Happy Beltane – 1st May

It’s the halfway point between the Spring equinox and Summer solstice.
The word ‘Beltane’ originates from the Celtic God ‘Bel’, meaning ‘the bright one’ (the May Queen) and the Gaelic word ‘teine’ meaning ‘fire’. Together they make ‘Bright Fire‘, or ‘Goodly Fire‘ and traditionally bonfires were lit to honour the Sun and encourage the support of Bel and the Sun’s light to nurture the emerging future harvest and protect the community. Bel had to be won over through human effort. Beltane is a fire festival.

It celebrates the union of the Goddess and the Green Man – the coming together of male and female energies to create new life.
A special fire was kindled for Beltane. This was the Tein-eigen, ‘the need fire‘. Communities sought Bel’s support for protection and a good harvest. Therefore, villagers would

jump through the fire to purify, cleanse and bring fertility.
Couples jumped the fire together to pledge themselves to each other.
Cattle and other animals were driven through the smoke as a protection from disease and to bring fertility.
Once the festivities were over, villagers took some of the Tein-eigen home to start their fires anew.

Mead and sweet cakes are often shared in communion as part of the ceremony. Mead is known as the Brew of the Divine, made from honey which seems appropriate for a love ceremony. Mead is the oldest alcoholic drink known to humankind.

Beltane dew was thought to bring beauty and maintain youthfulness.

The Colours of Beltane:

Green, representing growth, abundance and fertility.
Red, representing strength, vitality, passion and vibrancy.
White/Silver, representing cleansing and clearing and the power to disperse negativity.

Trees of Beltane:

Hawthorn – Hawthorn is a deeply magical tree. Traditionally Beltane began when the Hawthorn, the May, blossomed. It is the tree of sexuality and fertility and is the classic flower to decorate a Maypole with. It was both worn and used to decorate the home at Beltane.
Birch – Birch is regarded as a feminine tree and Deities associated with Birch are mostly love and fertility goddesses. It is one of the first trees to show its leaf in Spring. Birch twigs were traditionally used to make besoms (a new broom sweeps clean). Maypoles were often made from birch and birch wreaths were given as lover’s gifts.
Rowan – Known as a tree of protection and healing. Branches of Rowan were placed as protection over the doors of houses and barns at Beltane to protect from increased Faery activity as they woke from their winter slumber. Sprigs were worn for protection also. Rowan berries have a tiny five-pointed star on the bottom reminiscent of the pentagram.

Beltane is also considered a time when the veil between worlds is thin as with Samhain therefore, a magical and powerful time.

Hug a Tree 🙂

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#WestDorset,#Community,#Village,#Beltane,#Spring,#Summer,#FireFestival,#HugATree,#JumpTheBroomstick,#Maypole,#Celebration,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Full Moon – Thursday, 6th April

This month’s Full Moon is at 05.35hrs. on Thursday, 6th April and is known as the ‘Pink Moon‘. This is also the Paschal Moon, from which the date of Easter is calculated. Generally, the Christian holiday of Easter, also called Pascha, is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full Moon of spring.

The name ‘Pink Moon’ is not because the Moon will be pink in colour. It comes from the pink moss, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the Spring in North America. Other names for this month’s Full Moon, all of which indicate the season, include:

Full Sprouting Grass Moon
Egg Moon
Full Fish Moon, among coastal tribes because this was the time that the fish swam upstream to spawn.

At the same time, April is a time when rivers and streams begin to fully thaw. Accordingly, April’s Full Moon was:

Full Melting Moon, by the Shoshone tribe.
Moon Where Ice Breaks in the River, by the Arapaho tribe.
Sugar Maker Moon, by the Abenaki tribes
Sugarbush Moon, by the Ojibwe tribe. The Ojibwe tribe would journey north to their spring camps to tap maple syrup and engage in spear fishing. Maple syrup was integral to Ojibwe culture: not only was it a crucial method of seasoning all their foods (they did not have access to salt at that time), but it also symbolized harmony within the community and with the forces of nature around them.

In Islamic communities around the world, April’s Full Moon is celebrated as Bara’at Night, also known as the Night of Innocence. Muslims offer up prayers, asking their God to absolve dead ancestors of their sins. They also prepare sweet desserts such as halva or zarda and give it out to children, the needy, and other members of their community.

