Walpurgisnacht

This “holiday”, a bit similar to “Christmas Eve” in Christianity is named after an 8th century saint named Walburga, a German Abbess (Mother Superior of Nuns). It falls on April 30th, the time of May Eve and is actually notorious for all sorts of psychic, supernatural, and occult friskiness throughout the human world. Its like is not to be seen again until All Hallows Eve, and kicks off a six month period of effectiveness in spell-casting and real contact with the spirit world. It is a night of witches gatherings to practice magic, raise spirits, promote their craft, and induct new members. Hollywood horror films made this a favorite holiday of mischievous spirits in the cult-classic “Troll” 1986, Empire Pictures. Earth and Moon energies begin to harmonize at this time.

 

Source

The Enchanter’s Almanac: 2016 to 2017 (First Edition)
Murray T. Paschal

Walpurgis Night

 

“Walpurgis Night (Walpurgisnacht) is a traditional spring festival on 30 April or 1 May in large parts of Central and Northern Europe. It is often celebrated with dancing and with bonfires. The current festival is, in most countries that celebrate it, named after the English missionary Saint Walburga (ca. 710–777/9). As Walburga was canonized on 1st of May (ca. 870), she became associated with May Day, especially in the Finnish and Swedish calendars.[1][2] The eve of May day, traditionally celebrated with dancing, came to be known as Walpurgisnacht (“Walpurga’s night”). The name of the holiday is Walpurgisnacht in German and Dutch, Valborgsmässoafton in Swedish, Vappu in Finnish, Volbriöö, (Walpurgi öö) in Estonian, Valpurgijos naktis in Lithuanian, Valpurģu nakts or Valpurģi in Latvian, čarodějnice or Valpuržina noc in Czech, chódotypalenje Lower Sorbian and chodojtypalenje in Upper Sorbian.

 

Source

– Wikipedia

General Preparations for Beltane

 

1. Clean up your garden, rake leaves, water as needed, put down fertilizer. If you last frost date is in April, then you can begin to plant seeds and seedlings. Do work appropriate for your agricultural Zone.

 

2. Do spring cleaning in your home. Wipe up the dust. Wash windows. Give away unneeded items. Scrub walls. Bring in some potted plants.

 

3. Working and meditating in the garden is an important facet of my spiritual path. I need to regularly reconnect with the earth and with the beauty and energy of the Spring season outdoors. Tend your garden daily. Water your garden each day. Weed your vegetable garden. Harvest from your late winter garden if you can grow on. Review your own lists of chores for April and May, and act accordingly.

 

4. Read about Beltane, May Day, Walpurgis Nacht and other mid-Spring celebrations around the world. Add notes and links to books, magazines, and webpages on the subject. See my bibliography and links above. Visit your local public library or college library to obtain access to books, media and magazines on the subject. Study about ancient Indo-European religions. I update my Months webpages on April and May.

 

5. Add some appropriate Beltane, May Day, Walpurgis Nacht and mid-Spring songs, chants, prayers, reflections, invocations, or poems to your Neo-Pagan Craft Journal, Book of Shadows, blog, website, or Ritual Handbook. Write in your personal journal. Most spiritual seekers keep a notebook, journal or log as part of their experimental, creative, magical and experiential work.

 

6. Stay at home. Improve your home, backyard, or garden. Eliminate long driving trips. Do you really need to “Go” anywhere? Do you really need to fly by airplane to another country? Explore your backyard, neighborhood, local community, nearby city, county wide area, regional area within 50-100 miles. Visit a local “sacred site.” For us, for example, this could be Mt. Shasta, the headwaters spring of the Sacramento River in Mt. Shasta City, the Sacramento River at Woodson Bridge Park, a long walk in the forest below nearby Mt. Lassen, sitting on the shore of Whiskeytown Lake, sitting in my backyard in the moonlight, or visiting a beautiful church or college or park that is nearby. Watch a DVD on a spiritual subject, sacred place, or inspirational topic. Learn more about your local environment.

