Tag: Heiros Gamos

Diana’s Mirror at Beltane

This eve of Beltane is upon us at this coming Cross Quarter Turn of the Celtic Wheel, a mid-point between Spring and Summer. A time to cross boundaries of endings and beginnings.

Jumping the fire purifies the heart to be able to leave behind our old ways, and jump into the new life honoring the heart, the land, and sacred union.

It is a time when lovers come together for a year and a day, promised to one another, hands wrapped together in their clan colors for a hand-fasting ceremony.

Beltane is a time when the Moon Goddess reveals her mysterious luminous presence like moonlight on the water, to merge with the Forest King, or Green Man, sworn to protect the land and those upon it. This sacred union of Moon and Earth, embodies the mysteries of the divine held by the Female and Male energies, Heiros Gamos – divine union.

It is important for us to remember that in this divine union, the commitment is given only through the choice of the Goddess, only she can choose the Forest King, who must prove himself worthy.

Lake Nemi in the cauldera of a volcano in Italy, is known as Diana’s Mirror. It is here Women would gather under the full moon and scry the surface of the Lake to reflect the oracle as Sibyls. Those wishing to be chosen as the Forest King, undergo ritual fighting like two bucks in the wood sparing for a mate, to vie for the hand of the Moon Goddess. If chosen by the Goddess, they may lay with the land, ensuring fertility of the crops, sovereignty of women and protection for future generations.

This Beltane invokes this sacred ritual union on May Day, with the Full Moon in Scorpio, deep passions and sacred mysteries are ready to surface. The Goddess must choose who will be her Green Man, her Forest King for a year and a day.

I am reminded of the recent mission of Artemis 2 circling the moon and bringing her closer to us in the return of beautiful photos of the moon, and a view of the Earth from her sight, to enamor us again with our beautiful home. This love of beauty and connection is what draws us together.

We must break the spell of Patriarchy and the dark dream of Apocalypse to return to falling in love with the sacredness of Nature, and choose leaders who will protect the land, the sovereignty of Women, and above all else protect the children. This union of Earth and Sky, will recommit us in sacred union for a year and a day.

You may wish to do a moon ritual with the Scorpio Flower Moon on Beltane Eve or May Day, and invite your Forest King or Green Man into your dreams for reclaiming Sacred Union with the Divine Goddess and Green Man to bring Sovereignty, Protection, and Abundance.

Renew your sacred commitment to the Earth and the Moon for a year and a day by sleeping on the Earth under the Moon. Setting out water for the Moon and charging your crystals as sources of energy protection, and anchoring the energies as a bridge between Earth and Sky.

By Valley Reed 2026 all rights reserved

The Moon Goddess and The Green Man

It was on the eve of May Day in 2008, when I had a dream of visiting a school where a celebration going on at the pool and many people were milling about visiting and enjoying themselves. I look across the pool courtyard and saw the door open from the building, and a huge Green Man, with the face, arms and legs of a man, and body of a tree, walks across the patio. I am in the water and I am hiding from him. I am afraid he will see me so, I look up at the sky and focus my attention at the moon, trying to become the moon. My face only shows out of the water and I imagine I will appear as the Moonlight reflecting on the water.  The Green Man walks right over to me and bends down on his knee and extends his hand to me to help me out of the water, and as he extends his hand he tells me “I am your teacher”.  I feel silly that I thought I could hide in the water pretending to be moonlight, from this powerful magical being. I am in awe and afraid at the same time.

One year later, I dream I am at the pool where the moonlight shines on the water.

I realize I am back in the dream of the Green Man.

Only this time I WAS the moonlight, not just pretending. The Green Man offered his hand to help me out of the water, and I flowed from moonlight into the form of a woman, which I now embody. I reflect on the beauty of my naked moonlit body. I am standing before the Green Man and he is still holding my hand. He once again tells me, he is my teacher, as in the original dream. He now offers his back for me to ride on. I climb on this Tree Man and holding his branches we fly upward to the moon. I am reminded of witches flying on broomsticks.

These beautiful dreams remind me how far I have come over the past 8 or 9 years when my dreams opened me to the wild masculine and becoming a moon goddess.

At the time, I was deeply afraid of these connections, because true power can be that way.

The Green Man appeared as a teacher and guide to help me learn not only how to become moonlight and transform into a goddess, but fly to the heavenly lunar realms. I am reflecting on this time of transition during Beltane, when the death of  old man winter is honored and the rebirth of the young and vibrant, wild, masculine is reborn again as consort of the Goddess who brings fertility to the land.

This protective nature of the Green Man as consort is empowered through the sovereignty bestowed through the Goddess. This is ritual of death and rebirth, fertility and renewal, is a ritual of divine union known as Heiros Gamos. The joining together of the Moon Goddess and the Green Man is a sacred marriage of heaven and earth. These are protective powers which are much needed for the Earth at this time and future generations.

May the Blessings of Beltane carry us forth with respect for the land and love for one another, grateful for the past and mindful for the future.

Valley Reed © 2017