Beltane celebration rituals begin tonight April 30. It’s Walpurgis night, the night before May 1st, Beltane.
Jim Champion / The 2007 burning wicker man, Butser Ancient Farm
SACRED PHALLIC FIRE CELEBRATION FESTIVAL
Light the fires of passion, as this festival celebrates love, conception, fertility, and the power of the masculine phallic force of the horned God to initiate new life in the Goddess.
The ancient God Pan is ready to mate with the Goddess and impregnate her. This is a very ancient night of celebrating the “Heiros Gamos” or SACRED MARRIAGE between the Goddess and the God, meeting in the fields, or in the woods to honor fertility and new life.
Setting new intentions on this night is very powerful.
MAYPOLE
The MAYPOLE is the phallic symbol and the participants weave their ribbons around as they dance the spiral dance of time and our interwoven connectivity with all our relations on MAY day.
This is one of the major cross-quarter days in the year. We are half way to summer in the northern hemisphere and the veils between the worlds are thin.
The FAE or fairies come out and dance in magic forest circles and all of our ancestors are close be. Beltane celebrates fertility, and seeding new intentions with magic passion and light. It is a time of joyful invocation, healing, and beginnings.
Beltane is the time to plant all your seeds for future endeavors you wish to actualize and harvest at the end of summer.
Invoke the spirit of these intentions in the time of TAURUS, an earth sign.
Participants light the Beltane fires traditionally on hilltops and jump over it for purification.
the VEIL BETWEEN THE WORLD’S ARE THINNEST just like at Halloween or Samhain, the energy is the same. The Faery Queen goes out riding in the woods tonight.
Dancing around the MAY POLE is an ancient fertility celebration of the maiden and the horned god who would meet in the dark, make love as strangers, embodying the God and Goddess.
This is the night when Maidens would go wander in the woods, as FLORA, the flowers, NATURE SPRUNG newly born, maiden has nothing to do with virginity or marriage as they are simply young, and eager to mate, as they are in touch with natural sexuality, Nature’s rhythms, to give themselves to a stranger in the woods, the Green Man, also called PAN to the Greeks,the Horned Stag, called Cernunnos, in Latin, he is raw male phallic, sexual energy, virile and youthful.
CERNUNNOS the horny man
If a man had been created in the horned God’s image he would be free to be wild, without being cruel, angry without being violent, sexual without being coercive spiritual without being unsexed,and truly able to love.”
Children conceived this night are considered to be magical and to belong to the realm of FAIRY as in The MISTS of AVALON. The maidens do not know the man they mate with in the sacred Marriage ritual.
Couples would also take vows to be in relationships for a year and a day, sort of test driving a relationship to see if they are compatible.
It is considered unlucky to marry in MAY as this month is dedicated to the wedding of the GOD and the GODDESS alone.
Another important custom is bathing in dew gathered before dawn on Beltane Morn, your beauty will flourish throughout the year. Sprinkled with the dew insures you of health and happiness. Or drinking from the well before dawn of Beltane is also good luck.
Leftover Food from May 1st eve should be left out for the fairies.
We will light our fire tonight. Wishing you all a Blessed Beltane.
I will be doing a live Tarot card reading broadcast tonight on FaceBook on the Cosmic Intelligence Agency Page at 8:30 pm EDT/ 5:30 pm PDT/ 12:30 am GMT
CELEBRATE St. Brigid’s Day ,THE QUICKENING of the Light. February 1st
Candlemas Imbolc Groundhog Day
Feb. 1st –2nd Traditional Irish Celtic Pagan Holiday Celebrations
Feb. 1st is the beginning of the FIRST FIRE of the SUN’s return, the spark, the First sign of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere. This Ancient pagan, Celtic ,Wiccan, celebration is also called The QUICKENING. This is the time of greatest potential.
