Relentless Fecundity  is a Giclee print on bryta photographique paper by Hannah Thomas. From an edition of 30, this limited edition print is signed and numbered by the artist.

Exhibition dates: 12th June – 6th July 2013 Petrina Hicks (Australian, b. 1972) Venus 2013 Pigment print, Edition of 8 100 x 100cm “They’re thoughtful …

"THE TENDER TIES THAT BIND US" is a gentle reminder of our inextricable ties to the natural world and how our actions can affect the fecundity of all that inhabits this beautiful planet. This signed archival giclée print measures approximately 8x10" (actual image is a bit smaller") and is printed on heavy archival 100 % cotton paper and comes in a protective sleeve with backing board, both meant only for transport and not intended to display the work longterm. (See below) Ships flat. IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!!! In an effort to make less impact on the environment, all of my prints and cards are packaged in biodegradable ECO-BAGS. These bags are not archival and can be compromised in high heat and other adverse conditions, please remove your artwork as soon as possible to avoid and damage to the work. About Giclée Prints Giclée is the name for the process of making high quality archival fine art prints from a digital source using high-resolution ink jet printing, The word Giclée, from the French “le gicleur” meaning nozzle, or more specifically “gicler” meaning “to squirt, spurt or spray”. The term represents any inkjet based digital print produced to be used as fine art. Images are typically generated from high resolution digital scans or photographs and printed with archival quality inks onto various paper media, canvas, fine art and photo papers. Highly accurate and sensitive printers are used to match the digital profile of the original image. These modern printers are capable of producing amazingly detailed prints for the fine art and professional photography markets. The quality of the Giclée print rivals traditional printing processes using archival printing surfaces and substrates and pigment based (vs. dye based) inks rated at 200 years. Giclée prints are commonly found in museums, fine art and photographic galleries. Thank you for taking a moment to look at my work! www.sherihowe.com www.facebook.com/SheriHoweStudio www.facebook.com/SheriHoweArt www.instagram.com/sherihoweart www.pinterest.com/sherihoweart

"THE KEEPER" is a prayer for the oceans and seas of the world, recognizing our inextricable ties to the health and fecundity of each body of water and for the survival of all species. This signed archival giclée print measures approximately 8x10" (actual image is a bit smaller") and is printed on heavy archival 100 % cotton paper and comes in a protective sleeve with backing board, both meant only for transport and not intended to display the work longterm. (See below) Ships flat. IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!!! In an effort to make less impact on the environment, all of my prints and cards are packaged in biodegradable ECO-BAGS. These bags are not archival and can be compromised in high heat and other adverse conditions, please remove your artwork as soon as possible to avoid and damage to the work. About Giclée Prints Giclée is the name for the process of making high quality archival fine art prints from a digital source using high-resolution ink jet printing, The word Giclée, from the French “le gicleur” meaning nozzle, or more specifically “gicler” meaning “to squirt, spurt or spray”. The term represents any inkjet based digital print produced to be used as fine art. Images are typically generated from high resolution digital scans or photographs and printed with archival quality inks onto various paper media, canvas, fine art and photo papers. Highly accurate and sensitive printers are used to match the digital profile of the original image. These modern printers are capable of producing amazingly detailed prints for the fine art and professional photography markets. The quality of the Giclée print rivals traditional printing processes using archival printing surfaces and substrates and pigment based (vs. dye based) inks rated at 200 years. Giclée prints are commonly found in museums, fine art and photographic galleries. Thank you for taking a moment to look at my work! www.sherihowe.com www.facebook.com/SheriHoweStudio www.facebook.com/SheriHoweArt www.instagram.com/sherihoweart www.pinterest.com/sherihoweart

View Gary Alden’s Profile on Saatchi Art. Find art for sale at great prices from artists including Paintings, Photography, Sculpture, and Prints by Top Emerging Artists like Gary Alden.

There is a place in your birth chart of profound fecundity — unfurling and lush. Here we find what brings you joy. This is a place of longing and touching. Not only between humans but also between us and the more-than-human world. This place is called the Fifth House. It is where Venus rejoices. So

Infertility diagnosis is advised to a couple who do not conceive over the period of one year despite having a physical relationship. The problem of infertility has now become very common and is reported in one out of 6 couples. In case it is the male partner responsible for the condition, it is male infertility.

