Witches and the Bee

Witches and bees, a more magical union there could not bee! Witches have enjoyed a long and enchanting relationship with the bee, sharing many rituals, as well as other magical traits that they have in common. Bees as you know provide us with so many blessings, honey and wax are only the beginning of those blessings. Mead, a brew similar to wine, only it’s brewed from the bee’s honey instead of sugar. It is an ancient beverage, and part of many witches offerings to the deity. Bees are such amazing little creatures, using elaborate dances to communicate locations. Witches have used tantr­ic and shamanistic dances for centuries, either to raise energy for spell work, or to achieve hedge flight into other realms.

Did you know that the world’s beekeepers live longer lives than their counterparts who are not in the profession? Sure, they reap the benefits of the bees’ honey, the propolis, and the outdoors is the beekeepers “office.” Even bee stings themselves have been shown to have healing properties. These are all good things. But beekeepers have one more benefit that adds to their longevity: exposure to healing sound frequencies from the buzz of the bees. You read that right: bee buzz is a sound that's really good for you.

The buzzing of bees ranges from 10 - 1000 Hz, depending on whether the hive has a queen, whether the bees are calm or are feeling threatened, and even the species of bee will produce different sound frequencies. The tone of the honeybee is middle C, the secret pass code that unlocks the flower.  Bumblebees have an average buzz frequency of 270 hz resonating with a C-sharp on a piano (just above middle C). The frequencies that bees emit resonate with organic tissues that promote healing. In humans, the brain also can entrain to these sounds for an overall calming effect.

Bees are sensitive to electromagnetic fields, which enables them to predict and react to weather changes, and to navigate. Witches as we know, have been known to have their own ways to predict and react to these changes as well. The white noise, (noise that cancels out other sounds) that beehives make, has been thought to have connections to chaos magic, adding yet another connection to the witch. Bees have a strong connection with electricity in many unique ways. For instance they can sense the Earth’s magnetic field, using this ability to navigate, like the witch who grounds and centers to connect to the Earth. Bees were thought to have special knowledge, and the ability to foretell or see into the future. In Greek mythology the God Apollo was taught how to see into the future by the Thria­e: the three pre-Hel­lenic Bee Goddesses, Melaina, Kleodora and Daphnis.

Bees in history have appeared in Mycenaean tomb decorations, with tombs that were shaped as beehives. Making one speculate that these people believed bees to possibly be psychopomps, or messengers of the dead. Transforming the human soul into a bee after their passing.Deities such as Aphrodite, Cybele, Freya, Odin, Pan, and Thor, have associations with the bee as well. Saint Valentine is the Patron Saint of Beekeepers and Lovers.

In folklore it is said that if one dreams of bees, they will therefore be blessed with good omens. Which makes sense when you think of all the positive things bees contribute to our planet..

Like butterflies, and dragonflies, bees are the symbol of the soul, and its ability to fly between the worlds. It is said the voice of the soul is thought to be the buzzing sound of the bee. In Germanic folklore, it is believed that when one is sleeping, they can take leave from their body by transforming into the bee, therefore taking their leave by way of the mouth. Take heed though…for if this shapeshifter within bee form is trapped or killed, then so shall the soul be unable to make it’s return to its body.

Besides the witch, bees also have connections to the fairy, due to their winged nature, and frequency to be located in, or around flowers. Bees, like the fairy, are thought to be keepers of the natural world, due to of course their vital role in the pollination of so many plants. There is also the connection to the planet Mars. Bees can sting, bringing forth that fire of Mars, and that fiery energy can be used for hexing, cursing, and protection. The fairies are wild, untamed, and often very dark unpredictable creatures, being known for their fiery Mars energy as well.

And finally there is an old folktale, called the “Telling of the Bees.” A very old English folk custom, whereas honeybees are believed to be members of the family, and so are kept up to date with all the families news and doings. As is the tradition, the bees would be informed when someone in the family, especially the bee’s keeper had passed on, but traditionally all family life events such as births, marriages, separations, etc., even news about upcoming visitors to the home, were reported to the bees as a courtesy. It was believed failure in doing so, would swiftly result in the bees flying away and leaving their hive for good, dying, or stopping all their honey making activities. There is a lovely movie that depicts this tradition called “Tell it to the Bees.”

In both Britain and America, honeybees were on the guest list to both Weddings and Funerals, and if for any reason the bees could not attend these festivities, then food and offerings would be left for them at their hive. So witches have long shared their magic, and practices with the bee, even referring to their coven as “The Hive.” One never knows the next magical path the bee may take, but you can rest assured the bee and the Beewitch will fly it together.

The BEEWITCH is a traditional witch of Celtic and British roots, who lives and practices her craft within the woods, fields and wetlands of the Eganville area, Ontario, Canada. She has been a practicing herbalist, forager, and alchemist for over twenty years. The BEEWITCH is also the owner of the online shop, BEEWITCHEDPOTIONS.CA. A shop offering her natural herbal body care made with products of the hive as well as the wild flower honey, comb honey, chunk honey and garlic honey made with pesticide free home grown garlic. She also creates decorated garlic braids with dried flowers grown on the farm and sells quality seed garlic.