October brings to mind the turning of the wheel of the seasons. It is a time where the veils between the worlds become thinner, and we can feel the presence of our beloved dead. From The Day of the Dead to All Saint’s Day, there is a reason many cultures honor passed loved ones around this time of year. It has been a tradition in cultures who were in close relationship to honey bees to bring messages and prayers to the bees to carry to their beloved dead. “Telling the Bees” was thought to be an important ritual, and you can find many stories about beekeepers telling the bees about deaths in the family or big events in life. Honey bees were thought to be able to travel between worlds and up to the heavens to reach the spirit world. This is also part of the reason why the Catholic churches only used beeswax candles for centuries.
If you are of European or African descent, you can find many ways your ancestors worked with bees in ritual and for medicine. When autumn came around, our ancestors began to prepare for the darker and shorter days of winter. It was a time to make sure the bees had enough food for winter, and to prepare their hives with extra insulation for the cold. Honey was an important source of food and medicine for our ancestors as it helped protect from winter colds and soothed sore throats. The taste of honey helped to bring a little sunshine and warmth into the dark days of winter.