Bealtaine

A chairde, BeannachtaĂ­ Bealtaine, welcome to the 5th of the eight solar festivals in Ireland.

We greet the summer, flowers are blooming and trees are in bud burst.

Bealtaine is an observation of fertility and fun with many traditions celebrating through the use of Easter eggs, May poles and May bushes.

The masculine Patrician energy (Equinox) has combined with feminine Brigidine energy (Imbolc) to produce the 'leanbh na Griann' – child of the sun, rebirth of the self and all the promise, joy and hope that goes with that.

Old records suggest that the ancient Irish calendar divided the year into two, the dark and light, 1st May being the first day of summer (light), 1st November the first of winter (dark). Thus at Bealtaine we say our final farewell to the lingering cold nights, and watch the plants flower, promising good crops as all life flourishes in the warmth of longer light filled days.

But we can not stand idle, waiting for the harvest at Lughnasadh. There is much we can do to activate and aid the successful growth of those seeds we planted earlier in the year. Good gardening and farming practice of watering, feeding and protecting will bring forth an abundant harvest, enough to fill the stores for the coming challenges of next winter.

Abundance of Bealtaine In winter's sparseness, in lack and basic needs, the bare bones in silence, stood.

Brown and black, the lonely tones, of trunk and branches mute in the wood.

Yet, comes the turning of the year, Spring bows to summer's brighter days.

And this invigorates, brings us cheer, after winter's lean dark ways.

Bold green bud burst paints the tree, fills in gaps between the sprigs.

Leaves unsealed, here hums the bee, and summer's breezes dance merry jigs.

With this returning, life revives, difficult times pass away.

Learn from the tree that yet survives arduous winter's bleak decay.

Forget the loneliness, watch leaves unfurled, enlightened hours of colour excite.

Fullness and plenty, love your world.

Abundance blesses our souls tonight.

Bealtaine is most often celebrated on 1st May when we cross the threshold into summer. Yet the term can also refer to the season between Imbolc and Lughnasadh, starting on May Eve, 30 April. At Bealtaine we continue on our dance around the wheel of the year and along the pathway of the soul, heading towards summer solstice.

We are opposite Samhain (celebration of ancestors and death), autumn and winter await six months away.

The transition from winter to spring is often extended, with stops and starts of cold and warm weather and plants holding back their bud burst.

Yet the swallows return from Africa, crows nest and life is on the move again.

With these uncertain days, when the wind blows strongly, the rain lashes horizontal and the stars hide behind dark clouds, there is a feeling for more empowerment of human beings.

As we realise our choices we require the strength to stand up for ourselves, discover we do not need intermediaries, and can make our own decisions.

We are inspired by Mary and Brigid, by Patrick and Lugh, by the ancestral and archetypal wisdom sharers, but where we wish to place our attention and intentions is personal.

We are not to be overwhelmed by the flood of events and media information, but to go with the flow of our interests and being.

We have left a dark wintry underground and are now travelling into the full light. New energy invigorates our journey. Fresh green herbs and grass for animal feed is flourishing. Luxuriant flowers promise good harvests of fruits, berries and nuts later in the year. Bealtaine vibrancy abounds; the all singing, all dancing, season.

Everyone is watching the weather – on Tara the crows are busy... how high are they nesting? The higher in the tree the better the summer. Personally it is time to look forward and consider whether we need to be high and visible this summer or keep a little lower for protection from the intense and sometimes stormy summer energies.

White bright candle flowers remind us of winter past and the promise of the glossy brown of the chestnut conkers in the autumn.

Listening to lambs on the hillsides the birds dusk chat before going to sleep and swallows enjoy their last feed. Pheasant calls and crows settle in for the night on perfect evenings when we sit again in the promise of nature. In this happy state often arises the sounds of howling wind through the hedge and trees, rain showers and grey clouds arrive.

Yet, within the turbulence, we are in a still place of calm and peace.

Then evening midges start to bite, and we watch the slow steady slide of a slug across the paving and a beautiful red setting sun, before retreating indoors once more.

Magic: Look outside and you will notice a great transformation is underway; bud burst, the vibrant spring colours, the nesting birds. Life is stirring.

This is Spring, guiding us to summer, this is Bealtaine.

The underlying energy may be considered effervescent, expansive and life giving. The sleeping hibernating animals are waking up, others return from their winter migrations, and significantly the weather is improving, making up for all the cold and ice we had over winter. Days lengthen and temperatures rise.

