May Bush Beltane | Bealtaine Flowers \U0026 May Bush Folklore 126 개의 새로운 답변이 업데이트되었습니다.

당신은 주제를 찾고 있습니까 “may bush beltane – Bealtaine Flowers \u0026 May Bush Folklore“? 다음 카테고리의 웹사이트 https://chewathai27.com/you 에서 귀하의 모든 질문에 답변해 드립니다: https://chewathai27.com/you/blog. 바로 아래에서 답을 찾을 수 있습니다. 작성자 Nature Folklore 이(가) 작성한 기사에는 조회수 54회 및 좋아요 4개 개의 좋아요가 있습니다.

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여기에서 이 주제에 대한 비디오를 시청하십시오. 주의 깊게 살펴보고 읽고 있는 내용에 대한 피드백을 제공하세요!

d여기에서 Bealtaine Flowers \u0026 May Bush Folklore – may bush beltane 주제에 대한 세부정보를 참조하세요

This Nature Folklore Sessions is an indulgence to me because my favourite colour is yellow. To me, yellow in nature is like a dog waiting for you at home. No matter what challenging and upsetting or stressed day we may have had, our dog is always so please to see us. Likewise I find that no matter how pissed off I am with something, I never fail to smile at yellow flowers.
A lot of people think of bluebells and violets at this time, and the enchanting wild purple orchids are about too, well before the midsummer blue ones … but for me this time is about the yellow flowers.
This is the time of abundance of primroses, cowslips, furze in best bloom, and dandelions before they change into cotton ball clocks.
Join me to share the folklore of these yellow flowers of Bealtaine eve, which which is how I relate to the first days of May. For actual Bealtaine, I follow the ancient based sidereal time
Also included during this session on Sunday is the delightful and mysterious folklore of the ‘May Bush’ tree that is on the cusp of blossoming at this time, but before it does there are stories to tell.
If you have stories and poems of yellow flowers of May, but not daffodils now, and of the May Bush and Fairy trees. Do contact me so we can share them on Sunday?
And there will be a questions and response session too.

may bush beltane 주제에 대한 자세한 내용은 여기를 참조하세요.

May Wishing Tree Magick for Beltane – Llewellyn Worldwide

Also called a Fairy Tree or Wishing Tree, the May Bush is typically a small tree or shrub on which people place decorations as well as offerings …

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Date Published: 1/12/2022

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Beltane May Tree Ritual – Spell Spa

The May Tree ritual (sometimes referred to as a “Wishing tree” or “Beltane bush”) is one of the oldest Beltane traditions- and one that is …

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Date Published: 3/24/2022

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주제와 관련된 더 많은 사진을 참조하십시오 Bealtaine Flowers \u0026 May Bush Folklore. 댓글에서 더 많은 관련 이미지를 보거나 필요한 경우 더 많은 관련 기사를 볼 수 있습니다.

Bealtaine Flowers \u0026 May Bush Folklore
Bealtaine Flowers \u0026 May Bush Folklore

주제에 대한 기사 평가 may bush beltane

  • Author: Nature Folklore
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  • Date Published: 실시간 스트리밍 시작일: 2021. 5. 2.
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May Tree Decoration – Create a Wishing Tree for Beltane

Decorating a May Tree or May Bush (also called a Fairy Tree or Wishing Tree) is an old Beltane tradition. Read our guide to May Tree decorations and rituals.

“As a child in Japan, I used to go to a temple and write out a wish on a piece of thin paper and tie it around the branch of a tree. Trees in temple courtyards were always filled with people’s wish knots, which looked like white flowers blossoming from afar.” – Yoko Ono: ‘All My Works Are A Form Of Wishing’

Even though we’re gonna talk about May tree decorations for the great holiday of Beltane, keep in mind this phrase by Yoko. She’s right – art IS a form of wishing. In witchy business, each meaningful ritual and holiday celebration can be turned into an art piece or art happening. Decorating trees for Beltane is a beautiful tradition worth spending your creative energy on. Besides, it is a perfect opportunity to make an oh-so-specific wish . Health? Romantic relationships? Extra cash? General progression? You name it.

This guide to May Tree decoration is less of a history lesson and more of a creative workshop on symbolism, spring magic and design.

Let’s look at where and how to decorate a May Tree, how to use it for manifestation, and how to work with and celebrate the energy of the spring season.

The May Queen, Flora and Jack-in-the-Green are celebrating the Sacred Marriage on this day, and we’re all invited. You can include May Tree decoration in our annual symbolic crowning ritual occuring every May 1st, May Day Magic, or keep it as a separate working.

Let’s look at the symbols of the Sacred Marriage…

Flowers

Flowers, flowers and more flowers. Everything starts to blossom after this beautiful wedding of nature forces. The Green Man (aka the May God) is manifested in a tree.

Crown

The May Goddess is a crown on top of the tree. The crown and other decorations can be made of real or paper flowers, cloth, yarn – any ecological material that won’t hurt or bend the tree.

Trees and plants associated with Beltane and May Day

A choice of trees for Beltane tree art installation is another layer of symbolism ready to be unfolded.

Birch

The birch tree symbolizes divine light, grace, finesse. In druid tradition, the birch tree is associated with rebirth and new beginnings; it’s a perfect tree for manifestations.

Rowan

Rowan is another traditional Beltane tree due its qualities of soothing, healing, mending, and loving. Rowan tree branches would be spread out at the threshold of the house, to prevent the evil eye charms of dark warlocks.

Fairies, spirits and household protection

The following plants can be used for universal household protection on this special day when all the fairies and spirits are out there watching, looking forward to sneaking in:

Primrose

Lilac

Marigold

Elder tree

Young green plants

Decorate your house generously with greenery, the youngest plants you can get, to let the summer in. Don’t forget to treat your loved ones to some small rowan or elder tree branches for prosperity and fruitfulness.