Known as Saint Brigid’s Day, Birghita or Bride’s Day, it’s a Catholic and Pagan Celebration of an ancient Goddess tradition. Imbolc is still celebrated by Wiccans/Pagan based Earth honouring religions. Christians overlaid the Ancient Goddess worshipers’ holiday renaming it Candlemas or the fest of the Purification of the Virgin on Feb 2.
This celebration is the midpoint between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. It is a “cross-quarter” day in the 8 rounds of the Wheel of Time in the Solar based year. The Celtic Year was based on both lunar and solar cycles. The holiday would be celebrated on the Full Moon nearest those 2 midpoints, when early spring flowers would begin to show and snakes would come out of the ground. Snakes are always sacred Goddess symbols. In non secular terms it become GROUNDHOG DAY on Feb 2.
At the Megalithic and Neolithic sites, in Tara, Ireland, the inner chambers of the passage tombs are perfectly aligned with the rising sun on both Imbolc and Samhain attesting to the value placed on these days.
Triple Goddess/Saint Brigid/Bride
Brigid by Sharon Macleod
According to Robert Graves, the most Ancient Triple Goddess was worshipped since time out of mind. The Goddess rules over scholars and poets. She is the Goddess of fire and inspirations, creativity, smithcraft and healing. She rules healing with water, and divination. She also rules over people who work with cows and chickens, brewers, fugitives, midwives, infants, printers, sailors, travelers, New Zealand, & Irish nuns.
This day symbolizes a time of transitions, initiations, new beginnings, of planting seeds that will sprout later. Brigid/Birgita represents the light half of the year, Her power brings the people out of the dark season of winter into spring.
The Goddess Brigid and Saint Brigid are the same, peace makers and bridges. The matronly Goddess Brigid bridged the two warring races of gods of the ancient Tuatha de Danann with her sacred marriage, and Saint Brigid was the bridge between the Druids and the Christians. Brigid was the daughter of a Druid Chieftain and the first woman bishop of Ireland. The nuns of Kildare carry on the sacred work.
Originally the return of the Light was celebrated with Sacred Sexual customs.
She is the Goddess of Augury and Prophets in the Druidic tradition. Celtic seers divined by looking into deep water and into flames. This is a great time to do divination. You may see orbs especially on this day.
Triple Goddess
She has two sisters with the same name. One aspect of her carries a blacksmith tongs and a sword, because she is also patroness of war; another aspect holds 2 healing snakes, from which the modern Doctor’s symbol is derived, the caduceus, the third aspect carries a wand with a crescent moon and a tablet.
Elements
Brigid rules the Waters. Many healing springs are dedicated to Brigid. Natural bodies of water also signify Her presence, particularly where three streams joined together. She also rules Fire, so it is customary to make candles for the coming year and bless them on this day.
Protecting Goddess
In her aspect as Brigantia, she carries a spear, an orb of victory, and wears a war crown. She symbolizes protection of the country from invaders and slavery.
Midwives
As Patroness of MIDWIVES, she was invoked at the door of the home where the woman was giving birth, by the midwife. Who speke:
“Bride, Bride, come in! Thy welcome is truly made, Give thou relief to the woman, And give thou the conception to the Trinity.”
Brigid is the guardian of every newborn, their cradles protected with a woven Brigit’s Cross, an equal armed cross. Upon a safe delivery, the infant was blessed by the midwife, with 3 drops of water on the child’s forehead, dedicating the Child to the Triple Goddess. The “Holy Trinity” in its modernized Christian aspect. A candle was carried ‘round the bed sun wise three times. As Brigid is a Solar Goddess. We think of the Sun as masculine but originally all aspects of the Universe were considered Feminine.
Brigid Ruler of the Hearth
Especially in Gaelic Scotland, Brigid’s dolls are placed near the hearth on her Feast Day. The doll is usually dressed in white, decorated. A white wand is placed in her bed as a fertility charm. As she is patroness of agriculture, pastures, livestock, and abundance. An offering is made to her of dairy products. The Brigid doll is kept throughout the year near the hearth hung on a wall, or by a door, as a talisman of protection, then burnt the next year.
