Review: Beltane by Melanie Marquis

Title: Beltane

Author: Melanie Marquis

Publisher: Llewellyn

Source: Press Review Copy

ISBN: 9780738741932

Purchase: Amazon

Rating 3/5

Llewellyn’s Sabbat Essentials series explores the old and new ways of celebrating the seasonal rites that are the cornerstones in the witch’s year.

A well-rounded introduction to Beltane, this attractive book features rituals, recipes, lore, and correspondences. It includes hands-on information for modern celebrations, spells and divination, recipes and crafts, invocations and prayers, and more!

In agricultural societies, Beltane marked the start of the summer season. We all have something we want to harvest by the end of the year—plans we are determined to realize. Beltane is the time to put our plans into action, and this book will show you how.

Beltane is my favourite Pagan festival, probably because it's famously known for Love and Romance and I'm a sucker for romance and love. This book is very much for the serious practitioner and not just a weekend pagan. It's very in depth and I really have no idea where to start with this one.

I particularly loved the recipes and crafts chapters and also the spells and divination section as I love divination. The chapters on the lore and history of Beltane is a must read and shouldn't be skipped. It's good practice to have the theory down before you go start crafting! 

No matter the time of the year we are at I always like making plans for the future. Now for example I'm planning my Autumnal time and how I want to spend it, things I want to do, try, learn and achieve, and this book has given me handy tips on how to plan my year... that although this book is about Beltane, I feel able to take the practices with me throughout the year.

A really good book that I recommend to anyone serious about learning more about the festivals. 

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Amber ~ Pagan Blog Project 2014

The Pagan Blog Project is back! And this year I am attempting to take part as I re-dedicated myself in Samhain to take my pagan practice up a notch or two. I want to find that inner closeness I have had snatches of over the past few years. So this is my personal journey, and I will be posting about topics I haven't done before or that I haven't done in much detail. This week's post is the letter "A" and I chose to write about AMBER.

Amber is one of the most prettiest stones I have ever seen. I have to admit that it was my Mum who brought my attention to this amazing stone. Mum has always had a close affinity with Merlin, Alchemy and Nature. She still remains in awe at how this beautiful crystal is formed from tree resin which is what gives it that plastic feeling when you rub it between your thumb and forefinger.

Amber is a stone of courage, personal power and harmony - traits every practicing pagan and witch would benefit from and understand just how important they are to have. It's also a great crystal to work with as we approach Imbolc, as we each grow out of the dark and begin to emerge into the lightness of the earths cycle. Amber is also especially brilliant to work with when in our practices, wiccan or shamanic, we are aiming to connect between the realms, amber acts as the gateway.

It's long been associated with the Mother Goddess as it is believed to contain the essence of life - possibly down to the fact that some tree resin Amber's contain insects and the like.

Ways To Use Amber:

On a Healing level, Amber is good to wear upon you for self-healing, and relieving anxiety and depression. It's brilliant for increasing your self confidence and inner radiance. If you are a healer and work with many clients either physically or spiritually at a distance, wearing amber can help prevent you absorbing negative energies. It's a wonderful crystal to aid digestion, and speech problems, it strengthens the spine and encourages cell regeneration.

With Children and Animals, Amber is particularly self healing for animals who are older. I find my Cat like to lie on this crystal which is gentle and comfy and seems to ease her arthritis. For children, you may find it helpful for them if they are prone to being bullied, it creates a barrier against spite (sometimes us adults could benefit from Amber for this reason too).

Protection is what Amber is probably best known for, it gives you the courage to face your enemies be they people, situations, fears, etc. Roman Gladiators used amber for this too! If you place a piece on your altar it will offer power and protection in your rituals.

Money, Money, Money! Amber is a stone of prosperity and success. So it's great to keep some in your purse/wallet, on your desk at work, in your safe at home with your money and valuables, you can even pop a small piece in a money box. I like to keep a piece near my vision board and have even attached it to a vision board.

Spiritually Speaking - Amber is great to use for past life work. Burn an orange candle and hold this crystal whilst gazing into the flame with half closed eyes.

My experiences with Amber

My mum bought me a gorgeous Amber pendant for my birthday one year and it looks truly like a family heirloom. Many people have even asked me if it was my Grandmothers or Great-Grandmothers - yet it is totally brand new. It is just a very experienced stone - at least I like to think of it that way. I've always associated amber with High Priestesses and I tend to work with Jet too when doing magickal work. The deep richness of the colour, I cant help but be transformed to autumnal thoughts of cosiness, and warmth, which is important for self security and inner reflection.

All written content on this blog is the work of © Dawn Brierley, Life Coach, Consultant, Intuitive Angel Therapist, Tarot Lover & Mentor