In a fortnight, April 30, we will be celebrating Beltane.
Also called: May Eve, May Day, Walspurgises, bowers, fields energy: youthful play, exhuberance, sensuality, pleasure goddesses: May Queen, Flora gods: May King, Jack in the Green rituals: love, romance, fertility, crop blessings, creativity endeavors customs: dancing Maypole, jumping fire, mating, flower baskets
Beltane is one of the four “fire festivals” or “greater sabbats”. Although the holiday may use features of the Gaelic Bealtaine, such as the bonfire, it bears more relation to the Germanic May Day festival, both in its significance (focusing on fertility) and its rituals (such as maypole dancing).
http://blessedbeuknetwork.ning.com/page/sabbats-1
May Pole Celebration
Earth Day is celebrated on April 22, 2010. There are festivities and ceremonies. Folks will plant trees and honor the green earth. So, sounds familiar, eh? Really, what is the difference if we are all about earth and her well-being?
The most important thing to remember is to treat her like every day is earth’s special day. You don’t have to wait until special days to honor and celebrate our dear mother. Any time is a good time to plant a flower in honor of the spring warmth. Thanking momma for keeping us safe throughout the dark winter months is not so odd. Do something nice for her in return. Clean up an empty lot. Donate or haul away old, unnecessary items that clutter your, and her, space. Donate to conservation organizations. Do your homework, of course.
I preach this, or something akin to it, in nearly every post. I feel bad, though. When I was a young lady, coming of age, during the 60’s, my philosophy was to make ‘the world a peaceful place in which to live’. “Living on the Earth”, by Alicia Bay Laurel, was my handbook, as I, and others, took extra steps to conserve energy, like the old ‘showering with a friend’ scenario, and to treat the earth with kindness. We held high ideals that, if we could get society to change and be nice, the world would be a better place. If we boycotted furriers, little animals would stop winding up on woman’s shoulders. If we could get rid of ‘grocery-store-mass-packaging’, and only sell pure, healthy foods, we would all be healthier and wouldn’t need so much medical care. If we could have had our way, me and my merry, little group of friends would be skipping around, holding hands and weaving daisy chains.
My Manual
We had the concept, back then! Why did it take another 40 years before society, as a whole, started doing something about the sad condition of the earth? We could have put a stop to all this plastic crap long before it clogged earth’s arteries and choked little animals. Why couldn’t we have taken a cue from the research and put a stop to the way our resources are diminishing? Now, they’re almost gone and folks are forming committees and appointing directors and trying their damnedest to figure out how in the hell they are going to undo the damages caused by years of human beings’ mistreatment.
Maybe, I could have stopped more of it. Back then, you were “wierd” if you took on anything above most people’s comfort zones. I wondered if the whole disposable diaper influx into the market was some devious plot by the ‘Commies’ to attack us from within with ‘chemical’ warfare. LOL Now, all I can do is ask that the next generation take things a little more seriously. Use your common sense. If it doesn’t feel right, chances are it isn’t. Ask questions. Be heard. Get involved. The ‘people’ do have the ‘power’, you know.
Okay, now that i got that out of my system, I plan to plant a little herb garden and work on my botanicals blog in celebration of Beltane. I’ll tell you more about it as it develops. It should be fun. Today’s post is a bit indicative of the content that will be there, as I write about and explore the connection with earth, plants, our bodies and harmony. This comes about as a project I am doing for a group I’m in, “Wildwood Planet”.
I have the next Daily Download from Magickal Scraps, “Feathered Friends”, April’s kit. This is Day 19.
(Click on the image to go to MediaFire for download.)
This kit is turning out to be quite something special! Celebrating another of nature’s gifts is always nice.
Well, that is all for today. I will be back tomorrow with another DD and who knows what else?! LOL
Namaste,
Su
a free spirit 
Thank you so much for this post. I want to let you know that I posted a link to your blog in CBH Digital Scrapbooking Freebies, under the Page 2 post on Apr. 19, 2010. Thanks again.
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Just a quick note to let you know that a link to this post will be placed on CraftCrave in the DigiFree category today [19 Apr 02:00pm GMT]. Thanks, Maria
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Thank you for freebies. Link on your post was added to Lori's freebie list
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Hi Derest One …finallya space in time to catch up !How incredible is this ?This Book has been a great Guide and Inspiration since I wa 15 … and is one of the reasons I have My” Sanctuary ” today !Have just connected Her on FB and ” net ” … wheeee ! So exciting to ” meet Her ” at last and to be able to say Thank You !WOW ! I know You indeed …Yay for this Magic Machine !Blessings and Love from Us All to You AllXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX EXTRA BLESSINGS FOR AHAPPY BELTANE !MEET YOU ON RAINBOWS AND MOONBEAMS ALL DAY !LOOK FORWARD TO THE MAYPOLE dANCE ! HEE ! HEE !XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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