wicca was seen as a cult, with solitary practitioners calling themselves Wiccans or Witches. It went from being a cult to a very public religion. Wicca shows the undeniable influence of late Victorian era occultism. The religion, however, is inspired by older Pagan faiths. Wicca can be traced back to paleolithic man, cave paintings that depict the Horned God and pregnant Goddess. For Wicca, agriculture and the Earth became the center of attention along with the phases of the Moon. 



While some say that Wicca is only 60 years old, others will say it is centuries old. Wicca is an ever growing religion. And it should be said that NOT all Wiccans are Witches and NOT all Witches are Wiccan. Wicca is NOT a cult like some think. It is a religion of peace, harmony, hope, faith, love and freedom.



I hope this entry finds you in good standing on the history of this wonderful religion. I take great pride in being Wiccan.



And the rest, as we say, is history!