Decorating the May Tree or Beltane Altar

Here are some traditional Beltane colours for inspiration:

Gold

Green

Purple

Pink

White

The colours above can be used for dressing your chosen May Tree in the form of ribbons, paper garlands, or whatever your craft skills dictate.

You can also show some love to your practice by, for example, adding green candles or rose petals to your working altar on Beltane. The same palette works for the summer redesign of your altar.

One more note on May Day and Beltane colours – you can use green and purple in your art, but may wish to avoid wearing these colours on May Day. If you do, the spirits hanging out with us on this day could mix you up with one of their own folks and take you back with them. It’s traditional to wear white on Beltane, just in case.

How to use your decorated May Tree on Beltane

You can ask the May Tree for a May Day wish. Romantic people looking for a new love adventure can ask a tree for a soulmate! Here you can get really creative with “designing” your character and shaping your intent by festooning the tree with ribbons of specific colours:

gold to symbolize prosperity

blue for courage

white for fidelity

pink for tenderness

green for good health.

You could ask these for yourself or the ones you love, but aim to be precise with your wishes when decorating the tree.

After decorating your tree and feeling happy and artistically energized, call upon the powers of the sun, nature and love.

You can even sing to the May Tree or dance around it for a strong connection. However, the truest connection comes from your intention.

The leaves and twigs of the May Tree that you have just decorated with all your love, talent and imagination can be brought home, assembled in a bouquet and kept throughout the next year so that the spring joy will never end in your home.

You can also use dried leaves for healing baths to fill yourself up with health, positivity and attraction energy.

May Tree Beltane Rituals

Even though young people would traditionally go into the woods, so that no human eyes would witness their romantic overnight adventures round the magic tree, you don’t have to go that far away into the wilderness. Any tree or bush in a backyard will do. If you have some time, energy and will, you can turn your backyard or favourite spot in the woods or a park into an intentional space. Celebrate the holiday and get artsy at the same time.

Urban ritual – not everyone has access to wild, wild woods. You can still connect your local environment with May Day magic.

Think about it. What do you need the most? Do you want to feel like a child again? Or maybe you want to address your inner self? Here are some art ideas for mindful springtime. Let’s make a living and functional art installation.

Temple of inner peace

For meditation practice there’s no better place than under a tree and no better time for commitment to this practice than 1st of May. Chose white or soft pastel colors for ribbons and yarn, add some paper origami ideas like planes or flowers. Hang some glass candle-holders and wait for the sunset. Meditate on the qualities of the tree above you; find the ones you would want to obtain, at least partially -flexibility of a willow, tenderness of a birch tree, strong protection abilities of rowan or an elder tree. Friends gathering and soul-healing talking will fill this space with love and good vibrations.

Outside play area

Cherish your inner child. Bring back your favorite childhood toys. Just imagine all your dolls in polka-dot dresses and teddy bears neighboring joyfully with colorful cups, cars and figurines. Hang some candies, cookies, donuts -your favorite treats- for the elves wandering outside. Tie colorful ribbons, confetti-themed fabrics and go reckless. Call upon your crazy friends, play music, throw a party. Offer your friends pink smoothies, raspberry marshmallow, banana cupcakes -something fun, fruity and reminding of good old carefree times.

Wishing ceremony

You can take Yoko’s idea to the next level and turn it into a neighborhood happening of the coming summer by inviting everyone you know for a public wishing ceremony. Ask everyone to think about a wish, write it down and hang the note on the Wishing tree. It’s amazing how the idea of Beltane wishing tree and Hanami tradition coincide during this holiday; let this idea of unity inspire you and your friends to make art and magic that socially involves others in a very moving way.

Manifest grace

Don’t hesitate to encourage magic in yourself and others. Whatever you associate with grace and symbolic fertility – the ancient Yoni symbol, Bastet the Cat Goddess, pompom yarn boobies – can find a well-deserved honorable place on your May Tree. Inspire yourself and bring joy to others. Besides, a giant tree installation of cat heads can look quite promising.

A cup of tea – the easy alternative to Beltane May Tree decoration

Herb tea has increased potency on Beltane

If you’re not into decorating a tree at all or you’re trapped in urban jungle, don’t worry. Just add some herbs to your tea. They say all herbs are healing on Beltane and will surely fix you up.

The point is, Beltane is a holiday or our renewal, time for new hopes and beginnings. Anything you decide or wish or manifest over a cup of tea on Beltane could actually work this time.

More on Beltane:

Wikipedia

Gaelic May Day festival

Beltane ( )[5][6] is the Gaelic May Day festival. It is held on 1 May, or about halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. In Irish the name for the festival day is Lá Bealtaine ( [l̪ˠaː ˈbʲal̪ˠt̪ˠənʲə]), in Scottish Gaelic Latha Bealltainn ( [l̪ˠaː ˈpjaul̪ˠt̪ɪɲ]) and in Manx Gaelic Laa Boaltinn/Boaldyn. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals—along with Samhain, Imbolc and Lughnasadh—and is similar to the Welsh Calan Mai.

Beltane is mentioned in the earliest Irish literature and is associated with important events in Irish mythology. Also known as Cétshamhain (“first of summer”), it marked the beginning of summer and was when cattle were driven out to the summer pastures. Rituals were performed to protect cattle, people and crops, and to encourage growth. Special bonfires were kindled, whose flames, smoke and ashes were deemed to have protective powers. The people and their cattle would walk around or between bonfires, and sometimes leap over the flames or embers. All household fires would be doused and then re-lit from the Beltane bonfire. These gatherings would be accompanied by a feast, and some of the food and drink would be offered to the aos sí. Doors, windows, byres and livestock would be decorated with yellow May flowers, perhaps because they evoked fire. In parts of Ireland, people would make a May Bush: typically a thorn bush or branch decorated with flowers, ribbons, bright shells and rushlights. Holy wells were also visited, while Beltane dew was thought to bring beauty and maintain youthfulness. Many of these customs were part of May Day or Midsummer festivals in parts of Great Britain and Europe.

