Part of the Sky Above Earth Below Oracle Deck I created in 2014. Mixed Media

Bee (Celebration, Community)
Bee moves from flower to flower, buzzing happily as it goes. The honey bee is native to Europe, Asia, and Africa. Honey bees were introduced to North America and easily spread south. Bees will dart from flower to flower collecting pollen and nectar. While bees themselves will eat the nectar, or turn it into honey, pollen is sometimes served to larva. When a bee returns it will dance to communicate to others where it has been. We may view this dance as a sort of celebration, a victory dance. The social behaviour of bees is incredibly complex. The queen bee is the only fertile female and she lays the eggs. The eggs are laid in the honeycomb walls of a hive created by worker bees who feed the young and later forage for food. Worker bees are sterile females. Male bees, known as drones, are relatively rare and live only to mate with the queen; often dying once that task has been completed. It was this complex social structure that linked bees with the trait of community. Honey bees in particular need a hive in order to survive. The pollination of flowers is something bee does simply by going about its business. But, the bee is also benefited by this gift, by helping flowers to breed bees are creating more sources of nectar. In the wild bees will make their homes in hollowed out trees or logs, or in caves and rock faces.

Mead, an alcoholic beverage made from honey, is one of the oldest drinks brewed. Mead dates back at least six thousand years. Honey, when properly stored should never go rancid. The antibacterial properties of honey were well known, especially to the Celts who often used honey to treat wounds. Celtic folklore also believed that bees symbolized wisdom and were regarded as spirit messengers between worlds. As a sweetener honey is alkaline. Before the discovery of sugar, in the new world honey was an important part of the kitchen. The waxy buildup that a beehive creates is often used to make candles. The expression ‘busy as a bee’ certainly comes from watching the activity of a beehive. As a social insect, we often equate our own social gatherings with bee; spelling bee, quilting bee, and so on. Because of their social structure bees were often linked to goddesses such as the Greek goddess Aphrodite. The Egyptian god Ra was linked to bees, which then linked bees to the sun.

When bee has buzzed into your cards it may be a good time to celebrate. Are you working together in harmony? Are you properly celebrating your accomplishments? Are you able to savour the honey of life? Bees are mostly linked to the sun. As flying creatures bees also fall under the influence of the element of air.

Stars and Constellations
Honeyed Words, Dance to Communicate, Give Sweetness, Organize, Sting with Certainty