Beltaine

May. 1st, 2016 12:20 pm
meridian_rose: pen on letter background  with text  saying 'writer' (pagan-ish default)
[personal profile] meridian_rose

Beltane Comments & Graphics

~Magickal Graphics~

The start of May is celebrated as Beltaine (Beltane), May Day, Calan Mei, and Walpurgis Night. It is a cross quarter day, falling between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. The UK public holiday May Day occurs on the first Monday of May each year.
May the 4th is known to many pop culture fans as Star Wars day!


16 The Cuckoo Song (Sumer is ycomen in ... Sumer is icumen in)
I’ve had some fun celebrations at this festival. One year we went to Lydney Park Estate on May Eve which was lovely. It's usually warmer and more springlike than Ostara with so many flowers in bloom and trees in blossom.
The weather this year has been odd though, spells of bright sunshine interspersed with snow showers and hailstorms!

On the name:
[T]the origin of the name “Beltane” is disputed. The holiday was also known as “Roodmass” in England and “Walpurgisnacht” in Germany. Alternately spelled Bealtaine, Beltaine, and any number of Gaelic derived-spellings, it is also the Irish word for the month of May, and is said to mean anything from “Bel-fire” Feast of the god Bel” to “bright fire.” Janet and Stewart Farrar, in Eight Sabbats for Witches offer an excellent tracing of the holiday’s Irish roots, and particularly the European fire-god Belenus whom they believe this festival is named for (a name possible traced back to Baal, the bible’s only pagan god, whose name simply means “Lord”). Ronald Hutton states that since the Celtic word “bel” means bright or fortunate, this is adequate to explain the translation as being “lucky fire” or “bright fire.” (x)

Fire celebration and rituals are an important part of the Beltane festivities, to ensure that the warmth of the Sun's light brings successful growth to the crops. Other May rituals involve Maypole dancing and the Cornish festival in Padstow of the the 'Obby Oss.


Magpie Lane - May Song, A song inspired by the May Day celebrations at Padstow in Cornwall where an ancient "Obby 'Oss" has for centuries been paraded through town, rec'd by this article.



There are particular notions of fertility around this festival – notably the young couples going 'maying' in the woods. It's also a good time to think about handfastings/renewing your vows, or renewing your spiritual pledge. Abundance and growth are key themes.

A traditional ritual involved two bonfires; cattle were driven through the smoke of the two fires in a purification/fertility rite. In ancient times all the homestead fires were lit from the Beltaine or Bale fire.

On the Roman Influence:
The Romans, always known for celebrating holidays in a big way, spent the first day of May paying tribute to their Lares, the gods of their household. They also celebrated the Floralia, or festival of flowers, which consisted of three days of unbridled sexual activity. Participants wore flowers in their hair (much like May Day celebrants later on), and there were plays, songs, and dances. At the end of the festivities, animals were set loose inside the Circus Maximus, and beans were scattered around to ensure fertility. The fire festival of Bona Dea was also celebrated on May 2nd. (x)


Folklore suggest you should wash your face in dew at sunrise on Beltane for beauty in the coming year. (Traditionally the dew from the hawthorn tree, but dew from grass and flowers will do.)

Planting seeds, especially with intent for your goals to also grow, is a great way to celebrate. A small fire into which you can cast wishes written on paper is another appropriate and fun way to begin a season of growth.

Correspondences include:
Goddesses: May Queen, Flora, Brigid, Aphrodite, Blodewedd, Erzulie, Baubo, Rhea, Venus, Prithvi, Artemis, Diana, Faunas, all fertility and love goddesses.
Gods: May King, Horned God, Herne, Pan, Green Man, Bel, Baal, all gods of the hunt/forest and love.
A list of deities and their correspondences can be found here
Food and drink: Strawberries, Cherries, Breads, Cereals (especially ones that contain oats), fruit salads, barley cakes, Wine, Mead, Milk, Ale, Apple Juice, Fruit Punch
Colours: Red, Green, White, Brown, Pink, rainbow colours. Some authors suggest pastels, others bright colours so go with your own traditions or gut feelings.
Stones/gems: Emerald, Malachite, Amber, Carnelian, Sapphire, Rose Quartz, yellow agate, bloodstone, lapis lazuli
Herbs and flowers: Belladona, Clover, Frankincense, Hawthorn, Ivy, Marigold, Orchid, Rose, broom, foxglove, honeysuckle, rowan, sorrel, hawthorn, lily of the valley, meadowsweet, mint, mugwort, thyme, bluebells, daisy, hawthorn, lilac, primrose, any fresh flowers for decoration

General: Maypoles, dancing, bonfires, anything that symbolises creative growth, 4 of wands, dawn, birdseed, themes include fertility, sexuality, sensuality, creativity, purification.

Further reading

previous Beltaine posts

This article talks about modern celebrations taking place in Britain.
Beltane History
Legends and Lore of Beltane
You Call it May Day We Call it Beltane
Floralia: The Roman May Day Celebration
Hail Hail the First of May-O
Beltane Magic
Beltane History

And if you're in the Southern Hemisphere, it's time for Samhain aka Halloween.

Date: 2016-05-03 12:31 am (UTC)
silk_dragon_zen: Rainbow Autistic Pride lemniscate over the black, grey, white, and purple stripes of the Asexuality Pride flag (Default)
From: [personal profile] silk_dragon_zen
I remember singing “Sumer is Ycomen In” with a medieval choir back at uni. Lovely song and lovely time of year. 💖

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