Beltane celebrations had largely died out by the mid-20th century, although some of its customs continued and in some places it has been revived as a cultural event. Since the late 20th century, Celtic neopagans and Wiccans have observed a festival based on Beltane as a religious holiday. Some neopagans in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate Beltane on or around 1 November.

Historic customs [ edit ]

Beltane was one of four Gaelic seasonal festivals: Samhain (1 November), Imbolc (1 February), Beltane (1 May), and Lughnasadh (1 August). Beltane marked the beginning of the pastoral summer season, when livestock were driven out to the summer pastures.[7][8] Rituals were held at that time to protect them from harm, both natural and supernatural, and this mainly involved the “symbolic use of fire”.[7] There were also rituals to protect crops, dairy products and people, and to encourage growth. The aos sí (often referred to as spirits or fairies) were thought to be especially active at Beltane (as at Samhain)[7] and the goal of many Beltane rituals was to appease them. Most scholars see the aos sí as remnants of the pagan gods and nature spirits.[9] Beltane was a “spring time festival of optimism” during which “fertility ritual again was important, perhaps connecting with the waxing power of the sun”.[3]

Ancient and medieval [ edit ]

Beltane (the beginning of summer) and Samhain (the beginning of winter) are thought to have been the most important of the four Gaelic festivals. Sir James George Frazer wrote in The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion that the times of Beltane and Samhain are of little importance to European crop-growers, but of great importance to herdsmen. Thus, he suggests that halving the year at 1 May and 1 November dates from a time when the Celts were mainly a pastoral people, dependent on their herds.[10]

The earliest mention of Beltane is in Old Irish literature from Gaelic Ireland. According to the early medieval texts Sanas Cormaic (written by Cormac mac Cuilennáin) and Tochmarc Emire, Beltane was held on 1 May and marked the beginning of summer. The texts say that, to protect cattle from disease, druids would make two fires “with great incantations” and drive the cattle between them.[11][12][13]

According to 17th-century historian Geoffrey Keating, there was a great gathering at the hill of Uisneach each Beltane in medieval Ireland, where a sacrifice was made to a god named Beil. Keating wrote that two bonfires would be lit in every district of Ireland, and cattle would be driven between them to protect them from disease.[14] There is no reference to such a gathering in the annals, but the medieval Dindsenchas (lore of places) includes a tale of a hero lighting a holy fire on Uisneach that blazed for seven years. Ronald Hutton writes that this may “preserve a tradition of Beltane ceremonies there”, but adds “Keating or his source may simply have conflated this legend with the information in Sanas Chormaic to produce a piece of pseudo-history”.[7] Nevertheless, excavations at Uisneach in the 20th century found evidence of large fires and charred bones, and showed it to have been a place of ritual since ancient times.[7][15][16] Evidence suggests it was “a sanctuary-site, in which fire was kept burning perpetually, or kindled at frequent intervals”, where animal sacrifices were offered.[17]

Beltane is also mentioned in medieval Scottish literature.[18] An early reference is found in the poem ‘Peblis to the Play’, contained in the Maitland Manuscripts of 15th- and 16th-century Scots poetry, which describes the celebration in the town of Peebles.[19]

Modern era [ edit ]

From the late 18th century to the mid 20th century, many accounts of Beltane customs were recorded by folklorists and other writers. For example John Jamieson, in his Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language (1808) describes some of the Beltane customs which persisted in the 18th and early 19th centuries in parts of Scotland, which he noted were beginning to die out.[20] In the 19th century, folklorist Alexander Carmichael (1832–1912), collected the Scottish Gaelic song Am Beannachadh Bealltain (The Beltane Blessing) in his Carmina Gadelica, which he heard from a crofter in South Uist.[19] The first two verses were sung as follows:

Beannaich, a Thrianailt fhioir nach gann, (Bless, O Threefold true and bountiful,)

Mi fein, mo cheile agus mo chlann, (Myself, my spouse and my children,)

Mo chlann mhaoth’s am mathair chaomh ‘n an ceann, (My tender children and their beloved mother at their head,)

Air chlar chubhr nan raon, air airidh chaon nam beann, (On the fragrant plain, at the gay mountain sheiling,)

Air chlar chubhr nan raon, air airidh chaon nam beann. (On the fragrant plain, at the gay mountain sheiling.)

Gach ni na m’ fhardaich, no ta ‘na m’ shealbh, (Everything within my dwelling or in my possession,)

Gach buar is barr, gach tan is tealbh, (All kine and crops, all flocks and corn,)

Bho Oidhche Shamhna chon Oidhche Bheallt, (From Hallow Eve to Beltane Eve,)

Piseach maith, agus beannachd mallt, (With goodly progress and gentle blessing,)

Bho mhuir, gu muir, agus bun gach allt, (From sea to sea, and every river mouth,)

Bho thonn gu tonn, agus bonn gach steallt. (From wave to wave, and base of waterfall.)[19]

Bonfires [ edit ]

