Beltane

Faeries, Gnome Shortage and It’s Time to Choose………

Happy, happy Magickal, Miraculous, Magnificent, Musical, Majestic, Mighty, May Monday! How was your Beltane? Mine was Miraculous! (Ha, I slid another M in there).

Thank you for all the lovely messages about the Beautiful Beltane Book that was my gift to you. It was wonderful hearing the rituals you tried, the way you marked the day and the fact that quite a few of you had never done so before was even better!!!

I spent my day holding space for an amazing Creatrix Circle Beltane gathering (which was glorious fun!) Then out to the woods to do a Tree Blessing (such a lovely ritual to do) and then for the first time in my life I created a Faery garden! It seemed like the perfect day to do such an activity as Beltane is when the veil is thin between us and the Fey.

Oh my Goddess I had so much fun! Hauling rocks for the walls and then filling the glorious bed with delicious fresh soil. The garden has a glorious funky bright pink faery door with a wee little Narnia like lamp post next to it, surrounded by moss. There’s a stone pathway that leads from the door to a Standing Stone Circle. A fabulous ornate teapot in the garden which will either become a Faery cafe or a Faery School for Magick and Mischief. Antique tea cups filled with wee sedums, driftwood, shells and colourful flowers that the faeries will love (as well as the bees and the flutterby’s). Earth, Air, Fire and Water elements felt important to have. So for Fire there are wee tiny faery lights wending throughout so that at night everything sparkles and invites.

I felt like a wee one creating a magickal space and it was so much fun! Now to add to it when I find something that calls to me on my yomps with Danu! (Yes, I am that woman with pockets of shells, rocks, feathers and cool pieces of driftwood!) Lol.

As I sat out in the dark watching the lights twinkle amongst the ivy and throughout the garden I felt fully content and filled with joy. I got out one of my antique teacups and poured some good white wine into it and grabbed some fat raspberries and took them out to place in the garden as a welcome and as an offering to the Fae.

Sunday morning when I went to take Danu out the teacup was neatly sitting by the bottom of my back stairs. WTF? Empty and tidy. Um. An animal wouldn’t have neatly placed the teacup by my stairs and if a human had wandered into the garden Danu would have known. Sweet! I think the offering and the space were accepted!

So now I have a glorious project to keep puttering away at, thus, if you have any fun ideas for the faeries I would love to hear them. They seem to have more specific needs than Gnomes.

Speaking of Gnomes, when Covid first hit and we went into lockdown most of my friends were shopping like mad fiends online. Buying all sorts of random things, yet there wasn’t anything I really needed nor wanted. Until I saw the most amazing Gnome!

I have NEVER EVER been a Gnome garden ornament type of gal, but this lovely chap holding out a flower to catch the water in spoke to my heart and made me smile. So confession time, over the last year I have acquired 8 amazing, lovely gnomes that are scattered in amongst the herbs, the veggies and hanging out in planters. Yup, gnomes.

Thus when I heard an article on the news a few weeks ago about there being a Gnome shortage I laughed my soxs off! A gnome shortage – is that even possible? Well, it turns out that I wasn’t the only one with a wee bit of a Gnome fetish and with more people gardening, Gnomes were snapped up lickety split and hustled off to new homes. And apparently, with a ship blocking the Suez Canal not even the raw materials could be brought in to make them! (Who would have thunk it!)

So my advice to you, is if you have a Gnome in your garden keep a close eye on him!

With May here, the energy has shifted and we are being invited into the realm of It’s Time to Choose. To explain this Lena shares this with us – As we approach a major point of transition with the Full Moon and total lunar eclipse at the end of the month, we are being challenged to question, reflect, release, choose and commit to personal authenticity and the path of essence. This challenge invites us to choose and choose well. The choices require leaving behind old outdated beliefs, conditioning, suffering, addictions and other limiting behaviors. This is it. It’s time to choose. Who are you? Who are you not?

Sometimes it is easier to react to who you are not rather than searching for who you are. We have been imprinted and conditioned by a set of collective patterns that have greatly influenced our identities. The recent disruption in routines and behaviors has given us a chance to re-examine what is important to us, what we resonate with and what we no longer wish to blindly put up with. With the coming transition and change in vibration on the planet (identified by the Toltecs as the shift from the 5th sun to the 6th sun), we have the opportunity to reset ourselves by choosing wisely to follow our hearts, to be guided by essence, and to live our lives in greater balance, harmony and authentic self-expression.

