Most people north of the equator think of summer as beginning in June. In the Celtic pagan calendar, however, summer begins at the beginning of May with the sabbat of Bealtaine. The date in June that corresponds with the summer solstice is the time of Mid-summer or Litha.
Bealtaine is the time of fertile growth that we witness all around us during this season. Even the Maypole dance is an ancient fertility dance. We send up wishes for a healthy growing season in all areas of our lives. Some ask for romance, some for financial prosperity, but I like to ask for blessings of health in myself and in my home. I guess I’m just a homebody!
Over the years I have used oils and herbs to make all kinds of magickal concoctions. I’ve made soap, incense, bath fizzies, 4 Thieves Vinegar, magickal oil and herb blends, bath salts, etc., etc., but until now I have never made a salve. I was amazed at how easy making a salve can be! I am now on the path to becoming obsessed with salve making. Watch out!
The calendula flower, aka pot marigold, seems so solar in its form and color. What could be more summer than the sun? I have known that the calendula blossom is wonderful for the skin and was happy to learn that these little easy to grow plants possess anti-viral, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Magically they are very healing, so the calendula seemed a perfect ingredient for adding to a magickal Bealtaine salve.
The most time consuming part of making a salve is infusing the oil with the herb you are using.
First you have to pick your herb and dry it completely. Pull the petals off flowers and expose as many surfaces of the leaves as possible by tearing them.
When the plant material is completely dry, place it in a jar and cover it with oil. I used jojoba oil because it keeps a long time, but many people use olive oil. I placed my jar on a sunny window sill, but some people like to gently heat the oil to warm to start the infusion process.
After about a month you are ready to strain the oil.
I ended up with 1/2 cup of calendula oil. To that I added 2 Tb beeswax beads. You could also just shred some beeswax to make 2Tb. If you end up with more infused oil then add more beeswax proportionately. I also added a few drops of vitamin E oil and placed the mixture in the top of a double boiler.
I heated the mixture until the beeswax had melted, added about 20 drops of lavender oil (you can add your essential oil of choice as long as you know it is safe to apply to skin), and I poured the melted salve into some nifty tins I bought on Amazon.
Easy peasy! A lot simpler than making soap from scratch. Lye can be scary!
In what seemed like no time at all, the salve had solidified and was ready to use.
Of course, to make this salve truly magickal I had to charge it up with some witchy energy, right?
I lit some Bealtaine incense, cast a circle around my altar, lit a healing oil anointed candle, and asked Cerridwen to help me charge the salves with healing energy.
So mote it be!
I’m anxious to try other salves using other magickal herbs. I’ve found several recipes on Pinterest! I’d love to hear about your salve making experiences, so feel free to share in the comments section.
May your summer be joyous and your blessings be many! Blessed Bealtaine!
HPs Sarina
The Magickal Cottage 