These seasonal changes occur because the earth's axis is tilted at an angle of 23.5°. It just depends how near the Equator or Poles you are how much your season changes, at the Equator there is equilibrium through the whole year, and at the Poles there are full days of darkness or light. The angle of the Earth’s tilt is stable over long periods of time, but the Earth slightly wobbles on its axis like a spinning top. Why the earth is tilted is a mystery, with many theories expounded by learned academics. It is a magical situation that this extraordinary tilt suits and nurtures our lives on earth and this wonderful and exciting time of year. We marvel at the wonders of life and of the universe.

Inspiration: The land and all beings are aroused and nurtured in this season to full creative power for peace, light and love grá éadrom síochána. We are encouraged by the growth energies and all seems possible. At one of our gatherings we realised that 'Where there's a Will there's a Way' and just as spring water bubbles nourishing water over the ground, we fortified mental use of will by imbibing the physical healing waters of a well to encourage our endeavours. Ideas and actions flow with inspiration as we drink in the cool, clear water from the local and universal wells of wisdom.

Fecundity: Fertility is the ability to produce offspring, children, the next generation, plantlets, chicks and babes. The word's meaning can be expansive, covering the ability to create new ideas, new ways of thinking, inventions.

And a fecund state is highly fertile, lush and healthy. This is the theme of this season – ensuring that our offspring have the most nurturing growth environment. The natural world teaches us that to improve soil fertility we need to add compost. We need a good growing medium in which to attain full summer abundance.

Clay, which is not a particularly productive material can be made workable and productive with a good compost. Thus this is a time to ensure that we are providing the best conditions in which our offspring, whatever form they take, can be abundant and flourish.

Optimism: Bealtaine is one of the four fire festivals, the name itself refers to the ritual bright summer fires. A fire in the belly is said to fuel ambition. At this season we are all looking forward with hopeful anticipation but we need determination to achieve our desires. "may the fires of Bealtaine burn brightly for whatever you want to do, to begin, to achieve, may they burn along your path and help you run forwards"

Flexible and spontaneous: Plans are made to be changed. Sometimes it seems as if the fates conspire against us, or that our destinies are calling us to take unexpected routes and head towards unknown destinations. We are all where we are meant to be, but sometimes we need to check the instructions and map of our lives, and sometimes we need to accept that diversions can take us to beautiful places. The old makes way for the new in a final push of pruning and those quiet preparations of winter are now leading us to expected and unexpected achievements.

Need to Change the Plan?: One experience of a Bealtaine gathering: As Master of Ceremonies there were items to be collected before the day, most importantly and central to the gathering being the 3 well waters. A friend and I went to Faughart and collected that first, then to Hill of Tara, but when we arrived at the third, St John's Well, Warrenstown, the gates were shut (very unusual) and we felt it would be intrusive to enter. Thus overnight I anguished over what was to be done - knowing it would all be ok, but still concerned that the main plan was now in need of change. In hindsight consideration that the theme was abundance should have told me all was OK. At the event one person brought 3 (that number again!) year old water from St Brigids Well at Uisneach, and visitors brought water from Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis, and a spring under a brewery in town. We had an abundance of water....

Steps: Holy Well, Hill of Tara. These steps lead downwards to the healing well reminding us that it is often not a straight flat walk to our destination. There are highs and lows and usually stages to a journey.

Walking into summer's abundance Bealtaine offers the chance to step out, identify where there is a choice in our life and then to physically walk that choice. At St John's Well, Warrenstown, there are two sets of steps, on the right and left of the well.

Here, as in life, we can identify which flight of steps to take. The option and decision shall be our own. Starting from the well, we can choose either side to take us upwards. When we reach the top however, we shall realise that both options, although they appeared different, actually take us to higher ground, they both take us on to the next level of experience.

Gold: We have moved into the golden time of year. Phi, the 'golden ratio' number, 1.618, Divine Proportion, achieved

by Fibonacci's sequence 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, etc. underlies creation in the universe. Gold is associated with solar symbolism in many world traditions, with attributes such as: Vitality, happiness, success, wealth, light, shared laughter, love and wisdom. It is said that the fairies will not pass over yellow golden flowers, hence these are a protection at this time.

Hawthorn tree: Decorating hedgerows with 5 petalled white flowers the hawthorn dominates the landscape, the petals looking like snow. Yet these must not be brought into the house as they will bring bad luck, even death – they have a fusty smell of decay and decomposition, the smell of death. Branches of hawthorn were sometimes placed across the horns of cows to prevent ‘milk thieves’. The belief is that a thief might steal your summer’s milk supplies with magical chants and hawthorn gives protection.