This month is about choosing your path. Will you choose a path that includes suffering and bad habits? Or will you choose the path of spirit always moving towards the vibration of love, hope and beauty? There is no redemption in suffering. It is time to look through the veil of illusion and reach through it to the other side and into a new landscape of endless possibilities. We are at the choice point and your choices this month will carry a potency that will influence who you are, what you do, where you are and with whom.

Ahhhhh, delicious words as we always have a choice – even when we forget that we do. So what are you going to choose?

Okay, enough chuntering on. Let’s crack on with the reading! So when I asked who wanted to come and share this week I nearly wet myself laughing! The glorious guides of The Oracle of the Dragonfae were most adamant (I mean most adamant!) (You seriously can’t make this shit up!)

Now if these guides are new to you, let me introduce them (as that’s the polite thing to do). Feel their love. Know your power….the Dragonfae are our flesh and soul kin, our friends, our guardians and our allies. When we connect with them, we reconnect with the lost parts of ourselves, allowing us to fully explore the gift of life. These guides are the magickal and mystical that weave through the threads of every day, they are the Dragonfae, Gods and Goddesses who dwelt in dimensional lands….Eden, Avalon, Ys, Atlantis and Mu, they are Morgan, Guenevere, Merlin and others – fully alive and filled with magick! They are the deliciously magickal beings that have always been there, we just forgot, and when we connect with them, we reconnect with the lost parts of ourselves, allowing us to fully explore the gift of life on this beautiful green and blue planet, known by some as Gaia, by others as Dana, and by many other names.

The crystals that wiggled and jiggled to participate made me smile. Amethyst – is a powerful and protective stone. It guards against psychic attack, transmuting the energy into love and protecting the wearer from all types of harm, including geopathic or electromagnetic stress and ill wishes from others. Amethyst is a natural tranquiliser. Citrine – has the nickname of “The Merchants Stone”, as it’s most certainly involved with money, manifestation and marvellousness! Last but not least, Pyrite – Like a trusted bodyguard, Pyrite is great for the third chakra, enhances will power and helps overcome anxiety. A fabulous rebalancer and manifestation stone.

Gorgeous sprigs of Lemon Balm grabbed at me as I came in to write. Lemon Balm holds the magic of quiet, steady trust. So with all that being said, let’s go explore.

Take a moment to just BE. Breathe a lovely exhale out and then allow a deep gorgeous belly breath in. Invite into your minds eye a glorious meadow filled with wee daisies and wildflowers, each flower holds magick and invites you to make a choice. A choice that supports and nourishes you. Breathe until you are ready to pick.

Did you remember to pick?

Let’s go meet your guides.

LADY OF THE NEW BUDS

See how my garden has grown about me? See how my children, the darling buds, clamour for my attention? They cry at night and can be so touchy during the day! I must shelter them from harshness and keep them in a safe place, till they are strong enough to branch out….even then, my watchful eye will look out for their care.

You see, so many people see the beauty, and do not understand where it sprang from; the rich, loamy soil. The sweet water poured from the water-Dragonfae into this earth, the minerals of the natural realms, the light of the Sun and the shining sweetness of the crystal moon have all anointed my garden with their blessings. And then there is me. So many see my garden, and wonder at it, but they do not see the work and the care that has preceded my domain. Its beauty is a result of love, care, natural growth and attention to each and every one of its inhabitants.

When your growth appears around you, from the seeds you have planted, take time to tend this garden. Enlist the assistance of like-minded souls, and just as you would not feed these tender buds poisons and pollutants, do not feed your ideas the opinions and energies of those who are not in integrity. Stay true to the vision of your creation and truly take a little time each day to tend this garden, be it of love, ideas, little ones or creative endeavours, until they are robust and begin to grow into their own energy. For now, it is the tender time, the time when the buds are at most risk from the frost of rejection, the poison of judgement, and the choke of cruelty. Be vigilant, and you too will have a garden for all to enjoy and love.

Many will feel you’re fortunate indeed to have created such a beautiful Eden, but they will not see the care you have taken to grow this. But I have seen. I have seen it all. Whisper to her your dreams and ideas, plant your seeds, and watch them grow. Allow her to inspire you with care for your own budding projects, beings, loves and responsibilities.

The emergence will come at the right time, because the bud will be forced to flower at some stage – do not allow yourself to wither in the bud. Divine guidance needs practical application and work. Action teamed with inspiration will create a beautiful, bountiful paradise. Work hard at what it is you love.

