How to Celebrate Beltaine with your Shamanic Drum
Beltaine is a Celtic festival that marks the beginning of summer, a time of fertility, growth, and abundance. It is a time to celebrate the return of the sun and the awakening of the earth after the long, dark winter.
Beltaine typically falls on or around May 1st and is celebrated by many cultures around the world. It is a time to honour the divine masculine and feminine energies and the union between them, representing the fertility and growth of the earth.
Beltaine has a rich history that is steeped in ancient traditions and rituals. One of the most well-known traditions of Beltaine is the lighting of bonfires, which symbolise the return of the sun and the triumph of light over darkness. In Ireland, the fires of Uisneach were lit at Beltaine to honour the sun god, while in Scotland, fire ceremonies were performed to protect crops and livestock from harm. Beltaine was also a time for the blessing of the cattle in Scotland, where juniper branches were used to cleanse and purify the animals. These traditions all celebrate the abundance and vitality of life, and the power of the natural world to bring forth growth and renewal.
Like other seasonal festivals, Beltaine is a time of transition and change, inviting us to reflect on the past and consider what we want to create in the future. It is a time to plant seeds, both literally and figuratively, and to set intentions for the coming months.
One way to connect with the magic and wisdom of Beltaine is through the use of Shamanic Drums. In our regular drumming circles, we use the rhythm of the drum to attune ourselves to the seasonal changes in the land and to connect with the energy of the earth. You can join us for our regular drum circles -. Click here for more information.
How to use our Shamanic Drums to connect with the season:
1. Drum for fertility and growth
Use your drum to create a rhythmic beat that represents the fertility and growth of the earth. Focus your intentions on the things you want to create and manifest in the coming months.
Each round of drumming can be seen as a prayer, and it's helpful to give it a specific focus or intention. During Beltaine, you can focus your drumming on the new growth and abundance that is emerging all around you. Think about the buds that are opening in your life and drum some love and energy into those areas. As you drum, you can set the intention for growth, fertility, and abundance in your life and in the world around you.
2. Journey to connect with the Spirit of the Season
The Shamanic Journey is a practice where the rhythm of the Drum guides you into an inner visionary landscape, for guidance and healing. We often journey with an intention or a question, with the hope of meeting a spiritual being in this landscape to give us the answer or guidance that we need.
As this is a time of growth and abundance, the shamanic journey can be a powerful practice to meet a spirit guide and receive guidance and direction about the opportunities that are available to you. Call on the spirit of the season, and journey within, supported by your guides and allies.
If you are familiar with the practice of journeying, you can use the sound recording below to help you with your journey. If you would like to learn more about journeying, and how you can develop this practice for guidance and healing, take a look at our Shamanic Journeying online course, with recorded lessons that you can work through in your own time.
3. Drum in the summer
We can use our drums to celebrate the return of the light and warmth. Just like the Morris dancers who traditionally perform at Beltaine to dance in the summer, we can drum up the sunrise and welcome in the new season with joy and excitement. You might choose to find a special place to witness the sunrise, perhaps at a local hilltop or by a body of water. Alternatively, you can create your own sacred space at home, facing a window that captures the early morning light.
As the sun begins to rise, begin to drum with a steady rhythm, gradually building up the energy as the light grows stronger. Let the rhythm of your drum connect you to the energy of the season, as you celebrate the return of the sun and the abundance of summer.
Beltaine is a powerful time of year that invites us to connect with the energy of the earth and to embrace the growth and abundance that comes with the summer season. By using Shamanic Drums to connect with this energy, we can deepen our understanding of the season and the wisdom it offers.