The Sun in the Horns of Taurus: The Sun is at 15 degrees of Taurus and exactly midway between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice. Taurus is the astrological sign for May. Celebration on Hill of Tara, and for those with a keen eye somewhere “on the hilly lands” and “among long dappled grass” was inscribed the symbolic representation of this sacred mystery.

Woodland: We are drawn to the woodlands in May, the canopy not dense enough to cut out the warming sun, bluebells abundant in a colourful haze. Woodsorrel, wood anemone and ramsons are other early flowering plants of the ancient woodland floor.

Dry branches, fallen during the winter, provide fuel for the Bealtaine fires and Fir cones can be collected to burn their resinous flames.

A tradition based in England but followed is some parts of Ireland is the preparation of the May pole. Just before May Day villagers would go into the woods and cut down a tall tree. Long logs make great maypoles.

Greenwood 'marriages' are an opportunity for 'Wild Wooing in the Woods'. The sap is rising, inhibitions subside, invigorating flirting in romantic woodland clearings. The god and goddess meet in a joyful union.

Children conceived at Bealtaine were considered to be from the coupling of two people experiencing the god and goddess within each other.

Hill of Uisneach: This ceremonial site at Uisneach in Westmeath is a complex of archaeological monuments, including Aill na Mireann, the Stone of Divisions aka the Cat Stone. It is said the the 5 divisions of Ireland centred on this omphalos. The Hill of Uisneach is one of five royal sites – Cashel in Tipperary in the west, Dún Ailinne in Kildare, Rathcroghan in Roscommon and Tara in Meath in the east. An ancient route-way connected Uisneach to the Hill of Tara.

Bealtaine in Ireland is celebrated on the high places. All fires were extinguished and a sacred fire started on the Hill of Uisneach. This was then either brought physically to Tara or acted as a signal for the fires to be lit. All household fires were then kindled from this one flame. While the woodlands were ablaze with love, the hilltops were ablaze with Bealtaine fires.

Beltany stone circle: A Bronze Age (1400 - 800BC) stone circle near Raphoe in Donegal. It is suggested through the name that it has a special link to Bealtaine and it has been noted that a decorated stone (cup-marked) appears to be aligned to sunrise in early May. Often at ancient monuments alignments also fit the site into the landscape and in this instance there also appears to be a connection to the summit of Tullyrap Hill.

The pre-Christian stone head found here dates 400BC to 400AD suggesting that the site was in ceremonial / ritual use over a very long period of time.

This picture taken from the information board at the site.

Nativity of Our Lady Roman Catholic Church, The Naul, Fingal - Harry Clarke stained glass windows Bealtaine is strongly connected to the dialogue between the Goddess to the God and back again, a woman and a man, the male and female principles within each one of us, and we shall share in that.

Mary 'Queen of May': The whole month of May is for Marian devotions, the Roman Catholic Church especially honouring the Virgin Mary as "Queen of May". Small blue and white statues of a smiling Mary grace flowery (Blรกthanna Bealtaine) altars. Larger statues of Our Lady, decorated with primroses, gorse, buttercups are paraded at shrines and churches. As usual this 'tradition' seems to be associated with more ancient celebrations, is found across Europe, and may have links to the Roman Goddess, Flora. The May Queen is the God's consort, a goddess of goodness and earth mother. Many towns choose a May Queen, and wearing a crown of flowers, she leads a procession through the streets on May Day.

Unified God and Goddess: It is the natural progression from Imbolc where we recognise the Patriarchal energy of Patrick and the Matriarchal energy of Brigid, strong male and female deities. We are inspired by Mary and Brigid, by Patrick and Lugh, by the ancestral and archetypal wisdom sharers. We honour of the marriage of yin/yang, male/female, rational/intuitive.

Accepting those powerful aspects of self, marrying them together, we create the blessed Bealtaine "Leanbh na Griann" (child of the sun) who is full of life, brightness and promise.

The underlying energies sponsor expansion, growth, fun, play, joy, bounty, invigoration and cultivation.

May Hymn to Our Lady

Bring flowers of the rarest bring blossoms the fairest, from garden and woodland and hillside and dale; our full hearts are swelling, our glad voices telling the praise of the loveliest flower of the vale!

O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today!

Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May. O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today, Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May.

Amergin: Milesian bard and judge in the Irish Mythological Cycle.