THE TIME GUARDIAN

The feelings you have, of time contracting and expanding, are real insights, not simply your imagination. Time is a living dimensional being, whose powers include the ability to devote more time to those of us who require it, and for time to speed up or slow down then it may be necessary, too. It is in this way that we are able to divine and travel through the threads and weavings of time, and move forward into seeing our future…in truth, we are already there. And much of who we truly are remains an echo. The time beings of the Dragonfae, of whom I am one, know this, and guard and protect you from confusion. Similarly, they can assist you when you require time to be created.

If you feel you are short of time, send a thought message to me, the Guardian of Time, and I will send you all the help you need to meet your goals within the time you feel you have. Know that time is available to work for and with you; you need only tune into it as a dimensional reality, and connect with the time beings. Know that you are a timeless being. Know that you are dimensionally vast, that you are protected, cherished and loved.

If you work with time rather than trying to compartmentalise, control and define it, if we return to the lunar and solar and astronomical ways, if we celebrate the time changes apparent in nature all around us with the Wheel of the Year, then the time span we have will be richer and more joyful, our vocations will be discovered and we will no longer struggle to cram so much into our days. Because changing our perceptions is such a mammoth task, the Time Guardian is sometimes very tired, as the prevailing human mindset now is of time needing to be constrained and watched. He encourages us all to experience the natural flow of the energy we call time, and experience its multi-dimensionality. There is one simple way to work with him. Be in the present moment, more often.

THE MORRIGHAN

I see now that events are moving extremely fast; this is a time of rapid change and creation, so rapid that you may wish to slow down, just a little. However I say to you clearly that the time to act is now; and that procrastination and hesitation are your enemies at this time. I can lead you forward through this time, and help you pick your way through the minefield before you. This is a time of testing and darkness, but through this you will grow strong. Be aware! If you have resisted your abilities, or felt blocked in terms of following your life path, these changes will take place very rapidly because they have been waiting for a signal to be able to come in, and they are working hard with you so you do not have to endure a long, drawn-out process of change. Truly, you are ready. Take flight with me, and know that taking your own path seriously and acting now with deep integrity, is the way for justice to reach you.

Do not give in to panic and do not run. Now is the time. If not now, when?

You have already tortured yourself in a thousand ways with your thoughts. You cannot avoid change; each day your cells renew, and all you have to do is breathe in and out for this process to take place. You are confusing stasis with safety – there is nothing to fear, there is everything to gain. A turning point in your life demands action on your behalf, and backing down or avoidance is not the answer. Draw strong boundaries and claim your space. Face trouble rather than turning away. Confront injustice and change the rules by which you have felt bound. Learn to work with your strength and your own ability to create deep change. Lose fear of your own power. Let your courage feel inspired and know that destiny has given you an opportunity to be the courageous being of action that you truly are.

Oh my gosh, I love, love, love the cards! Such perfect messages and insight for where we all are right now. You seriously can’t make this shit up! Have an amazing week! Be gentle with yourself and others, take time out to just BE and allow the energy to move through you and not get stuck in you. Make good choices! Massive Hugs and Squeezes. There won’t be a reading next week as it’s Mothers Day and I want to play!

Beltane is almost here! Super Full Moon in Scorpio!

Jenny Heston · 11:36 pm ·

Happy Magickal, Moonlit, Mystical, Magnificent, Majestic, Manifesting Monday! How are you delicious lovely?

With Beltane on Saturday, May 1st, let’s take a little dip into what the heck Beltane is and whether you should pay attention to it or not. Beltane was thought to be one of the more important festivals of the Gaelic calendar. Beltane is a Fire Festival. The word ‘Beltane’ originates from the Celtic God ‘Bel’, meaning ‘the bright one’ and the Gaelic word ‘teine’ meaning fire. Together they make ‘Bright Fire’, or ‘Goodly Fire’ and traditionally bonfires were lit to honour the Sun and encourage the support of Bel and the Sun’s light to nurture the emerging future harvest and protect the community.

So all in all a great time to celebrate, set intention, fertilise either self or ideas and have a grand jolly time!

But I guess the question some people have is – “Why bother marking the day?” Good question, and my answer would be because it connects you to something bigger, older and deeper than our modern day to day.

For those who are part of our glorious email community, on Thursday, there will be some simple rituals to play with to connect you in a deeper way to this fertile energy. And for the glorious Creatrix Circle members there will be rituals and magick pertaining to Beltane. (Let alone our Beltane celebration!)

Okay, Today is a glorious fat, delicious Super Full Moon in Scorpio which will shine a light on any area of our lives that is wanting us to be impulsive – itching to dash forward. As Lena shares: Put some practical thought into any important choices around changing or adjusting anything major in your life. Take this opportunity to tap into your own wisdom as well as to find a new courage for those changes you do want to make.

