Beltane: the union

Beltane is here and it is so close to the full moon of May: the flower moon.

Summer is here, times are exciting and the moods are light! The moon goddess waxes and the summer exalts! This is perfect to highlight the significance of Beltane: union.

Now, often people think that union necessarily means man and woman or yin and yang union. A very important aspect of union is, also, the union of the physical world with the realms of the spirit; the union of the human being with the omnipresent divinity within and all around him.

This makes Beltane important not only to lovers, but also to those who seek truth: light workers, spiritual beings, tarot readers, pagans and wiccans in general.

How to go about it:

Firstly, there is always a little confusion about April the 30th versus May the 1st.
It doesn't matter, not really. The energies always come with a window. The window could last hours to a couple of days. So, just like full moon can be celebrated for three nights, similarly Beltane can be celebrated on 30th April or 1st of May. Or both! Who doesn't like to celebrate ;)  !!

Now that the date is settled, let us move ahead. I won't be sharing any magical recipes here (I have my apprehensions)
However , I shall guide those who can benefit from this to design their own. (Which works better anyway, in my experience)

All our answers are within us. All we need to do is ask.

Question 1: aim.
OK we are discussing strengthening our ties with the spiritual realm. So our aim could be as vague as that or as specific as communicating with a spirit guide/ animal totem.

Question 2: method.
Think. That what you aim to contact is best related to what. Meditate on the question and jot down what comes to your mind. It could be a colour. It could be an object. Or anything else like a fragrance, herb, chant etc...your meditation will guide you the best. Always.

Carefully study your list and try for a connecting link between the objects. What could be the best magick that incorporates all (or most) of those items?
Candle magick? Brew? Potion? Craft? Chants alone? It could be any thing. Let the answer cone to you.

What comes to you is the right way. What you force on yourself may look fancier and may have worked well for many, but all of us have different energy signatures and thus resonate with different things.

Question 3: editing.
Of course the ancient wisdom should be heeded. If you have any doubts, it is a good idea to seek help from people or internet. If nothing else, it will boost your confidence (and thus increase your belief in your craft) (vital !!!)
Also, you can seek advice on adding other things like seeking crystal energy or tarot use in your craft. If you feel so, seek help.

Question 4: time and place.
Day or night, indoors or in a park/forest. Many factors affect this.
It is not necessary that spells be cast at night. You could let your intuition guide you. It is a good idea to keep all your materials in reach and go about your daily routine, at all times mindful of your spell. At some point of time, you will really feel like casting it. Go ahead, perhaps it is the best time!
Another approach could be timing the nature of the spell with the planetary influence on a particular time. For instance, communication can be enhanced by seeking the blessings of Mercury. Typically, Mercury influences us on a Wednesday, however, each day also has some influence of each planet at different times. If you can check that out, very well!

Also, then there is the need for privacy and comfort and many of us end up casting spells at night. Anything is good if you can successfully raise the energy.

So go ahead with what suits you best.

Question 5: concluding.
This is very important and very commonly overlooked!
Concluding spell includes opening the circle, proper disposal (dispersal?) of the remains (candle wax, water, ash, herb etc should be suitably disposed off. Here we are focussing on spell for communication so blowing the ash or herbs with the wind seems better than simply burying them into the earth) (but suit yourself!), GROUNDING yourself and eating something. Perhaps, even hand washing under running water.

That's it! At all times, let yourself be guided.

Contact me for any queries.
Blessed be!
Happy Beltane )O(

-Iyah

MALLEUS MALEFICARUM

"The Malleus Maleficarum or 'Hammer of the Witches', is a treatise on the prosecution of witches, written in 1486 by Heinrich Kramer, a German Catholic clergyman.

Three years after its publication, the Catholic Church condemned the Malleus Maleficarum", although, sadly,  it was later used by royal courts during the Renaissance, and contributed to the increasingly brutal prosecution of peaceful pagans and practitioners of the craft in 16th and 17th centuries. So basically, (mainly) women who worked as healers and worshipped the Sun, the Moon and the elements such as wind, water, fire and earth herself, were barbarically killed/burnt/slaughtered after being wrongfully tagged as devils/ workers of demons. (Who is the devil again?)

"Kramer wrote the Malleus shortly after being expelled from Innsbruck by the local bishop after a failed attempt to conduct his own witchcraft prosecution."

"The treatise describes how women and men become inclined to practise witchcraft. The text argues that women are more susceptible to demonic temptations through the manifold weaknesses of their gender. It was believed that they were weaker in faith and more carnal than men. The very title of the Malleus Maleficarum is feminine, alluding to the idea that it was women who were the villains. Otherwise, it would be the Malleus Maleficorum" (a masculine/unisexual term). The text is clearly disrespectful towards women and shows that it had been written by someone who doesn't understand the beauty of Goddess/ Goddess religions/ the Divine Feminine. Perhaps women can easily relate to the Goddess but some of the greatest practitioners of the art and science of 'the craft' have been men. Anyone who has an open heart can relate to the Goddess, as after all, it is women who give birth to both men and women.

Also, the fact that most of the "women accused as witches had strong personalities and were known to defy convention" suggests that perhaps Kramer wished that women be suppressed.

Although, the book accuses both male and female witches as worthy of punishment. It accuses the peaceful followers of paganism, healers, druids etc. of heinous acts that paganism and wicca actually prohibit, such as infanticide, cannibalism and casting evil spells!

Clearly the book gives an altered picture of pagan beliefs to those who aren't familiar with them and creates hatred towards some of the wisest and most tolerant people who call themselves 'sons and daughters of the Earth' and celebrate the beauty in the bounties of nature: moon, sun, rain, snow, hail, herbs etc.

Is it a sin to acknowledge the Sun who shines upon us each day and gives us crops and ripe fruits?
Or is it a sin to collect fresh herbs in exchange for an offering to mother Earth (Yes, we do not simply go about plundering the nature! We know we are asking the Earth for a part of her that we need and we offer her a small token as gratitude) to brew some hot tea for an ailing neighbour?

Paganism, neopaganism or wicca, teach us to honour the abundance of nature around us. It makes us more mindful of our unkind acts of ruthless plundering. It reminds us to try and coexist with everyone: animate or inanimate.

It tells us to honour all beings irrespective of their nationality or religious beliefs.

May the light of true knowledge deliver you to the truth. May your heart be kind and soul be blessed!

-Iyah

(With excerpts from wikipedia)