Today is Christmas Day, in a year like no other in recent history. Many people around the world are struggling with despair, isolation and loss.
A universal symbol of hope that can unite all faiths and people is the Christmas Star, as it represents light returning even in the deepest darkness. A few days ago, on the Winter Solstice, we were blessed with a unique planetary conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter that resembled a giant star in the night sky…
As we prepare to leave 2020 behind one thing shines abundantly clear… just like honeybees, we are all one. Perhaps we should consider living more like bees in a hive. Our beloved planet Mother Earth is our hive and each of us is like one of her bees… in the hive we see each bee strive to achieve a common good for all because they know they are all in it together… so as we move into 2021 let us envision a humanity that allows self-love and selfless love to glow in each and every heart… may the light of the radiant Star of Hope shine in our hearts now and always.
We need our planet although she needs us not, and we need the bees although many of us have forgot… as gratitude rises and ripples through us, let us give thanks for the beloved bees, for they embody generosity and wisdom for the human race. We would not survive for long on this planet without them, and if they were gone it would leave an unfillable void in all of Creation. So, please do what you can to raise awareness and Save The Bees in this new year that is dawning.
Here is a 2:50-minute video by Maddie Moate on the Isle of Man called Feeding Bees Christmas Cake.
Here is some food for thought regarding how bees influence our Christmas traditions and some of the things we enjoy most.
Christmas beeswax candles glow brightly with the light of hope and help ferry our prayers to the heavens. The beeswax is a product that is made by bees from their own bodies.
The exotic spices Frankincense and Myrrh create therapeutic scents as well as Vanilla, which flavors our foods as well, all for our healthful happiness. Bees visit the trees in Africa from which the resin is derived for Frankincense and Myrrh, and the sweet and gentle little stingless Melliponini bees pollinate Vanilla, which comes from the pod of a tropical climbing orchid in Mexico and from the island of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean as well as a few other countries in that same general latitude.
Ancient people thought evergreen trees and plants held a special magic because they didn’t die or lose their leaves in winter. Some of those most associated with Christmas are Holly, which honeybees pollinate as well as Andrena mining bees, and Ivy, which has a pollinator of the same name, the Ivy Mining Bee Colletes hedera, which is an exclusive specialist to Ivy pollen. This bee is so dedicated and loyal, it syncs its emergence from the nest to coincide with the opening of ivy flowers.
All of us at Bee Mission thank you for reading our blog posts this year and for helping us raise awareness about bees. From our hearts to yours, we wish you wellness and a peaceful holiday season filled with the simple joys and pleasures in life.