Beltaine / Samhain

As previously mentioned in my post Sacred Moments: Solstices, Equinoxes, Festivals, Moon Phases, I use the Archeoastronomy site to establish the exact moment of the appropriate festivals.

I personally celebrate eight main festival dates across the course of the year. There are varying calendars used by different pagan practitioners. In my personal practice, I celebrate eight major festivals.

LOCAL CALENDAR

Kulin Nation

Wurundjeri People

Boon Wurrung People

Above all, I try to ground myself in what I observe locally, as well as maintaining that larger awareness.

Consequently, I believe it is an appropriate exercise for any pagan to do the same in their own local area.

All over Australia, Aborigines had their own local yearly calendars. Dr. Beth Gott of the School of Biological Sciences, Monash University has complied a well researched seasonal calendar for Melbourne.

To begin with, this Festival bridges the point of True Spring into High Summer.

The Melbourne Museum marks the shift of the Poorneet Tadpole Season (September / October) into Buath Gurru Grass Flowering Season (November).

Male Common Brown butterflies are flying.

Coranderrk (Victorian Christmas Bush) is coming into flower.

Buliyong (bats) are catching insects in flight. Balayang, the Creation Being, is also referred to as the bat

The Orion constellation is setting in the western sky around sunrise.

 

LUNA CALENDAR

This year, the period around Beltane will fall across the Waning Moon and the Dark / New Moon.

Specifically, this depends upon when you Celebrate the Sacred Moment; on the traditional date or the Cosmic Moment.

Moon Phases Melbourne, Australia

• Last Quarter Moon Honouring
• Dark Moon Honouring
• New Moon Honouring

EIGHT FESTIVALS

There are eight major festivals that I celebrate.

The Solstices and Equinoxes are what I consider Cosmic or Celestial Festivals; grand Sacred Moments, and my personal favourites.

The Quickening, Beltane, Lughnasadh (which I often refer to as the Harvest Festival), and Samhain are Earth Festivals; rooted in the land and the seasons of Earth.

Again, this is my perception and understanding.

It can be very difficult to ground or earth the pagan Wheel of the Year (the Eight Festivals) in Australia.

Although there are all kinds of variations, this is how I celebrate.

Feel free to share your reflections or any links on the festivals that you have particularly enjoyed in the comments section.

HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE THIS FESTIVAL?

Feel free to share in the comments what your favourite rituals are or how you mark this festival.

As always, I would love to hear from you!

For example, I am in the process of creating art to honour each festival.

In addition, I attempt to write poetry as an offering to the Deities I honour. This is, I will admit, not always successful!

My goal specifically is to capture the aspects of Their nature that best align with the festival in question.

Other:

• buy food that I particularly associate with this festival
• buy flowers for my shrines
• Sunbathe! (I am very pale, and burn easily – but at this time of year, I can enjoy the warmth of the Sun)

What do you do in particular for Beltaine / Beltane?

Equally important – which spelling do you prefer / use and why?