Pagan Folklore – More Tid Bits about Beltane – Beltaine

• also known as May Eve, May Day, and Walpurgis Night
• falls at the midpoint between the Spring Equinox (Ostara) and the Summer Solstice (Midsummer, Litha)
• celebrates the height of Spring
• Beltane is a festival of flowers, fertility, sensuality, and delight
• consider waking early tomorrow and washing your face in pre-dawn May Day dew for health, luck, beauty
• from Mother Goose:
  “The fair maid who, the first of May Goes to the fields at break of day And washes in dew from the hawthorn tree Will ever after handsome be”
• the modern Neopagan holiday has its roots in part in the ancient Gaelic holiday celebrating the first day of summer
• it also draws many elements from the May Day traditions of Germany such as maypole dancing and the holiday’s focus on fertility
• the ancient festival marked the beginning of the “summer season” when livestock could safely be driven out to grazing lands
• tradition states that great bonfires would be lit at this time in the hope of attracting a plentiful harvest and well being to all
• Beltane, and its counterpart Samhain, act as dividing lines, seperating the year into two seasons : winter and summer.
• Beltane’s focus at heart is about celebrating and honoring Life, Samhain honors and celebrates Death. Both of which are inherant to Nature’s dance.
• Like Samhain, Beltane is also a time when the veils between the worlds are thinned … tradition tells us that these times make it easier to make contact with Fairies but also our beloved dead
• A young woman is often crowned as “May Queen”, and some folklorists have made connections between this tradition and Maia, the Roman Goddess of Spring
• Her duties include beginning the May Day celebrations by being crowned with a wreath of flowers and making a speech
• The Roman Catholic church had borrowed this tradition and (at least in my teen years in the 1980s) would have a ceremony crowning a statue of the Virgin Mary as “queen of the May”
• you can read the hymn we sang here

Blessings

Mama Kelly

Online sources:

• http://www.circlesanctuary.org
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beltane
• http://www.witchvox.com
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Queen

Written by Mama KellyTags:beltane, wicca

May 1 The Feast of Beltane – May Day – Facts and Folklore

The month of May is said to be named for the Greek Goddess Maia Majestas, the goddess of spring.

The full moon in May is also considered the day to commemorate the Buddha’s enlightenment. This year this occurs May 13. Certainly a fitting honoring of this esbat would be time spent in quiet meditation and reflection.

Beltane correlates to the ancient Roman holiday of Floralia which celebrated the flowers which promise to bear fruit. It was the traditional time to clean and purify the temples. It was also a time to make offerings of flowers to streams and rivers.

It is also traditional to have a bonfire comprised of nine types of wood:

• birch for the Goddess
• oak for the God
• willow for death
• fir for birth
• rowan for magic/magick
• apple for love
• vine (grape) for joy
• hazel for wisdom
• hawthorn for purity

And while April showers may bring May flowers, rain in May is said to bring bread all the long year.

“Mist in May, heat in June

make the harvest come right soon”

Blessings

Mama Kelly

Written by Mama KellyTags:beltane, wicca

I’ve always dreamed of a big, beautiful garden, but I’d be happy with just a plant or two, as a start to a little garden.

I have always wanted to have a veggie and flower garden, just never had the time or energy or the know how. A house I lived in way back when, had a huge grapevine in it -we loved it – no fuss at all since it had already been well established. The grapes were so sweet and juicy in the summer. I still miss that grapevine (not the house though).

Any way, I have a big back yard now and really should plant something! I came across a blog while randomly browsing, Adventures in Vegetable Gardening. As I was reading about her little zucchini seedlings I decided — I am going to do it!

I’m going to plant something this year. Angelgirl is 10, and I really think it’s important that she have the fun and experience of growing veggies in the yard — something fresh, healthy, and filled with sunshine that we all get to enjoy at the dinner table.

I’d like to plant zucchini — I have a great cold soup recipe for it, mixed with equal parts of yellow squash. Angelgirl  loves peas, so definitely peas. Teacherman and I love tomatoes, so maybe some nice cherry ones. I can think of a few other things too – but I should keep it small and manageable for now. I’ll probably start out with a few containers, easy to care for, not much digging or weeding needed.  A few herbs would also be nice to plant.

