Beltane was the summer festival of the Celtic people in celebration of the returning fertility of the Earth. Many of the festivals and rituals revolved around blessing and protecting livestock or crops. The Aos sí were thought to be particularly active at this time and people would often leave offering for them. Extensive historical records have been found for the celebration of Beltane in both Ireland and Scotland.
Category Archives: Practical Paganism
Yule has roots in many European traditions making it difficult to determine which traditions stem from what specific regions. Germanic peoples made sacrifices and burned Yule logs. Druids venerated Evergreens as a symbol of life triumphing over death. Romans held a festival called Saturnalia in which they made sacrifices to the God of Saturn in the name of a coming golden age.
Every person engages in some form of ritualistic behavior. For as long as human beings have existed on this planet, we have created and acted out rituals of every variety. From a morning coffee routine to participating in Sunday mass, rituals guide and shape our lives. This article an introduction to what will be […]
Samhain is an ancient Celtic festival that is still celebrated by many Pagans today. It originated as a festival that was observed by the the Celts from southern Ireland, through the Isle of Mann, and into Northern Scotland. These Celts were known as the Gaels. Samhain began as a celebration to mark the end of the harvest season and the slaughter of cattle. The veils between the material world and the Otherworld were thought to be the thinnest during this time, which allowed the Aos Sí, faeries, souls of ancestors, and other beings to cross over into the physical world.