 

7. Read solitary or group rites for Beltane, May Day, Walpurgis Nacht, Easter or other mid-spring celebrations available in books and webpages (see above). Create your own ritual for Beltane. Practice the ritual. Conduct the ritual at a convenient time for you, or your family and/or friends, as close to the day of May 1st as possible. Attend a public Beltane ritual of a local NeoPagan group.

 

8. Improve your indoor home altar. Clean and shine everything up on the altar. Place a fresh offering on your home altar every day in April. Add fresh flowers to the altar. Bring in branches of trees that are budding out. In Ireland, and were Celtic traditions are popular, the word “Bel” refers to a bright fire, a large bonfire, white, or bright, the month of May, and the beginning of the warm and bring summer season. Therefore, lighting candles will be an essential aspect of home piety. My home altar includes Druid, Roman, Wiccan, and Western Magickal influences, and is shown in the following two photos:

 

9. Key a close eye on flowering tree and shrub branches and leaf budding tree and shrub branches in yards and gardens. This rebirth or resurrection of vegetation is essential to the meaning of this season. Many gods and goddesses are associated with this rebirth, e.g., Persephone, Attis, Osiris, Jesus Christ. Bring some of these reborn branches into your home and home altar.

Setting Up Your Beltane Altar

It’s Beltane, the Sabbat where many Pagans choose to celebrate the fertility of the earth. This spring celebration is all about new life, fire, passion and rebirth, so there are all kinds of creative ways you can set up for the season. Depending on how much space you have, you can try some or even all of these ideas — obviously, someone using a bookshelf as an altar will have less flexibility than someone using a table, but use what calls to you most.

 

Colors of the Season
This is a time when the earth is lush and green as new grass and trees return to life after a winter of dormancy. Use lots of greens, as well as bright spring colors — the yellow of the daffodils, forsythia and dandelions; the purples of the lilac; the blue of a spring sky or a robin’s egg. Decorate your altar with any or all of these colors in your altar cloths, candles, or colored ribbons.

 

Fertility Symbols
The Beltane holiday is the time when, in some traditions, the male energy of the god is at its most potent. He is often portrayed with a large and erect phallus, and other symbols of his fertility include antlers, sticks, acorns, and seeds. You can include any of these on your altar. Consider adding a small Maypole centerpiece — there are few things more phallic than a pole sticking up out of the ground!

 

In addition to the lusty attributes of the god, the fertile womb of the goddess is honored at Beltane as well.
She is the earth, warm and inviting, waiting for seeds to grow within her. Add a goddess symbol, such as a statue, cauldron, cup, or other feminine items. Any circular item, such as a wreath or ring, can be used to represent the goddess as well.

 

Flowers and Faeries
Beltane is the time when the earth is greening once again — as new life returns, flowers are abundant everywhere.
Add a collection of early spring flowers to your altar — daffodils, hyacinths, forsythia, daisies, tulips — or consider making a floral crown to wear yourself. You may even want to pot some flowers or herbs as part of your Sabbat ritual.

 

In some cultures, Beltane is sacred to the Fae. If you follow a tradition that honors the Faerie realm, leave offerings on your altar for your household helpers.

 

Fire Festival
Because Beltane is one of the four fire festivals in modern Pagan traditions, find a way to incorporate fire into your altar setup. Although one popular custom is to hold a bonfire outside, that may not be practical for everyone, so instead it can be in the form of candles (the more the better), or a table-top brazier of some sort. A small cast-iron cauldron placed on a heat-resistant tile makes a great place to build an indoor fire.

 

Other Symbols of Beltane
May baskets
Chalices
Honey, oats, milk
Antlers or horns
Fruit such as cherries, mangos, pomegranates, peaches
Swords, lances, arrows

 

Source

by Patti Wigington
Published on ThoughtCo

Symbols of Beltane

 

Traditional symbols used to represent Beltane are the 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. Roses, bluebells, marigolds, daisies, primroses, violets and lilac are associated with Beltane.

 

Beltane Altar

Altars are generally adorned with seasonal flowers. Other appropriate altar decorations for the season include mirrors, a small May pole, phallic-shaped candles to represent fertility, and daisy chains.