Light a Candle and Invoke the Goddess at this time-
I kindle this candle in the name of Brighid, Goddess of Smiths,
I sain this house in the name of Brighid, Goddess of Healers,
I smoor this candle in the name of Brighid, Goddess of Poets.
One folk tradition still continues in both Christian and Pagan homes on St. Brigid’s Day is that of St. Brigid’s Bed. Girls and young unmarried women create corn dollies to represent Brigid, these are adorned with ribbons, baubles shells or stones. A bed is made for the doll to lie in. On St. Brigid’s Eve Jan 31, the girls gather together in one house and stay up all night with the doll, are later visited by all the young men, who ask permission to enter the home, and then treat the young maidens and the dolly with respect. The next day the girls carry the doll through the neighbourhood from house to house, where she is welcomed with great honour. Adult women stay home to welcome the Brigid procession and offer snacks and coins to the young girls and maidens.
RITUAL to BRIGID
Brigid is said to walk the earth on Imbolc eve. Feb 1st. Before going to bed, each member of the household may leave a piece of clothing or strip of fabric outside for Brigid to bless. The cloth are brought inside the next morning, believed to now have the powers of healing and protection.
Britain
was named for an ancient Celtic tribe, the Brigantes, who were the largest Celtic tribe in the country in pre-Roman times who worshipped Her as their Deity. The word “brigand” comes from this tribe of fierce warriors. Her worship spread, leaving behind places named in Her honour-Brittany in France, Brechin in Scotland, the name Brent, in England, any name containing Bride. Britain’s symbol, the Goddess Brigantia, still found on their 50 cent coin is Brigid as Goddess of the Land. Of course Britany Spears is carrying the modern archetype of Brigid, and strangely enough one of Brigid’s symbols is a flaming spear!
Happy Autumn Equinox to you in the Northern Hemisphere and Happy Spring to those of you down under.
Did you feel the PLUTO changing direction THUNK? Don’t think about it.
Here in Sedona I led a wonderful intimate ceremony on the red rocks. There were four women which was perfect of course, because we each held one of the four directions.
Two women I had never met before in the physical, we had connected on the web and thanked the world-wide web for providing such magical synchonicities. One of the women had read this blog and contacted me. They who had just arrived earlier that day from Florida.
So I said we need to thanks SPIDER WOMAN. She is the original creatress. There is a lovely song to her. Both of these women are very spiritual ,one a yoga instructor, and tour leader and the other an acupuncturist and Taoist and both Reiki Masters and Lightworkers. My new Soul sistar and friend Julija from Melbourne Australia who started the Cosmic Intelligence Agency is also an awesome star-spangled spiritual lady who has stayed here with me for the past week, was in the circle as well.
STARGAZING ARCHANGEL GABRIEL
We had been stargazing and had seen Capricorn and the Fixed Star Fomalhaut/the ARCHANGEL GABRIEL so clearly the other night. I am literally very connected to this star as it is conjunct my NORTH NODE in my natal chart. and Neptune is still closely conjunct wit in 2 degrees to it now. So we are all being blessed by the announcing angel.
NEW MOON BLEEDING TIMES
We are all mothers, between the 4 of us we have 7 children I believe. I sang a song of Bleeding for the New Moon as well. Ladies if you are “on your moon” on the New Moon then you are in synch with the natural cycles. Time to go to the RED TENT.
We had wonderful prayers for the planet and sent light to where the U.S. had just started airstrikes against ISIL. We sent prayers to the Middle east and to all the countries that need it. We blanketed the world. We set intentions for the next 3 months.
All of the 8 stations of the year, and New moons are always great intention setting times. We get two opportunities virtually together now.
The Moon is Void of COURSE today Sept 23 until 11:14 pm PDT when it enters LIBRA and not till Sept 24 @ 2:14 am. ON void of course Moon days let go. Be in the now.