Arriving from Spain, the Milesian king Ith was killed by Tuatha Dé Danann kings Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht and Mac Gréine. Some versions relate that the kings welcomed the Milesians but Ith was killed by an unknown hand.

Seeking reparation Amergin returned and landed at the estuary of Inber Scéne, named after Amergin's wife Scéne, who had died on the journey.

The Tuatha Dé Danann queens, Banba, Ériu and Fódla, agreed that Amergin and his people may settle in Ireland, although each required Amergin to name the island after them. Hence, Banba and Fódla are used as poetic names and Ériu is the source of the name Éire.

To gain the land the Milesians had to fight the three kings and their followers. Firstly they must depart behind a magical boundary, beyond nine waves. From this they move forwards, but the Druids on the land set up a magical storm and they cannot reach the beach. Amergin then chants an Incantation, requesting the Spirit of Ireland to come forth and assist them.

The storm subsides. The Milesians land on a Thursday, a day before 1st May, the seventeenth day of the moon; the Year of the World 3500. It is a tradition in Louth that Amergin is buried under Millmount in Drogheda.

Hearthfire of Summer: In ritual a person is designated light bearer, symbolically walking into the gathering carrying the light from the west, direction of Uisneach, where the sacred fire was first kindled. Each member of the group holds the light, placing their intent and passing the flame around the group. The central Bealtaine hearth-fire can then be lit.

This central candle of empowerment may be used to invigorate and acknowledge our own power, and each may light an individual candle from it. This signifies that we are part of a community and also separate beings, strong as individuals but also supported by the strength of the group. We shall take this candle and knowledge with us when we leave and can light it whenever we need to recall we are truly gifted and enabled individuals.

Healing and protection of two fires: Cattle were protected by passing them through the magical twin fires of Bealtaine. In ceremony we may do the same for ourselves. Extending this idea we may walk between two fires, once for the land we are on (Tara at our event), once for personal intentions and once for the world.

Gateway to Summer: left pole - dark night. dolphin for playfulness, right pole - day light. music note

'Gateway' twin flames of Bealtaine, black and white feathers of balance, hoop with swan feather of dreaming, bleeding heart flowers, cleaver and dandelion – cleansing, lavender for sweetness, rosemary – remembering Gratitude for blessings received: In Ireland there are many Fairy Trees (this is the Tara tree), usually hawthorn, which people visit throughout the year to petition for healing, blessing and personal intentions.

It is good to say thank you at this time of year. Blessing and giving gratitude to the trees is easily done by gifting flowers amongst their branches. Having considered our personal needs we expand our intentions to the extensive worlds of nature that nourish our minds, bodies and souls.

At St. John's Well there are several beautiful specimen trees and we confirmed our gratitude to them with gifts of water from the holy well.

On another occasion we started by calling upon the animals, trees, plants, ancestors, family and friends, dreamers and all that we hold most holy to teach us and show us their ways and then remembered the abundance the earth shares with us. We passed around a pot filled with herbs - lovage, fennel, mint, lavender, lemon balm, chives, sage, bay leaves. Savouring their aroma we were sensually aware of our own perfumed gardens where they were gathered earlier. The powers of the earth were acknowledged as we poured milk and honey onto the land in gratitude and thanks for its fertility and blossoming potential.

Dressing the May Bush: We decorate the May bush with flowers, especially yellow ones, and are reminded of the song 'Here we come gathering nuts in May...' the 'nuts' probably replacing the original word 'knots' i.e. loops of flowers.

England is known for the decorated Maypole and dances. But in general, the Irish had the custom of dressing the May bush, Dos Bealtaine, with flowers, ribbons and eggshells.

May Day dew: At sunrise wash you face in the dawn dew, the application gives eternal youth! or so they say.

Collect the May morning dew, either putting down a cloth which will take up the healing energies or by scooping up the moisture in a bowl.

It can be used through the coming year whenever healing or blessing is needed.

Elixir vitae: Herbs form the base of a special elixir vitae healing potion/ healing vibration that we created and energised by the sun on the Hill of Tara.

Journey to the abundant self: A pilgrimage takes us to a sacred or holy site. A physical journey can also be made as a metaphor for the spiritual journey to the inner self. Choose a route and destination and spend a morning, a whole day, as long as you like on this metaphorical journey.

One such train journey was taken into Dublin and on to the beautiful gardens at Merrion Square, symbolic with our own personal life journey. The scenes you pass through may inspire thoughts, show words or symbols that give insights, mirroring back our own inner landscape.

Awakening the land (and ourselves): This the the synopsis of a ceremony held on the Hill of Tara.