 

Gods and Goddesses of Beltane

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.

 

Colors of Beltane

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.\

 
Plants and Animals of Beltane

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.

 

Animals

Animals associated with Beltane are goats, rabbits, and honey bees. Mythical beasts associated with Beltane include faeries, pegesus, satyrs, and giants.

 

Incense

Use lilac, passion flower, rose or vanilla. These can be used alone or blended as you like.

 

Foods

Dairy foods and eggs are in tune with this season. Sweets of all kinds, honey, and oats are all fine foods for Beltane. Simple dishes such as vanilla ice cream and egg custard are quite traditional fare on this day.

Beltane

Other names: May Day, Walpurgis Night, Rudemas, Whitsun, Lady Day (yes, same as Ostara)

 

Date: April 30/May 1st

 

Meaning: Seasons have shifted from spring into summer and the fertility of the year is celebrated. Growth and development are major themes at Beltane, as is sexuality and fertility. The God is now grown to a man and he consummates the sacred marriage with the Goddess.

 

Activities: Dancing the maypole, lighting bonfires, gathering wildflowers, sporting games, dancing, handfastings

 

Herbs: Rose, lilac, vanilla, angelica, hawthorn, primrose, lilac, yarrow

 

Foods: Dairy, honey, oats, salad greens, wine

 

Colors: Red, white, dark green, blue

 

Source

A Spell Crafter’s Compendium
Terri Paajanen

“Beltaine Fire and Beltaine Blood
Bless us now with all that’s good
Winter’s bleak time now is past
Springtime has begun at last.
Goddess Great as Crone and Queen
All Her brightest praises sing
Maiden, Mother, Goddess She
All the greatest blessings be.
Take all that now is naught but blight
And fill us all with Your delight
Burn away the dross and chaff
Renew us with Your hearty laugh
Sing and dance and beat the drums
From Her Bounty all good comes
Weeping, moaning, go away
Blessings from Her come our way
Beltaine Fire and Beltaine Blood
Bless us now with all that’s good
Winter’s Bleak time now is done
Welcome Springtime, now begun!”

– Ryllwynn

PRAYER TO HONOR THE MAY QUEEN

 

Make an offering of a floral crown, or a libation of honey and milk, to the Queen of the May during your Beltane prayers.

 

The leaves are budding across the land
on the ash and oak and hawthorn trees.
Magic rises around us in the forest
and the hedges are filled with laughter and love.
Dear lady, we offer you a gift,
a gathering of flowers picked by our hands,
woven into the circle of endless life.
The bright colors of nature herself
blend together to honor you,
Queen of spring,
as we give you honor this day.
Spring is here and the land is fertile,
ready to offer up gifts in your name.
we pay you tribute, our lady,
daughter of the Fae,
and ask your blessing this Beltane.

 

Patti Wigington, Author
Published on ThoughtCo

 

Honor the Sacred Feminine with a Goddess Ritual

When Margaret Murray wrote her ground-breaking God of the Witches, in 1931, scholars quickly dismissed her theory of a universal, pre-Christian cult of witches who worshiped a singular mother goddess. However, Murray wasn’t completely off-base; a number of individual cults existed in pre-Christian Europe which honored mother goddesses of their own. In Rome, the cult of Cybele was huge, and the mystery traditions of Isis in Egypt soon took on a mother-goddess status.

 

Take advantage of the blooming of spring, and use this time to celebrate the archetype of the mother goddess, and honor your own female ancestors and friends.

 

This simple ritual can be performed by both men and women, and is designed to honor the feminine aspects of the universe as well as our female ancestors. If you have a particular deity you call upon, feel free to change names or attributes around where needed. Otherwise, you can use the all-encompassing name of “Goddess” in the rite.

 

Decorate your altar with symbols of femininity: cups, chalices, flowers, lunar objects, fish, and doves or swans. You’ll also need the following items for this ritual:

 

A white candle
An offering of something that is important to you
A bowl of water
A handful of small pebbles or stones
If your tradition calls for you to cast a circle, do so now. Begin by standing in the goddess position, and saying:

 

I am (your name), and I stand before you,
goddesses of the sky and earth and sea,
I honor you, for your blood runs through my veins,
one woman, standing on the edge of the universe.
Tonight, I make an offering in Your names,
As my thanks for all you have given me.

