Samhain Yule
Imbolc Ostara Beltane Litha
Lammas Mabon
This celebration of transition into
the warmer months is the third Spring festival on the Wheel of the Year. It
marks the
The Cycle of Life
Beltane precedes
the Summer Solstice (Litha) on the Wheel and is traditionally a festival of
fire and fertility. Many take this quite literally and can be found dancing
around a Belfire to celebrate the virile young Lord and the fertile maiden
celebrating the evident consumption of their relationship. It is the transition
from Maiden to Mother through the mystery of sexuality as the young Lord,
overcome with desire for the Goddess falls deeply in love with her and among
the grasses and blossoms they unite. This union and the Goddess to bear the
reborn God is the celebration of Beltane – Her symbolic fertility and His
virility.
Traditions
Belfire
The Beltane Fire or the
Belfire is a symbolic reference to the Celtic God Bel, meaning Bright One and
the Gaelic word ‘teine’ meaning fire. Combined they mean Bright Fire.
This
translates into celebration by lighting a bonfire to encourage and support Bel
and the sun’s light to nurture the future harvest and protect the community.
The people would douse all fires and especially kindle only the Belfire to
blaze; this was the ‘need-fire’. The people of the community would then jump
the fire to purify, cleanse and bring fertility.
Feasting
One
of the most wonderful ways to diversify the celebration of the Sababts is with
food and drink. Feasting is a very enjoyable part of festivities and with
Beltane the feast is fresh, indulgent & sumptuous. Incorporate the natural
world by using edible herbs, plants and flowers. Also, as a means to further
the fetility theme of the Sabbat, include foods with aphrodisiacal properties,
such as oysters, strawberries, chocolate, etc…
A
chocolate maypole (made like a Yule Log) is a great idea, filled with sweetened
cream and fresh halved strawberries; serve it vertically using ribbons or
coloured icing strips to decorate.
The Maypole
The
Maypole is one of the oldest traditions of Beltane and the decorative ribbon
dance was performed ‘skyclad’/nude to promote arousal and in turn, fertility.
The
pole itself was traditionally made of Birch and inserted into the Earth as a
representation of the God’s potency and virility. A ring of flowers encircles
the top as a symbol of the fertile Goddess. The ribbons are twisted, spun and
weaved between and around each other by the participants dance as the sacred
union of the God & Goddess, the union between Earth and Sky is celebrated,
enjoyed and witnessed.
Hand fasting
With
the love of the God & Goddess in the air and Beltane being the time of The
Great Wedding, their wedding, it is a wonderful and popular time for a hand
fasting which for those who do know is a pagan wedding ceremony. A hand fasting
is performed to last for a year and a day, after which time the couple can choose
to stay together or part without malice.
The
handfasting ceremony is usually highly unique to the couple but will hold
several traditional elements, such as the exchange of vows and rings (or other
token of value). Also, there is always the name sake part of the ceremony which
involves the hands of the bride and groom being tied together in a figure of
eight with red cord or ribbon – the tying of the hands is symbolic of the
couple having come together and when it is untied, represents their desire to
stay together of their own free will.
Activities
A-Maying
Going
A-Maying is a term used for a a tradition of couples spending the night in the
woods and fields to make love and bring back armfuls of the first May and
Hawthorn blossoms; these are then used to decorate homes and altars. All
participants were free to enact the Sacred Marriage of Goddess & God which
led to an accepted tradition of ‘Beltane Babies’ arriving nine months later.
Another
traditions of going A-Maying is for young women to wash their faces with
morning dew and to make Flower Crowns and May Baskets.
Other Suggestions
Dress
up especially to celebrate the Great Wedding of Goddess & God
Watch
the sunrise & make love
Befriend
a tree – sit with it, talk to it, dance around it, decorate it
Make
a Flower Crown
Make
Hawthorn Brandy
Make
a wreath of fresh greenery and flowers for your door
Serve
an evening meal of breakfast foods to invoke the Sun God. Make an extra plate
for the Sun God and leave outside (in the East) when the meal is finished.
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