Stereoview made by P. Rossier in the 1860s (Views in China Series Nr. 25) [Text on the backside] Canton, Chinese Joss This Idol is contained in the Buddhist Temple, situated on Magazine Hill, the Head Quarters of the Allies. This Idol was presented to the Temple Convent by one of the Chinese Emperors; the inhabitants of Canton, more especially the female portion, hold it in the greatest veneration, and miraculous powers are ascribed to it in reference to fecundity; it has in consequence a great number of female devotees. The idol is of the feminine gender, and is called the Goddess of Fecundity.

“Lilith’s themes are freedom, courage, playfulness, passion, pleasure and sexuality. Her symbol is an apple. In Hebrew legends, Lilith is a dangerously beautiful Goddess who refused t…

The key difference between fertility and fecundity is that fertility is the natural ability of an organism (male or female) to reproduce while fecundity is

it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mater_Matuta

In this podcast I talk with Zach Bush, MD, a doctor with a background in endocrinology who "went holistic" and turned toward gut/brain health, the microbiome, and soil science. Our conversation covered a lot of ground: evolution, the importance of biological diversity for personal, social, and ecological health, the inventive fecundity of life, the role

There are few more influential writers than the Trappist monk Thomas Merton. His writings continue to inspire, mentor, and impact new generations of readers. Our columnist Parker Palmer remembers when he first met Merton's words and how they continue to shape him today.

BLUEGILL acronym = BG Omnivore, eats zooplankton, small fish and readily eats pellets.High fecundity, makes excellent forage fish.Can reach two pounds.Excellent palatability. http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=3375 Bluegill FishBaseBluegi...

Gravitational waves, a giant eye and “symbols of female fecundity” are among the shortlisted designs in the world’s only international tapestry design competition for architects.

Blue Quandongs: Image by artist Shona Wilson. Please attritube to this artist and post found at FB page Homage to the Seed

Terror. Doubt. Anxiety. Artists offer their strategies for getting beyond the roadblocks and starting new work

Dish, in the centre of which is a female figure, holding a heart pierced by two arrows; Deruta, 1470-1490

