💐🔥Let’s Talk About Beltane!🔥💐 (Patreon)

On May 1st, 2023, Beltane, also known as May Day, marks the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. It is celebrated in the Northern Hemisphere during this time while witches in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate Samhain. Some people choose to celebrate Beltane from April 30th to May 1st. Beltane is a Celtic word that means "the fires of Bel", which is mostly likely referring to the Celtic sun god, Belenus.

Quick side note for witches who are celebrating Samhain in the Southern Hemisphere, feel free to utilize the "sabbats-southern-hemisphere" channel on Discord to ask any questions or share your rituals! You can also search on my Patreon "Samhain" for all previous Samhain posts. The same goes for Northern Hemisphere witches celebrating Beltane! If you’d like to see all previous Beltane posts, rituals and spells, you can search “Beltane” as well. Other helpful tags to search on Patreon are “Wheel of the Year” and “Sabbats”.

Beltane is a fun and light-hearted celebration that is filled with love, maypole dancing, feasts, sun magic, and fire rituals. These rituals are to honor the Mother Goddess, Sun God and welcome the daylight that's staying out a little longer each day. The Earth is blooming with fertility and sexuality at this time. The Celts believed that lighting two bonfires would purify themselves and increase their fertility. Beltane is all about watching what you have manifested unfold, celebration, feasting, lust, sensuality and passion! Themes of this Sabbat are love, abundance, commitment and creativity. Wiccan wedding ceremonies, called hand fastings are also traditionally held during Beltane, too.

From Wiccan Living, "Wiccan mythology holds that the God and Goddess come together in physical union at this time, having reached full maturity in their growth over the Spring. Their coupling ensures the continued propagation of all life, as now the God will be reborn of the Goddess after he dies in late Autumn. It also symbolizes the coming together of masculine and feminine energies at work in all creation. This is when the Goddess begins to step into her Mother aspect, and the God has almost reached the height of his power.

Many pagan cultures had their own version of a festival marking the beginning of Summer around this time. The ancient Romans celebrated Floralia, and for many centuries the eve of May 1st has been known as Walpurgisnacht in several Eastern European cultures. In England, the holiday became known as May Day. One distinct custom in England and elsewhere that has never died out entirely is dancing around the Maypole—a tall, wooden pole said to represent male virility. Typically, people gather flowers and green branches to decorate the Maypole, or else use brightly colored ribbons. Many Wiccan groups incorporate this tradition into their Beltane celebrations."

What are some ways to celebrate Beltane?

Beltane is focused on fire! Bonfires and fire festivals are very common around this time. Sacred fires were burned on this day in ancient Irish culture to protect and purify their cattle from illness. The cattle would move between two fires to ritually purify, cleanse and connect with the Sun. Another common fire ritual during Beltane is fire jumping, because it's considered to be good luck. Definitely be careful if you do this, though!

Other ways you can celebrate Beltane, from Wiccan Living, is to "include making a “wedding feast” for the God and Goddess. Breads and cereal grains, oatmeal cookies and dairy foods are all traditional Beltane treats. Include seasonal spring vegetables as well for a true feast. Gather flowers and green leaves to decorate your altar with. Many people like to create a “mini-Maypole” for their altar and decorate it with ribbons. If you have long hair, braid it as a symbol of the union between the Goddess and God, weaving in some wildflowers or tree blossoms if you like. Traditionally, couples would spend the whole night outdoors, romping in the fields and forests, but if this isn’t practical, take a long walk with your sweetheart somewhere out in nature. If you’re single, enjoy a few hours of communion with the spirit world in a beautiful outdoor place. The important thing is to make sure you spend some time outdoors on this day!"

The myths of Beltane say how the young God has bloomed into maturity and the Goddess takes him as her beloved. Through their unification, they uncover the mysteries of sensuality and sexuality. With this bonding, life begins and blossoms. The season of Beltane is all about going into the depths of love, maturity, commitments and the joining of masculine and feminine energies. The masculine energy of the Sun promotes fertility in the feminine Earth.

Another Beltane ritual is to dance around a maypole. The ribbons, the flowers and the greenery symbolize the feminine energy of the Goddess and the maypole represents the masculine energy of the God.

What rituals do you have for Beltane or Samhain?

Sources:

https://www.learnreligions.com/celebrate-beltane-with-a-maypole-dance-2561651

https://wiccaliving.com/wiccan-calendar-beltane/a

http://www.thewhitegoddess.co.uk/the_wheel_of_the_year/beltane.asp

https://pixabay.com/photos/woman-flower-crown-sunset-headdress-1836435/