You may experience an inner tension that brings up any imbalance you feel around time – how you spend it, how you use your energy etc. Use this full moon time to take an inventory of what you value so you can set intentions and get support around what is most important to you. We are all ready to move on, to go forward and experience more freedom. And yet we are being pulled back to take yet another look at what needs to change, to be healed and to be released. So, be patient, ask what can be healed, and do the work so you can move into the future from a solid and practical foundation and not one built on impulsive behavior.

So for example on this glorious Full Moon I invite you to take a situation in your life; could be a relationship, work, financial, travel – whatever you chose and then write on the top of a piece of paper “My Ideal…….(fill in the blank). “ Then on one side of the paper write 10 things you don’t want, about in your ideal…….. Then when you have done that list, review it and ask yourself “So What Do I Want?” On the other side of the paper take each “don’t want point” and ask what DO I want (in other words a reframe). For example if you were writing about your ideal new job and said:- I don’t want rigid hours, I don’t want negligent management etc. The reframe would be – my hours are flexible, my management is understanding and reliable. Get it? As you make your way through each point, please remember to cross out the “Don’t want list”, and then light a candle and burn that sucker up. Offer it up, release it and realise that you now have a clarity list and these are the words that you use to describe it, which creates different thoughts, which creates a different Vibe, which creates different RESULTS.

Okay, I have chuntered on so let’s crack on with the reading. When I went to the cards and asked who wanted to guide I giggled when I saw the glorious guides of Oracles of Shadow and Light were front and centre. Now if these guides are new to you, please let me introduce them (as it would be rude not to) Wisdom for Misfits, Mystics, Seekers, and Wanderers. Bittersweet…Unheard…Unconventional…Rebellious…Cheeky…Whimsical…Invisible.

They’re not the words you often hear associated with the spiritual world, are they? Nevertheless, some of the most spiritual beings who have ever lived are those who have been most at odds with what we call the mainstream. They do not fit in. They have had moments of despair. And they know being truthful, and being real, is one of the greatest strengths and spiritual paths of all! They ask you to step out from the shadows, to no longer hide your light away, and to consult with an oracle that acknowledges your individuality and strange genius!

How’s that for a warm welcome?

The crystals that wiggled and wobbled are:- Black Moonstone – a powerful connection to the Divine Feminine, Black Madonna, helpful to the oversensitive. Moonstone – mystery, self discovery. Mystic Merlinite – can awaken those parts of the mind that are dormant and activate the full potential of the mind.

So dear one, take a moment to get really rooted and present. Allow your breath to find its natural rhythm and just BE. As you breathe slowly allow the image of the Beltane fires to burble up in your minds eye and as you watch the flames dance and rise to the sky ask “What do you need to know this week.”

If you need help going a wee bit deeper there is a fun guided visualisation for you.

Did you remember to pick?

Let’s go look, shall we?

ANGEL OF TIME

The Angel of Time looks very fierce and stern, and that’s because you need to hear her message. You see, if she appeared to you in a soft guise, it would be too easy for you to overlook her message and just continue on as if she had never visited. The truth is that you are forcing yourself beyond your energetic limits at this time – working too hard, self-loving and connecting with the Universe way too little.

So, she has appeared to remind you of what it is you are turning your world into: one big machine, where you are one cog in it. You are an important, soulful, beloved being, but the world of work is not going to end if you step away from its mechanism for a while. “It is time,” she says, “for a time out!” Will you listen?

“I’m getting straight to the point here, because someone really has to tell you. Stop giving so much to your work. All your time. Your energy. Your passion. Take better care of your health. This is the time to fulfill all those promises you’ve made to yourself but barely made even the effort to keep. Meditate, eat well, take up gentle exercise, and change unhealthy emotional patterns that are compromising your well being – these are the challenges you need to set yourself. I thank you in advance, for a happy you makes this world a far better place.!”

CANDY CANE ANGEL

The Candy Cane Angel is in charge of letting you know when it is time for some little luxuries that will reconnect you with your self-love and self-worth. She, too, holds back from giving to herself, as she is such an earnest and industrious little angel – but her message is always clear; it is time for some fun!