Towards the end of the month we can look forward to the Lyrids – one of the oldest Meteor showers to be observed by Man. The Lyrids can produce up to 18 meteors per hour at the peak, with occasional fireballs, producing up to 100 shooting stars an hour. Hopefully, we have a clear sky to observe them… look Northeast 🙂

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Drimpton,#Dorset,#WestDorset,#Community,#Village,#FullMoon,#Pink,#Spring,#Egg,#NewBeginnings,#Lyrids,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Full Moon – Tuesday, 7th March

Today’s Full Moon at 12.40pm is known mainly by the Farmers’ Almanac as the Worm Moon, referring to the earthworms that appear as the soil warms in spring, inviting robins and other birds to feed. Europeans may know March’s Full Moon as the Lenten Moon, according to NASA, after the Christian period of fasting before Easter, which coincides with this period in the lunar cycle.

There are other names for this particular Full Moon all of which herald the transition from Winter into Spring. Such names include:

Crow Comes Back Moon.
Sugar Moon – marking the time of year when the sap of sugar maples trees starts to flow.
Wind Strong Moon – referring to the strong windy days that come at this time of year.
The Sore Eyes Moon – from North Dakota where the blinding rays of sunlight reflect off the melting snow of late winter.

Traditionally, each Full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not only to the Full Moon.

For Hindus, this March’s Full Moon marks the festival of Holi, a celebration of the love of the god Radha Krishna and the triumph of good over evil. During Holi, revellers light bonfires and douse each other with colourful powders or dyed water.

For many Buddhists, March’s Full Moon is the Full Moon of the third lunar month, the time of the festival Māgha Pūjā in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Sri Lanka. This festival celebrates an ancient gathering of disciples with Buddha.

It’s a period of new beginnings. Look for the spectacularly bright Moon as it rises above the horizon this evening! Planets Venus and Jupiter, will continue to dominate the western sky.

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Drimpton,#WestDorset,#AONB,#Dorset,#Community,#Village,#FullMoon,#Worm,#Spring,#Equinox,#EcclesiasticalCalendar,#Venue,#Jupiter,#NewBeginnings,#LookUp,#NASA,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Full Moon – Saturday, 16th April

The Full Moon is when the Sun and the Moon are aligned on opposite sides of Earth, and 100% of the Moon’s face is illuminated by the Sun.

This month’s Full Moon is at 19.56hrs. on Saturday, 16th April and is known as the ‘Pink Moon‘.

It is also the Paschal Full Moon. Simply speaking, the Paschal Full Moon is the first full Moon after the Spring Equinox. This Moon can sometimes occur in March and sometimes in April. The first Sunday after April’s full moon is celebrated as Easter Sunday. It’s possible that the reason why the Easter Bunny brings eggs is because April’s Full Moon is also known as the Egg Moon, given that animals such as geese begin mating and laying eggs in Spring.

This name is not because the Moon will be pink in colour. It comes from the pink moss, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the Spring in North America. Other names for this month’s Full Moon, all of which indicate the season, include:

Full Sprouting Grass Moon
Egg Moon
Full Fish Moon, among coastal tribes because this was the time that the fish swam upstream to spawn.

At the same time, April is a time when rivers and streams begin to fully thaw. Accordingly, April’s Full moon was:

Full Melting Moon, by the Shoshone tribe.
Moon Where Ice Breaks in the River, by the Arapaho tribe.
Sugar Maker Moon, by the Abenaki tribes
Sugarbush Moon, by the Ojibwe tribe. The Ojibwe tribe would journey north to their spring camps to tap maple syrup and engage in spear fishing. Maple syrup was integral to Ojibwe culture: not only was it a crucial method of seasoning all their foods (they did not have access to salt at that time), but it also symbolized harmony within the community and with the forces of nature around them.

In other religions:

In Islamic communities around the world, April’s full moon is celebrated as Bara’at Night, also known as the Night of Innocence. Muslims offer up prayers, asking their God to absolve dead ancestors of their sins. They also prepare sweet desserts such as halva or zarda and give it out to children, the needy, and other members of their community.

