Beltane Solitary Sabbat Of Integration

Beltane is one of the Greater Sabbats (also known as Fire Festivals) of witchcraft observed beginning April 30th and continuing through May 1st, marking the midpoint between the spring equinox and summer solstice in the Celtic witch's wheel of the year.

Beltane Candle Dressing Oil

1 tbsp jajoba (carrier)
1 gtt lilac (protection)
1 gtt lavender (protection, purification, peace, happiness)
1 gtt vanilla musk (mental powers, love, grounding)
1 gtt jasmine/sweet pea (love, prosperity, prophetic dreams, friendship)
1 gtt cinnamon bark (success, healing, protection, love, raise vibrations)
1 gtt sandalwood (protection, healing, fruition of intention)
1 gtt frankincense (protection, raises vibrations)
1 gtt myrrh (protection, healing, raises vibrations)
1 gtt benzoin (purification, prosperity)

Candles

yellow votive (clarity, joy)
10 inch white formal (focus, culmination)
brown citrus bergamot votive (grounding, stability, success)
bonfire* braided 3-wick havdalah candle (integration)

Incenses

sandalwood/sage/peppermint (protection, wisdom, fruition of intention)
daffodil (love, fertility, mazal tov)
saffron/ginger (love, healing, happiness, wind raising, nevuah, success)

Altar Gemstones

clear quartz crystal (transduces/amplifies/focuses/activates energy & intention)
blue sapphire (entire sefirotic array)
green chrysoprase (transformation, healing, abundance)

Food/Wine

custard or yogurt sprinkled with flaxseed
kosher red wine

Ribbon Colors (3 sets of 3, ט)

green (growth, prosperity)
red (love, energy, strength)
orange (attract positive gain)

brown (earthy stability, grounding, success)
blue (tranquility, peace)
pink (love, friendship, harmony)

yellow (clarity, joy)
purple (spirituality and nevuah)
white (focused clarity)

Beltane Ribbon Ritual (described here)

[This is a] ritual binding of life and the beauties of life to the Earth plane/the self.

[You'll need] some lengths of ribbon to braid during the Magick making portion of your ritual. The idea here is that you (your body) symbolically becomes the shamanistic tree -- that you see yourself as the shaman on the tree (in your body), able to bring forth a variety of things from the Otherworld into manifestation here on Earth.

Each ribbon will represent one aspect of your life that you'd like to bind closer to you (while realizing the constraints that doing so might imply). Choose the ribbon colors accordingly.

For example, if you want to bring financial security into your life and bind it to you, have a green ribbon on your altar. (Or perhaps you find silver or gold might work better for you here.) If you'd like your life to be constantly surrounded by love, add a pink (or red) ribbon to the array on your altar. If you'd like peace of mind/emotional stability to be a constant in your life, add a light blue ribbon to the mix, etc.

I'd recommend each ribbon be as long as you are tall. Symbolically then, each ribbon represents your physical self. Be sure your altar set-up includes a symbol/tool associated with each of the four elements.

Now light your candles and incense and create your sacred space in your usual manner. Invoke Whom you feel is appropriate. Ask [the Divine] to join you in your dance of life. Include movement in your invocation if you like.

You'll now need to bless each ribbon by the four elements. Take your time in doing this. Pass each one through the incense smoke (Air), over a candle flame (Fire), sprinkle each with water (Water), and pass each through a bowl of sea salt (Earth). Or, think of the smoking censer as representing Air and Fire. Put some sea salt in your water vessel, stir, and think of it as representing Water and Earth.

Then just pass each ribbon through the smoke and sprinkle it with the water mixture, thereby blessing each by all four elements.

However you decide to do it, take some time to think about just exactly what it is each ribbon represents to you. What it is you'd like to bind to you/bring to the fullness of life within your life? What benefits will accrue to you in so doing? What is the down side in each case, and how will you handle it?

Now gather all ribbons together and tie a knot at the top to hold them together. Meditate on bringing all these things forth in your life and on how they will interact with each other to turn your life into a beautiful braid of happiness and well-being. Remember to envision yourself enmeshed in this braiding as it progresses. When you near the end, tie it off in similar fashion to your beginning knot.

End the Magick by blessing the finished braid with your body. After all, your body symbolically lies at the heart of the braid. Breathe on it (Air). Gather it to your heart (Fire). Spit on it or lick it (Water). Coil it up and stand with it under your foot for a few moments (Earth). Now call the blessing of the Goddess into it.

Wear your braid now, or carry it on your person for the rest of the day and/or night. [Afterwards, ] keep the braid in some secret and safe place away from the prying eyes and possible ill wishes of others. Or, if you're not worried about that, keep it on your altar for the coming seasons of growth and harvest.

*A community bonfire is characteristic of both Beltane and Lag B'Omer; while Beltane is set according to the civil calendar at April 30-May 1 in the northern hemisphere, Lag B'Omer varies as to its civil date independent of one's location on earth.