As she says clearly to you “You know what my problem is? And you know what your problem is? No? Well, let me tell you. Our problem is that we both feel guilty about giving ourselves pleasure. See this little treat in my hands? It’s not bad, is it? It’s not evil, is it? But can I bring myself to just sit down and taste every moment of its sugary sweet delights? No. I have to wonder if it’s the right time. If I have done enough to earn this treat. To wonder why I should get this when so many do not have a single candy cane for their own selves! I torment myself with these things – and so do you! How about we make a deal? Next time you ponder a gift to yourself: a massage, a treat, a spiritual workshop, a delicious meal, time to laugh with a friend, a long rest or nap, meditation time, a space clear…..know that when you energetically tell yourself “I am way too busy for that indulgence,” you are really saying, ‘I do not deserve that!’ Well, let’s decide that you do! I am about to have my treat. I now charge you with the same quest. Give yourself that which you have been denying yourself. You do deserve it!”

Do not rationalise or talk yourself out of it any longer. Step out of the consciousness of lack and into the consciousness of “I deserve,” and grant yourself this lovely moment of luxury. It’s time for some joie de vivre and enjoyment to restage a grand entrance into your life!

NAUTILUS PRINCESS

A big-eyed beautiful mermaid, surrounded by her floating, rich red hair, holds tight to a nautilus shell……She is an underwater (emotional) princess, and she is growing in ways she never thought she would – because soon she is to be the queen, and she must make decisions. She feels uncertain about how she will perform when she is elevated and unsure of whether she can wield her power. She is very thoughtful as she contemplates the future – but all around her are the symbols of her future success.

As she shares with you – “I know I am strong, but most people think of me as gentle, kind, and good. Now that I am to be ruler, what if they see me as power-hungry, dominating, greedy or controlling? Whatever the thoughts of those around me, there will be change as I change, and I will continue to hold fast to my nautilus, as it ever reminds me to grow in ways that are in tune with my purpose, my integrity, and what I feel is right. I vow to be steadfast and true, despite the challenges that are heading my way. I vow not to misuse my power. But use it I will, and as a result I, like you, will gow in ways that are in tune with my true self and true purpose.

You may be a very gentle, appeasing, and timid soul who is facing a challenge. You are being asked by the Universe to step up into a more “senior” and conspicuous role, and you are concerned about whether you can be powerful and still be a good person. The pearls here signify that you must act from a pure place, and from a natural place, and treat this quest as a sacred task. The nautilus says you will grow in ways that are perfect, and perfectly proportioned, just as the nautilus is. And this is a natural result for you – expect to grow more and move over time. This is a time of spiritual and emotional transformation, which could come to you via a friend who is older or more experienced – she will share her skills and some of her secrets with you. You could be about to experience a deeper friendship, meet a teacher who really opens your mind to a new realm of discovery, or find a trainer who can coach you in such a way that your potential blooms strong and fast.

Dignity, truth, and wisdom are your best guides. It is now time to take yourself and your potential seriously.

Wowzer! What glorious guides for this delicious time. So my delicious lovely, I wish for you a glorious release today, a week filled with ease, effortlessness and flow. If you want to receive the Beltane Blessing Booklet – make sure you are on the email list. Have a stupendous Full Moon and Beltane!

4 Easy Rituals to Celebrate Beltane – and a Visualisation!

Jenny Heston · 1:11 am ·

I love Beltane, I love it because it is fiery, passionate, intentional and produces results!

Beltane was thought to be one of the more important festivals of the Gaelic calendar. Beltane is a Fire Festival. The word ‘Beltane’ originates from the Celtic God ‘Bel’, meaning ‘the bright one’ and the Gaelic word ‘teine’ meaning fire. Together they make ‘Bright Fire’, or ‘Goodly Fire’ and traditionally bonfires were lit to honour the Sun and encourage the support of Bel and the Sun’s light to nurture the emerging future harvest and protect the community.

Beltane celebrates the height of Spring and the flowering of life. Earth energies are at their strongest and most active. All of life is bursting with potent fertility, look at the trees around you – (if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere), they are bursting forth with bright green leaves and the little sparrows are back as well as the robins. Abundant fertility, on all levels, is the central theme.

The Goddess has reached her fullness and is the manifestation of growth and renewal and shows up as the May Queen, Flora, the Goddess of Spring. The God emerges as the Young Oak, May King or as Jack in the Green. They fall in love, the union is consummated and the May Queen becomes pregnant. Together the May Queen and the May King are symbols of the Sacred Marriage, the union of Earth and Sky. If you have ever read “The Mists of Avalon” you will know what I am talking about. “This is the night of the Greenwood Marriage. It is about sexuality and sensuality, passion, vitality and joy. And about conception. A brilliant moment in the Wheel of the Year to bring ideas, hopes and dreams into action. And have some fun!”