"BELTANE" by Julia Jeffrey http://www.etsy.com/shop/juliajeffrey Tonight is the Eve of Beltane, one of the two most important Celtic festivals of the year, or, as we Americans know it, May Day. It is properly observed from sunset April 30 to sunset May 1. I am so bummed out this Eve of Beltane. First, because we are having a blizzard here! Yes, a ton of snow and wind are combining to make for a nasty spring snowstorm in Bismarck. Will spring ever arrive here? The second reason is that I have lost something near and very dear to me. It was a blog, of all things, a blog I shared with another person. It was called Ancestral Sisters, and it was about two young women in Britannia (Great Britain) in ancient Celtic times; two kindred spirits who could scry each other through fire (my character) and water (the other character). "BELTANE" by Ric Kemp The two of us took turns writing posts in character. My character, Aine (Anya), was a herbalist and healer who lived in Southern England. The other young woman was the keeper of a well in Ireland. For my part, I did a lot of research on the daily life of the Ancient Celts and I scoured the web for dozens and dozens of paintings to accompany my posts. I wrote about Aine's life - her village, her hut and her companion animals; the preparations for and the celebrations of the major Celtic holidays; her work in growing plants and in making medicines; her visits to a trade fair, a solo trip to the shore to gather seaside plants and a sacred trip with others across southern England to Stonehenge and the sacred tor at Glastonbury. Fairy Ring Oracle Illustrator Paul Mason - Have I impressed upon you how hard I worked on the research and the writing, and how much this was a labor of love? There was enough there for a short book. And now it is gone, "disappeared" by the other writer. Granted, I had not written on the blog for quite a while, but I expected it to be there forever and that I could draw upon it at anytime. And now it is lost to me forever. This was a bitter truth for me to learn, and for for all you bloggers to take a lesson from, especially those of you who share a blog. If you love something you've written or artwork or photos, save it somewhere else as a backup. "BELTANE LORD AND LADY", Margaret Harwood I had intended to use Aine's Beltane celebration for today's post, but now I will have to share with you a post I wrote at Beltane a couple of years ago: On Beltane (or Beltaine) Eve and its counterpart, Samhain Eve (or Halloween), the veil between the two worlds is at its thinnest. But unlike Samhain, when spirits of the dead roam the world, on Beltane Eve it is the fairies who are returning from their winter respite, carefree and full of fairy delight and mischief. Beware, tonight the Queen of the Fairies will ride out on her white steed to entice humans away to fairyland. If you hear the bells on her horse, turn your face away, or she may choose you! Beltane is a Gaelic festival, celebrated by those in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. (Other Celts, like those in Wales and Gaul, had similar spring celebrations). The name Beltane means bright fire, bale fire, or Fire of Bel (Bel or Belinos being the Sun God). Halfway between the vernal equinox and the summer solstice, this day marks the beginning of the bright half of the year. "BELTANE GROVE" by Mickie Mueller http://www.mickiemuellerart.com/ Preparations for Beltane began with gathering flowers for the Maypole and for wearing on the body and in the hair. Young men went May boughing or May birching, gathering garlands of hawthorn (Mayflower) and rowan (mountain ash) to hang over doorways and windows. On the Isle of Man, the youngest child of a family would gather primroses to throw against the door of the house for protection. From the woods, villagers gathered nine different types of sacred wood. From this wood, two giant bonfires, or need fires, were built on top of a hill. The villagers drove domestic animals between the two fires to purify and protect themselves and the animals, insure their fertility, and bring luck. People also jumped over the bonfires (hopefully after they had died down a bit) in a fertility ritual. In Scotland, boughs of juniper were added to the fire for purification and blessing. The Beltane celebration honored life over death and celebrated the rebirth of the world. Above all, it was a fertility festival, a symbolic union of the God and Goddess, of the divine masculine and the divine feminine. A young virgin, often dressed in white with a crown of flowers, was chosen to be the Queen of the May. Her consort went by many names, including the Green Man, the May Groom, the May King, and Jack-of-the-Green, often dressed in green and decorated with leaves. "THE MAY QUEEN" by Emily Balivet www.emilybalivet.com In Scotland, bannocks (or oatcakes), were passed around in a bonnet. One bannock had been blackened by the fire, and the person choosing the blackened bannock became The Fool. It was the hope that all misfortune would henceforth fall on The Fool and no one else. Poor Fool, he also had to jump over the bonfire three times. After the fires died down, the youth of the village would slip into the woods to go "A-Maying", to act out in reality the symbolic joining of the God and Goddess. No wonder they sing about "The Lusty Month of May" in "Camelot". May Day morning, the young people would emerge from the woods, perhaps mussed and disheveled, to dance around the Maypole, gaily decorated with colorful ribbons, flowers, leaves and garlands. Flowers were put in baskets and left on doorsteps for those who were too ill or too old to participate in the festival. From that, we get our modern day May baskets. "BELTANE" by Wendy Andrew http://www.paintingdreams.co.uk/ Beltane was serious business for the Celts. They believed that the wheel of the sky would not turn without their intervention, and they did everything in their power - with their fires, celebrations and rituals - to ensure that summer returned each year. Beltane was celebrated in English villages up into the 1950s. The festivities came to include mummers' plays, Morris dancing, riding the hobby horse, feasting and drinking. Beltane is still celebrated in some areas. My dear English blogging friend Leanne (Dorset Days/Somerset Seasons) went to Glastonbury today, lucky, lucky lady. Tonight, the Beltane Fire Festival on Calton Hill in Edinburgh, Scotland, will attract 12,000 to 15,000 people. Because of the blizzard (and city regulations, ha!), there will be no May bonfires for me tonight here in Bismarck, and certainly no creeping into the woods to go "A-Maying." Instead, I will play "Huron Beltane Fire Dance" by Loreena McKennitt a number of times. Since I can never listen to this music without dancing, I'll do a little springtime dance of my own, and maybe that will improve my spirits a bit. "DANCING THE CIRCLE" by Mickie Mueller