Bonfires continued to be a key part of the festival in the modern era. All hearth fires and candles would be doused before the bonfire was lit, generally on a mountain or hill.[3][21] Ronald Hutton writes that “To increase the potency of the holy flames, in Britain at least they were often kindled by the most primitive of all means, of friction between wood.”[7] This is known as a need-fire or force-fire. In the 19th century, John Ramsay described Scottish Highlanders kindling such a fire at Beltane, which was deemed sacred.[7] In the 19th century, the ritual of driving cattle between two fires—as described in Sanas Cormaic almost 1000 years before—was still practised across most of Ireland and in parts of Scotland.[7] Sometimes the cattle would be driven around a bonfire or be made to leap over flames or embers. The people themselves would do likewise.[7] On the Isle of Man, people ensured that the smoke blew over them and their cattle.[8] When the bonfire had died down, people would daub themselves with its ashes and sprinkle it over their crops and livestock.[7] Burning torches from the bonfire would be taken home, carried around the house or boundary of the farmstead,[22] and used to re-light the hearth.[7] From these rituals, it is clear that the fire was seen as having protective powers.[7] Similar rituals were part of May Day or Midsummer customs in other parts of the British Isles and mainland Europe.[23] Frazer believed the fire rituals are a kind of imitative or sympathetic magic. He suggests they were meant to mimic the Sun and “ensure a needful supply of sunshine for men, animals, and plants”, as well as to symbolically “burn up and destroy all harmful influences”.[24]

A Beltane bonfire at WEHEC 2015

Food was also cooked at the bonfire and there were rituals involving it. In the Scottish Highlands, Alexander Carmichael recorded that there was a feast featuring lamb, and that formerly this lamb was sacrificed.[25] In 1769, Thomas Pennant wrote of bonfires in Perthshire, where a caudle made from eggs, butter, oatmeal and milk was cooked. Some of the mixture was poured on the ground as a libation. Everyone present would then take an oatmeal cake, called the bannoch Bealltainn or “Beltane bannock”. A bit was offered to the spirits to protect their livestock (one to protect the horses, one to protect the sheep, and so forth) and a bit offered to each of the predators that might harm their livestock (one to the fox, one to the eagle, and so forth). Afterwards, they would drink the caudle.[7]

According to 18th century writers, in parts of Scotland there was another ritual involving the oatmeal cake. The cake would be cut and one of the slices marked with charcoal. The slices would then be put in a bonnet and everyone would take one out while blindfolded. According to one writer, whoever got the marked piece had to leap through the fire three times. According to another, those present pretended to throw the person into the fire and, for some time afterwards, would speak of them as if they were dead. This “may embody a memory of actual human sacrifice”, or it may have always been symbolic.[7] A similar ritual (i.e. of pretending to burn someone in the fire) was part of spring and summer bonfire festivals in other parts of Europe.[26]

Flowers and May Bushes [ edit ]

A flowering hawthorn

Yellow and white flowers such as primrose, rowan, hawthorn, gorse, hazel, and marsh marigold were traditionally placed at doorways and windows; this is documented in 19th century Ireland, Scotland and Mann. Sometimes loose flowers were strewn at doors and windows and sometimes they were made into bouquets, garlands or crosses and fastened to them. They would also be fastened to cows and equipment for milking and butter making. It is likely that such flowers were used because they evoked fire.[7] Similar May Day customs are found across Europe.

The May Bush or May Bough was popular in parts of Ireland until the late 19th century.[27] This was a small tree or branch—typically hawthorn, rowan, holly or sycamore—decorated with bright flowers, ribbons, painted shells or eggshells from Easter Sunday, and so forth. The tree would either be decorated where it stood, or branches would be decorated and placed inside or outside the house (particularly above windows and doors, on the roof, and on barns).[27] It was generally the responsibility of the oldest person of the house to decorate the May Bush, and the tree would remain up until May 31st.[28][29] The tree would also be decorated with candles or rushlights.[21] Sometimes a May Bush would be paraded through the town. In parts of southern Ireland, gold and silver hurling balls known as May Balls would be hung on these May Bushes and handed out to children or given to the winners of a hurling match.[21] In Dublin and Belfast, May Bushes were brought into town from the countryside and decorated by the whole neighbourhood.[21] Each neighbourhood vied for the most handsome tree and, sometimes, residents of one would try to steal the May Bush of another. This led to the May Bush being outlawed in Victorian times.[21] In some places, it was customary to sing and dance around the May Bush, and at the end of the festivities it may be burnt in the bonfire.[30] In some areas the May Bush or Bough has also been called the “May Pole”, but it is the bush or tree described above, and not the more commonly-known European maypole.[27]

Thorn trees are traditionally seen as special trees, associated with the aos sí. Frazer believed the customs of decorating trees or poles in springtime are a relic of tree worship and wrote: “The intention of these customs is to bring home to the village, and to each house, the blessings which the tree-spirit has in its power to bestow.”[31] Emyr Estyn Evans suggests that the May Bush custom may have come to Ireland from England, because it seemed to be found in areas with strong English influence and because the Irish saw it as unlucky to damage certain thorn trees.[32] However, “lucky” and “unlucky” trees varied by region, and it has been suggested that Beltane was the only time when cutting thorn trees was allowed.[33] The practice of bedecking a May Bush with flowers, ribbons, garlands and bright shells is found among the Gaelic diaspora, most notably in Newfoundland, and in some Easter traditions on the East Coast of the United States.[21]

Appeasing the fairies [ edit ]

Many Beltane practices were designed to ward off or appease the fairies and prevent them from stealing dairy products. For example, three black coals were placed under a butter churn to ensure the fairies did not steal the butter, and May Boughs were tied to milk pails, the tails of cattle or hung in the barns to ensure the cattle’s milk was not stolen.[34][29] Flowers were also used to decorate the horns of cattle, which was believed to bring good fortune.[35] Food was left or milk poured at the doorstep or places associated with the aos sí, such as ‘fairy trees’, as an offering.[36][37] However, milk was never given to a neighbor on May Day because it was feared that the milk would be transferred to the neighbor’s cow.[38] In Ireland, cattle would be brought to ‘fairy forts’, where a small amount of their blood would be collected. The owners would then pour it into the earth with prayers for the herd’s safety. Sometimes the blood would be left to dry and then be burnt.[36] It was thought that dairy products were especially at risk from harmful spirits.[21][39][40] To protect farm produce and encourage fertility, farmers would lead a procession around the boundaries of their farm. They would “carry with them seeds of grain, implements of husbandry, the first well water, and the herb vervain (or rowan as a substitute). The procession generally stopped at the four cardinal points of the compass, beginning in the east, and rituals were performed in each of the four directions”.[41] People made the sign of the cross with milk for good luck on Beltane, and the sign of the cross was also made on the backsides of cattle.[42][43]