On Beltane we honor nature’s oldest love story. Beltane means bright fire, and in earth-based traditions, it represents the handfasting, or marriage, of the God and Goddess and their eternal embrace. In ancient lore, the two are separated all winter long, and their reunion on Beltane is celebrated with food, drink, and multi-colored maypoles, which symbolize female energies wrapping themselves around the male form. The world comes alive in color to celebrate their love. This is a holiday of union, a celebration of the divine balance in the union of masculine and feminine. Having reached maturity through their long separation, Lord and Lady now come together as one.

Have you ever seen a Maypole dance? If you have never seen a proper Maypole dance done, I highly recommend it! A phallic pole, often made from Birch (why Birch you ask – Birch is regarded as a feminine tree and Deities associated with Birch are mostly love and fertility goddesses. It is one of the first trees to show its leaf in Spring), was inserted into the Earth representing the potency of the God. At the top there would be a glorious wreath, most often Hawthorn flowers and the flowers represented the Goddess. Hawthorn is a deeply magical tree and is one of the three trees at the heart of the Celtic Tree Alphabet, the Faery Triad, ‘by Oak, Ash and Thorn’. Traditionally Beltane began when the Hawthorn, the May, blossomed. It is the tree of sexuality and fertility and is the classic flower to decorate a Maypole with.

The dance around the Maypole represented Their unity. Ribbons of Green, White and Red hung down from the top of the pole and each young woman would take an end and dance. As they danced around the pole they would weave in and out and through whilst holding onto their gorgeous ribbon. This weaving represented the Spiral of Life and the union between the God and the Goddess. It’s moving artistry and glorious fun!

So if you haven’t gotten it yet, Beltane is a festival of flowers, fertility, sensuality, and delight. The Beltane fires of yore were a time of revelry, pairing and celebrating fertility (there were lots of babies born 9 months after the celebrations!) Also, cattle would be led between two fires for protection and to encourage a strong, fertile herd. People believed the smoke and the ashes from the Beltane fires offered protection and fertility. Holy wells were visited and feasts were had. Rowan was often used in Beltane festivals as it’s a tree of protection and healing. Branches of Rowan were placed as protection over the doors of houses and barns at Beltane to protect from increased Faery activity as they woke from their winter slumber. Sprigs were worn for protection also. Rowan berries have a tiny five-pointed star on the bottom reminiscent of the pentagram.

So all in all a great time to celebrate, set intention, fertilise either self or ideas and have a grand jolly time!

I love the way Donna Henes puts it:- Ceremonial observance adds lucid layers — depth, dimension, drama and distinction — to our lives, making the ordinary seem special, and the special, extraordinary. Through the practice of ritual we are privileged to experience ourselves as prepared, present, passionate, principled and potent. When we set aside the quality time and claim the psychic space for ceremony, when we assume the authority to do so, we are able to transform our perceptions, our perspectives, our experiences, and in the process, our reality.

Does ritual have to be long, drawn out, complicated and require a shed ton of things you don’t have in your home? Some people believe so, but I don’t. To me ritual is performed when I make food for those I love with the intention of it being nourishing and a dish of connection. It’s also in when I routinely smudge and energetically cleanse my home, or in the Epsom salt tub that I draw up for one of the boys with the oils that will help them.

So with all that being said let’s go explore 3 simple rituals for Beltane. The first one is the egg charm (and I most certainly do this at Easter) and it is so easy to do. The second is a tree blessing, which I love and will be doing. There’s also a very simple dandelion renewal ritual – if spring has sprung early enough for you. And a glorious fun thing to do is a Faery offering!

Here is a lovely guided visualisation/meditation to help you really release and tap into this amazing time. Enjoy!

Pick what resonates for you, or create your own. The key elements are Intention, Willingness and Openness.

Enjoy and have fun!

Creativity, Covid, Community and Beltane!

Jenny Heston · 1:01 am ·

Happy Magickal, Marvelous, Magnificent, Merry, Musical, Manifesting Monday! How are you? How are you feeling? Did you give yourself time to celebrate the New Moon last week, filled with all the glorious Earth energies of Taurus and Earth Day? Are you managing to get outside and into nature at all? I feel that April has whizzed by and May is just a few days away, holy hannah, how did that happen?

I have been listening to a great book by Pam Grout called Art and Soul Reloaded. Wowzer! Firstly, I have loved all her books as they are real, honest and blunt – there are no ridiculous platitudes telling you to gaze at your navel for hours on end. Instead amazing suggestions about things to try, do, play at (and if you know me I love to play!)

