Beltanetide

     

This season now halfway to midSummer
is faster and more full each day.

Irises voluptuously luxuriate
brilliant in lavenders and rich blued purples
only the lips can see
and the eyes taste.
Today
the mock orange bloomed
and lilacs were full
on Mother's Day
as memory always wants them to.

Already the sun is strong enough to wilt the grass
even though before this week
there was days of overabundance
of rain.

Give thanks for the students and others
who raise their voices
and lift our hearts
and inspire action.

Give thanks for the birds
who sing at dawn
and the crickets and frogs
who sing at night.

Give thanks for our strength and our tears,
practiced repetition
inspired renewal
working in the garden.

Give thanks for community
dreams and vision
propelling forward and back
grounded.

Killing caterpillars is a constant activity
now
that we didn't think about then
but neither then
could we have imagined the daily unfolding
of this beautiful landscape.
Though we have lived it many years,
each May is a miracle. 

Give thanks for this land,
spongy moth caterpillars and all the larva included,
but especially for the flowers
and the gentle breeze of transformation.

Notes and pics and memory from ritual:

First is the welcoming set up ritual for the May
of flowers and ribbons
and eggs and holes and breaking
or not breaking
and erecting the Maypole
never danced except by the wind
and now overdue
to be taken down.

  

 

And so it began
working together as a family
simple and relaxed
until that day

apprehension and struggle
upheaval and holding space

 just sitting with tea
breathing in the clean air
smelling it, tasting it

 

 the phone rang
call back boundaries
in loving memory of a beautiful friend
and then the phone call
of stopping and changing

 

needing time for self
the calls and the accident
freaking out and rescue 

 

don't underestimate
the caring heart
the soothing voice
saying yes

 
the ungrounding
smokey fire of flowers

backwards memory time
milkshake and humor
comfort and home

last of the sweets

 

steady rain and dampness
puddles of water
the greyness
of the atmosphere
the brownness
of all the food.

 

The shattering calm,
& the calming shatter.

 

 

flexibility & balance

making what was
empty and letting go

 2 pillars in black
holding conscience
a heaviness
of prayer
 upside down of this last year
the quietness of release

 

Much of the spirit of the day
passed thru before ritual.
Kombucha tastings,
help yourself,
gathering solemnly
without welcoming hubbub
the apparent opposite of carefreeness
so often associated with Beltane

and yet ritual itself
was full and healing
and whole

torch flame straight line of light
affliction and sweetness
welcoming all
the directions

 

thrown off from intention
 unable to set intention
to just put one foot
in front of the other
and allow agility of focus.

 

A large dried rose head
for each
of the Kindreds
each with a little more

 getting more

of the good stuff

to give thanks 

fire of flowers
flowers & herbs
rice krispies
and chocolate matzah
it's ok to cry

 

ashes in the sky
high up
may we be protected

 

-singing not dancing-
the unwound Maypole
the open heart
trying to facilitate
whatever we can

processional
in the car in the rain
and stomping in place

purification
through adrenaline
gentle voice calming 

down
and smoke

 

recessional
with baskets
tired
spiraling back through smoke

how things fall in place
how we are around
how we interconnect
and hold each other

 evolving and growing
backwards and forwards

honoring the new green
the Spring expanding
the flowering

hard to see
to acknowledge
the daily blooming
when the blanket
of weather
or panic
occludes wonder.

drained of energy
of color
of festive frolic
we are present
gently
focused
in the smoke

grove ritual
missing the merry
family rituals
full of merry

campus protests/grove boundaries/dramas of others
counsel and guidance

our omens

what are the voices
of our ancestors
telling us?
the sounds of the wind
 and the winds of change

 

 Os/Ansuz - Odin's wisdom
communicating ecstasy
Os or mouth,
mouth is the chieftain of all speech

 

what are we harvesting now
from this time last year
what will we harvest next year?
 can we connect to the roots and seeds
and also the fruits and flowers,
can we accept
whatever we get.

how are the Gods
an upside down mirror
or a True Mirror®
of ourselves?
what does that show us of our humanity,
don't look away
at the others
we are all community.

 

Beltane time of abundant blooming
nature alive.

what are the gifts of this season
danced or not danced
given and received

suddenly all the trees
are leafed

 

when and how
did that happen
when I have been here
and watching
all these days?

 

overnight or from morning
till afternoon
the opening
expands