We always SHIP FOR FREE on domestic orders. Here is a nice vintage and lovely Liqueur de Damiana bottle (EMPTY) in the form of a pregnant woman holding her belly which is purported to be an interpretation of ancient Peruvian pottery that was created to encourage fecundity and fertility. Beautifully executed voluptuous female form, in excellent clean and solid condition including rear stickers exploring the myth of Damiana. The affixed Federal Internal Revenue Tax Stamp (series 112) dates this bottle circa 1961-1977. The liqueur itself was a product of Baja, Mexico and was made with the leaves of the damiana plant which are traditionally used in Mexico to treat a range of ailments including asthma, headaches, and depression. Damiana liquor was first made by the Guaycura Indians in Mexico and used during religious ceremonies. According legend, the liquor was eventually banned by the Guayacara due to its strong aphrodisiac powers. Of course, when something is banned, it becomes more mythical and desirable; in some parts of Mexico, a wedding tradition includes giving a new bride a bottle of damiana liquor as a gift to encourage fertility. _______________________________ Often described as "Inca" or "Peruvian" this bottle's form actually predates the Inca civilization by several centuries and is better categorized as being "Mochica influenced" dating to the 5th century, AD (whereas the Inca came to prominence nearly 1,000 years later and "Peru" did not exist until the 16th century). You may ask: "Why does this matter?" Well, a long standing commercial platitude applied to this particular bottle states "The design of this bottle is based on a Pre-Columbian Peruvian bottle now in the collection of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum." In other words, this bottle's form is part of an advertising ploy that amounts to the nakedly commercial cultural appropriation of a significant ancient ritualistic artifact, but the admen and copywriters could not even bother to get the fact straight. Nonetheless, you may ask, how accurate is the statement otherwise? Well, yes the Guggenheim does have an extensive collection of "Peruvian" cultural artifacts including pottery made in human forms that have some vague resemblance to this bottle's form. Interestingly, the museum's Peruvian collection came to the museum upon purchasing the entire contents of the distressed Textile Museum in Washington D.C. This museum had been curated and directed by Dr. Alan Sawyer, an authority on, and collector of, Peruvian art and he had filled the museum with considerable works from that region. (See the above photo documenting this trove's arrival at the Guggenheim, as well as the extraordinarily comprehensive "Ancient Peruvian Ceramics: The Nathan Cummings Collection" by Dr Sawyer: http://tehne.com/library/alan-r-sawyer-ancient-peruvian-ceramics-nathan-cummings-collection-new-york-1966.) So, is this bottle's namesake in the Guggenheim collection? Most likely, yes. But will I ever get to see it? Mostly likely, no. Buy this one instead and worship it; you might get lucky. _________________________________ Portland Pandemonium is an ETSY STAR SELLER: This means I personally excel in customer service, including the all important packing and shipping details. I absolutely guarantee that this EMPTY bottle will arrive at your home safely, insured, tracked, and on time, if not earlier! And remember, shipping is always free at Portland Pandemonium, so keep coming back for more odd-ball and quirky stuff, Daniel

Ema Shin is a Melbourne based artist who was born and grew up in Niigata, Japan. She studied at Tama Art University, Tokyo and completed a Master of Fine Art Degree at Aichi Prefectural Art University, Nagoya. She has held numerous solo and group exhibitions in Japan, Korea, Australia and other countries. Since the birth of her first child in 2014 she has integrated her artwork with daily life, working in a home studio producing works that celebrate women’s lives and bodies. Her multi disciplinary practice, application of historical techniques and use of tactile materials result in contemporary artworks that express femininity and sexuality.

The Welsh Moon Mother, Arianrhod, is largely esteemed as a Goddess of Childbirth, Fertility and Fate. Here, read all about Her Legends, representations, and, the appropriate offerings to make to this Celtic Goddess and Mistress of the Caer Sidi.

ANTONIO MORA

The kupas, the headdress of the women, is a mark of Kalash identity. Covered with cowry shells, it is an appeal for protection and fecundity. No women may go bareheaded, without the kupas or at least without the headdress support, the shushut, which is also decorated with cowry shells, beads, bells, buttons and pompoms. Chitral, Pakistan.

