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

Vernal Equinox BOOM

 It's been a beautiful prolonged Springing.
Energy like sap rising,
still encouraged to go slow and steady,
flowers and trees bloom
with days of rain.

Warm bright sun when shining,
days as long as August
but with no leaf shade,
the busyness of the season
is immediate and strong.

Dappled pinks, pale greens and yellows,
spots of crimson or deep madder,
and the rushing stream
-still a little cold-
fill the landscape.

Balance is a verb.

Between then and now there was
 the last and some of the only snows,
total solar eclipse and full moon,
first flower harvests and initial garden clearing,
renewed life
in the midst of continued global destruction,
prayers and more prayers,
opening hearts.

Notes and pics from ritual with some comments from now
at this almost Beltaine time
looking back at how far we have come

Vernal Equinox ritual
on St. Patrick's Day,
peas planted
in the not frozen Earth.

Lots 'o' green

messages about messages

the wasp emerging from the dead bee in a jar
(the internal larval stage of it is what probably killed the bee)

what is this early Springtime with no Winter?

 when things aren't transformed
that's when they rot
the green in the old wood
maybe two dozen shades of green
in our collective wardrobes

  all the sprouting and garden talk
seed sharing and seedling sales
itching to get into the garden
but it feels too early
though our minds and hearts race forward
to dahlias and peppers and herbs

a woodpecker and birds loudly presenting
as we set our sacred fire
and then silent until the end
budding maples and the peach tree
and the coloring of the willow

simple and straight forward
cold wind and light biting rain
and then the sun
and sunlight in the rain
and dark clouds
and small snow hail
and silence
and clearing skies
Springtime

Thank you
Thank you
Thank you
Balanced and Grounded
and Springing Up

 Appreciating the present

Love is the answer

setting up the house
setting up the fire
lastly gathering napkins from the laundry downstairs,
as folks arrive.

Full of colors and fabulousness
and green shamrocks,
bottles of mead & salads & deviled eggs,
hugging ladies
in the Center of the House

And then they arrived
with shining hair like sunlight
and a cast iron caldron of roasted potatoes

I couldn't vacuum,
barely mopped
grateful for store-bought food
and fruit and sprouts.
Acknowledging what is
and what is easy,
makes things easy.
 Lists from the night before
as guidance
to dismiss and/or use
as needed.

 The preparation
is itself
always
a ritual
of focus

 gathering around the fire
at the 5 Circle fire pit
the weather turning cold
even as the sun shone bright

Nicci ("don't kiss me, I love you")
and Leah in a beautiful green velvet dress
and light jacket in big coat weather
and Eric with good homemade food always
and Sophie and Charlie barely dressed
and wrapping up in the blankets
and finally Mary Jane
silently appearing
during ritual
beaming joy

 Sunlight and Wind
and flowing Water

Reverence of Space and Breath
Simplicity of Sacrifice
Everyone get three sticks for the Fire

Specific defining of the Outsiders
say them by name
have a nice snack of almost forgotten cheese offering
and leave us alone
please

3 nickles
a quarter and a dime
for the Well,
overflowing with water

a piece of the Bridget's cloth
woven into the split bark
of the aging
-but still alive-
Willow Tree,
covered with galls
and imperceptibly
budding

sage for our Fire,
LET THIS BE
A GOOD FIRE,
LET OUR PRAYERS
BE CARRIED
THROUGH THESE PORTALS
WITH LOVE AND GRATITUDE
AND FOCUSED INTENT

Lavender and the finest Grasses
saved on the mantle
for Bridget and Mananan

oil and sage

Eric with pantry flours
making the fire "foom"
Katrina with pine boughs
and hydrangea
Elizabeth sacrificing peat for Bridget
with words of praise in her own tongue
quiet invocation of love

 a jar of last year's rose petals
for our dear Honored Dead,
the recently departed,
those closest to us,
the casualties of these crazy wars,
and those long ago
gone before.

Nettle for the Spirits of Nature & Place,
sprouting gardens & weeds & bugs,
all the trees and sticks
and rocks,
birds and fish and critters
and flowers.

Oatstraw for the Gods & Goddesses,
givers of great gifts,
beings with special powers
and of so many names.

flowers from the florist from this last season
for all.

one dried white rose,
broken off
from the bouquet
that was heartfelt but meager condolences,
and that lasted for weeks
blooming in the kitchen window,
offered with loving prayers
flew out of the fire
bouncing on the wind
towards the East
and disappeared

much gratitude for
this Season of Balancing
equal day and night
Springtime bursting forth.

Let us be able to keep up.

Grounded flexibility
gently guided transformative
evolution
in good health and strength.

Oh Kindred Spirits
hear and answer us
give us a sign.

stone beat on the drum
meditation
while we wait to hear
the omens
from 3 divinatory tools

from our Honored Dead:
the Virtues-Fertility, the Runes- Sowleu or the Sun,
the Ogham- Beith or Birch
Purification, Changes, Initiation, Beginnings, Brightness, Renewal
from the Spirits of Nature and Place:
the Virtues- Integrity, the Runes- Uruz or the Primordial Ox, the Ogham- Duir or the Oak
Serious and Ancient Strength, Protection, Nobility, Endurance
from the Gods and Goddesses:
the Virtues- Vision (upside down), the Runes- Perth or the Lottery Cup and Chance, the Ogham- Ruis or the Elder
Blushing, Transformation and Regeneration, Renewal, Magic, Good Luck
for the Season:
the Virtues- Wisdom, the Runes- Yera or a Year and the Completion of Harvest, the Ogham- Nuinn or the Ash
Full Cycle, Order, Weaving Harmony and Balance, the Connector Channel to All that is, Support

keeping sacrifice simple
there was exactly enough

what is enough?
is enough the same as boundaries?

of what do we know of the meaning of life?
the waters of life!
And from whence do those waters come?
from the bosom of the Earth Mother,
the ever-changing all Mother.

Bryan drank those hallowed waters
right out of the pitcher
(also green)
because there were not enough glasses

duck, duck, duck, duck
there is no goose

gathered in our circle
in the growing light

Ann barefoot and Bryan with shoes on
and fuzzy green socks

 gentle interplay of young ones
smooth hands,
shoes off,
socks on or off

sitting in a chair
standing near the fire
laying on the earth
interconnected

and again the temperatures drop
the daffys are freezing at night
nature slows to almost normal
but without snow,
without reserves
as it has been for a while now

there is a feeling of instability
of impending doom
and insanity 
and yet
our honoring of this new season
seemed to portend
good

good enough