I have to keep it small though — since I am still dealing with health issues and no energy. But I think its worth giving it a try. So I’ll be shopping this week for some pots and plants.

What a great way to celebrate Beltane (and the start of my diet) on May 1.  Even if you don’t have a lot of space, planting something is always possible, even if you just plant a few flowers in a pot to give to a friend.

Health and Happiness, Lady Rose

Recommended reading:
The Complete Container Garden.
Crops in Pots.
Pots in the Garden: Expert Design and Planting.
Planting Green Roofs and Living Walls.

Written by Lady RoseTags:beltane, gardening

I’m hoping that it is a good sign that the new doctor’s office I will be going to has three female doctors – a friend at work recommended them and the office is not far from where I work. My first appointment is this Friday.  I am a little worried about getting my hopes up and expecting to be treated with at least a little respect from the medical profession. I have had a hard time finding a doctor who will actually listen to me and help me, as I posted before about a recent visit with my now ex-doctor.   But I’m going to try very hard to stay positive about this first visit and making a fresh start. 

Usually when I see a doctor I only get to mention the one thing that brought into the office – and the doctor never wants to go any further. But this time I hope will be different. I have made up a list of everything that I want to ask about, all my symptoms, besides just the very painful heel that keeps me from walking – the extreme fatigue, weight gain, edema, etc.

Mama Kelly has been very helpful and encouraging, so I’m really going to try this time to get past just one or things on the list and deal with a lot of the issues I’ve had for a very long time.

I plan to stay calm, polite, but firm also, and even if the doctor doesn’t seem receptive to my questions and concerns — I can always try one of the other doctors in the office (since there are three).

I know in my brain, I have a right to quality medical care. And if it was for my daughter or my husband or my good friend MamaKelly, I would be all over any doctor who didn’t treat them with respect and work to help them feel their best. I guess all those years of childhood training – “be a good girl”, “don’t make a scene” etc. etc. – still linger down in the depths of my subconscious.

But its time to be the grown up when it comes to medical doctors and not be intimated. At least that is the plan for Friday.

Bright Blessings, Lady Rose

Written by Lady RoseTags:doctors, health

SHE

she
stands
on earth
grass beneath
her toes now damp with
a May morning’s sparkling dew

she
stands
watching
the sun rise
the sky shifting from
grey to pink purple tangerine

she
smiles
once the
sun rises o’er
the swaying treetops
waking blossoms fragrance the breeze

she
walks
returns
home where love
and family wait
laughter drifts on honey glazed air

she
hopes
that the
sun’s warmth will
thaw her frozen heart
letting Power run through her veins

copyright Mama Kelly 2006

I used a syllabic pattern based on the Fibonacci Numbers

Written by Mama KellyTags:poetry, wicca

I finished my second crocheting project Friday – my very first “Goddess shawl” as a gift for Mama Kelly. She really liked it. We will get a photo up soon. I even made a matching scrunchie for her hair.

With the left over yarn she is going to make a herself a bag for her tarot cards. She has a matching “gypsy fortune telling outfit” now.

The Goddess shawl is triangular in shape (3 sides) and was made with a pattern using groups of 3 double crochets, it is a total of 30 rows (includes 4 rows of edging). The colors are variegated, in deep blues, purples, and green. What makes it a Goddess shawl is “intent” – choosing the number pattern to symbolize the three phases of the Goddess, colors that felt warm, comforting, and nourishing (like the ocean), and a simple, soothing chant as I crocheted and keeping my thoughts focused on what I wanted the shawl to be empowered with — love, comfort, healing.

Chant I used: We all come from the Goddess, and to Her we shall return. Like a drop of rain, flowing to the ocean.  This is one of my favorite chants and always relaxes me and helps me get into a state of mind that is magical and relaxes.

A Goddess Shawl can be made in a variety of colors and pattern number combinations by selecting what symbolizes the overall intent to empower the shawl with. I am looking forward to making more in the not to distant future.