I chose a Tarot Inspirational Card of the Day for this New Moon
8 of Wands by Julia C. Tenney
This is a beautiful image for intention setting.
You must make 8 intentions.
In my ceremony last night I called in 8 directions. The four Cardinal direction East South West and North which are stable and the Non-cardinals which are the movers of energy. In the Twisted Hairs Medicine teachings which I was taught. The directions means this;
The South East, is about self- love self-knowledge and self- acceptance
The South West, is about healing and the dreamers
The North West is the place of Karma and Dharma,of Raven and Crow and power places on the earth. Being in Sedona I feel very Blessed to be in one of the big power spots.
and the North East is the place of MAGIC, sourcery as in being connected to source energy.It is the place of new images and archetypes.
Each of these non-cardinals hold different healing energies as well. I will write a more in-depth article about that separately.
8 of wands is Mercury in Sagittarius.
Aim your LIGHT ARROWS of truth higher. To the GALACTIC Center.
Think about what each direction and element means to you. Different traditions use different elements for each direction. Use which one works for you.
Gotta go. MANY Blessings
Rosh HAshanna the Jewish New Year begins tomorrow. I will write manana about that.
WINTER SOLSTICE is the shortest day of the year, the longest night. Called YULE in the Pagan circle of the year.
It’s CAPRICORN time. Ruled by Saturn, the planet/God of Time, testing, maturity, old age. The ancient Romans celebrated this tradition as the Saturnalia. A time of revelry, when slaves were free and became the masters, everyone was celebrating the Return of the Light, the King, in infant form. The Christians overlaid the story of Jesus onto the ancient worship. Everything we associate with Christmas are ancient pagan symbols -the holly, the mistletoe, the Yule log, the tree. Paganism is the fastest growing “religion” in the U.K. and the U.S. Actually it is not an organized religion at all per se, it is a practice of spiritual immanence with Nature, the Goddess and the God, with All That Is. Paganism is more of a group spirituality that can be practiced alone. It has nothing to do with devil worship. The popularity of Harry Potter has also certainly brought back its popularity. Pagans worship nature, Druids worshipped trees.
So it’s Capricorn time. The sun is on the Tropic of Capricorn 23.26 degrees South of the Equator. The Tropic Of Capricorn has many countries world-wide which it runs through. Five in Africa, North of Alice Springs, Queensland, Australia,and four countries in Brasil.
All Capricorn’s, especially those Old Bill Goat Gruff’s and Goatees born December 23- January 5 this is a huge year for you. Or anyone with Capricorn planets at 9-14 degrees. You know PLUTO is forcing the old you to die and be reborn, unless you are truly following your soul’s path. Then Pluto can bring power, rewards, riches. An entirely new you is being forged deep in the bowels of the earth. And if that’s not enough to change your soul totally. Then Uranus Mars and Jupiter get in on the act to revolutionize, ignite and expand your horizons respectively.
Where the PLanetary Lines fall on the Winter Solstice chart map in Astro Cartography is where the greatest tension will be for the next 3 months to a year. Especially where Mars Uranus Jupiter and Pluto lines fall are the areas to watch.
PLUTO runs right through Maputo South Africa,North through Zambia, Zaire,Chad, Western Libya,France,South West England, Ireland. PLUTO MARS and URANUS CONJUNCT exactly in the middle of CHAD AFRICA. TRIPLE HOT SPOT with Jupiter crossing north of the others in LIBYA.
Pluto conjuncts the Moon over ICELAND, right over the Northern most part of Canada, including that north Pole passage and down through, North West Alberta and bisects British Columbia and goes out to the middle of the Pacific Ocean and South of New Zealand.
PLUTO is on the Mid Heaven and runs through Argentina, BOLIVIA, Venezuela, Western Puerto Rico, North to Boston and into Quebec and Labrador.
PLUTO conjuncts URANUS right on Tiera Del Fuego Argentina and again in Northern Russian down through Ulan Bator MONGOLIA.. Those are HOT SPOTS.