We picked 4 places over the hill and processed to each part with people joined by candle bearers trailing garlands of coloured ribbon and flowers. The flowers were part of a garland recently blessed by Amma, the 'hugging saint' of India.

One candle bearer had a representation of the Silver apple of the Moon, the other candle bearer a representation of the Golden apple of the Sun. This symbolism arose from W.B. Yeats famous poem: The Song of Wandering Aengus, the last stanza: Though I am old with wandering Through hollow lands and hilly lands, I will find out where she has gone And kiss her lips and take her hands; And walk among long dappled grass, And pluck till time and times are done The silver apples of the moon, The golden apples of the sun.

1st connection – entering at the Gate we acknowledged the energies of the East, passed between the twin fires of our torches and were blessed with rosemary. – We then proceeded up the Ceremonial Entrance, known as the Banqueting Hall.

2nd connection - we acknowledged the energies of the south at Mound of Dall (Blind), which pairs with the Mound of Dorcha (Darkness) ... someone driving to the ceremony said that there was a big dark cloud over Tara!!

We knocked on the Mound with elder and rosemary to encourage the nature spirits to wake up and come gain into the land of the living. We blessed and thanked the land using a form of flower petal divination as a means of communication with the fairy realm.

Following a time of Dall (Blindness) we prayed to wake up and see the world.

3rd connection – at the fairy tree we acknowledged the west, honoured and thanked the fairy realm with beautiful golden flowers and with chanting the sound of creation OM, including the tree as a participant of our circle.

– We stood listening to the music of the raindrops through the trees and the birdsong in the woodland.

4th connection – at Cloenferta - the Sloping Trenches - we acknowledged the energies of the north. We had started out in light rain and it finally cleared with a touch of blue sky showing through.

The golden gorse formed the Horns of Taurus as we stood in a circle around the mound.

The glorious scent of coconut from the vibrant golden flowers filled our breath as nature, humans and all beings came together in the form of the symbol.

We did not formally close the ceremony leaving it open to pour its magic enlivening energy continuously into the country which badly needs it at the moment.

Abundance Blessing: May joy and peace surround you, contentment latch your door, and happiness be with you now, and bless you evermore.

Walking into summer's abundance – all walk in a circle and at each turn take one of the items, bringing their intentions for abundance of that item for one round.

Coin – financial security Stone – grounding in life Rose petals – beautiful environment Green leaf – growth and nurturing Candle – bringing all to light Golden bag – holding everything together The energised bag of symbols was taken home to enhance the abundance in our lives.

Nurturing Abundance: Working with the energies of the cardinal directions, the elements and the season, at this gathering we fed and cared for our growth and wisdom, nurturing ourselves for our own abundant harvest. We energised our intentions with water from 3 healing wells: Round 1. St Brigid's, Faughart. Round 2. St John's, Warrenstown.

Round 3. Holy Well, Hill of Tara. These waters had been infused with Bach Rose essence under the New Moon: Bach information says that this Rose essence combination holds the vibrational frequency of unconditional love and takes you deep within your own heart chakra to connect with the infinite source of love held within. It helped to expand the spark of Divine Unconditional Love within our heart chakras and connect us more fully with the radiance of our true selves.

An abundance of sound from rattle and bell was shared around the group and and we also had an abundance of sunshine as we centred on our unique selves within a garland that had been blessed by Amma, the hugging saint. A symbolic Bhrat Bride was then placed in the centre.

Each poured water in their scallop shell and carefully walked a mini pilgrimage, using the energy to nurture the abundance in their lives.

Creative activity time:

When we were all seated on the picnic blankets we each made a flower wreath from ivy, flowers and ribbon to wear or to hang within our homes over a door or window for protection during the coming year.

We used yellow and green.

Yellow to acknowledge the warmth and light of the sun. Green to symbolize plant life and our spirit self.

We bless the wreaths with the yew and water. Yew is associated with our ancestors and so will we call on them to aid our intentions.

Teddy Bear's picnic:

If you go down to the woods today You're sure of a big surprise.

If you go down to the woods today You'd better go in disguise!

Food and feasting are always part of assembly and so at one Bealtaine we shared in a Teddy Bear's picnic. At last we can sit in the sun outdoors and enjoy sharing our flasks of tea, sandwiches and buns.

For every bear that ever there was Will gather there for certain, Because today's the day the Teddy Bears have their picnic.

