Beltane, also known as May Day, is one of the most ancient holidays known to humans. Its origins can be traced back to Neolithic times when it was an important seasonal marker in the lives of our ancestors. A celebration of fertility and the arrival of spring, Beltane is celebrated in different ways today. Here are five of the most common ways people choose to celebrate this holiday!

1. Plant a Tree

You don’t have to live in an area with a temperate climate or a home with a backyard in order to plant your own tree. Trees are planted by community groups and can be placed anywhere in order to beautify an area. Be sure that you select trees that will thrive in your climate, as planting trees that won’t grow well can do more harm than good. You should also select plants for your area; no matter how hardy they are, if they’re not native to your region, then they could face problems from local pests. Keep these factors in mind when deciding which species of tree you want to plant. A quick Internet search can help point you toward nearby organizations that provide free or cheap trees through planting programs.

2. Have an Outdoor Picnic

The month of May brings pleasant weather, blooming flowers, and renewed hope. Take advantage of these elements to plan a festive outdoor picnic! This holiday is all about celebrating life, so why not gather friends and family for a meal al fresco? You can make a picnic even more memorable by creating an activity-filled itinerary. Remember: The goal here is fun!

3. Enjoy the Spring Weather

One of our favorite ways to celebrate Beltane is by enjoying a beautiful spring day, especially if it’s sunny and warm. Whether you’re taking a walk through your local park or going for a picnic in the backyard, enjoying some fresh air is always a great way to get back in touch with your natural side. Plus, fresh air releases endorphins which have been shown to have a positive effect on mood! It’s true what they say: outdoor activities can be just as fun as indoor ones, so long as you dress warm enough (and don’t forget an umbrella). And hey, maybe you even spot an iridescent fairy or two…? 

4. Decorate Your Home with Handmade Items

Since ancient times, people have gathered around fires and decorated their homes with hand-made decorations. While there’s a reason for that, you don’t need to spend a ton of money on decorations! Look through your local thrift store or garage sales for holiday decorations, then create some yourself. Homemade bunting is one great option: Just cut the cloth into squares and tie them together with string or yarn. If you want something fancier, look up instructions online; making things like lace pennants is surprisingly easy. You can also use these homemade adornments as gifts or hostess gifts during your family get-togethers. No matter what you make (or buy), spread it throughout your home so that everything looks festive.

5. Go On a Hike

The great thing about a hike is that anyone can do it. It doesn’t matter if you are 5-years-old or 95; hiking is a great way to relax and enjoy some fresh air. Make sure you stay safe by making your hike a fun family activity and keep an eye on everyone’s health and safety at all times.

Looking for a group to get together with during holidays? Check out local covens on http://www.coven.cloud by navigating to “Covens” in the dropdown menu!

When it comes to magic, there are quite a few things you can do that don’t require more than just your intention and perhaps the use of some common items from around your home. If you’re just getting started with practicing witchcraft, here are a few simple spells to get you on your way! These spells should be practiced in the evening when the moon is out. They can work by themselves or in conjunction with each other to achieve different results.

Protection (ALWAYS START HERE)

Onions are believed to act as an effective and lasting protection charm against black magic, bad spirits, curses, and evil influences.

Instructions on how to create an onion braid

Here is a simple charm to hang in your home for protection. It is also a very calming and magical task. Basically, it’s being fulfilling of the ordinary and the mystical all at once. You’ll need about three dozen onions and four feet of heavy twine. Take a large knot, just as though you were going to tie your shoes, and pass the top of the twine through it. Lay a piece of twine on a flat surface, and then lay an onion with the greens to one side, such that the other two lengths of twine act as one side of the onions three strings.

With the two free lengths of twine and the onion stem, make a tight braid. Keep repeating this process until the onion is safely in place. Proceed by repeating the process with the rest of your onions, weaving them in and out between the other stalks and the two strands of twine. Continue to focus your intent as you do so. Onions are tied to a protection-related branch of magic, so you can braiding the onions and say an incantation to weave it in to whatever kind of protection you want. A few incantations might be:

For protection of a home:

“Onions wrapped around a braid,

This charm for my home I have made,

Keep negative energy away from me,

As I will, so it shall be.”

For protection of a person:

“Layers and layers of onion skin,

Layers of safety for those within,

Layers to make all harm stay out,

Keep (name) safe, without a doubt.”

If you’d like to learn how to make protective Black Salt, check out the Coven Cloud Spell Book, available in the shop!

Abundance

To perform this candle magick ritual, one should first perform it as a series of rituals on the new moon, and perform it daily or weekly until the full moon. The best days are Wednesdays, ruled by Mercury for luck and money-drawing. On Sunday, ruled by the sun and a day good for anything change, wealth, and hope.

When planning your ritual space, collect materials that will make you feel like you’ve never had it so good. Dress like you can’t wait to be alive and feel happy and accomplished. Pictures of friends and family will give you more of a sense of belonging.

With the candle lit, try connecting with it by sitting in front of it and holding it in your hands. Focus on what you have, as opposed to what you don’t have. How are you rich right now? Gratitude is twice as valuable when combined with an attraction to more. You could have all the money in the world and still not feel satisfied. We should find that happy medium of desired items and being grateful for what we have.