30th April / 1st May This is the beginning of the 'lighted half' of the year when the Sun begins to set later in the evening and the hawthorn blossoms. To our ancestors Beltane was the coming of summer and fertility. Nature is in bloom and the earth is full of fecundity and life. For the Celts, Beltane marked the beginning of the pastoral summer season when the herds of livestock were driven out to the summer pastures and mountain grazing lands. Due to the change from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, Bealltainn in Scotland was commonly celebrated on May 15 while in Ireland Sean Bhealtain / "Old May" began about the night of May 11. Beltane or Beltaine (origin Old Irish) is the anglicised spelling of Bealtaine or Bealltainn, the Gaelic names for either the month of May or the festival that takes place on the first day of May. Bealtaine is a cross-quarter day, marking the midpoint in the Sun's progress between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Since the Celtic year was based on both lunar and solar cycles, it is possible that the holiday was celebrated on the full moon nearest the midpoint between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. In Irish Gaelic, the month of May is known as Mí Bhealtaine or Bealtaine, and the festival as Lá Bealtaine ('day of Bealtaine' or, 'May Day'). In Scottish Gaelic, the month is known as either (An) Cèitean or a' Mhàigh, and the festival is known as Latha Bealltainn or simply Bealltainn. The feast was also known as Céad Shamhain or Cétshamhainin from which the word Céitean derives. As an ancient Gaelic festival, Bealtaine was celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, though there were similar festivals held at the same time in the other Celtic countries of Wales, Cornovii areas of England, Brittany and Cornwall. The lighting of bonfires on Oidhche Bhealtaine ('the eve of Bealtaine') on mountains and hills of ritual and political significance still takes place. In modern Scottish Gaelic, Latha Buidhe Bealltainn or Là Buidhe Bealltainn ('the yellow day of Bealltain') is used to describe the first day of May. This term Lá Buidhe Bealtaine is also used in Irish and is translated as 'Bright May Day'. In Ireland it is referred to in a common folk tale as Luan Lae Bealtaine; the first day of the week (Monday/Luan) is added to emphasise the first day of summer. Another common aspect of the festival which survived up until the early 20th century in Ireland was the hanging of May Boughs on the doors and windows of houses and the erection of May Bushes in farmyards, which usually consisted either of a branch of rowan/caorthann (mountain ash) or more commonly whitethorn/sceach geal (hawthorn) which is in bloom at the time and is commonly called the 'May Bush' . Furze/aiteann was also used for the May Boughs, May Bushes and as fuel for the bonfire. Young men would circle the Beltaine fires holding Rowan branches to bring protection against evil - its bright berries suggested fire - malign powers were considered particularly active at the year's turning-point. It was considered unlucky to allow anyone to take fire from one's house on May Eve or May Day, as they would gain power over the inhabitants. Origins In Irish mythology, the beginning of the summer season for the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Milesians started at Bealtaine. Great bonfires would mark a time of purification and transition, heralding in the season in the hope of a good harvest later in the year, and were accompanied with ritual acts to protect the people from any harm by Otherworldly spirits, such as the Aos Sí. Like the festival of Samhain, opposite Beltane on October 31 Beltane was also a time when the Otherworld was seen as particularly close at hand. Early Gaelic sources from around the 10th century state that the druids of the community would create a need-fire on top of a hill on this day and drive the village's cattle through the fires to purify them and bring luck (Eadar dà theine Bhealltainn in Scottish Gaelic, 'Between two fires of Beltane'). This term is also found in Irish and is used as a turn of phrase to describe a situation which is difficult to escape from. In Scotland, boughs of juniper were sometimes thrown on the fires to add an additional element of purification and blessing to the smoke. People would also pass between the two fires to purify themselves. Beltane Incense 3 parts Frankincense 2 parts Sandalwood 1 part Woodruff 1 part Rose petals Few drops Jasmine oil Few drops Neroli oil Burn during Wiccan rituals on Beltane (April 30th) or on May Day for fortune and favors and to attune with the changing of the seasons. A