Bealtaine

Landtending during the day, story ~ song ~ play in the evening

Friends ~

Bealtaine is upon us! Gaelic cultures of old marked the first of summer, Cétshamhain, by sending cattle between two bonfires and out to new pasture. Yellow flowers adorned homes and people gathered around the fires where bonny dancers leapt the flames. These days some celebrate May Day; and some will gather for the astral cross quarter day May 5 ~ while we invite you to gather with us during the waning moon, on the day of Saturday, May 9th.

In the Gaelic Folk Traditions these cross quarters were held as a time to subvert the settled powers, and turn things over. In this spirit, Bealtaine and May Day are a part of a complex of holidays for turning the year, but also applying the force of that celebration for uplifting of Working-Class solidarity and movements for a more just world. As we know, the awakening of the cultural life that happens at Bealtaine is a deep part of building the platform for successful pushing back against the tyrannies at play in the world.

Fertility blooms from the landscape; eggs are laid and poppies are rising from the fields. Everywhere the earth is singing her abundance, this is a time for offering, blessing, and cleansing as we look ahead to the long summer days and eventual return of the Cailleach come Wintertide.

In the Nordic context dancing and singing around the Maypole is seen as a type of magical practice of calling the energy of the earth from deep in her depths up and out the top of the pole and out into all of creation.

Our last venture into reciprocal relationship with our beloved dry season host, the Landwell Community, was quite beautiful. The day was guided by ritual attunement to the land and the attending spirits, and we were lead to tend the Willow’s and Oaks that so tenderly hold so many gatherings for the wider community. Here’s another chance to get your hands and senses in contact with the trees in the grove, and practice the applied animism that is at the heart of our events. please join us for a joyful morning and early afternoon of tending and coppicing willow, and making space for the next generation of Native canopy.

Deets:

~ Saturday, May 9th, 10am - 2.30pm land tending

~ 4:30 Live music - Old Time Jam supported by the folks behind Graton Grass. Bring an instrument if you wanna have a grand ol’ time

4:30 pm: Bealtaine craft: rowan crosses with red thread and yellow flowers to be hung in homes, in hair, or on livestock for protection and blessing of the abundance that we have yet to receive

~ 5:30 - 7: potluck, music and games

~ 7 - 9 pm: song, Mayday-style ritual and one mythic tale

Please bring:

- a potluck dish, with ingredient label (local / homemade gaily encouraged!)

- bowl/plate/mug/utensils/water

- chair or ground cloth as needed (seating will be ground)

- headlamp

- layers

SUGGESTED DONATION:

$35 - 20

~ No one turned away for lack of funds ~

PLEASE READ:
-These beautiful gatherings have continued to grow over the last three years, and we are so stoked to be tending the fire for community gathering and decolonial ancestral connection with you all. Due to the size, and in hope to better support the gatherings we have reached a threshold where RSVP'ing before hand is becoming necessary. Having a more clear sense of our numbers before hand gives us the opportunity to give our hosts a more clear picture of our numbers, garner support for parking and registration support, and set the space accordingly. Thank you for supporting us to make these events even better by taking a moment to get a ticket in advance.

*** Tickets HERE! ***

ALSO, it takes many hands to make these gathering come to fruition. We’d love to gather a few more folks in to take on support roles — if you’re interested in weaving in, respond to this email and we’ll loop you in to our supporter crew.

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If you are longing to be in community and want a more intimate gathering before May 9th, please join Chiara and Chaise for a day out on the land working with the Spirits of Place.

The day will balance lore and embodied practice for working with the Spirits of the Land, asking the question how can we meaningfully become collaborators with the more-than-human world and apply the styles of thinking present in our Ancestral Lore to this land in these times.

If you joined us for Quell the Fire, Stir the Rain back in September you know how powerful working folk magic in community can be!

Here is the link to the full invitation and sign up!