Friday, April 29, 2011

The Beltane Altar

Despite all of the things that make our house feel like home, I felt like I wasn't spiritually home until my altar was set up. Seeing it in my bedroom when I wake and before I go to bed each night helps me to feel a bit more grounded. With the greens of spring adorning it, my altar is set for the season.


My beloved bee rests at the center, between the cauldron and my heart stone.


At the back of my altar, raised up, sit Brighid (painted by myself) and the Horned God (a gift from my beloved witch sister, Anathemum). Before them rests my copper plate, where I often place offerings.


A large seasonal offering of fresh flowers and herbs reside in my stag head dish. Tomorrow evening, this will be given to the forest along with fresh fruits, honey and wine.


The batik fabric that everything rests upon is a recent acquisition. The greens and browns reminded me of the awakening Earth and the Sun patterns call to mind that its strength has returned. The oak leaves were torn from my tree and scattered in the yard during the storms earlier this week and upon finding them, I felt the need to place them here.



For the first time ever, I will be able to celebrate Beltane outside, around a toasty fire. My brother and I dug a fire pit in the back yard this afternoon and the lovely and I have been collecting large stones to surround it as we find them. I intend to practice jumping it, as I'm a terrible jumper with awful balance and may have made it a hair larger then intended. I've gotten the meade and plan to make merry until sometime the following morning.

What do you have planned this Beltane?

17 comments:

  1. Wow... Your altar is gorgeous. It sounds like you are going to have an amazing Beltane. I am headed to the Ashville Viking Festival, but will have a personal ritual Saturday night.

    Blessings!!

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  2. Absolutely beautiful!!! Love the sounds of the fire pit, I'm hoping when hubby and I find our house we can have our own for such things.
    We are going to a friend's place (Pagan and the wife is an awesome tattoo artist) and they're doing the first 'fire show' of the season. I forget what they're called but they're some sort of balls they light on fire attached to some sort of wire or something and swing them around in dance, etc. Should be interesting.
    I'm also hoping to find some supplies and make a table top May Pole :D

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  3. How beautiful! Those paintings are amazing! This has inspired me to find some greenery for my altar!! :)

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  4. Your altar is GORGEOUS! And I love the extra specialness of painting your own goddess image!

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  5. love the altar... the flowers are beautiful.. I have to say you have inspired me... blessed Beltane to you and yours

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  6. This is such a beautiful altar! The paintings make all the difference! I wish i could paint!

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  7. Absolutely magical, Danni! How wonderful.

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  8. Your altar is absolutely lovely and inspiring! And how personal to add your own art to it! Very magical! Theresa

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  9. A beautiful altar. I'm inspired to create a special Beltane altar as well, now.

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  10. I know what you mean about not finding calm until the Altar was set up. We did ours last night and even Littleun seemed to completely relax and focus once it was done. Yours look really lovely, BB to you.

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  11. Love your altar! sounds like you have a lovely Beltane planned. I too plan to make a fire in our fire pit in honor of this sacred day. Beltane Blessings to you )O(

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  12. I love the pics you post of your altars! =D I can't wait until I have space to put up a permanent altar... At the moment I have some shelves, and I'm thankful for those. ^-^

    Thank you for sending light & blessing to Veronica & Burke. You are sweet beyond words!

    Hope you're having a wonderful ISWD, and you made me almost snort coffee out my nose with the "May the 4th be with you" tweet... XD

    XOXO

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  13. Things are going pretty well. There's the usual stress over money & school, but all in all we're just peachy. ^-^
    I'm glad you're having an awesome day geeking out! =D Have a great night & wickedly geeky dreams...

    XOXO

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  14. This is stunning.

    Very inspirational. Love your blog, and your house is certainly a home ^.^


    hope to hear from you*
    love amy ^.^
    www.amyflyingakite.com

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  15. Perfect... I just moved, my altar is not fully erected yet, but guess who was getting extra love on Mother's day? Yep, she is green, heavy with child, full breasted and surrounded by life... oh, and you created her ;-)

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