Other customs [ edit ]

Holy wells were often visited at Beltane, and at the other Gaelic festivals of Imbolc and Lughnasadh. Visitors to holy wells would pray for health while walking sunwise (moving from east to west) around the well. They would then leave offerings; typically coins or clooties (see clootie well).[21] The first water drawn from a well on Beltane was thought to be especially potent, and would bring good luck to the person who drew it. Beltane morning dew was also thought to bring good luck and health. At dawn or before sunrise on Beltane, maidens would roll in the dew or wash their faces with it.[44] The dew was collected in a jar, left in sunlight, then filtered. The dew was thought to increase sexual attractiveness, maintain youthfulness, protect from sun damage (particularly freckles and sunburn) and help with skin ailments for the ensuing year.[8][21][44][45] It was also thought that a man who washed his face with soap and water on Beltane will grow long whiskers on his face.[27]

It was widely believed that no one should light a fire on May Day morning until they saw smoke rising from a neighbor’s house.[29] It was also believed to be bad luck to put out ashes or clothes on May Day, and to give away coal or ashes would cause the giver difficulty in lighting fires for the next year.[46][45] Also, if the family owned a white horse, it should remain in the barn all day, and if any other horse was owned, a red rag should be tied to its tail.[27] Any foal born on May Day was fated to kill a man, and any cow that calved on May Day would die.[46] Any birth or marriage on May Day was generally believed to be ill-fated.[47][30] On May Night a cake and a jug were left on the table, because it was believed that the Irish who had died abroad would return on May Day to their ancestral homes, and it was also believed that the dead returned on May Day to visit their friends.[47][42] A robin that flew into the house on Beltane was believed to portend the death of a household member.[30]

The festival persisted widely up until the 1950s, and in some places the celebration of Beltane continues today.[16][39][40]

Revival [ edit ]

As a festival, Beltane had largely died out by the mid-20th century, although some of its customs continued and in some places it has been revived as a cultural event. In Ireland, Beltane fires were common until the mid-20th century,[21] but the custom seems to have lasted to the present day only in County Limerick (especially in Limerick itself) and in Arklow, County Wicklow.[48] The lighting of a community Beltane fire from which each hearth fire is then relit is observed today in some parts of the Gaelic diaspora, though in most of these cases it is a cultural revival rather than an unbroken survival of the ancient tradition.[21][49][50] In parts of Newfoundland, the custom of decorating the May Bush also survives.[51] The town of Peebles in the Scottish Borders holds a traditional week-long Beltane Fair every year in June, when a local girl is crowned Beltane Queen on the steps of the parish church. Like other Borders festivals, it incorporates a Common Riding.[19][52]

Since 1988, a Beltane Fire Festival has been held every year on the night of 30 April on Calton Hill in Edinburgh, Scotland. While inspired by traditional Beltane, it is a modern celebration of summer’s beginning which draws on many influences.[53] The performance art event involves fire dances and a procession by costumed performers, led by the May Queen and the Green Man, culminating in the lighting of a bonfire.[54]

A similar Bealtaine Festival has been held each year since 2009 at Uisneach in Ireland.[55] It culminates in a torchlit procession by participants in costume, some on horseback, and the lighting of a large bonfire at dusk.[56] In 2017, the ceremonial fire was lit by the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins.[57]

The 1970 recording ‘Ride a White Swan’, written and performed by Marc Bolan and his band T.Rex, contains the line “Ride a white Swan like the people of the Beltane”.[58]

Neopaganism [ edit ]

Beltane and Beltane-based festivals are held by some Neopagans. As there are many kinds of Neopaganism, their Beltane celebrations can be very different despite the shared name. Some try to emulate the historic festival as much as possible.[59] Other Neopagans base their celebrations on many sources, the Gaelic festival being only one of them.[60][61]

Neopagans usually celebrate Beltane on 30 April – 1 May in the Northern Hemisphere and 31 October – 1 November in the Southern Hemisphere, beginning and ending at sunset.[62][63][64][65][66] Some Neopagans celebrate it at the astronomical midpoint between the spring equinox and summer solstice (or the full moon nearest this point). In the Northern Hemisphere, this midpoint is when the ecliptic longitude of the Sun reaches 45 degrees.[67] In 2014, this was on 5 May.[68]

Celtic Reconstructionist [ edit ]

Celtic Reconstructionists strive to reconstruct ancient Celtic religion. Their religious practices are based on research and historical accounts,[59][69] but modified to suit modern life. They avoid syncretism and eclecticism (i.e. combining practises from unrelated cultures).[70]

Celtic Reconstructionists usually celebrate Beltane when the local hawthorn trees are in bloom. Many observe the traditional bonfire rites, to whatever extent this is feasible where they live. This may involve passing themselves and their pets or livestock between two bonfires, and bringing home a candle lit from the bonfire. If they are unable to make a bonfire or attend a bonfire ceremony, candles may be used instead. They may decorate their homes with a May Bush, branches from blooming thorn trees, or equal-armed rowan crosses. Holy wells may be visited and offerings made to the spirits or deities of the wells. Traditional festival foods may also be prepared.[71][72]