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Drimpton,#Dorset,#Westdorset,#Community,#Village,#FullMoon,#Pink,#Spring,#Egg,#NewBeginnings,#LookUp,#SocialDistancing,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Full Moon – Friday, 18th March

March’s Full Moon is known as the Worm Moon, which was originally thought to refer to the earthworms that appear as the soil thaws in Spring. This itself leads to the appearance of robins, chats and other worm eating birds.

An alternative explanation for this name comes from Captain Jonathan Carver, an 18th-century explorer, who wrote that this Moon name refers to a different sort of “worm”—beetle larvae—which begin to emerge from the thawing bark of trees and other winter hideouts at this time.

There are other names for this particular Full Moon all of which herald the transition from Winter into Spring. Such names include:

Crow Comes Back Moon.
Sugar Moon – marking the time of year when the sap of sugar maples trees starts to flow.
Wind Strong Moon – referring to the strong windy days that come at this time of year.
The Sore Eyes Moon – from North Dakota where the blinding rays of sunlight reflect off the melting snow of late winter.

Traditionally, each Full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not only to the Full Moon.

It’s a period of new beginnings. Look for the spectacularly bright Moon as it rises above the horizon this evening!

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Drimpton,#Dorset,#Community,#Village,#FullMoon,#Worm,#Spring,#Equinox,#EcclesiasticalCalendar,#NewBeginnings,#LookUp,#SocialDistancng,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Comrades Hall 100 Club Winners

The Spring draw of the Comrades Hall 100 club took place on Tuesday, 1^st March 2022 at Comrades Hall.
The numbers were drawn by John, the Post Office Outreach Clerk.

The wining numbers and names are as follows:

1^st £75 No 61 Winner Sheila Hawkins
2^nd £50 No 66 Winner Jan Woodford
3^rd £25 No 89 Winner William Dommett
4^th £15 No 50 Winner Post Office Users Group
5^th £10 No 09 Winner Megan Jones
6^th £5 No 04 Winner Camille Newall

The next draw will take place on Tuesday, 7^th June 2022 at the Comrades Hall.

“Thank you to all the Members for your continued support for Comrades Hall” – Joyce & Sally.

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Village,#Community,#WestDorset,#Dorset,#PostOffice,#100Club,#ComradesHall,#Winners,#Spring,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#WearYourMask,#StaySafe

Prout Bridge Project – Spring Newsletter

Our hopes for 2022 is that we can successfully buildon this progress offering more Youth Club, Band, Activity Day, Dance, Targeted Youth Support and Counselling sessions than ever before and to grow our support to Beaminster’s surrounding villages with Gilbert leading the way!

Our term time Junior & Senior club and the Phoenix Youth Band sessions are back on weekly.
Coming up for February half term we have an Activity Day, trips out and Dance classes with Tash.
From 19th February Gilbert will be back in the Memorial Playing Fields, Beaminster on Saturdays between 2-4pm offering outreach.

Download the full newsletter HERE

Visit the website: www.proutbridgeproject.com

Contact: info@proutbridgeproject.com or
Call: 07802 514 171

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Drimpton,#Mosterton,#SalwayAsh,#Dorset,#WestDorset,#PBPReachingout,#ProutBridgeProject,#PowerToChange,#2022,#Spring,#Support,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Happy Beltane

Also referred to as the Fire Festival, Beltane represents the peak of Spring and the beginning of Summer. It celebrates the union of the Goddess and the Green Man – the coming together of male and female energies to create new life.

The word ‘Beltane’ originates from the Celtic God ‘Bel’, meaning ‘the bright one’ and the Gaelic word ‘teine’ meaning fire. Together they make ‘Bright Fire‘, or ‘Goodly Fire‘ and traditionally bonfires were lit to honour the Sun and encourage the support of Bel and the Sun’s light to nurture the emerging future harvest and protect the community. Bel had to be won over through human effort. A special fire was kindled for Beltane. This was the Tein-eigen, the need fire:

People jumped the fire to purify, cleanse and to bring fertility.
Couples jumped the fire together to pledge themselves to each other.
Cattle and other animals were driven through the smoke as a protection from disease and to bring fertility.

Beltane dew was thought to bring beauty and maintain youthfulness.