Beltane: Lighting the Fire of Union and Community
6:30 PMIn Tiffany Lazic excellent book, The Great Work, Self-Knowledge and Healing Through the Wheel of the Year, she reminds us that in ancient eras, May was the time for reigniting the fires of the community.
“In
Ireland, the bonfire lit by the Ard Ri (High King) at Tara signaled the
lighting of bonfires across the land from which the family hearth fires would
be lit. This practice, representing the interconnection of all in the
community, stopped in 433 CE, when St. Patrick lit a fire at Slane Hill (ten
miles from Tara) before the High King […] was able to light his. This action by
St. Patrick, symbolically eclipsing the power of the High King, arguably turned
the tide in cementing Christianity in Ireland.”
In today’s technological world of
instant interconnectedness, it may be difficult to envision how winter isolated
our ancestors. Imagine the importance of ancient fire festivals such as Beltane
(May 1) that marked the beginning of a cycle of union and partnerships.
Lazic states:
“…the
beginning of May was a celebration of life through the interconnections with
others. With an ability to travel once more, tribes and clans came together,
forging bonds and negotiating contracts. Important economic and personal
relationships were formed with the hope that they too would bear the fruit of
success in the future.”
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The Stone of Destiny The Hill of Tara, County Meath, Ireland Photo: Ariella Moon |
Perhaps St. Patrick targeted Beltane because of the festival’s overtones of passion and sexuality, as represented by the Maypole, a symbolic conjunction of male and female energies. Certainly he would have opposed the Hill of Tara, revered as the dwelling place of the gods and the entrance to the otherworld. Atop the hill stands a granite phallic-like pillar, the Stone of Destiny. Reportedly, the stone was a sacred object brought by the godlike race, the Tuatha Dé Danann. Legend has it that the stone roars when touched by the rightful king of Tara.
As the Wheel of the Year turns
again on May 1, light a candle in honor of the ancient fires that reunited
tribes and clans. Dance the Maypole. Perhaps reflect upon actions you can take
to aid and connect with your community.
AMAZON
Praise for THE BELTANE ESCAPE:
“Miss Moon creates a
magical world and a complex cast of characters that leap right off the page!” InD’tale Magazine, Crowned Heart for
Excellence Review.
AMAZON BARNES AND NOBLEBarnes and Noble

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