Sacred Woods of Beltane‏

One of the best-known Celtic traditions for Beltane is the lighting of the Beltane fires. These huge fires were set to welcome back the sun for the light (summer) half of the year. All the hearth fires were extinguished on May Eve, and then they were relit the next day from the Beltane fires.

 

The fires were started with nine sacred woods, each with various magickal properties. People would gather and dance around the fires through the night, jumping over the flames to ensure a successful and prosperous summer.

 

The sacred woods are: birch, oak, hazel, rowan (mountain ash), hawthorne, willow, fir, apple and vine. Each one and their qualities are mentioned in the “long version” of the Wiccan Rede.

 

Today’s thought: Pick a nearby tree, and take a leaf for your altar. Find out the qualities of that tree, and try to embody them today. It will work better if you choose a tree you can identify.