For magical or spiritual work in preparation often you change into something that is worn only for such occasions, such as a robe, that helps you set out of the everyday world and leave stress and worry and distraction behind. A shawl can serve a similar purpose but can be worn in every day situations — it can be worn when you want to surround yourself with the essence of the Goddess, to remind yourself to draw from the wisdom within, you can put it up over your head to give comfort and as a physical action to help build your shields when you need to step back from the stress of the moment.

I want to make a sacred cord (belt) one day also – the act of tying a cord around the waist for protection is a common practice. It represents drawing in your aura as a way of shielding. A lovely crocheted belt created with intent for protection would a great addition to an every day wardrobe and no one would know it was “witchy”.

I just started my next project a small throw blanket for the upstairs family room. It is a lovely beige with flecks of browns, it feels very earthy but very light, as I am crocheting I am focusing on nourishing, comfort, and replenishing energy. I think it will be a very cozy blanket to snuggle under.

Bright blessings, Lady Rose

Written by Lady RoseTags:crocheting, gifts, goddess

My depression is at another peak – and this is in spite of taking my meds on time every day – so I’m going to the Dr-man tomorrow to ask about an increase and have 50% of the blood in my veins withdrawn to check for all kinds of pestilence.

OK so I’m getting basic tests like thyroid function liver and kidney function ANA antibodies and what not. But surely I feel lousy enough that there should be a name for this LOL.

Anyway …

I realized that I miss being able to go to church when I feel like this

not for the Roman Catholicism …

but for the permanant “sacred space” where you can feel safe to just bear your soul to the Divine

It occurred to me that while, as a Pagan, I have the ability to create my own sacred space … and that all of Nature is inherently sacred …. the beauty of a “church” is that you can go there when you are so spiritually exhausted that you need to let somewhere else and someone else fill you back up

Blessings

Mama Kelly

Written by Mama KellyTags:depression, religion

Here Ghostie Ghostie…

I managed to stay awake last night and watch one of my favorite shows Ghost Hunters (starring the TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) team. Grant Wilson had a personal experience in the house they were investigating – he felt a sharp pain on his back and when they checked to see what happened he had a sorta hand print shape mark on his back that was red and scratched. He said it almost felt like “electricity” had hit him.

It’s not concrete evidence, but certainly is something that makes a person go hmmmmm, maybe it was ghost.

As I mentioned in an early post, (Ghost Hunters) about one encounter with a possible haunting I had, I truly believe that ghosts exist and I wish I could go on ghost hunts.

Another possible haunting experience I had was a in house I lived in about 25 years ago. It was located in a medium size city, and was in a neighborhood the city was considering making historic, so it was pretty old. I had rented two spare bedrooms to college students and they were always hearing footsteps above in the attic. I’m a very sound sleeper so I didn’t hear the footsteps that often – but occassionally I did too. No one was bothered to much by it, unless the footsteps started coming down the attic stairs. Usually who ever heard the footsteps on the steps would immeidately run downstairs (myself included) and somethings out to the porch until the footsteps stopped.

My sister stayed in one of the bedrooms for little awhile and she started yelling for me. As I said I am a sound sleeper – so it took awhile for me to get semi-conscious. I was like, what? go to sleep! She was like “NO WAY GET IN HERE NOW!” So I stumbled down the hallway and she was sitting up in bed with the lights on — and the clothes in the closet were swinging back and forth as if there was a strong breeze in room. I wasn’t half asleep any more that is for sure. I told her to get out of bed and come with me — we sorta backed out of the bedroom and closed the door behind us and crawled under the covers in my room and sat there huddled together watching my bedroom praying what ever it was wouldn’t come down the hall in my room too. (We were all such chickens then hehehe)

Another time I was sound asleep, my bedroom door was open and small night light was on in the hallway. I rolled over, shifted a bit, and opened my eyes the tinest bit — and there was large shadow next to my bed, at first I just said “go away,” and almost fell back to sleep (I really hate being woken up) — but as I layed there it slowly dawned on me — there shouldn’t be a large human figured shaped shadow stanging next to my bed. I peeked just the tiniest bit and sure enough it was still there. I closed my eyes really tight and ducked under the covers (after all covers are magical and can protect us from anything right ???? hehehe). I laid very very still figuring if it thought I was asleep it would just go away.