Fairy Spell for Beltane In a woodland clearing, spread a clean green cloth. On it place small cakes and flowers, especially primroses, in a circle. Imagine the magic around you and say: “O Fairy Queen, Upon your white steed, Within me plant A magic seed. From you may spring Many new beginnings. Great Queen, Accept these offerings.” Leave the items and walk around the altar three times, then slowly walk the path back to your home. Listen for the sound of laughter and bells and know you are blessed. Beltane is the time when fairies return from their winter rest, carefree and full of mischief and delight. On the night before Beltane, in times past, folks would place rowan branches at their windows and doors for protection. If you do not wish the fairies to visit, do the same! This is also aperfect time for night or predawn rituals to draw down power to promote fertility in body and mind. At Beltane, the Pleiades star cluster rises just before sunrise on the morning horizon. The Pleiades is known as the seven sisters, and resembles a tiny dipper- shaped pattern of six moderately bright stars in the constellation of Taurus, near the shoulder. Watch for it low in the east-northeastsky, just a few minutes before sunrise. By: Nancy Bennett Dream Incense 2 parts Sandalwood 1 part Rose petals 1 part Camphor Few drops Tuberose bouquet Few drops Jasmine oil Burn a bit in the bedroom prior to sleep to produce psychic dreams. Remove the censer from the room before retiring. Use only genuine camphor. If this is unavailable, add a few drops spirits of camphor. Available in most drug stores. Wiccans and Wiccan-inspired Neopagans celebrate a variation of Beltane as a Sabbat,one of the eight solar holidays. Although the holiday may use features of the Gaelic Bealtaine, such as the bonfire, it bears more relation to the Germanic May Day festival, both in its significance (focusing on fertility) and its rituals (such as maypole dancing). Some Wiccans celebrate "High Beltaine" by enacting a ritual union of the May Lord and May Lady. Among the Wiccan Sabbats, Beltane is a cross-quarter day; it is celebrated in the northern hemisphere on May 1 and in the southern hemisphere on November 1. Beltane follows Ostara and precedes Midsummer. The Maiden The Triple Goddess - worshipped by the Ancient Britons - at Beltane is now in her aspect of the Maiden : The May Queen, May Bride, Goddess of Spring, Flower Bride, Queen of the Fairies - a symbol of purity, growth and renewal. The Crone turns to stone on Beltane Eve. Going 'A-Maying' Beltane is a time of partnerships and fertility. New couples proclaim their love for each other on this day. It is also the perfect time to begin new projects. True Love Incense 1 part Cinnamon 1 part Orris a few drops Patchouly oil Burn for love. Going 'A-Maying' meant staying out all night to gather flowering hawthorn, watching the sunrise and making love in the woods - a 'greenwood marriage'. Love Incense 2 parts Sandalwood 1/2 part Basil 1/2 part Bergamot a few drops Rose oil a few drops Lavender oil Burn to attract love, to strengthen the love you have, and to expand your ability to give and receive love. Incense, Herbs and Woods Incenses used for Beltane should be intoxicating, heady, and erotic. Rose, jasmine, ylang ylang, peach, musk, and vanilla are all appropriate. If you want to use herbs to make an incense or spell powder to throw on the fire, woodruff, fern, rose, chamomile, wormwood, and galangal are good choices. Often you will read about the nine sacred woods used in kindling the balefire. Obviously, the trees should all have strong connections to magick, but substitutions can be made depending on where you live. Oak would be the first choice, the backbone of the fire, so to speak. To that add eight other types of wood. Any and all of these are acceptable: apple, Hawthorne, birch, elder, ash, thorn (blackthorn), grape vine, rowan (mountain ash), holly, willow, cedar, yew and hemlock. The Colors of Beltane Bright colors abound at this time of year. Some especially connect the colors of purple and green with Beltane - the deep plum of grape wine, the peridot and hunter greens of the forest - and the gold of the sun shining through the trees are natural choices for Beltane Hawthorn May blossom symbolises female fertility, with its creamy/ white, fragrant flowers. Hawthorn blossom was worn during Beltane celebrations, especially by the May Queen. It is believed to be a potent magical plant and it is considered unlucky to bring the blossom inside the house, apart from on May eve. Faerie Lore - The Fae at Beltane Beltane is traditionally a time when the veil between our world and that of the Fae is