Beltane In A Week: Prayers and Ritual Honoring the Feminine

I fully admit, I am typically not a prayerful person. Perhaps that's a result of being a lapsed Catholic (more about my journey to and through Paganism at a later time) or just because it wasn't the medium of connecting with Spirit that I thought was right for me, but it's not often that I find myself compelled to prayer.

When I do, though, there are some prayers that I find comfort and solace in, and I find myself as well. It tends to be around Beltane, when I'm already thanking the wheel of the year and Mother Earth for winter's anticipated end -- and that's even more true since I've moved to Maryland! Other times, I am just in need of something to bring me closer to deity and to the world around me.

A good friend of mine was recounting her business travel with a couple other coworkers earlier this week; the plane they were on was incredibly rocky the entire way, and as they were pulling into the airport on their final descent, the pilot suddenly cranked up the engine and took off again... narrowly outrunning a tornado that was fast approaching the terminal. Amidst the noise of the passengers panicking and the tornado sirens fading away in the distance, my friend pulled out a book of Catholic prayers and handed it to a coworker who, despite being Jewish, started reading them aloud.

There are, of course, books on Pagan prayer that you can check out. It might be handy to keep in your purse, backpack, or bedside in case you're looking for a few words of comfort, some guidance, and a way to draw yourself closer to the God and Goddess. Below are some prayers that you may wish to incorporate in your Beltane blessings as well. You may wish to include a series of Pagan prayer beads, appropriate candles and incense, or even a full circle in which you recite these blessings.

Am Beannachadh Bealltain (The Beltane Blessing)

Adapted from a poem published in Carmina Gadelica, written by folklorist Alexander Carmichael, this poem originally paid tribute to the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. It has been turned into a Pagan-friendly format for purposes of Beltane and Pagan worship.

Bless, O threefold true and bountiful,
Myself, my spouse, my children.
Bless everything within my dwelling and in my possession,
Bless the kine and crops, the flocks and corn,
From Samhain Eve to Beltane Eve,
With goodly progress and gentle blessing,
From sea to sea, and every river mouth,
From wave to wave, and base of waterfall.

Be the Maiden, Mother, and Crone,
Taking possession of all to me belonging.
Be the Horned God, the Wild Spirit of the Forest,
Protecting me in truth and honor.
Satisfy my soul and shield my loved ones,
Blessing every thing and every one,
All my land and my surroundings.
Great gods who create and bring life to all, I ask for your blessings on this day of fire.

Prayers to Gods and Goddesses

These are prayers that can be offered to the Gods and Goddesses of Beltane, from Cernunnos to the May Queen, recited as a whole or in bits.

Prayer to Cernunnos

God of the green,
Lord of the forest,
I offer you my sacrifice.
I ask you for your blessing.

You are the man in the trees,
the green man of the woods,
who brings life to the dawning spring.
You are the deer in rut,
mighty Horned One,
who roams the autumn woods,
the hunter circling round the oak,
the antlers of the wild stag,
and the lifeblood that spills upon
the ground each season.

God of the green,
Lord of the forest,
I offer you my sacrifice.
I ask you for your blessing.

Prayer to the Gods of the Forest

Spring has come to the earth.
the land is fertile and ready at Beltane,
seeds will be sown, and
new life will begin once more.
Hail, great gods of the land!
Hail, gods of resurrected life!
Hail, Cernunnos, Osiris, Herne, and Bacchus!
Let the soil open up
and mother earth's fertile womb
receive the seeds of life
as we welcome the spring.

Prayer Honoring the May Queen

The leaves are budding across the land
on the ash and oak and hawthorn trees.
Magic rises around us in the forest
and the hedges are filled with laughter and love.
Dear lady, we offer you a gift,
a gathering of flowers picked by our hands,
woven into the circle of endless life.
The bright colors of nature herself
blend together to honor you,
Queen of spring,
as we give you honor this day.
Spring is here and the land is fertile,
ready to offer up gifts in your name.
we pay you tribute, our lady,
daughter of the Fae,
and ask your blessing this Beltane.

