Calan Mai
A Welsh Beltane Ritual
Beltane is traditionally celebrated as a sexy time between men and women. This leaves folks who aren’t interested in hetero- and sexual relationships a bit left out. The focus of the festival is around new life and creation. This Beltane, this Calan Mai, I choose to call Blodeuwedd, a being created out of the flowers of oak, broom, and meadowsweet who went on a journey to find her own path.
Reading & Performing the Ritual:
As you read through the ritual, the formatting is your guide to what is spoken and not. The Core Order of Ritual steps are place in {curly brackets} and actions that you take are in [square brackets].
When you are making offerings, sprinkle them on the ground or pour them into one of the offering bowls as appropriate for your location.
In this ritual, I have used the “royal we” for the calls as they work just as well, but feel free to replace “we” and “us” with pronouns that are appropriate for you.
In Closing the Rite, I have assumed that you perform this ritual during the day. If you perform the ritual at night, please replace “day” with “night” or other words of your choice to make it appropriate to the timing of your ritual.
Needed Components & Altar setup:
You are welcome to replace any of the offerings listed below as you need to. Remember, water is always an acceptable offering.
- Offerings for the Kindreds and Beings. You can use grain, dried herbs, flowers, or whatever makes sense for you.
- A candle or other representation of Fire
- A small bowl or shell or other representation of the Well
- A stick, tree or other representation of the Tree
- Some kind of omen – an Ogham or Welsh-focused oracle or tarot would be best.
- One or Two bowls to pour offerings into
Land Acknowledgements:
If you are not of the indigenous cultures of your land, I consider it respectful to acknowledge those who have traditionally inhabited the land you are on for formal rituals. For most of the Western world and Australia, you can find out who traditionally lived on the land where you are at https://native-land.ca/. Update the text to reflect where you are.
If you are of the indigenous culture, you are welcome to discard that section or use it to acknowledge those who came before you.
Ritual Setup:
Gather the list of items above and head to your ritual space. If you don’t have a permanent altar setup, place the representations of the Fire, Well and Tree as you find appealing. Place the offering bowls before the representations of the Hallows and in easy reach. Place the offerings themselves in easy reach – they could be on your altar or not as is appropriate.
Once you have everything setup, take a moment and a few deep breaths to center yourself and prepare for ritual.
Calan Mai: A Welsh Beltane Solitary Ritual
{Land Acknowledgement}
Today I sit on the traditional land of the Tongva people, who historically inhabited the San Gabriel Valley area. We honor their connection to this region and give thanks for the opportunity to live, work, learn, and practice on their traditional homeland. We take a moment of silence to pay respect to their Elders and to all Gabrielino and Tongva people, past and present.
{Outdwellers – you can skip this section if you prefer}
[Go to the edge of your ritual area, and face outwards to call to the outdwellers]Creatures of distraction, spirits who are against our purpose, internal and external. Your work is not our work this day. We offer you this treat and bid you to avoid our rite this day. Know that we are well warded and well-warned have you been.
[Leave some candy or toys for the outdwellers]{Initiating the Rite}
[Take three deep breaths to help center yourself and ring a bell or chant “awen” three times to signal the beginning of the ritual.]{Purification}
Between Fire and Water, we find our balance
[Cense and asperge yourself with water and smoke from incense. If you can’t use incense or a flame, spritz yourself with water and see yourself surrounded with flame or heat to purify yourself.]
{Honoring the Earth Mother}
We call out to the Spirit of Earth
You who support us.
You who hold us.
You who have birthed us and will once again take us.
We thank you for your bounty and the
Growth to come.
Spirit of Earth, accept our offering.
{Statement of Purpose}
This day, we celebrate Calan Mai and the joy of finding our path.
{(Re)create the Cosmos}
We give thanks to the fire
that burns bright within our hearts
may the fires of the heavens light our way.
We give thanks to the well
the water that flows deep within the earth
and deep within our hearts,
connecting us to our ancestors
We give thanks to the World Tree,
that grows deep and tall,
reaching from the deepest well to the tallest stars
joining earth and sky as one
The worlds are connected.
{Open the Gates}
Gwyn ap Nudd (GWIN ap NEETH), King of the Dead, we call to you this night.
We ask you to watch over us, to guard the gate between this world and all others,
To protect us as we perform this rite.
We offer you this drink and our thanks. We welcome you this night.
Let the well open as a gate!
Let the fire open as a gate!
