Springs and Stones - A Beltane Celebration - exploring our soul connections to the magic of the natural world & an opportunity for a wild dip or swim

We invite you to join us in a beautiful outside space, to come together as community, to grow and explore our soul connections to the magic of the natural world whilst honouring and working with the joyful energies of Beltane. 

Beltane, also known as Mayday, marks the start of summer and the beginning of the traditional planting season. Beltane is a fire festival associated with love, fertility and the sacred union of the Goddess and God, with the name coming  from the celtic Baal or Bel meaning ‘bright one’ or ‘bright fire’.  It was a time when the livestock would be taken from their winter homes to their summer grazing.  Farmers would build bonfires at night and walk their livestock between the flames looking to the goddesses and gods for protection,fertility and abundance for the coming season.  Within the homes, the hearth fires would be put out and then relit from the Beltane bonfire, bringing the community together in a beautiful way.  The perimeter of their properties and the village or town would be walked with a flame from the bonfire to ask for protection and abundance for the coming year.  

Beltane was also a time to celebrate fertility and union, not only for their livestock and lands but also for their families and relationships as well as the fertility of their creative community with merry making and feasting.  Other ways in which the sacred union of the Goddess and God was celebrated were:

• The Maypole in the village square or around a chosen tree when the symbolic phallic pole was wrapped and dressed with ribbons by maidens dancing around it.
• Honouring the sovereign power of the May Queen
• Cauldrons, which symbolised the womb, were placed over fires and women stepped or lept over them to help increase their chances of becoming pregnant.
• Doorways, windows and livestock were decorated with yellow flowers
• Wishing on ribbons which were then tied to a tree for the Goddess and God to grant.
• To go ‘A Maying’ was to go into the nearby forest gathering flowers and plants and there was no shame associated with out of wedlock coupling in the great outdoors to build your connection with nature!

The most important point to remember when celebrating Beltane is the joy and the revelry fostered in the ritual.  The casting off of darkness and the celebration of light and fertility.  The coming together as a community to celebrate the sacred union of the Goddess and God - love, fertility and union. 

Our day will start with a gentle walk along the river up into the woods , where we will come together around the fire to hold gentle rituals honouring the sacred union that we celebrate the seasonal celebration of Beltane.  We will hold an energy cleansing ritual and an awareness meditation, and create opportunities for us to pause, reflect, rejoice and set intentions for what is to come.   We will sit around the fire and among the trees to learn how to make nettle cordage and after a light lunch, we will use our new cordage to make flower crowns to honour the Goddess, the May Queen, as she stands in her sovereignty within us all. 

Coming down from the woods and alongside the river pastures, we will walk together to the steps at the weir.  Here you can joins us for a toe splash, up-to-the-knees, wade around, shoulders under or even a swim if you fancy!  Our celebration will come to a close as we gather together again to share our stories, support each other, laugh together and drink some tea and perhaps eat a little cake.

If you haven't been wild swimming before or you would like to build your confidence up a little more first, you can book a one to one with Tara@wildswimmingwoman or join one of her Dip Your Toe in events which was how Meredithe started wild swimming!