Wicca [ edit ]

Wiccans use the name Beltane or Beltain for their May Day celebrations. It is one of the yearly Sabbats of their Wheel of the Year, following Ostara and preceding Midsummer. Unlike Celtic Reconstructionism, Wicca is syncretic and melds practices from many different cultures. In general, the Wiccan Beltane is more akin to the Germanic/English May Day festival, both in its significance (focusing on fertility) and its rituals (such as maypole dancing). Some Wiccans enact a ritual union of the May Lord and May Lady.[62]

Name [ edit ]

In Irish, the festival is usually called Lá Bealtaine (‘day of Beltane’) while the month of May is Mí Bhealtaine (“month of Beltane”). In Scottish Gaelic, the festival is Latha Bealltainn and the month is An Cèitean or a’ Mhàigh. Sometimes the older Scottish Gaelic spelling Bealltuinn is used. The word Céitean comes from Cétshamain (‘first of summer’), an old alternative name for the festival.[73][74] The term Latha Buidhe Bealltainn (Scottish) or Lá Buidhe Bealtaine (Irish), ‘the bright or yellow day of Beltane’, means the first of May. In Ireland it is referred to in a common folk tale as Luan Lae Bealtaine; the first day of the week (Monday/Luan) is added to highlight the first day of summer.[75]

The name is anglicized as Beltane, Beltain, Beltaine, Beltine and Beltany.[2]

Etymology [ edit ]

Two modern etymologies have been proposed. Beltaine could derive from a Common Celtic *belo-te(p)niâ, meaning ‘bright fire’. The element *belo- might be cognate with the English word bale (as in bale-fire) meaning ‘white’, ‘bright’ or ‘shining’. Alternatively, Beltaine might stem from a Common Celtic form reconstructed as *Beltiniyā, which would be cognate with the name of the Lithuanian goddess of death Giltinė, both from an earlier *gʷel-tiōn-, formed with the Proto-Indo-European root *gʷelH- (‘suffering, death’). The absence of syncope (Irish sound laws rather predict a **Beltne form) can be explained by the popular belief that Beltaine was a compound of the word for ‘fire’, tene.[76][77]

In Ó Duinnín’s Irish dictionary (1904), Beltane is referred to as Céadamh(ain) which it explains is short for Céad-shamh(ain) meaning ‘first (of) summer’. The dictionary also states that Dia Céadamhan is May Day and Mí Céadamhan is the month of May.

Toponymy [ edit ]

There are place names in Ireland containing the word Bealtaine, indicating places where Bealtaine festivities were once held. It is often anglicised as Beltany. There are three Beltanys in County Donegal, including the Beltany stone circle, and two in County Tyrone. In County Armagh there is a place called Tamnaghvelton/Tamhnach Bhealtaine (‘the Beltane field’). Lisbalting/Lios Bealtaine (‘the Beltane ringfort’) is in County Tipperary, while Glasheennabaultina/Glaisín na Bealtaine (‘the Beltane stream’) is the name of a stream joining the River Galey in County Limerick.[78]

See also [ edit ]

References [ edit ]

The May Bush in Newfoundland

The May Bush in Newfoundland

In some areas of Newfoundland, particularly those with an Irish and agricultural heritage, spruce or fir saplings stripped of most of their limbs, save a few near the top, bedecked with strips of coloured cloth or ribbons, appear on the first day of May. These may bushes (also called maypoles, may brushes or may trees) are often nailed to fences or gates and are kept there by the householders who erected them for the duration of the month. Historically, may bushes have had festive, protective, decorative, invocational, or religious functions.

While many festivities associated with May or the arrival of spring can be traced back to ancient Rome, Egypt or India, the specific inclusion of the maypole in springtime rituals and celebrations is usually associated with the ancient Celts. It was an emblem of ancient fertility used during Bealtine (or Beltane), a pagan agrarian festival observed on May Day (May 1st) to mark the beginning of summer.

May Bush, Torbay, 1999 A blasty (dried out) may bush late in the month. Reproduced by permission of Lara Maynard. Photo ©1999.

In medieval England the maypole was a chief feature of May Day celebrations. Customarily, young people would cut down a tree on May Day morning and cut off most of its branches. It was decorated with flowers and streamers, paraded about, and then served as an axis for a maypole dance during which participants holding the ends of streamers circled the pole. In some parishes these poles would be reused and redecorated for a number of years.

In Ireland may bushes (often whitethorn bushes) or may boughs (sometimes from a sycamore) were decorated with flowers, which were thought to ward off evil and bring good luck. Is some areas may bushes became maypoles. Eventually may bushes in Ireland became associated with honouring the Blessed Virgin Mary. May bushes were decorated with candles and dances were held in Her honour. Children might also pick May flowers in Mary’s honour and use them to decorate small shrines or altars.

Springtime has long been associated with feminine deities. In Greek culture it was dedicated to Artemis, goddess of fecundity. In Roman culture it was dedicated to Flora, the goddess of blossoms. In the 18th century the Christian Church adopted May as a month for the devotion of Mary and two Marian liturgical celebrations, the Feast of Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles and the Commemoration of the Visitation, are observed during the month. The month of May is now dedicated to Mary in many Christian cultures and it is often referred to as “Mary month” in popular devotion.

Newfoundlanders who erect may bushes nowadays usually cite the commemoration of “Mary’s month” as the reason for doing so. Indeed, their may bushes are often predominantly or solely decorated in blue ribbons, blue being the colour often associated with Mary in iconography. Some people add red ribbons to their bushes in June in commemoration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and do not take them down until the end of that month.

May bush, Flatrock’s cemetery, 1999. The family of the man on whose grave the bush sits has placed one there every year since his death in remembrance of his regular practise of the custom. Reproduced by permission of Lara Maynard. Photo ©1999.

