Beltane Rituals for Every Element

Written by  Lisa Stardust

Beltane is here! It’s May 1st, May Day, halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. It’s time to invite some friends over eat, drink, and be merry, embracing the beauty within and outside of ourselves as we celebrate the awakened, blooming flora and fauna of Earth. Originally celebrated as a Gaelic festival to protect cattle and encourage growth, Beltane is the light and beauty where we celebrate the sun and blossoms which perfume the air. In this May Day ritual, we are celebrating and giving back to the Earth, using all the elements (fire, earth, air, water) to ignite the hearth of Beltane. 

 
FIRE
Ideally, a bale fire is traditional merriment for the last night of April going into Beltane, May 1st. However, in this modern world, it may be impossible to have access to space which permits a bonfire. Consider using a small cauldron or candles. The colors of the earth, including red for passion, green for prosperity, purple for spirituality, yellow for happiness, white for harmony (or as a stand-in for any other colors. Red, green, and white are traditional Beltane colors. If you don’t have access to colored candles, you can use tea light candles. It’s ok to use the materials you have, remembering that the most important thing about magic is your intentions. 

Facing North, light the candles, evoking the goddesses you cherish and ancestors you admire as you go. Take a deep breath. As you inhale, close your eyes while the warm glow surrounds you. Amidst the warmth of the flames, envision a protective light surrounding, purifying, and stoking your own inner hearth. Open your eyes to the beauty of the flames burning. Let the heat serve as a shield against negativity, as you welcome in positive vibrations. 

EARTH 
Any urbanite can grab a fist full of fresh greenery and place it in a cauldron. Smelling fresh grass and flowers will bring life and abundance to any room. Honor their magical power and embrace the evergreen aroma. If possible, add some dandelions for positivity, hawthorn for fertility, and violets for protection. Try crossing twigs together with a red string to create a talisman that will also serve as a protective force against evil. When done using, recycle back to the universe by placing all remains outside to give back to Mother Earth. 

AIR
Make a wish for Beltane and release it to the air. Write down your desires on flying wish paper and let your desires travel on the wind. Through setting the intention and releasing your dream into the universe, you have the opportunity to plant valuable seeds of hope and creative renewal during these festivities. Giving prayers to the earth goddesses, pleases and inspires their support of your deepest desires to be manifested in the months to come. 

WATER 
Milk and honey is an offering made to Flora, Goddess of Flowers, to ensure vegetation blossoms in abundance during the Spring season. Added to baths, this mixture was notably used by the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra freshen up her soft, vibrant look and add beauty to her appearance. The mixture of milk and honey adds an element of fertility and sensuality to daily life. Rose petals infuse bathwater with feelings of self love and emotional healing. Use this combination for some bath magic to connect to the Earth Goddesses (such as Flora) and meditate. In this bath, be sure to take a moment of pause to connect to Flora’s lustful springtime earthy desires and evoke her spirit, as well as other water spirits like the river Goddess Oshun, who is also giver of love and fertility, and abundance, meditating on what you hope to grow. 

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Milk
• 1/2 Cup Honey 
• 1 Cup Salt 
• Rose Petals 
•  

Directions: 

• Run warm bath water. 
• Add milk, honey, and salt in a jar. 
• Seal the jar and shake to mix ingredients together. 
• Pour the mixture into bath.
• Add rose petals to bath.
• Lie back, relax, allowing your skin to absorb the 
• Gently rub skin and soak in bath. 

The Hoodwitch: Weekly Horoscopes ~ October 28th, 2016

Astrology By Amelia Quint

Moon Void of Course Times
October 27, 9:51 AM Moon enters Libra
October 29, 6:09 AM Moon void in Libra
October 29, 10:01 PM Moon enters Scorpio
October 31, 6:09 AM Moon void in Scorpio
November 1, 10:43 AM Moon enters Sagittarius
November 3, 6:35 AM Moon void in Sagittarius
November 3, 11:05 PM Moon enters Capricorn
 

Moon Phase: New Moon

Under the new moon, work magick to grow, heal, and create. The Scorpio new moon will intensify your connection to the spirit world, So  Samhain rituals will be intense! Be careful what you wish for: attraction spells are powerful now!

During these signs, work magick around the following:
Scorpio- sexuality, investments, rebirth
Sagittarius- law, studies, wisdom
Capricorn- business, ambition, order

Aries

As an Aries, you adore straightforwardness―but not everything in life is that linear, especially when spirits get involved. Under the Scorpio new moon on Sunday night, you may begin to feel as someone is reading your thoughts, or watching your every move. Lady Luna will be on Mercury, supporting this sympatico vibe. She’ll also be in sync with Neptune in your spirituality zone, throwing a veil of mystery over the situation. It’s Samhain, so know that this feeling runs deep. Trust your instincts and don’t try to make sense of it.

Taurus

Under Sunday night’s Scorpio new moon, expect things with a lover, business partner, or dear friend deathly serious. What I mean by that is that you may have an encounter that brings you close to a past life you shared together, or a thread in the fabric that’s tying you two together in this life. Lady Luna on Mercury sends a clear message about the purpose of your current incarnation. She’s also in sync with Neptune in your friendship sector, elevating the love between you to cosmic levels. If it sounds spooky, did you expect anything less from a new moon on Halloween?