A Thanks to the Earth Mother

Great earth mother!
We give you praise today
and ask for your blessing upon us.
As seeds spring forth
and grass grows green
and winds blow gently
and the rivers flow
and the sun shines down
upon our land,
we offer thanks to you for your blessings
and your gifts of life each spring.

via...

Honoring the Sacred Feminine (Goddess Ritual)

This is more the recipe for a full-on ritual involving the casting of a circle per your tradition. It is a simple ritual meant to honor the feminine aspects of the universe, so men and women can both perform it. For this, you will need a white candle, an offering of something that is important to you, a bowl of water, and a handful of small pebbles or stones.

[stand in the Goddess position]
I am (your name), and I stand before you,
goddesses of the sky and earth and sea,
I honor you, for your blood runs through my veins,
one woman, standing on the edge of the universe.
Tonight, I make an offering in Your names,
As my thanks for all you have given me.

[light candle and place offering before it on the altar]
I am (your name), and I stand before you,
Isis, Ishtar, Tiamat, Inanna, Shakti, Cybele.
Mothers of the ancient people,
guardians of those who walked the earth thousands of years ago,
I offer you this as a way of showing my gratitude.
Your strength has flowed within me,
your wisdom has given me knowledge,
your inspiration has given birth to harmony in my soul.

[take handful of pebbles except one and, for each one dropped in the water, state the name of a woman who has touched your life and how she impacted you -- some examples:]
I am (your name), and I stand before you,
to honor the sacred feminine that has touched my heart.
I honor Susan, who gave birth to me and raised me to be strong;
I honor Maggie, my grandmother, whose strength took her to the hospitals of war-torn France;
I honor Cathleen, my aunt, who lost her courageous battle with cancer;
I honor Jennifer, my sister, who has raised three children alone…

[reserve last pebble for yourself and drop it into the water]
I am (your name), and I honor myself,
for my strength, my creativity, my knowledge, my inspiration,
and for all the other remarkable things that make me a woman.

Take a few minutes and reflect on the sacred feminine. What is it about being a woman that gives you joy? If you're a man performing this ritual, what is it about the women in your life that makes you love them? Meditate on the feminine energy of the universe for a while, and when you are ready, end the ritual.

Beltane In A Week: Bonfire and Maypole Celebrations

Now that you're armed with knowledge about Beltane's history, lore, and deities, I'll bet you're ready to spread your witchy wings and fly in your own ritual to celebrate the Sabbat. I know I am! Being stuck inside all winter has made me a bit randy, and I'm looking forward to the bonfires, maypoles, and other trappings that come with Beltane conviviality.

In addition to these customs, Beltane is also a popular time of year for handfastings, which I'll explain a bit later. To that extent, I'd like to wish my good friend Evita over at The Happy Heathen a very blessed and joyous wedding anniversary! Their handfasting was absolutely beautiful. Evita, I wish you and your amazing partner a life of love, happiness, and celebration. :)

Now... let's get to the fun stuff! (As if sex wasn't enough, right?)

A Group Beltane Bonfire Rite

Beltane is actually celebrated from sunset on May Day eve through sunset on May Day, and the festivities kick off with a pile of nine sacred woods set aflame and danced around all night. It is customary to keep the fires burning all through this Sabbat, with a piece of smoldering wood taken home by each person to ensure fertility through the summer months.

If you don't have the space for a huge bonfire (and many of us don't -- I know we can't fit one in our own yard), a small fire bowl, typically available at home improvement chains and discount stores, or a tabletop brazier will suffice. Need something smaller? Look to building a small fire in a cauldron or other heat-resistant bowl.

This is a group rite, so you'll need a few friends to participate as the person to tend to the bonfire (which should be set up and blazing beforehand), the May Queen*, the King of the Forest*, and drummers and other noisemakers. You may also want a crown of flowers and headdress of antlers for each female and male participating (optional, but definitely fun! If you want to make your own flower crowns, refer to our guide).

