Greetings, Sea Witches, and welcome to April! In the northern hemisphere, spring is in full swing as our end of the Earth tips gratefully again toward the Sun, breathing fresh life across our newly blooming landscapes. Awaiting us at the end of the month is Beltane, an eclectic pagan celebration halfway between the Vernal equinox and the Summer solstice that honors the shifting seasons as we jump with both feet into the beat of summertime.
Beltane is a time for dancing, feasting, and reconnecting with our bursting earth. With roots in Irish farming practices, this is a holiday that honors fertility in all its forms. Like Samhain, Beltane is believed to be one of the only times in the year when the veil between worlds is so thin it disappears; when spirits may walk freely into our world and, in turn, we may glimpse clearly into theirs.
At Sea Witch Botanicals, we’ve channeled this sprightly spirit of early summer into our premium Beltane Incense. Made with 6 synthetic-free, plant-derived essential oils, Beltane is a rejuvenating blend to enliven your senses with notes of the coming Sun.
So which plants have we chosen to create this blend, and how do they emulate the magic sparked by this time of Beltane? Let’s travel through the palette and dive into what makes Beltane so special!
PLEASE NOTE: This page is not intended to substitute for medical advice of any kind. If you have concerns for your health, please see a doctor, medical professional, or certified herbalist for assistance.
Jasmine
Inhaling the scent of Jasmine feels like walking through a rich, earthy garden. Floral, relaxing, and bold, Jasmine enchants its beholder into a realm between worlds oozing with faery magic.
Jasmine has been used medicinally to alleviate emotional tension as an antidepressant, to calm nerves as well as to boost the mood. It is antiseptic, antispasmodic, and cicatrizing (helping wounds to form scars as they heal). It has even been used to stimulate lactation and relieve symptoms of menopause.
Commonly touted as a flower of the moon, Jasmine can help its bearer to practice receptivity. It has associations with prosperity and sensuality, harmonizing perfectly with Beltane as a holiday for fertility rites. Jasmine magic can deepen one’s relationships both with the flame of the inner self and with the water of inner wisdom, and can be used in spells for self-confidence, self-love, and dreams.
Ylang Ylang
Earthy, wet, and slightly sweet, Ylang Ylang smells deep and dreamy. It has been used in magic and medicine alike for its calming and uplifting qualities, clearing emotional negativity and lowering blood pressure to imbue its user with peace.
Ylang Ylang is antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory. It has been used as a traditional herbal treatment for stomach pain, headache, asthma, pneumonia, and other maladies. Like the fertile fires of Beltane, Ylang Ylang is said to raise sexual desire while reducing sexual anxiety in kind.
As such, Ylang Ylang supplies confidence and tranquility. It is protective and loving, transmuting stress and sculpting a flow of sensuality through the cosmic womb of its beholder.
Peppermint
Peppermint is an herb of rest and relief. Sharp, cool, and fresh, this familiar scent enhances the pond-like stage set by Jasmine and Ylang Ylang with an airy dance to ease the senses.
When ingested* or inhaled, peppermint is known to alleviate gastrointestinal issues and common cold symptoms, and applied topically can soothe headaches, itching, and muscle pain.
This powerful plant is renowned for its cleansing properties. A sublime reset for the burst of life that summer brings, Peppermint purifies and renews, generating vitality for love, prosperity, and success.
*note: Consult a doctor or certified herbalist before ingesting this plant. Do not consume if pregnant.
Orange
A blossom of juice-dripping sun, orange brings the zest of life to our Beltane blend. Its distinctive scent is energizing, bright, and mouth-wateringly sweet, infusing every breeze it rides with beads of inspiration.
Orange has medicinal uses in treating anxiety and depression given its abilities to lighten moods and ease stress. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and can treat acne, relieve pain and stomach discomfort, and even improve athletic performance. As an antimicrobial, it is a common ingredient in natural household cleaning solutions, perfect for freshening your space for the coming summer season.
In magic, use the potency of orange to attract joyful opportunities for ripened relationships, success, and prosperity. Its succulent powers can stimulate creativity and enhance psychic awareness, making it an excellent ornament to its user as Beltane thins the veil between this world and the next.
Lavender
Known for its syrupy, floral sweetness, the scent of lavender is heavenly. Like bathing in meadow-sweetened clouds, its calm is palpable and transportative, enchanting the imagination with peaceful, dream-like visions.
An instant ease for the heart and mind, Lavender has been used for millennia as an adsorbent of stress and an aid for sleep. The oil of the flower is also known to assist in the healing of wounds.
Lavender magic is gentle and effective. Heart-forward and earnest, it can be used for workings of happiness, longevity, protection, and purification, its softness rendering love-burst blessings as we cross the threshold into summer’s bloom.
Frankincense
A cleansing resin from the ancients, Frankincense is a timeless tool for medicine and magic. Its woody, tea-like scent invokes generations of human practices, opening the bridge for Ancestors to walk beside us as Beltane eclipses our realms and ushers the summer in.
Frankincense is known as anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, and has been used for clearing respiratory passages, improving gut health, and amending oral hygiene. It can be burned to enhance meditation practices as well.
Long-associated with spirituality, Frankincense is elemental to clearing, purifying, and protecting what it touches. Its comforting essence can help to break down barriers of despair or strong ties with the past, enlightening its user to the power of presence. This base note rounds out our Beltane scent palette with earthy ease, grounding your space in love for the shift into summertime.
1 comment
This is lovely- thank you!