Pam invites you to look at what the Universe wants to say through you, and then kicks your arse to just play and try things out (remember perfection is an illusion). As I’ve been listening to this book it’s inspired me to get creative (hence the sardine, pear, aspargus sushi – which were delicious) and has reminded me that there is no box. With Covid in play, all bets are off – there is no “normal”, so let’s create a new normal! A fun normal! A creative, nourishing, aligned new normal!

I’ve been seeing signs that thousands of people are getting on the creativity and play boat.

People who have never written a word are trying Haiku, poems chalked on the sidewalks, crocheted tree wraps (in case the tree gets cold). All sorts of music, garden patterns, funky face masks, art, paintings and the list goes on. People are being bold enough to use this time to create, to play, to try something new and the results are positively amazing, inspiring and make me grin from ear to ear.

Why? Because it’s an amazing voyage of self discovery. People are taking this time to explore the wee corners of their minds and play, on a level that hasn’t been seen before! And the most awesome part is they are sharing it. As they stay home, stay safe, they are digging into the corners, playing, creating and sharing it and creating community with their shares. Remember when you were a small kid and there was that Show and Tell day? We need to share who we are and what we have created.

As Dee Hock says – Clean out a corner of your mind and creativity will instantly fill it.

For me, when I play with creativity (whether it is in the kitchen, writing, outside, trying a new medium), it nourishes and feeds my intuition and gives a tangible means of expressing that deep inner voice. When that happens, it’s like liquid gold. I feel like a conduit.

What are you willing to try out this week as we head into Beltane? Paper airplanes, sewing, dancing…… There are so many ways to express yourself. And please SHARE it!

Beltane is this Friday on May 1st. Now you may be saying – Jenn, um, WTF is Beltane? Ahhh, grasshopper let me explain.

Beltane or Beltain is the Gaelic May Day festival. Most commonly it is held on 1 May, or about halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice.

Okay let’s take a little dip into what the heck Beltane is and whether you should pay attention to it or not. Beltane was thought to be one of the more important festivals of the Gaelic calendar. Beltane is a Fire Festival. The word ‘Beltane’ originates from the Celtic God ‘Bel’, meaning ‘the bright one’ and the Gaelic word ‘teine’ meaning fire. Together they make ‘Bright Fire’, or ‘Goodly Fire’ and traditionally bonfires were lit to honour the Sun and encourage the support of Bel and the Sun’s light to nurture the emerging future harvest and protect the community.

Beltane celebrates the height of Spring and the flowering of life. Earth energies are at their strongest and most active. All of life is bursting with potent fertility, look at the trees around you – (if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere), they are bursting forth with bright green leaves and the little sparrows are back as well as the robins. Abundant fertility, on all levels, is the central theme. Here are fields of Camas lilies, Rhododendrons are in bloom, Sea breeze is bobbing their little pink heads, the Iris’s are up and there are carpets galore of bluebells. Spring is here! Which is no surprise as Beltane is the festival that heralds in the fertility and growth of Spring. This is the time of unity between the Goddess and the God and massive celebration. For those of you who are on the email list there will be more information on Beltane on Wednesday and a couple of super simple (we like simple) rituals to mark this fantabulous day. The colours of Beltane are red, green, white or silver and the ritual trees of this celebration are Birch, Hawthorn (which I planted two of) and of course Rowan. Speaking of Rowan, when my fourth child was born I had a ring made of Celtic knot work with Rowan leaves on it to celebrate his arrival. (Love Rowan trees, as do the birds).

Okay, I have chuntered on enough. When I went to the cards and the crystals and asked who wanted to guide and support this week I clapped my hands in glee! As the glorious Faery Forest Oracle were adamant! Perfect!

Now if these guides are new to you, please let me introduce them (as it would be rude not to.)

“Let us enter the wild green world together, friend, the faery forests where the great trees speak with us, the moss soft underfoot, the light pure and gentle. The homes of the once Sacred groves of the Celts, the Saxons, and the Vikings…and to the people who were here long before we had names with which to call them to us – the faerie people. May the wild green world and the wondrous beings of this Faery Forest heal us, inspire us and urge us all to become more who we truly are meant to be.”

Note the last line of the introduction – urge us all to become more who we truly are meant to be………….

The crystals that were most insistent are:- Chrysocolla, K2 and Malachite. Oh and some of the gorgeous Camas lilies that are carpeting the meadows.

Okay, take a moment. Just breathe gorgeous one, that’s it. Just breathe. As you breathe I invite you to see in your mind’s eye the whisper of creativity and play. No attachment to it, just let it dance there for a while and when you are ready pick the card, or cards that tug at you.