thin. The fairy May Queen is shown as a wheaten haired beauty with a daisy chain in her hair She is surrounded by a bounty of leaves and beautiful bright flowers, and symbols of fertility and change of seasons (such as eggs, honeybees, moon phases, etc.). She's also accompanied by a handsome Jack-in-the-Green (aka a "green man") made of leaves with stag-like antlers. Fae are associated with magical underground caverns and springs -- it was believed that a traveler who went too far into one of these places would find himself in the Faerie realm. Another way to access the world of the Fae was to find a secret entrance. These were typically guarded, but every once in a while an enterprising adventurer would find his way in. Often, he found upon leaving that more time had passed than he expected. In several tales, mortals who spend a day in the fairy realm find that seven years have passed in their own world. May Day - Beltane Traditions It was a Celtic tradition to fell a birch tree on May day and to bring it into the community. Crosses of birch and rowan twigs were hung over doors on the May morning, and left until next May day. Beltane cakes or bannocks - oatcakes coated with a baked on custard made of cream, eggs and butter - were cooked over open fires and anyone who chose a misshapen piece or a piece with a black spot was likely to suffer bad luck in the coming months. They were also offered to the spirits who protect the livestock, by facing the Beltane fire and casting them over their shoulders. Beltane is the festival that celebrates all of the living world: plants, animals, and human beings. On both occasions, the veil between the worlds is said to be thin, and is no more unusual to see the fairies near Beltane, than it is to see the spirits of the dead at Samhain. Beltane is a time of Faerie Magic and the Queen of faeries is represented by the Queen of the May. Along with her consort, she rules over the festivities and serves as representative of the Goddess. In most temperate climates, flowers are now in bloom, trees are in blossom or in full leaf, and gardens are beginning to grow. All of the hibernating animals are fully awake. The birds have nested and settled down to raise their brood. The maypole - a phallic pole planted deep in the earth representing the potency and fecundity of the God, its unwinding ribbons symbolized the unwinding of the spiral of life and the union of male and female - the Goddess and God. It is usually topped by a ring of flowers to represent the fertile Goddess. Holiday of fertility. For Pagans, one of the great gifts of the Goddess is the power of the earth to grow wonderful flowers and fruits and all the things we eat. We are thankful for the fertility of the earth, and our job is to keep the land and the soil healthy, to protect the animals and plants and trees so that fertility can continue. The earth is a living being, and all of her creatures are part of her body. Each has a place, a purpose, a special part in the great dance of life. Beltane Celebrations and Rituals The May Queen - Maid Marion/the Maiden consorts with Robin/ the Green Man in Celtic celebrations of May day. The dew on the May day morning is believed to have a magical potency - wash your face and body in it and remain fair all year, and guarantee your youth and beauty continues - men who wash their hands in it will be good at tying knots and nets - useful if you're a fisherman! A time to paint pictures, make up songs, tell new stories, plant a garden, or cook a dinner, take part in the fertility of the Goddess. The Altar The altar for Beltane can be a simple arrangement of flowers in bloom at this time. May baskets can be made of paper strips or created from existing baskets. Branches of Hawthorne (the May tree) or oak leaves and branches (sacred to Robin Hood) can form a green background. You might also want to include pictures of the Fair Folk, and be sure to set out a bowl of milk or cream for them at night. Don't worry if the cat drinks it - she's probably a Faery in disguise! Handfasting This ancient Pagan and Celtic ceremony marked the taking of a partner - this involves a commitment to perform an annual review of relationship. The couple's hands are ritually bound together to symbolize their union. Some people choose to use a ribbon that they have both signed. Between Beltane and the Summer Solstice is the most popular time for handfastings. When we give each other love the whole earth is blesssed. Love & light Trace oxo )O(

Set: Commander 2013 Type: Enchantment Rarity: Uncommon Cost: {2}{G} Whenever a creature dies, that creature's controller may draw a card. Life is eternal. A lifetime is ephemeral.