Blessed Beltane to All!
What exactly is Beltane? Beltane is one of eight Solar sabbats and is celebrated on May 1, or Mayday, with many of the festivities taking place the night before on May Eve. Beltane follows Imbolc and Ostara as the last of the spring fertility festivals. As Samhain is about honoring 'Death,' Beltane is about honoring 'Life.' It is the time when the sun is fully released from his bondage of winter and able to rule over summer and life once again. In modern Wicca, traditions from both the Gaelic Bealtaine and the Germanic May Day festival, like bonfires and the Maypole, are incorporated, and primarily focus on fertility.
The name Beltane means 'fire of Bel'. Belinos was one name for the Sun God, whose coronation feast is part of Beltane celebration. In old Celtic traditions, Beltane was a time of unabashed sexuality and promiscuity where couples could be unwed for one night and share with any willing partner. This was called going 'a-maying'. Children born from Beltane unions were thought to be especially blessed. Other celebrations often included maypole dancing, jumping over fires to ensure fertility, circling the fire three times (sun-wise) for good luck in the coming year just to name a few. Gatherings with friends/family/townspeople would include feasting, music, drinking, and gathering flowers. Animals such as cattle and sheep were run between the fires of Beltane to insure their fertility in the coming year. Flowers were an extremely important symbol of Beltane, as they signaled the victory of summer over winter and the blossoming of nature and the bounty it will bring.
Modern popular celebrations of Beltane still do include the maypole, plus such grain foods as oatmeal, bread and cakes are typically included in the feast, as well as fresh greens, edible flowers, and spring fruits accompany them. If you aren't planning a formal Beltane feast, try taking a walk in the woods, any wooded area or even your local park to celebrate the Sun God. Pick wildflowers or boughs with blossoms to use on your altar. They can also be made into flower wreaths and garlands, which are typical decorations for this holiday, especially when tied with ribbons and streamers. Planting seeds in a garden or flower pot is a lovely activity for Beltane, especially herbs that may be used in later rituals. May morning is traditionally a magical time for collecting wild water from dew, flowing streams, and springs, which is stored and used in future spells and rituals, especially those for beauty and love.
Colors used on the altar at Beltane are red and white (for the God and Goddess), green, yellow, pink and blue. Symbols include the Maypole, baskets, strings of beads, ribbons and flowers. Herbs include cinquefoil (five finger grass), honeysuckle, St. John's wort, rose, rosemary, and lilac. Incense used at Beltane includes frankincense, lilac and rose. Stones appropriate for Beltane are emerald, green aventurine, sapphire, rose quartz, and carnelian.
Take a walk outside, open your mind to the beauty of the season. Celebrate the season and the moment. May you all have a wonderful and blessed Beltane. Brightest blessings to all.
What exactly is Beltane? Beltane is one of eight Solar sabbats and is celebrated on May 1, or Mayday, with many of the festivities taking place the night before on May Eve. Beltane follows Imbolc and Ostara as the last of the spring fertility festivals. As Samhain is about honoring 'Death,' Beltane is about honoring 'Life.' It is the time when the sun is fully released from his bondage of winter and able to rule over summer and life once again. In modern Wicca, traditions from both the Gaelic Bealtaine and the Germanic May Day festival, like bonfires and the Maypole, are incorporated, and primarily focus on fertility.
The name Beltane means 'fire of Bel'. Belinos was one name for the Sun God, whose coronation feast is part of Beltane celebration. In old Celtic traditions, Beltane was a time of unabashed sexuality and promiscuity where couples could be unwed for one night and share with any willing partner. This was called going 'a-maying'. Children born from Beltane unions were thought to be especially blessed. Other celebrations often included maypole dancing, jumping over fires to ensure fertility, circling the fire three times (sun-wise) for good luck in the coming year just to name a few. Gatherings with friends/family/townspeople would include feasting, music, drinking, and gathering flowers. Animals such as cattle and sheep were run between the fires of Beltane to insure their fertility in the coming year. Flowers were an extremely important symbol of Beltane, as they signaled the victory of summer over winter and the blossoming of nature and the bounty it will bring.
Modern popular celebrations of Beltane still do include the maypole, plus such grain foods as oatmeal, bread and cakes are typically included in the feast, as well as fresh greens, edible flowers, and spring fruits accompany them. If you aren't planning a formal Beltane feast, try taking a walk in the woods, any wooded area or even your local park to celebrate the Sun God. Pick wildflowers or boughs with blossoms to use on your altar. They can also be made into flower wreaths and garlands, which are typical decorations for this holiday, especially when tied with ribbons and streamers. Planting seeds in a garden or flower pot is a lovely activity for Beltane, especially herbs that may be used in later rituals. May morning is traditionally a magical time for collecting wild water from dew, flowing streams, and springs, which is stored and used in future spells and rituals, especially those for beauty and love.
Colors used on the altar at Beltane are red and white (for the God and Goddess), green, yellow, pink and blue. Symbols include the Maypole, baskets, strings of beads, ribbons and flowers. Herbs include cinquefoil (five finger grass), honeysuckle, St. John's wort, rose, rosemary, and lilac. Incense used at Beltane includes frankincense, lilac and rose. Stones appropriate for Beltane are emerald, green aventurine, sapphire, rose quartz, and carnelian.
Take a walk outside, open your mind to the beauty of the season. Celebrate the season and the moment. May you all have a wonderful and blessed Beltane. Brightest blessings to all.
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