Spirit of the Day #32

Messenger Honeybees

Honeybees like many animals of Europe, double as spirits in their own right. Often functioning as messengers of the gods, or the land of the dead. In Greek mythology the pathway to the land of the dead could be found in rocks and small openings, where Bees often made their hives as a result the land of the dead (Hades) was thought to be filled with honey and beehives. They are messengers of the otherworld in Celtic Mythology, and are a messenger of the god Ukko in Finnish Mythology. Being instrumental in the resurrection of Lemminkäinen in the Kalevala, by delivering Honey to his mother.

In Lithuania the practice of Beekeeping is ancient and many of their beehives are made in the shape of idols of gods. Most notably the goddess Austėja and the god Babilas, while the goddess was like the Queen Bee, Babilas was more of a drone big, gluttonous and hairy.

Telling the Bees

Telling the Bees, is an old Rural Custom of Europe that was carried over to America by settlers. It involved telling the bees about important happenings in day to day life, including births, marriages and deaths. At weddings cake and other offerings might be left for the bees, while with a death black cloth would be draped over the hive and a mournful tune may be hummed or sang. These various customs were said to be done to avoid the Hive leaving especially in regards to the death of their beekeeper, but it also may be a leftover tradition involving bees as messengers of the gods and of/to the dead. It also may be a way of insuring the bonding of the beekeeper to the collective consciousness of the hive, so as to retain the trust of the bees and continue the symbiotic relationship between man and insect.-TLK