Happy Beltane! Astrological Beltane is on the 4th when the Sun is at 15º Taurus.
In our ancestral village in the north of Portugal, women have been busy since yesterday attaching Portuguese broom (Cytisus striatus) to doors, gates and windows because these bright yellow flowers are said to protect households from the evil eye. I am not in Portugal at this time so my sister did this and has kindly shared photos.
This tradition predates Christianity and while no one knows why it started, pagans believe this tradition is connected to Maia, the Goddess of the fields and the eldest of the Pleiades. Maia is Hermes’ mother and her name means ”She Who is Great".
Most European countries enjoy this custom of hanging flowering branches or green boughs on May Day. But did you know that in England the choice of flower or tree was meant to convey a message to the occupants of the house?
People known as May Birchers were responsible for affixing branches to village houses. Gorse in bloom meant that the woman of the house had a bad reputation, a flowering branch of hawthorn was a compliment, indicating the occupants of that house were well liked and briar was an indication that the occupants were untrustworthy.
I’ve always been fascinated by how you can convey your feelings or sentiments through flowers and plants.
Anyway, since Beltane is associated with flowers and the making of wreaths and garlands which represent our interconnectedness with Nature, I hope you will spend some time this week with the flowers that call to you.
I have been visiting the rock-strewn mountain path where a patch of foxgloves grow but they are still not in bloom. As soon as they are, I will share them on Instagram. For now here is a pic I took last year.
I adore foxgloves because they were among the first of my flower friends. When my sister and I were children we would pick them and wear them on our fingers. Now I do not collect foxgloves and prefer to sit near them in their wild habitat. In Nature magick you have to take several things into consideration when choosing your plant allies (or rather agreeing to plant allies as I believe they call you and not the other way round):
The location. Where is the plant growing? Marshland, mountain, your garden, your neighbor’s garden, the park…
The folklore associated with that plant (take particular note of regional folklore).
The cardinal direction & element. For example, is the plant growing on the north side of the mountain? Does the plant belong to the Water element? Make sure you understand the magick associated with the direction and element.
What planet is the plant associated with and,
What is your intention in building a relationship with that plant?
Foxgloves also known as faerie bells and witches’ thimbles are ruled by Venus (according to Culpeper) and their element is Water. Ingestion of any parts of the plant can cause severe poisoning. (A reminder from Venus that beauty does not necessarily equate to safety and wellbeing).
But now let’s consider this myth…
Hera grew tired of Zeus’ philandering and having children with other women so she approached Flora the Goddess of flowers for help, and was impregnated when Flora touched a foxglove to her belly and her breasts. She went on to give birth to Mars.
This tells us that Foxglove not only attracts but also defends and protects. It is not necessary to be clear on exactly what you want from a plant ally. In fact I prefer to wait for guidance before doing magick with a plant in the wild regardless of what the books say.
I recommend you work with Foxglove in situ and do not pick them (wear gloves if you’re going to do so).
Sit with the plant so they can get to know you and also so you can get a sense if this is a plant that will work with you. Then, go home and write down any thoughts about your experience. How did you feel?
Pay attention to your dreams. I have dreams of the Fae when I work with Foxglove (and no they do not look like Tinkerbell). You should receive guidance after a while on how to proceed. For me, Foxglove has been useful in getting clear on my true desires so that I can strategize from a place of clarity. This aligns perfectly with Venus and Mars.
Now I would love to know, what plant calls to you at this time? Do you have a May Day tradition?
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References:
Myth & Moor blog
https://www.terriwindling.com/blog/2019/06/foxgloves.html
Lilac! It screams Happy Birthday! Spring is here, I'm alive (still)! :-)