Come now and I’ll impart the qualities Jupiter himself
gave bees, for which reward they followed after
the melodious sounds and clashing bronze of the Curetes,
and fed Heaven’s king in the Dictean cave.
- Virgil
Man has had a long relationship with the bee, partaking of honey as the sweetest thing long before agriculture. As we continue in the waxing half of the year, I’d like to take a bit of a different tact to the typical Beltane ritual centered around divine masculine and feminine, maypoles or cleansing between flames. Instead, I’d like to focus the ritual on one of man’s oldest friends: the bee.
Materials
Representation of bees
Flower starter pot
Expanding soil if not using a seed kit
Magazine for vision boarding
Scissors
Acrylic paints
Glue or glue sticks
Candle, preferably made of beeswax or yellow
Candle holder
Lighter
Extras: Pot for replanting later, altar clothes, any cleansing implements, tools, additional offerings such as mead being especially appropriate, journal to record thoughts
Rough Cost for Basic Materials: $15 USD
Bees are the focus of the ritual. Based on evidence from Africa, our relationship with bees goes back possibly 40,000 years with a domestic relationship beginning 9,000 years ago. Bees fertilize crops, product wax and yes, make the delicious honey that is their trademark sign. Zeus in his youth was said to be nurtured by bees along with many other historical figures in ancient Greece. Bees have heavenly and chthonic associations, able to freely traverse between realms. We will be using those ideas in this ritual to call on the idea of bees as messengers, taking our wishes wherever they need to go.
However, both domesticated and wild bees are on the decline due in large part due to human behaviors such as excess pesticide usage and decline in native flowers. This is why as part of this working, the primary offering is something small back to the earth to put in your yard or on your patio to help with the process of feeding back to one of the earth’s small creatures. I find it disrespectful to work with the idea of an animal but not try to help its form struggling here on earth today.
Many of the materials pictured were purchased at the Dollar Tree for $1.25 USD each at the time of this publication. I already had other similar materials in my collection so for some items I chose not to repurchase for the sheer purposes of making a “haul” of the experience. Witchcraft and devotion need not be expensive and many of the items needed or wanted for a modern practice can be easily sourced from stores like Walmart, Dollar Tree or the local thrift store. If you’re interested in further witchcraft on a budget type posts, please comment to let me know and I can start pulling together a document on easily purchased supplies.
I placed this ritual as a Beltane one but, depending on your climate, it could easily be done around the time of Ostara/Spring Equinox to celebrate the turning of the wheel then. You could also adapt the ritual to bring you closer to the archetype of the bee.
Setup
Take the magazine apart then cut and glue them into a collage as you see fit. I chose to focus on the four elements while also envisioning a more eco friendly world that better enables each person to grow their own food. Adding the imagery of the elements also allowed me to have those elements on my working altar for the sabbat. You may also put additional images on the collage to represent your wants at this time of year, the seeds you wish to plant.
Expand your soil from the purchased dry pack or use some from your garden. I chose to use a bit of soil beneath my candle as décor and to tie in with the bees and agriculture imagery.
Place the items in your altar area. Add any additional tools or imagery as you see fit.
Ritual
Ground and center yourself. Relax the shoulders and breathe in deeply through your stomach.
Call the quarters as you see fit.
Hail and welcome East, element air. You are the beating of wings on the spring breeze. Bring the power of your flight to reach even the gods.
Hail and welcome South, element fire. You are the sun as he processes in his glory. Bring the power of your warmth to descend from the heavens.
Hail and welcome West, element water. You are the gentle showers helping the earth. Bring the power of your rain to raise seemingly dead seeds.
Hail and welcome North, element earth. You are the bones of the planet. Bring the power of your body to incubate our dreams and desires.
Call the spirit of bee to be with you.
Hail and welcome Bee, messenger of the heavens. You are a bridge of man and gods from time immemorial, buzzing with messages from all realms. Be with me as I honor you this day.
Light the main candle.
Meditate now on the image of the bee. Go through your mental associations with the image of bees.
Now, imagine a meadow of flowers and various crops. See bees going back and forth amongst the flowers, fertilizing them. They buzz with excitement, carrying the pollen back and forth to their hives just out of site but present.
In your mind’s eye, see one of the bees coming up to you. It ventures through the meadow straight to you. You may perceive a faint glow around this bee. You know that she will carry your wishes to the gods.
Allow the bee the land gently in your palm. Though it possesses a stinger, it will not harm you. Move a bit closer to the whisper what you need in your life right now to the bee. Also whisper to it visions of the world you wish to live in, your hopes for the future. If you work with particular gods and goddess, tell the bee where to deliver your request. But trust that that bee will know where to take the message if you don’t mention who it should go to.
After you’re done talking, see the bee flying away with a clear course in mind. Wish it well on its journey.
Gently bring your awareness back to the here and now. Take your seeds and gently plant them in soil. Offer them, saying:
Thank you for being present today, spirit of bee. May your wings be strong as you carry my wishes in the winds to their destination.
Give any other words as you feel called. Thank the elements also for their presence. Close out your ritual with words such as:
The work closes in the realm apparent but continues in the realm unseen. So mote it be.
Post-Ritual
Ground yourself with food and water. Place your hands or feet on the ground to let excess energy flow off. Journal on your experience in ritual space.
In the coming weeks, light the candle regularly. Continue to vision for a better world for both you and the earth’s creatures. Place alongside the bee imagery for added remembering. Place the vision board where you’ll see it such as at a desk or on the refrigerator to remind you of your desires.
Remember to regularly water the plant and re-pot or transfer to your garden whenever it’s too large for its starting container. If you do an energy healing modality such as reiki, you may wish to offer than to both the plant and the land you live on as a further offering.
Happy Beltane and brightest blessings.