As live bears, tigers or snakes would be disconcerting it was suggested that we celebrate the animal world with our favourite soft toy friends, those that share our cars, homes, and even beds. Many adults still have their childhood friends, or have special travelling companions. Live pet dogs and children are of course very welcome.

Picnic time for Teddy Bears The little Teddy Bears are having A lovely time today.

Watch them, catch them unawares, And see them picnic on their holiday.

This was a fun event with many unexpected companions, but it felt totally in tune with the dominant themes of Bealtaine, sharing a picnic while journeying with companions in a woodland setting.

Herbs: Nettles, dandelion, lavender, mint, thyme, lemon balm... the list is endless. Herbs now flourish in the hedgerows and in our gardens.

Fresh green growth flavours our salads and stews.

No longer the dried and frozen of winter. Our food is now invigorated with passion and exuberant flavours.

Almond has a long association with Spring and fertility, and almond milk substitute tastes wonderful with a spicy curry. It is great addition to creams, trifles and milky blancmanges.

Pollen: This pollen laden tree is in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

With improved weather the pollen count rises and hayfever brings running nose and eyes.

Not usually regarded as a food some people enjoy and find benefit from eating it whilst others can have an allergic reaction. If you want to try some take care.

But with the pollen comes the honey, which most of us can enjoy. It is wonderful to see the bees out and about on sunny days, visiting the May Day blossoms.

Butter: Blessing the churns and butter making equipment is part of the traditions of Bealtaine, using holy water from a sacred well, or salt. Visitors would be asked to take a turn at the churning, to spread the workload on this celebration day, but also as a protection for the endangered dairy. The May Eve churn of butter was highly valued and stored for special use during the following year. Other families would not use the churn on May Day itself in case the evil-eye fell upon it.

In Scotland and some parts of Ireland a drink, known as a caudle, was made from eggs, butter, oatmeal and milk and shared at the Bealtaine bonfire. Each participant would pour some on the ground as a thanks and request for prolific summer.

Theme – Break out and be Reborn The first fledgling birds have hatched and are sitting on a nearby branch squeaking their demands for breakfast.

They have broken through the hard egg shell that protected and yet limited them.

Air loving birds and earth living reptiles lay eggs. From the outside a bird's egg is beautiful. There is something wonderful and touchable about holding an egg. It sits into the palm of our hands easily. Some are distinct plain white, whilst others that need to be camouflaged from predators, are coloured browns, yellows, reds, blues, greens and black, whichever matches the environment of the nest. This is especially true of those birds that nest on the ground. The colours are created from different components of the blood of the mother and are added as the egg is laid.

The shell may be fairly thin, waders are known for these, or thick. It is made of calcium carbonate which the female stores in her bones until the breeding and egg laying season. There are minuscule holes in the egg shell, pores, allowing gases to pass through. The developing chick needs oxygen and these are important.

We are familiar with the oval egg of the chicken, but there are other shapes.

Some are more pointed at one end, often those of cliff nesting birds, and others, such as an owls, are as round as a ball.

Despite being restricted within a hard shell the young bird is cared for. It is lovingly turned in the nest and kept warm by a parent it has never seen and is unaware of.

For ourselves and our souls the egg has huge symbolic impact. The shape itself reminds us of earth. The egg has to be fertilised in order to be viable. And the young bird cracking open the egg recalls the possibility of birth and renewal for ourselves.

Passing through the doorway into Summer you might like to take some time to consider what restricts you, what holds you in a casing of hard shell. And how you might break out and be reborn.

Place - Earth's healing places The whole earth carries energies, expressed outwardly as its geology. There are valleys, mountains, seas, rivers, deserts.

Imagine how the energy of a mountain, spacious, uplifting, with distant views, is different to a steep sided deep valley gorge, where you can only see a short distance in front and you are enclosed.

We interact and react with the landscape in various ways. Some people find the mountains inspiring, others are challenged by their great expanse and unsafe in their openness, needing to be in more gentle rolling hillsides.

Take some time now to consider the check-list. It is quite detailed in types of landscape. You will need to add your own environments to this. Include different types of water, seas and huge oceans, and volcanic areas, whether they are active or dormant, forests, woodlands, orchards, or lone trees. Maybe sacred sites. Make the descriptions as specific as you can. The more you add the more insight you will gain.

