Ralphie´s Portal

On April 30 into May 1st we Pagan types celebrate Beltane.  Beltane is a fire festival honoring the return of the earth’s fertile phase. Beltane is most usually celebrated around the fiery fingers of a robust merry bon fire and dancing beneath a colorful maypole.  I have read that “back in the day” the fertility celebrations depending on one’s personal tradition could be rather lascivious, but I will leave all of that to the reader’s imagination.  Solitaries like me don’t often have the appropriate spot or space for such an event so this last evening, I held my own modest solitary ritual as I walked across the rolling hills and into the dimmed forest with my little dog.  This is the joy of being a solitary witch; one does things one’s own way and that is that. Some of us are… shall we say… independent thinkers?

There was a golden country sunset last evening; the green carpet of plush grass was soaked in the last soft amber hues of what was a perfect spring day. With the exception of my loyal little fur kid, I found myself all alone wandering across gentle green hills and leafy woods.  Where I go to walk is a magical place of rolling hills, a lively frog pond, and a leafy forest that could have been plucked from a fairy tale.

The land is set on a green expanse of hill highs that lord over our little community. It’s free to go walk there, and I am often in awe that no one but me seems to go there with any regularity.  I call this place “My Church.”

I did not light any bonfires; I did not even light a candle for I had the warm glow of the setting sun on my shoulder. As I walked, I thought of the earth, and I thought of the gifts she gives, I thought of the seasons, the planting time that is upon us, and I looked ahead to the harvest time, the time to gather, I mused over the divinity of it all.  I reminded myself that my very life source comes from the dear earth, my one true mother.

I stopped and lay down for a time and ran my fingers over the carpet of grass and pressing my heart nearer to the heart of my Mother. I rolled over then to watch the cotton candy clouds drifting above me. I was very moved, very grateful, very aware of the life forces that was were coursing above and below my body.

I stood up then, planting my feet flat on the earth and raising my hands to the sky.  I felt the spirit of May wash through me, sunshine, fertile earth, colorful blossoms, leafy trees, moon glow, I felt it all! I felt everything so intensely that I was what the Christians call “slain in the spirit” for a moment…rapt, joyful, and grateful beyond words.  So mote it ever be.

Have a blessed and merry May Day.