Author: A Solitary Pagan

Such a ritual can be used to encourage creativity and growth of all kinds. It may be performed either alone or in a group, with everyone present joining in the chants. Use as many kinds of wood as possible in the kindling for your fire. Traditionally the magical trees were oak, ash, thorn, willow, birch, rowan, alder, holly, and yew, but you can use wood indigenous to your region. An arboretum wil...

Candle colours: Dark green, silver and red Symbols: Fresh greenery, especially hawthorn; any flowers that are native to your region, placed in baskets; dew gathered on May morning (girls should bathe their faces in it), coloured ribbons, twigs from the three trees sacred to the festival (oak, ash and thorn) or any other woods from your own area Crystals: Clear crystal quartz, golden tige...

This Celtic festival of summer is also called Bel-fire, the festival of Belenus, the Celtic god of light. Time: Sunset 30 April-sunset 2 May (31 October-2 November in the southern hemisphere) Focus: The fertility of the Earth, creatures, crops, people, and animals; the instinctive energies that can be manifest as passion whether in sexual terms or for any cause; the interconnectedness of all exist...

This is another traditional time when the veils between the worlds are thin, and we can encounter beings from the Otherworld easily as we slip between the worlds. It is traditionally a time to honour the Fair Folk, as well as the fertility of the land in hopes of great abundance in the autumn. We can work with the Fair Folk to ensure that our endeavours are successful. In your liminal place, call ...

Conceive a new project, grasp that idea, and get on with it.

We still observe May Day, a contemporary version of an ancient European Pagan religious celebration. In earlier times, Beltane was connected with the dairy, and so ice cream, yoghurt, cheese, custard, quiche, and all other dairy foods are appropriate fare. Oatmeal cookies and oatmeal bread also fit the symbolism of Beltane, the high point of spring. This customary food comes from Scotland. Many ce...

Also: May Day, Walpurgis, Roodmas Beltane, celebrated at the peak of spring around early May, is one of the four main fire festivals native to Celtic culture. The other festivals, commonly referred to in Neopaganism as the “Greater Sabbats” are Imbolc, at the peak of winter, Lammas, at the peak of summer, and Samhain at the peak of autumn. Beltane is usually celebrated on May 1st and the night pri...

Dress your home and/or altar with greenery – especially with hawthorn, rowan and birch branches. Ask permission from the tree before you take anything.

You will need a bottle of brandy and at least one cup of hawthorn flowers, plus a little sugar to taste.   Mix the ingredients together and leave them away from direct light, for at least two weeks.   Shake occasionally.   Strain, bottle and enjoy. Hawthorn is renowned as a tonic for the heart.

This is the perfect time to go out and celebrate a tree. Especially a hawthorn, rowan or birch – but the tree spirit will welcome your attention whichever kind of tree it is. Sit with it, talk to it, dance around it (maypole), and honor the tree and its fertility. Hang ribbons from its branches, each ribbon represents a wish or prayer.

Birch is considered, by many to be a feminine tree. The Deities related to Birch are mainly that of love and the Goddess of fertility. The Birch is among one of the first trees  to show its leaf in Springtime   Eostre/Ostara, the Celtic goddess of Spring was celebrated in festivities and dancing around and through the birch tree between the Sp...

A Rowan tree is one for protection and healing.   Branches of Rowan have been placed as protection over the doorways of homes and barns at Beltane to protect from increased Faery activity as they woke from their winter slumber.   As well as this Sprigs of Rowan were worn for protection   Rowan berries have a tiny five-pointed star on the underside reminiscent of the pentagram.