Hello lovelies,
Welcome back to another Sapling Tarot newsletter, thank you for being here!
As we enter the enchanting month of May, let's celebrate the magic of Beltane—a time of growth, fertility1, and abundance. In this newsletter, we'll delve into the rich traditions and symbolism of Beltane, explore some astrological and tarot correspondences, and I’ll share rituals, practices, and a recipe inspired by the season and my love of bees.
Traditions:
Beltane, typically celebrated on the first of May (May Day), marks the halfway point between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. It's a time when the earth is alive with new growth, and the air is filled with the promise of summer.
Traditionally, Beltane is a fire festival, symbolising purification and transformation. Beltane is the counterpoint on the calendar to Samhain (Halloween), but where Samhain brings a time to think about links with our ancestors and the dead, Beltane is all about life.
If you're in Edinburgh, you might want to experience the famous Beltane Fire Festival, where the ancient traditions of Beltane come to life in a spectacular display of fire, music, and performance.
Another reason to take note of the first of May, is that it marks International Worker’s Day, a celebration of solidarity labourers and the working classes. International Worker’s Day has been marked in the UK with a public bank holiday on the first Monday in May since the late seventies.
Astrological and Tarot Correspondences:
Beltane falls during the Sun’s time travelling through the sign of Taurus. This is an earthy season of stability, growth, and sensual pleasure. Venus' current presence in Taurus (its home sign) amplifies the importance of noticing and prioritising these pleasures.
Tarot cards associated with Beltane include The Empress, symbolising fertility and abundance, The Lovers, representing union and harmony, and the Taurus card The Hierophant, who brings themes of ancestral wisdom and tradition.
Rituals and Practices for Beltane:
Light a bonfire or candles to symbolise the return of warmth, light, and vitality to the land.
Create a Beltane altar/space decorated with flowers, herbs, and anything else you associate with the season.
If you can, spend some time outdoors connecting with nature, and take a moment to think on the beauty and abundance around you.
If you’re really committed and have the opportunity, you can always dance around a Maypole, weaving ribbons to symbolise the intertwining of life and energy.
Nature Notes for May:
May in Scotland generally marks the arrival of more consistently warmer temperatures (fingers crossed anyway) and noticeably longer days, as the landscape bursts into life with an explosion of colour.
Carpets of bluebells adorn the woodlands, while meadows come alive with the delicate blooms of primroses. The sweet scent of blossom and the sounds of birdsong fill the air as nature stretches into the embrace of the sun.
🌸 Remember to mark your calendars on May 23rd for the Full Flower Moon, named for the abundance of flowers that bloom during this time of year. 🌸
Oracle: Hawthorn
Our (very apt) botanical oracle for May is the Hawthorn (also known as may blossom), a tree steeped in folklore and symbolism, and often said to be home to fae folk. With its delicate blossoms and thorny branches, the hawthorn reminds us of nature’s constant contradictions and riddles.
With its rich history of magical significance, Hawthorn reminds us to tap into our links with nature and to reconnect with our pasts, reminding us that we all have swathes of experience from which to learn and figure out a way forward.
By taking a break to think about where we’ve encountered these themes before, or reaching out to our community for shared wisdom, we can surmount any obstacle.
Beltane Honey Cake
Indulge in the sweetness of Beltane with this delicious honey cake. Made with local honey, this cake celebrates the abundance of the season and the sweetness of life. Share it with loved ones as you celebrate the joys of growth, fertility, and connection.
Ingredients:
225g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
115g unsalted butter (or olive spread), softened
115g light brown sugar
2 large eggs
120ml local honey, plus additional for drizzling
120ml buttermilk (to make your own, mix ½ tbsp of lemon juice with 120ml of milk and leave to stand for ten minutes)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
Icing sugar, for dusting
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/ Gas Mark 4. Line a 23-centimetre (9-inch) round cake tin with baking parchment (or grease and line with greaseproof paper if that’s what you usually do).
Put your dry ingredients (the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, bicarbonate of soda, and salt) into a bowl. Set aside.
Mix together the softened butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Stir in the honey, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until smooth.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Try not to over-mix.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, dust the top of the cake with icing sugar.
Slice and serve with a drizzle of honey, some fresh fruit, or whatever else feels right to you!
Variations:
Get creative with the spices you use, or miss it out all together if you prefer a more plain cake. You could substitute mixed spice for ground ginger or cinnamon, or dried herbs like rosemary or lavender.
If you have some time, for an extra witchy touch you could infuse your local honey with some herbs (homegrown or shop-bought will do), simply warm the honey with the herbs and leave to infuse. I think rosemary would pair beautifully with the zesty lemon flavour.
For a simpler option that is just as in keeping with the season, you could add honey to the sugar in your favourite fairy cake recipe - here’s one my family has used for years - (e.g this recipe calls for 125g sugar, you could split that to be 75g sugar / 75g honey).
Supporting Local Beekeepers:
As we celebrate Beltane and the abundance of the season, let's remember the vital role bees play in our ecosystem. Bees are crucial pollinators, supporting our crops and natural habitats. By supporting local beekeepers and choosing sustainably sourced honey, we can help protect these essential insects and preserve our environment.
If you’re in the UK, I can recommend these suppliers, but I highly you to find your own local beekeepers!
What’s new at Sapling Tarot?
If you’d like a chance to win a free reading (or bundle of free readings) from me or one of your other favourite witchy content creators, there’s still time to enter the raffle for Witches for Palestine - just send a screenshot of your donation (of 5GBP or above) to witchesforpalestine@gmail.com - for more information you can read about it here.
a note on fertility - while generally we tend to associate the word with literal pregnancy and the creation of life, or the idea of fertile soil creating the best environment to produce a bountiful harvest, it’s important to remember that it can have much broader implications than that.
We can also look at fertility through a more metaphorical lens, perhaps thinking about financial abundance or facilitating the best environment for us to be creative by providing an abundance of inspiration, perhaps thinking about pregnancy in terms of potential ready to come to life.
While our forebears might have been focussed on their wishes for the health of their cattle or wheat fields, we sometimes have to be a little more creative in how we consider these energies in our modern era.