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Beltane

5/6/2012

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Our recent Beltane ritual was wonderful, and the kids seemed to greatly enjoy the maypole afterwords.  It was nice to have such a wonderful place in which to celebrate this wonderful High Day.  Thanks again Michelle and her amazing family for the use of their land and house.  I just cannot say thank you enough for opening up such a great space for us. There were about 11 adults present to observe the ritual plus a parcel of wipper-shappers running amok between bouts on the rope swing and running inside the house to cool off. The omens we received were wonderful, and as always I am putting them up here for the grove to peruse for deeper meanings and to be more personally explored.  Feel free to add any thought you have on them in the comments.
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The Ancestors offered us the frog for this Beltane season.

I see the frog as a symbol of transformation as well as a belonging to the two very different worlds of water (emotions) and land (physical reality). I interpreted this card to mean that the Ancestors were offering us powerful changes and growth. It seems to point somewhat to what the Grove has been, and is what it is becoming.   It has amazed me at how much we have grown in such a short time.  The Grove gained four new members this week (well, one basically was a member already, but now she is officially a dues paying member of ADF). We have gained our legs and are getting ready to step out on to the dry land for those first few exciting steps.

The keywords given in the guide for the frog are: Sensitivity, Medicine, Hidden Beauty and power.

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The Nature Spirits gave us the Owl (as opposed to the bird ~rimshot~). I took this to mean that they were offering us Wisdom as we move forward.

The Guide provides the keywords of: Detachment, Wisdom, and Change


The owl is able to work at a time when many other birds are at a loss; night makes it hard for other birds of prey to hunt affectively. Topeka is not the easiest place in the US to be a Pagan (although I don't think it is the hardest either).  I think the owl is offering us a chance to make this disadvantage an advantage. Perhaps, the wisdom given will show us  a way to make the very thing that limits others into a way for growth.

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The Gods offered us Garlic (sorry I don't have a picture of the card from the deck to share). I took this to mean they were offering us purification and flavor.

I think the guide backs me up on this interpretation since the keywords are: Purification, Flavour, The Exotic.

"...is it time to introduce something new into your life; something that in the past you had considered too exotic or unconventional, but which is now starting to attract you."

This quote from the guide stands out to me.  After the ritual was over and we were all sitting around and enjoying cupcakes, and other yummies, the question was raised (and not by me), about becoming a Provisional/Chartered Grove.  WE have talked about it a tad in recent meetings, but this was taken to the whole group.  It seemed right to just go ahead and let everyone vote.  We talked a bit about what would be needed on our part and it was decided that we want to move forward and become a full Chartered Grove, hopefully by our one year anniversary on Lughnasa.  With this in mind, we elected our first officers.  I will still act as Senior Druid, but we have a Purse Warden and Scribe now.  Congrats to Deb and Mollie, I know you will both do a great job.


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    Author

    Amanda Thomas is the Grove Organizer for the Ad Astra Grove.  She also serves on the Topeka Interfaith Council.

    Hera Lakeshore is a practicing druid and contributor to the Ad Astra Grove blog.

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