Space

Totally at peace

Happy but not Neutral : happy A discomfort inspired and but no great when thinking of would not stay need to avoid or this environment long be here

Avoid at all costs

High mountains e.g. Himalayas Mountains with valleys e.g. Alps High hilly region over large area Small hills and pasture land Flat land where the sky fills half you view Rolling hills with fields and streams Wide rivers meandering through fields Rivers with weirs and waterfalls If you have an extreme of feeling at a place, whether it is complete peace or total abhorrence ask yourself why you have this response. What does it allow you to escape from in your life or what frightens you. We can learn so much about ourselves from our environment.

Having created your table of landscapes and your reaction to them now bring to mind one of the aspects of your life that you are not comfortable with, maybe physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. It might be something from your past, a cruel word, an abandonment, a rejection, a hurt to yourself. Or maybe something that you bear on behalf of someone else. Have you taken on the pain of a relation or friend and carry their burden as if it was your own? Is there a hurt carried in your ancestral line that affects the family today. Is there an event in the past that may not apparently be a personal experience yet brings you distress when you think about it?

Or is it a future event that you are afraid of? Perhaps you are not acting for your highest good because you feel restricted by seen or unseen problems. Maybe you are tied into 'what if...' thinking. Of course everything is understood in hindsight and some things are restricted because time and place are not right, and it is simply patience that is needed before action can be taken. Often we are afraid of being happy. There is something

acceptable, even noble, in bearing suffering with fortitude. Why do we wish ourselves discontent? Why do we feel that pleasure and laughter is wicked? Some of us do. Sometimes we can manage a lack much easier than an abundance.

The earth is a willing teacher if we will be students of the land. Where would you feel least tension with this discomfort? You will instinctively know the right place to go. Allow your intuition to direct you. Use your table of reactions and responses to the landscape to bring guidance. Different places hold contrasting healing energies. A sacred space such as a site of pilgrimage, a healing well, a woodland may feel welcoming or too overwhelming? For this process it is best to identify somewhere that is, or would be, in your neutral list. One you are not attached to or have extremes of emotion about.

In your mind state your intention to use this opportunity to heal your discomforts and to send blessings to all beings. Relax. Bring into your thoughts this place that you feel would heal your suffering. Visualise it as strongly as you can. Imagine how beautiful its colours are, the wonderful perfumes, the sounds that bring you peace, maybe there is something present that you can reach out and touch which is a delight to feel, perhaps there is a food or drink here you would enjoy.

Imagine standing with your left palm facing downwards and your right arm by your side. Now envisage drawing the healing energies of your beautiful landscape up into your left palm, up through your arms into your body, draw the blessed supportive energy up through your feet and legs, up into your body via your base chakra or pelvic area. And gently, softly, smoothly, breathe out. Now imagine placing the discomfort that you have identified into a ball on the ground in front of you. Release, relax and let go. Again, breathe in the sustained healing energy from below your feet, up through your arms, legs into your body, then exhale into the discomfort and the tension held within the ball in front of you. Release, relax and let go. Do this three time.

Now return to your normal breathing. Take one last look at the ball, thank the energies for their presence in your life. You no longer have any attachment to them. They respect and honour you and you accept and respect yourself. You recall all parts of yourself that you have shared with them. Allow them to melt away into the ground. Let the discomfort melt away. Release, relax and let go. Watch as the ball shrinks and slowly disappears into the ground, being transformed and reborn by the supportive healing energies of your beautiful landscape.

Bring awareness again to your stance. Imagine standing with your left palm facing downwards and your right arm by your side. Now envisage drawing the healing energies of your beautiful landscape up into your left palm, up through arms into your body, draw the blessed supportive energy up through your feet and legs, up into your body. And gently, softly, smoothly, breathe out. Thank and bless the land. And now bring your attention back into the now moment, move, eat, drink. Namaste.

Centre

Cardinal Directions The energies of the dawn, east, spring and our infant projects The energies of noon, south, summer and our growing projects.

The energies of the sunset, west, autumn and our mature projects.

The energies of the night, north, winter and our completed projects. our births and rebirths on the spiralling cycle of our lives.

We start in the east, at the rising sun and new day.

Turning through the directions of east, south and west is a metaphor for the turning of our own lives – our life journey. We pass through ages of youth, physicality and abundance, emotional realms and now come to a period of rest. We have more time to think, and the north symbolises the mental realms and wisdom of the elder.

We see the cycles of the years as the energies rise and fall. We experience our life on earth as desert, hot sandy or bitter cold ice, in drought and difficult times. We experience our life on earth as mountains to climb and deep dark chasms in which to fall or hide. We care for ourselves as for a garden, seeding, nurturing, blossoming and harvesting and now, in the north we enter the death and rebirth of the dark realms.

