Happy May Day and Beltane. What associations does the word “Beltane” conjure up within your imagination? Maypole dancing, the May Queen, Fairies, Morris Dancing, Jack In The Green, The Green Man, Beltane Fires on the Skyline. May Blossom. Spring, Frolics etc

Beltane really starts when the hawthorn tree blossoms. “Hawthorn is burned to purify and bring faery to your eye” – it was said that original maypoles were made of hawthorn. It is good firewood as it burns hot and slowly. Smouldering imagery.

The outer impulse epitomised by the growing Sun and warmth which becomes aligned with our inner impulse is towards creating fire and shared warmth. The penetration of heat from the sunlight to awaken sleeping seeds to kickstart germination and produce flowers and fruits. It is a time of frolics when everything seems fresh, new and exciting and there is a heightened sense of anticipation and energy levels begin to rise as does the sap.

Humankind’s original conquest of fire was likened to a sexual conquest and fire has become strongly sexualised. It is evidenced by our use of fire in language. We speak of playing with fire without getting burned, there being no smoke without fire, of old flames, of being fired up, of having the hots for someone, of someone beig a hottie etc

When we as a species discovered fire we also detected fire within ourselves. Fire has fascinated and excited us ever since. It was originally a case of rubbing two sticks together to create warmth and penetrating fire. Rubbing body parts together has the same effect. Fire is primitive and pwerful. You only have to gaze into flames to feel its power. Do it and see where your imagination takes you. Imagine that you are one of the first humans who ever discovered fire, There had been nothing like it for humans before and it changed us as a species. We had discovered the Sun, our own Sun.

The fire within us creates coupling and children, therefore our past and future. The fire within fires the synapses in our brains and ignites our imagination to create our reality.

Beltane is one of the Fire festivals, a time to acknowledge the growing regenerative power of the Sun, both above us and within us and below us, deep within the Earth’s core. Dance around a fire, feel the heat rise within you, look to the Sun as it gives us longer days and go out into the world and create.

I am the Fire, I kickstart Desire to become a High Flyer Like The Sun, We are One. As Above, So Below, As Within, So Without.

Spring into Action and Create a Wonderful Summer Ye All.

Hawthorn burning – http://www.flickr.com