#beltane

As promised: today's issue of The Gods and Their Croziers is my second issue on the #Morrigan. Like my first Mórrígan issue it's a mess of cross-identifications, cosmic thoughts, and speculations about the wider role of the Mórrígan outside "war". It's built around an observation, that several fairs in areas associated with the #Mórrígan, and feast days of several local saint versions of her, are held at or near #Bealtaine / #Beltane But, it leads to interesting observations that suggest further identifications for her throughout myth and folklore: from Clídna to Aífe to Crédhe of the Yellow Hair. As ever: this is not ”all" the Mórrígan, and it's not counter to what we already knew. May 6th: The Mórrígan, Queen of Summer, as Sts. Inghean Bhuidhe & Cróbh Dearg https://buttondown.com/godsandcroziers/archive/may-6th-morrigan-queen-summer-inghean-bhuidhe-crobh-dearg/

#MayFirst #May1st Following in tradition, tonight we're watching The Wickerman I hold practices on the equinoxes and solstices, but I warmly recognize those that celebrate #MayDay and #Beltane Aí sæþ ghal!

Jethro Tullin vuodenaikaislaulujen kokoelmasta tähän päivään. #JethroTull #MayDay #Beltane https://youtu.be/xqVY4pfD084

Tha Bealltainn an seo. Beltane is here. The hawthorn is opening. The earth is keeping every promise the empire breaks. Today's Gathering: the news + the herbs that hold you through it. https://twp.ai/4hpe0I #Beltane #Druidry #Herbalism #Paganism #WheelOfTheYear #May #Witch #Folklore #Nature

Hooray, hooray, it's the first of May. Outdoor fucking begins today! #beltane

The hyacinths are up! Their return marks Beltane in my region every year, so here is my annual appreciation post: The story goes that Hyacinth was a Spartan prince, and a lover of Apollo. He died tragically when struck by a discus, and the gods made a flower bloom where his blood fell on the soil. Hyacinthus had a large cult at Amyclae, which he shared with Apollo. Though, some scholars have noted that his name is pre-hellenic, and he may be an earlier cthonic god of the early spring vegetation that dies out before summer. It makes sense, then, that in his myth he is struck down while still in his beautiful youth. Io Hyacinthus, your blooms are sweet and fleeting! #Beltane #Hedgewitch

Beltane is in a couple days, time to prepare! For me, this means constructing a maypole. This year, because of all the snow and ice storms, there are plenty of fallen trees and branches to use. Some years, the ground is still frozen and I can't dig a hole for it, so I use a tall box filled with sand. One year I used packed snow. This year, the ground is thawed but might be too sodden to actually hold it up. These kinds of observations of the soil are all part of the observence of the holiday itself. I leave my maypole up outside until the summer solstice or later, as decoration. I make sure to use cotton ribbon, not plastic, and the birds have sometimes taken bits for their nests. Once the season is done, the whole thing can be chopped up for firewood. It's almost always too cold to go out at night for a bonfire on Beltane, so my "balefire" is usually postponed this way until the weather improves. #Beltane #Witch

I should add; specific points in the calendar are rarely associated only with one God or God-narrative. So when I say that Bealtaine is the Mórrígan Festival, I'm referring to the Festival Traditions and Seasonal Associations.. but there are other things that mythically happen on Bealtaine Eve/Day that have little to do with her. Nevertheless - these Saints of Bealtaine look very like Mórrígans, and we know at least some ancient festivals were held on sites associated with her, too. #Walpurgisnacht too has many traditions in common with Celtic #Beltane / #Bealtaine / #MayDay traditions, and I see the hallmarks of the Mórrígan's parallel mythic roles there too. I'll try to do those justice in the upcoming May 5th issue..

Bealtaine (/ #Beltane) is nearly upon us! And I have a busy month of issues on the God-Saints ahead.

I have reason to argue that this will be the festival of the Mórrígan - I'll go into it on the May 5th issue.

• Out 30th May will be the Divine Twins, Cellach & Muiredach of Killala - archetypically matching Aengus mac Óg & Cúchulainn.
• On 5th May, an issue on Cróbh Dearg & Inghean Bhuidhe, further aspects of the Munster Mórrígan
• May 15th, Brendan the Navigator - Midir the Proud, the Irish Soma/Dionysus - half-twin of Brighid and foster-father to Aengus.
• May 21st, Conall - another epithet of Fionn, the Irish Óðinn/Apollo - and the Fionn of the Ulster Cycle.