While the custom of erecting may bushes now seems to be motivated by a combination of religion and tradition, it is worth noting that instances of them being erected for good luck, whether in general or for fruitful planting, have been recorded at least as late as the 1970s.

May Wishing Tree Magick for Beltane

With its focus on fun and frivolity, it’s no wonder Beltane is one of the most festive Sabbats of the year for many modern Pagans. Held each year on or around May 1st, Beltane is a celebration of vitality, fertility, strength, and growth reflecting a blending of many traditions. It gets its name from the pre-Christian Celtic Bealtaine, which marked the start of the summer season. Rituals to ensure prosperity, health, fertility, and the well-being of one’s livestock and other assets were enacted, as this was a time to tune in to Nature’s tides of strength, growth, and abundance.

One interesting Beltane tradition that’s still practiced in many places is the decorating of the May Bush, or May Tree. Also called a Fairy Tree or Wishing Tree, the May Bush is typically a small tree or shrub on which people place decorations as well as offerings, prayers, and wishes to the fae and other Nature spirits. Though decorating a tree is something we usually associate with Yule, making your very own May Bush is not only fun, it’s also an effective means to make some May Day magick.

Any tree or bush can become the May Bush, but traditionally, Hawthorns are favored as they flower right around the time of Beltane. In Ireland, a Hawthorn growing near a holy well was the ideal May Tree. Water was considered especially sacred at Beltane, and visits to sacred wells in search of healing or other favors were common. One technique used to heal the sick was to dip a piece of the afflicted person’s clothing into the well water, then tie the fabric onto a nearby tree, thus transferring the infirmity away from the victim and into the living shrubbery. Over time, this practice was expanded to include wishes for love, fertility, protection, and general good luck. People would hang ribbons or strips of fabric onto the May Tree and make their wishes, in hopes of gaining the favors of the fae who dwelled amidst the flowering green branches.

In England and other English-influenced parts of the United Kingdom, it was traditional to take a large cutting from a Hawthorn or other thorn tree and place it near the home or in a communal area to bring good luck and blessings from the tree spirits. These May Bushes were decked with painted egg shells, colorful ribbons, and wildflowers. Villages would often compete to produce the best community May Bush, but eventually the practice was discouraged and even outlawed in some places due to the lawlessness it inspired, as competing villagers vied to steal or deface the May Bushes of their neighbors.

If you want to make your own May Bush mischief and magick this Beltane, start by selecting the tree you will use. You might choose a Hawthorn or other thorn tree, or simply choose any small tree or bush that stands out to you as special in some way. Some people use fallen limbs to act as the May Bush, relocating them to a place of honor beside the front door or along the outer edges of the yard.

You can decorate your May Bush anyway you like, but take care that the decorations you choose are not harmful to the environment. Pick natural over synthetic materials, and don’t tie things onto the tree so tightly that it strangles the branches or restricts growth by preventing new buds from forming. You can use ribbons or small scraps of natural cloth, sea shells, egg shells, flowers, small strips of paper, and even thin scraps of vegetable or fruit peelings to decorate your May Bush. What you choose for decoration should be guided by the location and specifics of the tree. If your May Bush is in a wild area, stick with natural items like feathers, shells, or native flowers, nuts, and berries. Avoid leaving anything non-biodegradable in a natural area, and also avoid leaving anything edible that’s not native to the area in which you’re leaving it. An orange might seem like a sensible offering, but it could make a wild animal sick from the chemicals and waxes found in the peeling, not to mention potentially changing the animal’s food gathering habits. Likewise, if you’ve made a May Bush by the side of a busy road, don’t lure animals into the danger zone by using edibles as decorations. If the May Tree is on your own private property and you live in an urban area with little wildlife activity, you’ll have a little more leeway in choosing your decorations as you’ll be able to remove them promptly once your ritual is complete. However, it’s still best to choose decorations with biodegradability in mind. Synthetic fabrics containing nylon, rayon, or polyester can take decades to centuries to break down. Instead, choose easily biodegradable materials such as hemp, natural linen, organic cotton, or brown paper bags. Simply cut small strips of the material and secure them onto the tree so that they won’t blow away in the wind. Please avoid using plastics, even in your own yard, as even the smallest piece of plastic can injure an animal. Many birds, mammals, and aquatic species die each year from choking on plastic or having plastic lodged in their digestive systems. If you don’t want to take any chances or you’re unsure about what materials are safe to use on your chosen May Bush, you can take an alternative approach and use water-based potions instead of more solid objects like fabric and ribbons. Simply mix some water with a bit of herbs or essential oils that reflect your goals. For instance, you might combine water with rose petals or jasmine oil to represent love, or add some dandelions to a bit of water to create a blend for happiness and friendship. A potion for protection can be made by combining black pepper or sage with water. You can use the herbs in their dried form also, leaving out the water all together.

Once you’ve chosen your decorations, be they solids or liquids, it’s time to decide how you will use them. Will they be decorations only, intended to increase the beauty of your May Tree, or will they be offerings intended to pay tribute to the spirits who dwell amidst the branches? Will your decorations take the form of a magickal charm, a medium through which to convey your wishes, prayers, and intentions to the divine powers that be? If so, what are these wishes, specifically? Take some time to think about why your decorating the May Tree, and the ritual will hold much more power and meaning. Beltane is traditionally considered a great time for protection magick, fertility magick, love magick, and attracting good luck, so if you’re looking for some ideas, you might choose to incorporate some of these goals into your May Tree ritual. For protection, write the names of those you want to protect on strips of fabric, paper, or vegetable peelings, then secure these on to the tree. If you prefer, you can “paint” the names on the tree with your potion, instead. You can also add protective symbols such as pentacles or crosses. If your goal is love, consider using symbols of love such as hearts, or colors such as red, pink, white, or purple. For fertility magick, consider incorporating goddess symbols, baby images, or fruit into your design. If good luck is what you’re after, simply write your wish along with your lucky number or a drawing of your lucky animal.

