The “Beltane” High Rite for CedarLight in 2007 was actually done in a Hellenistic style for a festival called Thargelia. Now even though Athena is my patron/matron/whatever, and has been since I was 12, I’ve never considered myself Hellenic. I enjoy reading about the mythology and even the culture, but that type of spirituality has never been a part of me. In fact, out of all the main hearth cultures, I find myself least related to the Hellenic culture.
But none the less, I was excited to see a Hellenic ritual, as I’ve never experienced one before.
The ritual started with a purification of the hands in a saltwater mixture, which I found to be somewhat of a pain because I was attempting to drum but my hands were sticky. The Chief Liturgist also did not allow anyone to sit down unless they absolutely needed to, which was apparently normal in Hellenic tradition.
The procession was also completely quiet, which didn’t feel right for me, because it felt like there was no flow, nothing keeping people in sync together. Everyone’s eyes and hearts wandered around ritual confused and out of sort.
Overall it was a different style ritual, which is always welcomed, but it’s not one I’d want to attend regularly. I’m more into the strong fertility and celebration of the fertile ground with bonfires, dancing, and drumming at all hours of the morning. I suppose I am more into the primal energies of Beltane, and the wildness that comes with this time of year.
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