 

Light the candle, and place your offering before it on the altar. The offering may be something tangible, such as bread or wine or flowers. It can also be something symbolic, such as a gift of your time or dedication. Whatever it is, it should be something from your heart. You may want to read up on Offerings to the Gods for some ideas.

 

Once you have made your offering, it is time to call upon the goddesses by name. Say:

 

I am (your name), and I stand before you,
Isis, Ishtar, Tiamat, Inanna, Shakti, Cybele.
Mothers of the ancient people,
guardians of those who walked the earth thousands of years ago,
I offer you this as a way of showing my gratitude.
Your strength has flowed within me,
your wisdom has given me knowledge,
your inspiration has given birth to harmony in my soul.

 

Now it is time to honor the women who have touched your life. For each one, place a pebble into the bowl of water. As you do so, say her name and how she has impacted you. You might say something like this:

 

I am (your name), and I stand before you,
to honor the sacred feminine that has touched my heart.
I honor Susan, who gave birth to me and raised me to be strong;
I honor Maggie, my grandmother, whose strength took her to the hospitals of war-torn France;
I honor Cathleen, my aunt, who lost her courageous battle with cancer;
I honor Jennifer, my sister, who has raised three children alone…

 

Continue until you have placed a pebble in the water for each of these women. Reserve one pebble for yourself. Finish by saying:

 

I am (your name), and I honor myself,
for my strength, my creativity, my knowledge, my inspiration,
and for all the other remarkable things that make me a woman.

Take a few minutes and reflect on the sacred feminine. What is it about being a woman that gives you joy? If you’re a man performing this ritual, what is it about the women in your life that makes you love them? Meditate on the feminine energy of the universe for a while, and when you are ready, end the ritual.

 

Tips:

 

This ritual can be adapted for a group easily; with a little planning it can become a beautiful ceremony for a number of people. Consider doing it as part of a womens’ circle, in which each member honors the others as part of the rite.

 

Patti Wigington, Author
Published on ThoughtCo

 

 

Magickal Goody for Today – Make Your Own Beltane Incense

 

At Beltane, spring is beginning to get seriously underway. Gardens are being planted, sprouts are beginning to appear, and the earth is returning to life once again. This time of year is associated with fertility, thanks to the greening of the land, and with fire. A few fire-associated herbs can be blended together to make the perfect Beltane incense. Use it during rituals and ceremonies, or burn it for workings related to fertility and growth.

 

Fresh herbs will likely be too young to harvest right now, which is why it’s a good idea to keep a supply on hand from the previous year. However, if you do have a fresh plant you wish to dry out, you can do this by placing it on a tray in your oven at low heat for an hour or two. If you have a home dehydrator, these work just as well.

 

This recipe is for loose incense, but you can adapt it for stick or cone recipes. If you haven’t read up on Incense 101, you should do that before beginning. As you mix and blend your incense, focus on the goal of your work.

 

You’ll need:

2 parts Mugwort
1 part dried daffodil petals
1 part Basil
1 part Hawthorn berries
1 part Patchouli
1 part Cinnamon
1/2 part Dragon’s Blood resin

 

Add your ingredients to your mixing bowl one at a time. Measure carefully, and if the leaves or blossoms need to be crushed, use your mortar and pestle to do so. As you blend the herbs together, state your intent. You may find it helpful to charge your incense with an incantation, such as:

 

Fire blend and fire light,
I celebrate Beltane this warm spring night.
This is the time of most fertile earth,
the greening of the land, and new rebirth.
Fire and passion and labor’s toil,
life grows anew out of the soil.
By Beltane’s flames, bring fertility to me,
As I will, so it shall be.

 

Store your incense in a tightly sealed jar. Make sure you label it with its intent and name, as well as the date you created it. Use within three months, so that it remains charged and fresh.

 

Patti Wigington, Author
Published on ThoughtCo

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