I’ll post some more about personal experiences later on.

Now when I’m not afarid of things that go bump in the night (as long as I have my blankie with me that is) — not much seems to happen. Oh well, I’m sure eventually I’ll see other signs of ghosts again.

Happy Hauntings, Lady Rose

Ghost Hunters (TAPS) available:
Ghost Hunters (available on dvd)
Download Season 4 and more - Ghost Hunters (Amazon).
Download Ghost Hunters International.

Written by Lady RoseTags:ghost hunting, ghosts, paranormal, TAPS

This is a follow up to my previous post about the recent doctor visit.  Today, I was laughing so hard two girls at the office came over to my cubicle to find out what happened – so I told them and they had a good chuckle too, so figured I’d share it with my blog friends as well.

I called the “podiatrist” my doctor referred me too because of my very painful heel that is making it almost impossible to walk. The woman who answered was very nice, and explained that the doctor wasn’t taking any new patients because he was retiring. But she says, there are two other doctors if you’d like to make an appointment with them. I replied, sure. She replies, they are both very good cardiologists.

For a moment there I was at a loss for words but I managed to say, but ummm I’m sorry I was told this number was for a podiatrist. She replies, no we are a cardiology office. Well thank you for your time, I reply.

And then I just cracked up. I found the whole thing so funny. One of the girls here said, aren’t you glad she mentioned they were cardiologist. Oh my, I could picture it now, me showing up for an appointment and kicking my shoes off and the doctor walking in looking at me like I had lost my mind.

The laughter helped ease the frustration, and I decided to take the whole referral incident as a sign that the Goddess was reminding to find the humor in situations, but also that I should just move on and find a new doctor – after all if she can’t even refer me to the correct type of specialist, why should I ever go back there.

I have my eyes and ears open for a good doctor, and have two possible ones already (and I’ll check my insurance’s website to see if they are on the list).

My common sense and my body have made it perfectly clear I can’t keep ignoring the pain – so I’ll just have to get over my life time resistance to giving in to pain.  My entire life I have refused to be thought of a wuss – I will push myself until I just can’t go another inch. Growing up I prided myself on not shedding a tear – for example, I have had rhumetoid arthritis from the age of two which meant weekly long needles in my knee joints to take out the fluid when I was a child- I never once called for my mom who wouldn’t even stay in the room with me. At 11 I had a cigarette put out in the palm of my hand and I didn’t flinch. At 18 I took a full punch to face and didn’t buckle under. I’ve had a gun held to my head and a knife to my throat and laughed at the those who tried to frighten me. I took pride in being strong, in facing pain with an unflinching glare.

So when my body hurts, I ingore it for as long as I can, by the time I go see a doctor, I’m exhausted and at my wits end. So when they look at me like it’s all in my head – I just want to scream – they don’t know me, they have NO clue what I can handle and what I push myself to do. I had a back doctor tell me my 6 bulging disks were not that bad and shouldn’t hurt. I had a gyn tell me the cyst on my ovary didn’t hurt. I was younger then, I didn’t speak up, I managed to fight through the pain and not go back to a doctor for a very long time.

But at 50, I think I’m finally starting to get it – the body isn’t suppose to be in pain. Just because my entire childhood and most of my adults years involved a lot of pain – doesn’t mean I have to let doctors convince me it’s all in my head or it shouldn’t hurt that much.

This is definitely one of those times I need to take my own advice – and if it was happening to a friend, I would put her in the car myself and get her to a decent doctor. It is also one of those times I need to remember I am a child of the Goddess and a Priestess, and part of living a spiritual life means taking care of one’s body. It is the temple that holds the spirit, a gift created from the Mother Earth through which we can experience the joys of being alive. If I want to “live” what I believe in and not just say the words, than I have to get over my old emotinal scars, my shyness around authority figures (i.e., doctors) and take action and take care of myself.

Easier said then done, but what the heck, I have 50 years experience behind me so why shouldn’t I get cranky, get stubborn and insist a doctor actually listen to what I’m saying and do something. If not, I’ll just put the old hex on him and turn him into a toad !

