Nature, Beltane, and Celts: a Time to Celebrate (Some More!)

The past week I have written about the reason and opportunity we have to celebrate our individual lives. I examined the concept in Walt Whitman’s poem “Song of Myself.” I hadn’t planned it this way, but today is Beltane, and Beltane was a festival of celebration for a whole culture: the ancient Celts.
The day was marked by bonfires and symbols of fertility — yes, the maypole is a phallic symbol and the girls twirling around it with flowers represent the braiding and intermingling that results in life — and it was the beginning of the summer, a time when the sheep and cattle were turned out to pasture. Beltane bonfires were meant to offer protection as the cattle passed between fires and the smoke from them. The fires were very sacred, with spring bushes and wood being used.
The fires were also considered fires of sacrifice to the god Bel, the deity of summer. It was a time to prepare for all the hard work to make the summer productive. Sacrifice in very ancient times might have even included humans. Fact is, we don’t really know. In my estimation, fact is, anybody who killed another human like that was in no way in touch with eternal Spirit — editorial!
However, the idea of sacrifice, of getting off our asses, metaphorically, to get stuff done by giving up things that no longer serve us for our benefit and productivity is a valid principle. It’s a good time of the year to take stock and evaluate ourselves. So much promise lies ahead in the productive summer months, but it won’t happen without action on our part.
What do you need to do to further your Heart-vision and Heart-purpose? Yes, let’s encourage one another through positive energy thoughts as we enter this season. Let’s remember the sacred fires of Beltane and know that the fire of our passion and enthusiasm to live core Self and the life Purpose we have created by Heart protects us from our own Ego and an ego-driven society. We move forward in vitality and strength, the dead wood being burnt away.
And we should count it a sacred time, set some time aside to consider such things — not just a passing notion. The Celts held it as a festival, everyone being involved in feast, ritual, ceremony. They moved through the cycle of the year in keeping with the seasons. They lived harmoniously with Nature, understood it, respected it.
Of course, today many people look back and say they had to because their lives depended on nature. News flash: ours do, too. Of course, it’s not exactly the same. In many ways we are a lot stupider. We know about the scientific intricacies of the environment, ecosystems, species and the effects of pollution and civilization on those, but we destroy anyway for the sake of ease and gain. It will catch up to us unless we wise up. I do what I can and hope you do the same.
The last thing I would like to mention in reference to Beltane and the Celts and many other ancient or more primitive cultures is their ability to just respect themselves and stop and celebrate, at least four times a year for the Celts. Four times a year where business stops. But we think there’s something noble about forging ahead. It’s a sickness, really. We’re worth more than that, don’t you think?
I hope you can at least on a personal level take a space of time for yourself, evaluate how you feel about your Heart Purpose and Vision, and eliminate those things that aren’t bringing you joy and contentment. If we’re not experiencing that, we need to be checking for Ego. Heart will let us know. Connect, fellowship with your Heart, and know that I’m doing the same.
Blessings!