You may want to “charge” your decorations before you use them, infusing them with your intentions and emotions so that they’ll enjoy an extra boost of magickal power once they’re placed on the tree. If you’re using solid objects like strips of fabric or paper, a very easy and effective way to infuse them with intention is to simply write your wishes onto them, phrasing your desires not as needs, but as affirmations. For example, instead of writing, “I really need a job,” write instead, “I will have a wonderful job that I love.” Another way to charge your decorations that works well for potions, also, is to keep them close to your body the day before you decorate the May Bush, placing them into a pocket of your clothing, or sleeping with them beneath your pillow so they can attune with your energetic vibrations. To seal the enchantment, hold each decoration in your hand in turn as you let your intentions and feelings pour into it, envisioning your May Day wishes coming true exactly as you wish. As you arrange your decorations and wishes on the May Bush, think of the nature spirits that dwell in the area and any other divine powers whose aid you’d like to beseech, and ask these entities to heed your call and help you. You might also consider placing offerings to the fae or other spirits on or around your May Bush, as well. Berries and other fruit, nuts, herbs, and vegetables make fine offerings, as does a sprinkling of pure spring water. Again, let the location of your tree guide you towards the most appropriate selections.

Once your decorations and offerings are in place, it’s time to make merry around the May Tree. Sing, dance, play a drum, flute, or other musical instrument, or simply sit and smile, thinking of the happy things in life and relishing in your many blessings. As you enjoy your May Tree, think of all the people past and present who honor Nature at this time of year, and see yourself as the integral part of magickal tradition that you are. Beltane is a festival of life and magick, and as a celebrant, you yourself are living magick. For further exploration, you can find out more about Beltane in Llewellyn’s Sabbat Essentials series, and discover a multitude of magickal practices from around the world in A Witch’s World of Magick.

Beltane May Tree Ritual

The May Tree ritual (sometimes referred to as a “Wishing tree” or “Beltane bush”) is one of the oldest Beltane traditions- and one that is observed by many cultures around the world. During this ritual, a tree (or bush) is decorated with colorful ribbons each representing a personal aspiration (or “wish”) or thing you are grateful to the gods for. As I am a stickler for balance, in our family practice we create one of each; that is for every “wish” we also make a declaration of thanks…

Beltane May Tree Ritual

For this ritual, you will need colored ribbon (or scraps of fabric) and a marker.

Chose a tree (or bush) in your natural environment (indoor plants can be used if necessary) that will become your “May tree.”

Before the ritual, each person writes their thanks and wishes on a ribbon (or fabric) of corresponding color. These can be personal or for someone else as long as the intention is pure. Corresponding colors for ribbons are as follows:

White– peace, harmony, protection

Black– safety, dispelling negative energy

Brown– to bless home/house or pets

Blue– healing, wisdom, forgiveness

Green– good fortune, prosperity, fertility

Yellow– happiness, intelligence, creativity

Orange– ambition, courage, vitality

Red– love, strength, career

Pink– friendship, beauty, compassion

Purple– divination, foresight, spirituality

Once everyone has charged their ribbons, take turns tying them to your May tree. This should be done with intention and joy; dance, sing, play music- whatever helps you raise positive vibrations and celebrate the gods. Once all the ribbons are on the tree, come together, each place a hand on your tree and repeat the following words:

We thank you, God and Goddess

For all that you have given

And that which you have yet to give

We dedicate this May tree

With perfect love and perfect trust

As the wheel continues to turn

May all be blessed by your union

Once you have finished saying thanks, ask the tree for one last gift and remove a small branch or few twigs. Bundle them together and hang them over your doorway for luck leaving them for the duration of May.

Note: Please be conscientious when tying your ribbons. If you are using typical satin craft ribbon be certain to tie them loosely as to not strangle the branches and stifle tree growth. I prefer to use thin muslin cut into ribbon-like strips as they bio-degrade faster (and supply the birds with nest-making fodder). Paper or tissue paper streamers can also be good alternatives.

It’s time to decorate your May Bush!

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On the first of May, summer officially began in Ireland. And in centuries-old fashion, it’s also the time that many people gathered their painted eggs shells, ribbons and bunches of flowers and decorate their May Bush.

To celebrate Michael Fortune of Folklore.ie is here to show everyone how to decorate the May Bush. The video from the Design & Crafts Council Ireland shows how you can make special decorations using eggs.

For those who don’t know, the May Bush is a piece of a whitethorn or gorse/furze bush which is erected on the first of May or May Eve and decorated with painted eggshells, ribbons and seasonal flowers.

Traditionally, these May Bushes were erected in a prominent place in a bid to keep the ‘pisheogs’ away (ie the fairies), and like so many of our customs the May Bush was centred on the protection of the growing crops and the milk yield.

You can read more here in this article HERE!

In the past in Wexford, where Micahael and his family are from, small candles were also placed on the May Bush and in some cases these May Bushes were burnt that very night. Bonfires are still lit today locally and in other parts of the country too to mark the day.

This is a fire from the Hill of Uisneach in Co Westmeath to celebrate Bealtaine.

You can read more about other Bealtaine traditions from RTÉ Brainstorm too – Click HERE!

These fires are a continuation of the ancient Bealtaine fire tradition that stretches back in time and gives the month of May its Irish name, Bealtaine, meaning bright light or bright fire.

Have fun making your own May Bush!

키워드에 대한 정보 may bush beltane

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사람들이 주제에 대해 자주 검색하는 키워드 Bealtaine Flowers \u0026 May Bush Folklore

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