Bright blessings, Lady Rose

Written by Lady RoseTags:doctors, health

I’m more then a little frustrated today. I have been having a great deal of pain in my left heel — its like walking on glass. I have put up with it as long as I can (several months), but I finally made an appointment to see the doctor. I needed blood work and perscription refill any way for my hypothyroidism.

I arrive five minutes early, and wait 45 minutes to see the doctor. My daughter was with me and being such an angel, she brought her book and crocheting with her. The nurse had taken my blood pressure (which was a bit high 158 over 94), so I guessed the doctor would suggest blood pressure medicine again.

The nurse also asked me lots of questions, and since I hadn’t had a mammagram in over 4 years, and never had a bone density test, she thought I was long over due. The doctor comes in, and asks why I made the appointment (which of course is written right there in the chart she is carrying). I say, well first my heel is killing me, I can barely walk any more. Her replay – “I’m not a foot doctor.”

I sorta blinked a bit, and replied “I know, I know, but I really need some relief the pain keeps getting worse every day and its been months now.” Her response, as she looks me up and down, “Well everything is going to hurt, your back, knees, joints.” (I know I’m overweight – but that is a whole other story – I don’t need some doctor looking me over and dismissing me just for my weight).

At that point I felt like screaming and/or crying, but my daughter was with me, so I smiled. “Dr. please, its like walking on knife points, I really need some help.” She squibbles out a name on her perscription pad and hands me a slip, “Here go see a podiatrist. Anything else?”

(Duh, yes! I think to myself.) But I smile again, and say “Well I need my perscription refilled, ” she fills it out silently and hands me the slip, and then says “OK then we’re done” and gets up to leave.

Now I’ve waited 45 minutes to see her and she has spent only about two minutes with me so far. So I speak up, “Excuse me, but I also need bloodwork done.” She asks, “What for your thyroid or a complete workup?”

( I think to myself – gee I don’t know doc, you tell me — after all doesn’t the degree on the wall have your name on it not mine?) “Well, if you look at my chart there, I think its been about three years since I’ve had a complete bloodwork done.” “I’ll leave the paperwork for it at the front desk,” she opens the door.

“Excuse me” I almost raise my voice. “But I just paid $30 to have the blood drawn here so I wouldn’t have to take another day off from work to go to the lab. And I made sure when I made the appointment that I mentioned it so it could be scheduled.”

Her eyes brows go up, “You’ve been fasting.” (It’s 11 a.m. so I’ve missed breakfast. Biting my tongue – thinking to myself – “Why doc don’t you think fat people can go without food for more then 1 an hour? Is that such a shock to your system, you snobbish, uncaring, ***censored****”)

“Yes,” is all I say because if I said any more I would have regretted it.

The doctor leaves and sends in the nurse to draw blood. The nurse was very sweet, and was one of the few who actually took her time to find a vein so she didn’t have stick me more then once.

I hobble my way out to the car my left foot throbbing, and take a few deep breaths, wondering what my blood pressure is now.

It’s very difficult for me to see doctors (another long story) – and I had thought that this one was going to work out. My sisters both go to her, and they kept recommending her so I finally decided to see her three years ago. When I first met her – she was great. She even sent me to a thyroid specialist when I told her the medication I had been on for years wasn’t relieving the symptoms — I gave him a try for three years but he never listened and wouldn’t even consider changing my medication. I went to him three times, just to get the medication refilled.

So now here I was back to square one and in a great deal of pain – so I go back to the doctor that my sisters think is terrifc and she just looks me up and down and spends less then 3 minutes with me. I wanted to scream at her – Did you even look at the blood pressure numbers? What about the mammogram? Bone density? You know I’m 50 right? Or maybe you just figure I’m going to fall over dead soon any way from being overweight so why waste your percious time with me?

***deep breaths*** Getting angry isn’t going to change things. So first step is go see the foot doctor and pray he can help. After that, I’ll wait and see if the doctor calls about the bloodwork results. If they don’t and everything is fine (which it probably is) – I’ll begin my quest to find a doctor that at the very least can “fake” being a tiny bit concerned and at least glances at the first page of  my chart.

Bright blessings, Lady Rose

Written by Lady RoseTags:doctors, health