Saturday 30 April 2011

Beltane Eve.

I’ve just come in from burning my Beltane fire. I don’t want to go on at length about this, but I would like to say that the experience was something for which I was completely unprepared.

I expected it to be little more than having a nice bonfire. We all like bonfires, don’t we, and I’ve had a close relationship with fire all my life. It turned out to be much, much more than that.

Never have I felt such a sense of communion with the essence of nature. Never have I been so enthralled by the close proximity of its abundance: the massive sycamore trees that seemed to be watching me, the burgeoning growth in the garden, the breeze that was fanning the flames, the birds and animals, and the feeling that I was far from being alone out there. Never have I felt such a sense of gratitude that all these physical and metaphysical outcrops of nature’s connectedness had accepted me into their company. Believe me, I have never felt that before. And how long is it since I understood the definition of celebration? I don’t remember, but I understood it tonight as I sensed I was bringing something real and meaningful back to my little piece of earth. Avalon revealed at last.

This is all true. Tell me I’m losing the plot if you want to. As far as I’m concerned, something very remarkable happened tonight.

6 comments:

andrea kiss said...

Happy Beltane! I will be celebrating on Sunday. Wish i could have a bonfire. Not sure what i will do other than acknowledge the day and have a nice dinner.


I'll be showing up on your feedjit a lot... i'm having trouble staying connected. Having my laptop repaired soon...

JJ said...

Your bit of Tennessee is always welcome, Andrea. Hope you're feeling better now.

Mother Moon said...

Sounds like you had a wonderful experience.I have to say I envy you somewhat. Because of our lack of rain as of late, we have a burn ban in effect which keep me from enjoying the wonderfulness that a fire can bring. Then low and behold I wake this morning to a cold blusterly day with what else but rain. Oh life's irony. A blessed Beltane to you though. I guess it will be a dance in the welcomed rain for me

JJ said...

It was a most welcome experience, Mother Moon. Enjoy the rain. We've had none where I live for weeks either, but the landscape still looks green. There are two major grass fires in N Ireland and Scotland, though.

Mother Moon said...

Although we are so far apart it is a abit odd how our weather has been so similiar. We have been fighting winds and wildfires here as well. The small amounts of rain last only a bit til the Oklahoma winds dry us out again.

JJ said...

Could I ask you to stop saying 'Oklahoma' please? Every time I hear it, I get Howard Keel singing in my head for days!