On the other side of the World Pluto is on the I.C. of Indonesia,BEIJING , into Mongolia and Russia. If you are a Capricorn and living on these lines you will be transformed even more. Or got to these places if you are seeking Plutonic transformation.
URANUS and MARs actually cross paths directly over New York, near Washington , through the Caribbean, right over HAITI, Venezuela and Columbia. Also through Western Alaska, near Hawaii. They cross Pluto right at the Society Islands. On the Western side, Uranus and Mars cross paths right through Stockholm, Sweden,Warsaw, Poland, Budapest Hungary, down through Belgrade Yugoslavia, South through Libya, Chad, directly South through Botswana, Africa. Mars and Uranus Ascend through JAVA and Indonesia. Uranus and Pluto cross over each other in Mongolia.
JUPITER is on the Mid Heaven through TAIWAN, MANILLA Philipines, Indonesia and Western Australia. Jupiter on the I.C. through Nova Scotia, South through Guyana, Paraguay, Argentina and the FALKLAND ISLANDS.
JUPITER ASCENDS through TASMANIA, SUDAN, crosses MARS & URANUS in LIBYA!!!!! VERY HOTTTT,
Jupiter Ascends through France, Britain, Ireland, Jupiter Descends through NOrthern CANADA, NOrth of HUDSON”S BAY,Northern Saskatchewan, right through the ALBERTA TAR SANDS, right through Mt. ST. HELEN’s And WASHINGTON STATE and Descends through the Pacific near the Society Islands and South of New Zealand.
The Winter Solstice is a very GALACTIC SOLSTICE or SOULSTITCH
“A stitch in time saves nine.” Francis Bailey, English Astronomer 1797
Not just that great movie playing I got You babe by Sonny and Cher over and over and over about deja vu,life being infinite starring Bill Murray and Andie McDowell.
Feb 2 is a very powerful cross-quarter day in the wheel of the Year. Celebrated since the dawn of time by our ancestors and still observed by Pagans, Wiccans and Catholics who had to add the ancient holidays into their own traditions transformed into a Catholic shade as The Feast of the Purification of Mary.
It is a holiday of the element of Fire celebration. Clean out your old hearth or wood stove. Think about your passions. What are you passionate about? Light a new fire, signifying a new action, inspiration, passion.
It is good to plant real seeds, or a bulb, a spring flower perhaps, as a symbol of your new life emerging at the Spring Equinox. Ritally imagine your intent for whatever it is you wish into your seed, put it in potting soil and water it and put it in a dark place,keep an eye on it,keep it moist but dont let it rot, Keep praying, blessings and mediating with your seed. Watch it slowly sprout and emerge as Spring draws nearer and nearer.
Brigid is the Goddess of poetry smithcraft and healing. Do something creative, read poetry,suspend your critical mind and allow your left brain consciousness to take over and allow apure stream of consciousness to write a poem. Sing,dance, appreciate fine art and crafts. Dedicate a future work to Her.
Make new comitments on this day.
As a Purification Day
Use water and salt to purify yourself. Wash your hands and face in salt water. Sprinkle salt water which you have blessed makiing it charged, sprinkle it in every corner of your home. Brigid governed wells, their is a holy well in Ireland where she is workshipped. Water is the most important element. Water transmutes all hardness,breaks down anything over time. The waters of the earth these days needs our help and intentions. The oceans are polluted from the atomic reactor breakdown in Japan last year, from oil spills, toxins being poured into the rivers and lakes. Send your intention to see the earths waters running clear pure, cleansed.
Let them eat Crepes
Traditional grains were eaten to celebrate the growth of future grains. Serve crepes pancakes, cakes,breads. Put out a loaf of bread on your windowsill like they did in Ireland traditionally on Brigid’s day. An ear of corn was also set out. Wheat stalks are woven into X shaped crosses to serve as charms to protect the home form fires and lightning.
