Beltane / Beltaine/ Valpurgis / Mayday
Beltane is celebrated in many cultures throughout the world. There is a cornucopia of legends surrounding the fertility of the land, at this time. The origins of the word ‘beltane’; ‘Bel’ refers to the Sun God Bel or Baal, which is an older name. Tan is Celtic for fire. As far as the Wheel of the year, Beltane is the second most important Sabbat in the Pagan calendar, after Samhain. This is a day when the veil between worlds is thin. Samhain is about honouring the ancestors. Beltane, although still a good time to honour ancestors, is very much about the mischievous ways of deities and spirits. Have you ever heard of the anecdote “be careful what you wish for”? Well, this definitely applies to Beltane. Wishes can be granted according to what you specifically ask for, maybe not what you wanted. It is a good idea for care to be taken in your intent and wording if you are wishing or working magic at this time. Even the God’s have a sense of humour!
Beltane sees May in with much celebration. Maypole dancing, dancing in general, bonfires, rituals, increased sexual energy are all part of this Sabbat. Honouring deities such as Cernunnos, Artemis, The Green Man, are also part of this festival. Beltane is the fire festival of the God Bel, which has been celebrated for thousands of years, he plays a specific role in this celebration too. Traditionally its the evening when the old hearth fires are extinguished and a ‘fire of need’ is lit, the new kindled from the old. Belfires were set alight by shaman and druids. Livestock were driven between them for purification and to ensure fertility for the coming season. People would also hurdle the fires to ensure fertility for the year. A good dance around a bonfire sounds like a great idea to me!
In addition, Beltane is a fertility festival, celebrating the fecundity of the Earth, which is often reflected in magical workings and rituals. For those who celebrate, this is the time of year in which the Goddess has stopped running from her pursuer, the virile god, to engage with him and become pregnant. The Goddess dresses in the robes of the mother and performs the Great Rite of sexual union with the God. Traditionally villages would choose a May Queen to crown & she would choose her consort for the celebrations. The ancient pagan custom of going ‘A-Maying’ originated from the Great Rite, where those who wished to partner up would dress in green, to show their intention, then go off into the woods to gather flowers for the next morning’s celebrations. Couples would spend the night making love in the woodland and would appear near dawn, with sprigs of flowering Hawthorn to decorate the Maypole or their homes with. This is said to be the only time of year that one can bring the branch of Hawthorn into the home, as it is considered unlucky to do so at any other time of year. Girls would make crowns of flowers and weave baskets from the twigs. Hawthorn is the sixth tree of the Celtic Tree Ogham. It represents love, fertility, the heart & protection. A perfect companion for this celebration! The trees associated with May Day are the Ash, Oak and Hawthorn. In Norse legend, the god Odin hung from an Ash tree for nine days. It became known as the World Tree, Yggdrasil which all of creation centred around. In Scandinavia A Birch tree would be carried to a special place in the village, decked with ribbons and flowers in memory of Yggdrasil.
The Maypole is another fertility object of celebration traditionally made from a Hawthorn tree. The pole represents the phallus and the potency of the God. The flower ring atop the pole represent the vulva & Goddess blooming with fertility. The ribbons represent the spiral of life, the union of the Goddess & God, the Earth & sky. Have you ever been in a Maypole dance? At the beginning of the dance, men & women face each other, then weave patterns from the ribbons by going under and over, in opposite directions to one another. It is fascinating to watch & wonderful to play a part in!
This celebration represents the peak of Springtime and heralds the coming of the Summer months. Handfasting is traditionally carried out at this time of year. The phrase ‘tying the knot’ originates from the symbolic tying of the couples hands together with cord, whilst they make their promises to each other. ‘Jumping the broom’ took place whilst the couple are tied together to symbolise a leap from the one life to another. Repeated jumping of the broom represented welcoming fertility into the relationship. Handfasting took place by mutual agreement on the amount of time the couple would be together. They had a choice of a year and a day, a lifetime, or forever. Traditionally this festival celebrates joyful sex, but the concept can mean any joyful union, on any level.
Colours for Beltane are green representing growth, abundance and fertility. Read to represent strength, vitality, passion and vibrancy. White to represent purification and power to rid negativity.
Incense for Beltane is frankincense or lilac.
Ways to celebrate Beltane
1.A Great Rite of your own!
2.Create a table piece Maypole. There are plenty of links out there to show you how to make one and you can personalise it with flowers and ribbons of your own choosing
3.Decorate your home, altar or sacred space with flowers and colours which represent the union of the Goddess & the God.
4.Plant seeds and incant over them for a good harvest.
5.Create spell bags with herbs from your garden
6.Create a magical garden or pot with symbols and signs of your craft.
7.Paint pebbles with symbols of your craft and place them in your garden or sacred space
8.Find usable foraged plants to add to your cooking
9.Spend time near trees. Touching the tree & watering them as an offering to the Goddess and God.
10.Dress a tree. This is the perfect time to go out and celebrate a tree. Especially a hawthorn, rowan or birch - but the tree spirit will welcome the attention whichever kind of tree it is. Sit with it, talk to it, dance around it , honour the tree and its fertility. Hang ribbons from its branches, each ribbon represents a wish or prayer.
11.Flowers, flowers and more flowers. This is the festival of Flora. Make a flower crown to wear - the daisy chain in the simplest of all. Make a traditional flower basket. fill it with Beltane greenery and all the flowers and herbs you can find. Honour, their magical and healing properties while you do so. Give it someone you love.
Beltane dance
Crowned, your natural beauty,
Flowers of Spring upon your head,
Sweet smell of Springtime blossoms,
Awaiting you with baited breath,
Enchanted by the way we move
In and around spring green leaves
Plucking young blossoms from Hawthorn trees,
With faces of pure intention,
Seeking hidden gems, Spring’s inventions
I know to feel through moss as semple
Foraging sweet violets, daisies, all that is ample,
Offer a posy of flowers to you
To add to your basket and declare my love true
Our dance in the Wildwood is not yet complete
First I place rose petals at your feet
For where we dance is most sacred ground
And where we lay, more than handfast bound
Caress….that subtle bliss
Amazing grace of your kiss
Entwined my love and I
Softly, gently & divine
(© Sheela Adhar 2020)
Whichever way you celebrate, enjoy this time of year, enjoy your celebration & enjoy the company of each other. Bright blessings to you all. Feel free to share this article & if you do please be honourable & reference it in the following manner:
Sheela Adhar. https://ancientfootprints.wixsite.com/ancientfootprints
In gratitude, love, light & all betwixt
Sheela
Credits
Publication references
Beth, R. 2001,The Hedge Witches Way, Robert hale Limited, London
Green, M. 1991, A Calendar of festivals, Element Books, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Mitchell, M, 2014, Hedge Witch Book of Days, Weiser Books, San Francisco
West, K. 2001, The Real Witches Handbook, Element Books, London
Online resources
ThewhiteGoddess.com
Thegoddessandthegreenman.co.uk
https://thegreenparent.co.uk/articles/read/celebrate-beltane-with-flowers
https://www.thoughtco.com/the-history-of-beltane-and-may-day-2561657
Image resources
thegoddessandgreenman.com