Did you remember to pick?

Shall we go look?

AWEN

“Awen” translates to “divine inspiration” or “flowing breath”. It is a mystical force that offers us a moment where there is a sudden surge in newfound knowledge, inspired thought, the ability to awaken our dormant talents and a sense that before we were given the gift of Awen , we were like sleepwalkers.

Awen is a moment where life is forever changed, and once we drink of Awen, or feel it as a beam of divine light entering us and changing us, we can never return to who we were, and the world is never the same again. So having experienced what has taken place, you cannot pretend life can ever be the same. You have lifted the veil and you have seen the face of the Divine. You have drunk the elixir of the gods, and the faeries have offered you their greatest gift.

Awen does not stay – but the knowledge of what we have experienced in that moment changes us forever. So, now that you have had this life-changing experience and been given this incredible moment of inspiration, you can either pretend to yourself that life is without magick, or you can continue to embrace the magick in the enchantment of every moment. Now if you choose, you can become more fully alive – and while this is no easy path, it is one that is full of deep, joyful moments, true connections, and poetic, blindingly beautiful experiences.

Awen will come, from time to time, and you are so blessed for having had this most sublime and life-changing of all mystical experiences.

SHE WHO LAUGHS

There is within your life now a great heaviness, an earnestness, and a sense of great gravity to nearly every situation unfolding. Yes, this is of great importance, and yes, there are consequences to consider.

However, She Who Laughs wishes for you to receive the healing power of luagher, the power that lifts the darkness and releases energy that is stagnant, cold, and heavy from our energy field, indeed from our limbs and cells and hearts. For you, this laughter is as necessary as surgery at the moment, as it will shake loose the cords strapping you tightly to burdens you no longer need to carry.

Let the light break through, and laugh – as without laughter, there can be no perspective, withought laughter, there can be no movement forward, without laughter, there can be a sense of deep abiding resentment. Lift this!

Let She Who Laughs begin to help you seek out moments, people, and situations that stir the sense of the ridiculousness within you, and let the healing and the release of laughter roll through you and lift away the pain at the centre of your being. Its time is passing. It will melt away with tears of laughter that fall and cleanse and free you from the past……

For now, the sun breaks through, and your eyes shine once again, with mirth and joy.

Welcome back to the world of delight, friend. It is time

THE SOLITARY

Within, within you go. When the Solitary visits, you are about to go within, to withdraw, and retreat from the world for a time. This can be a response to an event from outside – a trauma, sadness or betrayal – and the withdrawing inwards, which appears to be depression, is actually a way of respecting the soul’s shadow, investigating it, understanding it, and mastering it. This card indicates a time when you will go it alone – walk your own path, choosing to carve a way forward that you can be sure remains true to the deep self. There will be a time of learning away from the mainstream, and there may be times when you feel isolated and somewhat worried about how your new path will be perceived.

It can also indicate that in a past life, you have suffered for your gifts and spirituality. You may have experienced a past life as a healer, seer, witch, wyzard, or medicine man, in which a new order decreed your power to be invalid and dark. This fear still pursues you when you connect with the power of your gift – resulting in fears surrounding intuition and your natural talents.

By going within we learn more about our soul. It is not a part of the journey that we necessarily look forward to, but it is a time of great development on the spiritual path and is imperative to growth. Before we can shine our light in the world, we must ignite our inner spark. This going inward is actually the sacred task of tending your own sacred flame and learning from it, before turning to matters of the world again.

Oh my gosh! Seriously! I so love the cards that my guides picked for you, perfect messages for this week as we close up April, welcome in Beltane and play with creativity in all her guises. Sending you massive love and light and humongous hugs and squeezes. Remember to play, to laugh, to go within and ask your soul what it wants to create. See you next week.

So there you have it delicious lovely. A lot to do with magick (which is intrinsically part of who we are, we have just forgotten sometimes), and really celebrating the changes and our gifts.

4 Easy Rituals to Celebrate Beltane – and a Visualisation!

Jenny Heston · 1:11 am ·

I love Beltane, I love it because it is fiery, passionate, intentional and produces results!

So all in all a great time to celebrate, set intention, fertilise either self or ideas and have a grand jolly time!

Here is a lovely guided visualisation/meditation to help you really release and tap into this amazing time. Enjoy!

Pick what resonates for you, or create your own. The key elements are Intention, Willingness and Openness.

Enjoy and have fun!

Beltane

jennyheston

Release Anxiety And Claim Your Power