Traditionally a corn dolly or last sheaf of wheat or grain from Lammas or Autumn Equinox was dressed in a bridal gown an dput in a basket made for her,called the Bride’s bed. A wand,candle or other phallic object was laid across her, and Bride or Birgita was invited to come. It is a fertility time.
Ewes are birthing their young and lactating. Milk would be flowing and the people had more security.
It was Spring in old Europe, these days freeZing and stormed in what with earth changes and weather patterns going crazy. This would be the day of the first ploughing of the earth. What old earth are you going to fertilise? to till? What practical things will you nurture? As Jupiter is in Taurus right now, earthly, practical, sensual, plodding, stick with it ness will be easier this year.
CANDLES, as a festival of light
Light up your Life as the days grow longer. Mucho candles everywhere should be lit. Traditionally candles are brought to a church to be blessed, which is then brought home to be used as talismans for protection.
In HUNGARY
this day is called the Blessing of the candle of the Happy Woman. In Poland Feb 2 is called the Mother of God who saves us from thunder.
As there is huge snow storms and freezing weather in Russia, over most of Europe, snow in Venice Italy and Corsica even this year.So far 90 people have died in the last few days. Let’s all send the European’s in the deep freeze some warm weather. Also Alaska and the North of Canada has seen -66 degree temperatures. They need the heat mass that Candlemas is all about. Light a candle, Do a meditation and breathe warmth on the northern part of the world. Visualize the world in the palm of your hand and breathe your hot breath onto the northern part of earth.
Last but not least SPRING CLEANING!
Time to clean up your act in all ways. A bit early to start an actual spring tonic lceanse for your liver. Clean and enew your mind, scrub out the old ideas that have gotten cobweby. This is actulally abetter time to commit to a new exercise routine than Jan 1st. The light is getting stronger, days are visibly longer, you will have more energy.
The lesson of the brilliant movie Groundhog Day was not to be stuck in a karmic rut of repeat the same old patterns over and over and over and nauseum. Character traits and old habits like being stubborn callous, cranky, selfish,blaming, addictions, stuckness, giving up, lower self routines over and over and over, but make of your life something amazing , help others, grow and learn as much as you can. Give love and find love.
It is a very special time this year 2012. cosnciousness is expanding. JOin in.
The New Moon in Virgo Aug 28-29, 2011– Like a Virgin
Every New Moon is a new beginning, a new cycle, a rebirth in the Great Round of the year. As the Moon travels through each sign and element and makes connections to the other planets and stars the Moon is a cosmic mirror transmuting the energies and vibrations of Universal consciousness. We unconsciously know and instinctively feel deeply connected to the Moon’s movements which raise the ocean’s tides and our feelings on the Full Moons and as she disappears on the New.
The 13 Lunation’s each year both New and Full reflect back to us, through the Ancient Hermetic Maxim “As Above, so below” where we are at. The more we know about these energies, their symbolic meanings, the more knowledge and power we have to grow in our own lives in live in harmony with the cosmos. Timing is everything, everything is a symbol and knowledge is power.
The Astrology Sign of Virgo is the Constellation of the Virgin Goddess
This Virgo New Moon symbolizes for me, a return to your essence, your true and virginal Self, and seeing your Self, and the World through renewed eyes. And of course the renewed eyes are spiritual eyes, the eyes of the heart.
Astrology specifics of the Virgo New Moon, Not just for women only
This is the last New Moon this year before the Autumn Equinox and it carries an element of harvesting. The symbol of Virgo shows the Virgin goddess holding a wheat sheaf. Virgo is known for being analytical. We will take account of how far we’ve travelled since Summer Solstice.
MEDITATION FOR VIRGIN RENEWAL
Tuning into the Now of this New Moon Tara will take you on a meditative journey to connect with the energies to become renewed, Virgin, whole and complete once again! We will form clear intentions of what, we as whole renewed Virgins are birthing in many aspects in our lives. This is a supreme Virgin Harvest time for Soul renewal.
Tara Greene,Tarot Reader, Astrology Psychic 