Beltane Season and the Sacred Marriage

Well for weeks I have avoided it as much as possible! I really dislike the media hype and histerical outpourings of sentiment from the press. With all thats been going on in the world, I was not interested in what the dress would look like, who would be there, would she say 'obey' etc etc. In fact I found it really annoying to hear about how 'frugal' their wedding was going to be. Hmmmm.....Well I think most couples about to wed would enjoy being married in such splendour and it would probably cost them a fraction of what was really spent!

So I made arrangements to be otherwise engaged on friday 29 april in order not to have to be around hyped up parties and over emotional people who wanted to party till its 1999. Then my plans fell through. I couldnt go where I meant to and I have a 7 year old daughter who had been at school for most of the week with playground street parties and making union jacks who now wanted to watch the wedding.

Ok, so I can potter around, finish that washing, sort out the stuff for this summers crafts projects while she watches it. She'll soon get bored and want to change over to sponge bob square pants. And I only allow a bit of tv anyway so it'll soon be turned off and she can play with her dollies or help me plant some of the lettuce we have for the garden.

No chance, she wants me to sit with her and cuddle. So at first I sit while we watch the people gather at the Cathedral, the colourful processions of the soldiers. And then I thought, well actually Ive always been interested in history and this is an event that will definately go down somewhere. Im no monarchist, but I do like the pagaentry and costumes - and the ritual of it all.



Now like a lot of people, Id already drawn the connection to the fact that the wedding was happening at this time, just at the time of Beltane. The festival of the sacred marriage of the Goddess and the God. The Hieros Gamos. But I began to think about it as I watched the Queens guards and the horses marching along, listening to the crowds of people there and I began to see a bigger picture.




The crowds of people all over the country with their parties - street or otherwise. The families who were watching the event together, or just sitting alone with a TV. What amazing energy was being created here. An energy being raised with most people unaware of the time of year and what it represents, but still their connection to the Land so strong that this was so important to be part of. In fact, all over the world, this energy was being raised, so many people in so many lands watching the wedding, wanting to be part of it somehow.

I certainly dont think the monarchy purposely selected this time for the wedding conciously knowing its connection to the festival of Beltane. No that was the doing of a Greater power and knowledge of Her people and Lands. Chess pieces maybe.

As I watched the ceremony seeing the trees that Katherine Middleton had asked to be placed in the cathedral and the moment when the Archbishop bound their hands together I could see how in the midst of all this organised religion and dogma, the Goddess had brought the Land inside. All it needed was a dance round the maypole. Well, they had a party in the evening and lots of dancing so maybe even that was represented in a way.




And interesting it was the Bride - Kate who had wanted the trees. An act of the Goddess through her priestess although she is probably unaware of her role in this sacred marriage. The good will and connection created by the people of the world will create an amazing energy. I feel it is no accident that all this happened now, in the way it did.

I remember being astounded at the energy raised by people when Diana died - the amazing connection between people united in mourning someone they never knew. But then she had become a symbolic person. Reaching out to the sick and injured. Remember the pictures of her with aids infected people, or the limbless victims of land mines. Queen of Hearts is what she wanted to be known as. And now her son has married a woman who may well be an unknowing priestess. Who knows - it will be interesting to see how this is played out in the coming years.



No, Im still not a monarchist. My feelings on that are too long for this post and maybe I will share that another time. But Im glad I took the time to watch this event. And afterwards took part in my own Beltane celebrations, gathered with friends to dance the maypole and toast the Summer.

Hail the Queen of the May