A gloriously sunny day, filled with blue skies, bird song, woodpecker wooing and the burgeoning beauty of bluebells in the surrounding ancient woodlands of Alfoxton Park, Holford, at the foot of the Quantock Hills. This was the sitting of our Beltane celebrations for the Somerset Nature Connections, part of the Somerset Wildlife Trust.
We met in the open woodlands on the brow of a hill and sat around the fire pit focusing our attention upon the beauty surrounding us, from the obvious and the magnificent to the tiny and obscure. There were some majestic old trees holding court over the proceedings, with a patchwork of celandines, violets, lichens, mosses and bluebells in the carpet of soft grass at our feet. I had even spied some white wood anemones on my walk up.
Today we were gathering beauty in our thoughts, our minds, our senses, our eyes and our hearts, seeing that mirrored in the nature all around us. As we made prayer bundles, bundles of focused intent, with the beauty we found and decorated them with coloured ribbons and threads, we called to the beauty that we wished to call forth, to bring more of into our lives.
Having sipped on Rosemary tea to enliven and brighten our attention and awareness, it was time to set about building our labyrinth. Each plant and herb that had asked to join me in this creation, brought with it its own magic and gift. There was: Silver Birch – Brigid’s Tree, which banishes fears and builds courage, offering protection for new beginnings and symbolises rebirth and growth; Field Maple (Dog Oak) – which eases the burdens of those weighed down with heavy responsibility, its sphere of influence being love and matters of the heart; Honeysuckle -was used in the Bronze Age to make rope, harness and bridles for their ponies, it is said to determine the true worth of a person or thing, symbolising steadfastness in love. The scent clears the mind, sharpens the intuition, sweetens the mood and stimulates generosity. She helps us to have the courage to accept struggles with grace and ease, to move forward with purpose; Ivy – a member of the Ginseng family, represents peace, friendship, healing, protection, tenacity and clarity of thought. In Roman times it was used as a remedy for the aftermath of too much wine. It is associated with the Sacred Feminine and the wondering Soul in search of enlightenment. She teaches us how to persevere with seemingly impossible challenges; Rosemary – boosts the immune system, improves blood circulation and stimulates cognitive faculties. If taken as a tea or used as aromatherapy she aids the retention of information, thereby improving memory recall. She is associated with friendship, loyalty and remembrance; Forget-me-not – symbolises faithfulness, true love and respect; Comfrey – is the uniter, healing the broken heart as well as the broken bone. It offers the power of good luck and safety upon any journey in the inner or outer realms; Herb Robert – is an antioxidant which boosts the immune system, offering good luck and fertility.
Everyone added their own touches as we constructed the labyrinth together, incorporating pieces from the fire dressing and flowers from the glade. Together we walked the labyrinth in communion and solidarity with each-other, nature and the spirits of Beltane, offering up our prayer bundles as we walked. I offered up a blessing to the labyrinth and the Spirit of the land in this place of beauty and such gentle holding. As we settled around the fire sharing and gifting our gratitudes, we were blessed by the arrival of a herd of 30 or more deer, who observed us, showed no fear nor worry and carried on their way up to the meadows at the top of the hill. What a beautiful blessing to end our day.
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