It’s the eve of May, a time the pagans in the US call Beltane.
I have written about this before often spelling it Beltaine. (Which the internet says is the traditional Celtic spelling.) Whatever the spelling, this is the time of year when everything is bursting into bloom. It’s high spring. If Samhain, which I’ve written more about, is a time of acknowledging darkness and death, this is a passionate celebration of light and life.
It was a fairly mild winter here in New York City, but it was also cold, raw, damp, and dark. Spring has been oh so welcoming. As I’ve written, with the collapse of Point A, I had been wondering what to do with myself. That's not a problem anymore.
Our community, Cotyledon, is connected with a bunch of urban agricultural projects, like Smiling Hogshead Ranch and Hellgate Farm. There wasn't much to do with them in January and February. Now I need to be careful not to do too much. (See my last post.)
Spring won't last. One of the reasons I follow the pagan calendar is the reminder that the seasons flow into each other. Spring will become summer, summer will become fall, and fall will become winter. Beltane is just the opposite pole from Samhain. Life and death are intimately connected, as are light and dark.
The point is that I am going to enjoy all this while it's here. Everything is in bloom and it won't last. And I am not getting any younger. I want to enjoy each season fully while I am here to enjoy it.
I hope you are enjoying your spring.
Quote of the Day: “The most dramatic part of the Beltane celebration was the community bonfire. People would gather around it, often bringing chairs or stools in order to ‘sit out the wake of winter.’ … The fire was usually lit on May eve - fed by whatever a village could spare - and was kept going until sunset on May 1st. In general, most people extinguished all fires in their homes on May eve. … In keeping with the old ways, ‘new fire’ had to be brought back into the house from the Beltane flames.” - Bridget Haggerty
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