Tips and tricks from a beekeepers daughter
Bees are some of the most amazing creatures on mother earth. They have an powerful female energy and have been know to be part of worship throughout the ages and across the world. Not only are the bees themselves powerful creatures but what they create is powerful as well, here are some uses
HONEY: Honey is in my opinion magic on its own. It has millions of medical and cosmetic uses, here are a few: helps upset stomach, sore throats, helps boost your immune system, its said to be anit-bacterial and anti-inflammatory, and my best friends mom would always give us a spoonful before ballet because its good to help reduce muscle fatigue in athletes. Its also been know to be good to put on your skin to reduce blemishes and promote smooth skin [stick a drop of honey on your zitt and put a small band aid over it and leave it on for a while, clears it right up tried and true]
(note: never EVER give honey to a baby)
POLLEN: Bee pollen is one of my favorite things, there tiny grains packed with protein and awesome. You can put it in anything; tea, soup, salad, I put it in smoothies. It has a light nutty sweet taste on its own and a grainy texture but dissolves in most food. Bee pollen (especially ones bought local) is amazing to help people with seasonal allergies and also helps boost the immune system.
PROPOLIS: Propolis is bee insulation, adult bees bring it back to the hive and pack it into cracks and weak spots in the hive to keep it safe and warm. (this is why you can tell how old a bee is by how fuzzy it is because it pulls all there bee fluff off, and only the older bees go and get it
WAX: Bee’s waxes in cosmetic products are often used in skin treatment for things such as dry skin, eczema and acne. Bees wax is also preferred for people who do candle magic for its natural quality and its extra power because of how its made. When burned bees was will add a nice sweet honey smell to your candles. I also like to use it to seal things in my spells and use it to polish the wooden talismans and charms I make.
BEE GODDESSES:
Austheia (Austja): Austheia is the Lithuanian bee goddess and wife of Budilas (the household god of bees.) she is my personal favorite and the goddess I talk to the most often. She is also the goddess of families, married and pregnant women, and female friendship. There is a Lithuanian practice called ‘biculyste’ or friendship though bees. It happens when your hive swarms and lands on another’s property and results in a deep bond between families and even.
Lithuanians also believe that bee recognize good people, and dislike people who are jealous, don’t get along with there nabors, or “misers who disobey the rules of hospitality and friendliness” (www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150594818558123&id=19808588122) bees will sting these people or fly away. There is also a practice that if you find a dead bee on the ground you must immediately burry it. You can find out more about Lithuanian bee keeping at The Lithuanian Museum of Ancient Beekeeping (Senovins bitininkysts muziejus) (http://lab14.lei.lt/~zujus/Beekeeping/Muziejus/lithuani.htm) and the Ethnobeeology facebook has a bit more on her here (https://www.facebook.com/Ethnobeeology/photos/a.355205684514017.91106.318530098181576/359790004055585/?type=1)
“We call to Austeja, Goddess of Bees,
Austeja we give thanks for the sweet gift of honey.
Your Bees Gather pollen from so many of Mother Earths flowers helping the plants reproduce and supplying sweet gift of honey for us and other animals.
You teach us to live as a loving community, working together both for the benefit their own community and all other life.
We ask that you may strengthen our relationships with each other so that we may become a community of bee buddies.”
(http://stevekryzius.blogspot.com/2011/02/talk-for-zolines-australias-first.html the best translation I can find)
There are many other bee gods and goddess that I don’t have the expertise on, as well as hives in civilizations worshiped in places like ancient Rome and Egypt. It is even said that Napoleon used bees as a symbol of his empire. (if you know more please tell me I love to leanr about them)
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU HAVE A BEE PROBLEM: bees do what bees please, and sometimes bees what to swarm on your house/tree/car. Instead of calling an exterminator, please look up an local apiary who will be more than happy to come and humanly remove them from your property. Please also remember that swarming bees are extremely docile and many beekeepers can handle them without gloves, so please don’t be afraid
if you would like to follow along with my families hive you can follow us on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DelRayBee?fref=ts) we are urban beekeepers based right outside of Washington DC
Tips & tricks from a beek
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