When you’re lighting the candle, focus on the life you want and want to manifest. Give a specific goal. Focus on your senses and truly see, taste, smell, and feel what it is like to live this life. While it might seem goofy, as you talk, you’ll feel something let go inside of you. The more you talk, the more your words drift into the flame. Pretend they’re adding kindling to the fire. Keep your mouth near the candle without getting burned. In order to get your word and breath to make it to the flame, speak and breath the things you desire.

At the end of a run of thoughts and speech, simply remain silent for a few minutes with your eyes closed. Allow yourself to feel the earth under your feet. Let your surroundings inspire you. This is a step up from meditation or visualization. I want you to feel you are experiencing an abundant life. When you take your time and look for all the possibilities, you’ll realize that if you opened your eyes, you’d be exactly where you wanted to be.

Sitting with the candle and journal at this time will allow you to reflect on the meaning of abundance for you, thank your deities or the universe for what you have, or write a list of affirmations. Blow out the candle, feel the pent-up energy dissipate.

When the candle has burned out, don’t discard the stone–leave it on your altar or keep it with you in your pocket. The stone contains the energies of the ritual and it can function as a talisman, if desired. 

Self-Love

Cast a spell on yourself and bask in your own wonderfulness. You’re lovely! You deserve great things! To remind yourself of this you can dress a pink candle with Smoky Quartz, Rose Quartz and Garnet for crystals. Also add Lavender, Jasmine, Rose, Thyme and Rosemary. 

Light your candle with emotion and intention. 

The crystals may be cleaned off, put in a sachet, under you pillow/bed, in an office drawer, buried, etc. do what speaks to your for your situation.

Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Keep burning candles away from furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper, flammable decorations, etc. Keep burning candles out of the reach of children and pets. Trim candlewicks to ¼ inch each time before burning.

You can burn the candle in multiple sessions, whenever you feel yourself feeling down. Repeat as needed. I am enough, I am worthy, I am loveable. Set your intentions every single time before you relight the candle.

Please snuff out your candle, do not blow it out as it may offend certain deities. 

Banishing Negativity

Black candles work like a charm when you need to banish negativity. Candles can be used to cleanse your energy and dispel bad spirits. Here’s how to perform a basic black candle spell.

The main reason a black candle spell is effective for removing negativity is because the color black absorbs any light. It’s said that this is how black formed in the first place–it was when light was removed. However, black absorbs all the light. This makes the color black very powerful in spellwork, especially black candle spells.

Oil Of Anointing Supplies

Collect the ingredients and other tools you’ll need for this black candle spell. Inject essential oils into the anointing oil to give the candle extra power and your spell more potency. Choose an anointing oil, such as olive, almond, or coconut. In a shallow bowl, mix together the following essential oils.

1/8 cup carrier oil (vitamin E oil or fractionated coconut oil are best)

1 drop lemon essential oil

1 drop peppermint essential oil

1 drop sage essential oil

Other Spell Supplies

1/8 tsp coarse ground black pepper (destroys negative energy)

Black candle

Candle holder

White paper

Black ink pen

Fireproof bowl

Matches or lighter

Disposable plastic gloves

Instructions

1. Create a protection circle before starting spellwork. Wear disposable gloves.

2. Anoint the black candle with prepared anointing oil.

3. Place your black candle in a candle holder.

4. Set paper down on an altar or table.

5. Light your black candle while repeating, “Ward off all negative forces, and absorb all the negativity surrounding me. Transform negative intentions into positive ones.”

6. Sprinkle black pepper into candle flame (be careful not to inhale to avoid sneezing).

7. Allow the black candle to burn down and self-extinguish.

8. Place the remnants of your spell in a glass jar with a lid. (or take and bury at a crossroads)

Restful Sleep

To make moon oil, you will need to use Sandalwood and Jasmine. Both of these items can be found at your local metaphysical supply store or online. Make sure you purchase 100% pure essential oils (the ingredients should read 100% sandalwood oil or 100% jasmine oil) to ensure they are safe to use in magic spells. You will need: 2 tsp sandalwood oil and 1 tsp jasmine oil. Mix with fractionated coconut oil and rub on your skin before bed!

Focus

As a witch, your focus is to know yourself and to know your own power. The focus spell is designed to do just that. To perform it, you will need to draw an image of yourself (or use your actual self). Then write down what you want out of life, such as love, money, health or a new job. Next, craft your favorite color around it and picture all of those things coming true. Finally burn some lavender incense and envision everything happening in a glowing violet light.

Healing

This spell is used to heal cuts, burns, rashes, and other minor wounds. To cast it, begin by lighting a white candle on your altar or another place where you feel most in tune with magic. Take your index finger and draw a circle over the area of your body that needs healing; repeat three times while focusing on drawing out negative energy. You can either chant Negative energy be gone or focus on visualizing negativity being drawn from your body and into a ball of light.

Blog by Vehemence

An entrepreneurial baby witch, who’s spent the last 15 years kicking ass and taking names in the B2B tech world. Megan has felt the calling of magick since she was a small child and found comfort and healing in energy work. The deeper she explored the more she felt she had “finally found a spiritual home”. Navigating the complex world of witchcraft wasn’t easy and eventually, she felt driven to create a safe place for spiritual nomads. She is committed to making Coven Cloud a place where spiritualists of all backgrounds can feel safe, included, and supported.