Beltane 2012

We abandoned our tradition this year and held our Beltane celebration on May 5^th to connect with the ‘super moon’ that was predicted for that night.

It was a cold night, around freezing, colder even than Yule, which felt strange for Beltane, but clear and calm in the woods.

As usual we dressed for the occasion with flowery headdresses and cloaks, with offerings of flowers and food on the altar.

As we raised the circle the huge vanilla coloured moon rose over the hills casting a golden light onto the trees and changing the colours of the flowers on our altar. Long shadows appeared from the trees casting strange fingers of darkness around us.

We wove coloured ribbons around the stang, wove in some magic and jumped over the fire making wishes.

We missed the presence of a couple of the coven who were involved in family ties, especially Brock, who is our ‘keeper of the flame’! But we managed to build up a large fire without him to enjoy our feasting and drinking afterwards.

It was well after the witching hour when we closed the circle and, as often happens, as we closed the circle the moon went behind the clouds and the temperature dropped as we left the woods behind, after our third Blackthorn Beltane celebration.