Gemini

Sometimes taking care of yourself, day by day, can be an act of spiritual service to your soul. The Scorpio new moon on Sunday night falls in your sixth house of self-care, where your daily habits and personal rituals dwell. If you’ve been feeling drained, this is an invitation from the heavens to start over. Lady Luna and Mercury will be entwined, so you may want to write your way out of this one (as is your sign’s custom). A sync to Neptune in your worldly wisdom sector opens up a portal between you and your most admired icons. Create an ancestor altar for them and see what happens.

Cancer

Everyone else might think this weekend is unnecessarily macabre, but not you, Cancer. As Sunday night’s Scorpio new moon dances through your house of play, it’s time for you to party. You don’t have to turn up if that’s not your style―in fact, a sync from Neptune says that ingesting too many mind-altering substances might get weirder than you anticipated―but you should let yourself out of your shell. Should you need any more motivation, whatever diversion you choose will be potent inspiration for any creative projects you have in process.

Leo

Whatever inner ghosts and past hurts may be haunting you, this weekend will banish them once and for all. Sunday night’s Scorpio new moon lands at the base of your chart, where your deepest emotions reside. It’s like hitting the celestial reset button on your psyche. Lady Luna will be on Mercury, so expect a powerful message about this deep cleanse. She’ll also be in sync with Neptune in your transformation sector, so you’ll want to give yourself space for the waves of compassion to roll in and out. After this, you’ll be a new person. What will you do next?

Virgo

Do you believe in fate, Virgo? Something very much like it is at work this weekend, working to bring you and a kindred spirit together for an important purpose. On Sunday night, the Scorpio new moon lands in your siblings zone, which can also extend to friends who feel more like family. It’s in sync to Neptune in your partnership sector, activating a soul mate connection between you and someone you’re in close proximity with, be it a lover or acquaintance. Have you met long before this? You decide. Mercury and Lady Luna conspire to send you a message that answers that question clearly.

Libra

They say “Money is the root of all evil,” but what are you to do when it’s a necessary one, Libra? Your diplomatic sign is forced to reckon with money, power, and value under the Scorpio new moon on Sunday night. Lady Luna will be on Mercury, implying that you’ll need all your strategic wiles to work this out in your favor. A sync to Neptune in your wellbeing zone means you’ll need to tend to your spiritual health before moving ahead on any major moves. This is Samhain, after all, so call on your deities, spirit guides, guardian angels, and ancestors for help.

Scorpio

It’s your personal new year, Scorpio! On Sunday night, the new moon in your sign lines up with Mercury to give you a message about what magick the next year holds. The question is: how will you use it? Lady Luna will be in sync to Neptune, your house of progeny―of blood or spirit. This year, consider what gifts you want to leave behind for the world when you join the ancestors on the other side. Yes, biological children are one option, but so are artistic creations, businesses, political legacies, and so many more. You stand at the crossroads, a powerful liminal space. Soak it in, Scorpio.

Sagittarius

Your lighthearted sign may be feeling worn out from all this darkness, Sagittarius. First, Saturn in your sign since last September gave you a major reality check. Now the sun and Mercury in your shadow sector are shining a bright spotlight on your inner self, giving you the tea on where you need healing. Luckily, this Sunday night’s new moon in Scorpio is exactly what the witch ordered. It’s in sync with Neptune at the base of your chart, so you may feel as if you’re floating in an isolation tank. Enjoy being buoyed by the cosmos, even if just for a moment, and know the universe has your back.

Capricorn

As a Capricorn, you’re meant to lead, but who will follow? You can be an isolationist at times, but on Sunday night, the Scorpio new moon in your associations sector reveals a group where your soul can finally feel at home. Lady Luna will conspire with Mercury to give you silver-tongued wit with which to charm your new compatriots, and a sync from Neptune in your communication sector seals the deal. In fact, this group may be one that centers around writing, creativity, or technology. A new class or workshop could introduce you to people to which you’re psychically linked.

Aquarius

Forget Halloween’s dark and spooky connotations. This is your moment in the spotlight! Sunday night’s Scorpio new moon lands at the top of your chart, prompting you to make serious power moves in your career, whether you realize it or not. Lady Luna and Mercury will flirt with one another, giving you the perfect words, messages, and body language to see your plan through. Lady Luna will also be in sync with Neptune in your secrets zone, so what happens on Samhain doesn’t have to go anywhere else―the spirits know how to keep silent. Have fun, stay safe, and know your moon will be memorable.

Pisces

If it told you this was a perfect time to study, would you be mad? Hear me out. Scorpio is your ninth house of worldly wisdom, including writing, philosophy, religions, and occult studies. Because this Sunday’s new moon in mysterious Scorpio falls on Samhain, there’s really no better moment to start a proper year-and-a-day commitment to magickal practice, or start exploring witchcraft for the first time. Lady Luna will be on Mercury―the zodiac’s eternal student―and in sync with Neptune in your sign, for added spiritual oomph. What you start now will resonate for years to come.