We look to the south, symbolic of summer, and recognise the balance and also how much we all experience in our journey.

Activity - 5 expressions of Loving Kindness - generosity, wisdom, strength, resolve and humility

Plants have patiently waited over winter, allowing the protection of winter to provide them with rest.

They appreciate the generosity of winter in giving this shelter. How do you understand generosity? Do we interpret generosity as not necessarily in the giving of an item or the physical sharing but maybe in the restriction and the withholding of something in order that we may pause and not be overwhelmed.

A generous person frequents not the front of the queue with their gift but often stands in the shadows waiting for that time when you actually need the gift, the occasion when their particular gift will be useful to you.

Such generous people act with wisdom. Theirs is a gentle wiseness that does not cling to the appearance of their own goodness but acts decisively in the best interests of others, operating with them, not for or against them.

The strength that abides in generous wisdom is an active force. Consider the ornamental horse chestnut that enjoyed the generosity of winter's protection, deep brown sticky buds carrying the promise of growth, now flowering in enthusiastic abundance, luxurious pink white pyramids of blossom, erect as wax candles on decorated Christmas trees. The tree at the moment of its irresistible bursting forth into summer provides nourishment. Bees are collecting pollen for their young and the horse-chestnut, along with the whitethorn, is a great source at this time of year.

Resolve is indicated by these expressions of strong generous wisdom. The tree, in its patience, allows life to change, moving with the flow of existence, watching the developing season and all that surrounds it. Is your resolve this effective? Is it hearty and with direction? The person waiting with their gift for the right moment is flexible and loving, determined yet not clinging to an outcome. How do you understand your resolve? Are you resolute to the end achievement of an enterprise? Is this a fixed ambition or one that lets go of expectation and sees clearly where action is needed and where it is best withheld?

Generosity, attended with wisdom, strength and resolve, should not lead to self importance and self aggrandisement.

How do you understand humility?

We act from a place of sensitive understanding of another's situation because we recognise similar needs and characteristics within ourselves. We do not seek praise from followers or thanks for our actions, for we do them because they give us joy and happiness. We do not ask others for adulation, seek to be a guru or proud celebrity but act from grace and compassion. If we are put on a pedestal by others then we allow that, but neither attached nor dependent on that praise, nor developing excessive expressions of being humble or shy.

We enjoy our achievements but are not arrogant.

Return again to considering that beautiful horse-chestnut tree in full radiant blossom.

It stands tall, yet is not boastful as the tallest tree in the woodland. It displays its beauty in full sun or partial shade, and gets on with life, tolerating a variety of soil conditions and sharing itself with an open heart. It's large leaves spread out from a centre, like an umbrella, or fingers spreading from the palm of a human hand.

These are a delight to our eyes, and efficient for the tree's own survival.

The horse-chestnut’s silhouette, rounded and virile, means it often stands alone as a specimen tree in a landscaped parkland or in a civic space in the middle of a city or even providing spring shade in the Beer Gardens of Bavaria.

Qualities of generosity, wisdom, strength, resolve and humility arise from a foundation of loving kindness. It is a virtue we all possess. From this we share our enthusiasms with all life. For many years I understood lovingkindness as the Buddhist term metta, but recently discovered it first appears in English in the Coverdale Bible of 1535, being a translation from the Hebrew 'chesed'. At the same time that Myles Coverdale was creating his version of the Bible the non-native horse-chestnut tree inspired landscape designers and established itself in Western Europe in the great avenues of fashionable gardens. Coming out of Greece and the Balkan Peninsula, it shares its personal beauty with loving-kindness. Birds perch on curved branches singing their songs of love and passion, repeating well practiced phrases. Their melodies adorn the voice of the tree, as breezes play amongst leaves, creating windscapes of sound.

In the woodland, below ground, tree roots enmesh with others, as if holding hands, and above ground branches touch others, as in a graceful dance of emotional communion. The embrace of the trees spreads across the forest. Allow your embrace to circulate around the world sharing loving kindness - generosity, wisdom, strength, resolve and humility.

Open Heart Meditation – the balance of Brigid and Patrick is held within ourselves.

– What aspect of Brigid & Patrick do we carry?

– Visualise sitting by a well with a fire. Brigid and Patrick coming towards you. Thank and bless them for coming.

– Ask them what it is you need to know right now.

Thanking, blessing and closing the connections We close the circle to the apparent world, thank and bless our connections to all guides, guardians, beings, times and realms made during this ceremonial. ‘Sin é’, that's it.