Let the tree open as a gate!
Let the gate be OPEN!
{Invite the Three Kindreds}
We call upon the kindred to join us in this sacred space!
Ancestors, of blood, heart and spirit, join us this night,
and lend your energy to this rite.
Ancestors, we welcome you!
[offer bread or crackers or water to the ancestors]Nature Spirits, creatures of body and spirit, join us this night,
and lend your energy to this rite.
Nature Spirits, we welcome you!
[offer milk to the nature spirits]Shining Ones, Children of Don,
Family to Blodeuwedd (blod-EYE-weth),
join us this night, and lend your support to your family
Shining Ones, we welcome you!
Shining Ones, Children of Llyr,
Deities of sea and poetry
join us this night, and lend your energy to this rite
Shining Ones, we welcome you!
[offering of incense to the shining ones]{Key Offerings & Prayer of Sacrifice}
Once upon a time, there was a man. Born in unusual circumstances, and through stranger circumstances received the name ‘Lleu Llaw Gyffes.’ He was the child of a line of kings, and yet was forbidden to marry a woman of the race of Earth. But Lleu is not the focus of this story here. The woman he married is.
Blodeuwedd, was brought into being by Gwydion and his father Math. Bringing together flowers of Oak, Broom, and Medowsweet, they breathed life into the plants and Blodeuwedd. Created from flowers, and gifted to Lleu as his wife, Blodeuwedd served that role well.
One day, while Lleu was out touring his land, a young, and beautiful, hunter arrived at the castle. With offers of hospitality expected and Lleu out for many a day, Blodeuwedd welcomed the hunter in and offered them food and drink. Something happened through the meal, and Blodeuwedd found herself attracted to young Gronw, the hunter.
That night, Blodeuwedd invited Gronw to her bed. The next morning, Blodeuwedd invited Gronw to stay. After a day of feasting and revelry, again Blodeuwedd invited Gronw to her bed. Another day of feasting and revelry passed, and again Blodeuwedd invited Gronw to her bed. Three nights together, three nights publicly known. Three nights of possibility. In that final night, Blodeuwedd seized her future. Together, she and Gronw plotted.
With a bit of investigation, Blodeuwedd found out the strange circumstances needed to kill Lleu. With a bit of guile, she lured Lleu to his death by the hand of Gronw.
Her freedom had a cost. The form of an owl is hers to this day.
We call to the Lady Blodeuwedd (blod-EYE-weth) to join us here this night. Help us to see the possibilities and seize our future. Help us as we find our path.
[offering of water to the well]{Omen}
Lady Blodeuwedd, Kindreds all, we ask that you share your wisdom with us today.
What blessings do the Kindreds bestow upon us as we each find our path?
Lady Blodeuwedd, Kindreds all, we thank you for your wisdom.
{Calling for, Hallowing and Affirming the Blessings}
[hold the cup of water up to the Kindreds]Children of Don, Children of Llyr, Nature Spirits, Ancestors,
Kindreds together, we ask for your blessings this night,
May you share your strength, as we tend the harvest through the summer ahead
May you share your wisdom, as we find our paths, inward and outward.
Kindred, may you bless these waters!
Behold! This is the Water of Life!
[Have a drink of the Waters of Life]Our thanks to you, dear Kindred, for your blessings.
{Thank the Beings}
Blodeuwedd, we thank you for joining us this night,
May your wisdom ever guide us along our path.
We love, honor and respect you,
We bid you ‘Farewell and Bright Blessings’
Children of Llyr, we thank you for joining us this night,
We honor you.
We bid you ‘Farewell and Bright Blessings’
Children of Don, we thank you for joining us this night,
We honor you.
We bid you ‘Farewell and Bright Blessings’
Nature Spirits, we thank you for joining us this night,
We honor you.
We bid you ‘Farewell and Bright Blessings’
Ancestors, we thank you for joining us this night,
We honor you.
We bid you ‘Farewell and Bright Blessings’
{Close the Gates}
Gwyn ap Nudd, we thank you for guarding our gate this night,
May the tree become a tree,
May the fire become just flame,
May the well become just water,
Gwyn ap Nudd, we bid you ‘Farewell and Bright Blessings’
May the gates be closed!
{Thank the Earth Mother}
Spirit of Earth,
We thank you for your aid in this rite.
To you we return all that is unused,
That you may find good use for it.
{Close the Rite}
As the night becomes night again,
and the world returns to normal,
this rite is ended.