* Depending on the relationship between May Queen and the King of the Forest, this can get as lusty as you like. Take heed that the presence of children will mean having to tone it down a bit!

(Thank you to About.com for this ritual!)

Beltane Bonfire Ritual

Have the group circle around the fire, with the May Queen and the King of the Forest on opposite sides.The High Priest (HP) and/or High Priestess (HPs) should welcome everyone to the circle:

Beltane is here! It is a time when the earth is fertile and full.
Long ago, our ancestors planted their fields at Beltane.
The fields that lay fallow for months are now warm and waiting.
The soil that was dormant for the winter now begs us to plant our seeds.
The earth is awakening and ripe, and this is a season of love and passion.
It is a season of fire.

At this point, if the fire is not already lit, the fire starter should begin lighting it. If it is, have the fire starter stoke the flames a bit as the HP/s continues:

As our fires grow, lighting up the night sky, the fire within us grows stronger.
It is the fire of lust and passion, knowing that like the earth, we too are fertile.
Tonight, the God emerges from the forest. He is known by many names --
He is Pan, Herne, Cernunnos, the Green Man. He is the God of the Forest.
Tonight is the night he will chase and capture the maiden.
She is the Queen of May, Aphrodite, Venus, Cerridwen.
She is the Goddess of fields and flowers, she is Mother Earth herself.

As the HP/s introduces the God and Goddess, they should each step forward in the circle. The HP/s then says, Bring fertility to the land! Let the hunt begin!

The May Queen and the God of the Forest begin a chase, traveling deosil (sunwise, "clockwise") around the circle, weaving in and out of the other participants, who are drumming and making noise, possibly even chanting, slowly at first then with more ferocity. Remember that the May Queen really wants to make love to the God of the Forest, she's just playing hard to get. This is a fun chase and a joyful courtship, not a mock rape. They should travel around the circle three times, then finally stop at a point in front of the bonfire, which should be blazing by now, and the drumming, noisemaking, and chanting comes to an abrupt stop.

The HP/s says:

Fire and passion, love and life, brought together as one.

At this point, the May Queen says to the God of the Forest:

I am the earth, the womb of all creation.
Within me, new life grows each year.
Water is my blood, air is by breath, and fire is my spirit.
I give you honor, and shall create new life with you.

The God of the Forest replies to her, saying:

I am the rutting stag, the seed, the energy of life.
I am the mighty oak that grows in the forest.
I give you honor, and shall create new life with you.

The couple then kisses, long and passionate. If they're feeling particularly lusty, they can fall to the ground and roll about for a while, and a participant may want to cover them with a blanket. This is the symbolic union of the male and female spirit, the great rite between man and woman. Once the embrace is broken, the HP/s calls out:

The earth is once more growing new life within! We shall be blessed with abundance this year!

Everyone in the circle then claps and cheers, celebrating the heartiness of the crops and strong livestock for the year. Celebrate by dancing around the bonfire, drumming and singing! When you're ready, end the ritual per your traditions.

The Maypole Dance

As discussed before, the maypole is a very traditional part of Beltane and any other fertility celebration; as a symbol, the phallus that is the maypole driven into the earth symbolizes the joining of the male and female. The morning after the bonfire rite, as couples (and perhaps a few other surprise couplings and triads!) rub the sleep from their eyes and the straw out of their hair after a night of lustiness inspired by the roaring fires, people would gather to begin the maypole celebrations.

( Once again, thank you to About.com for this ritual!)

A maypole is typically erected on the village green or common, or even a handy field. Most groups rent out or own a big field where they put their maypole for Beltane, and switch it out depending on the Sabbat. The maypole should have ribbons attached to the top, about 1/3 more length than the pole itself (i.e. a 15-foot pole should have about 20 feet of ribbon). Young people dance around the pole, each holding a different ribbon and with the men and women going in different directions, weaving in and out of one another until the pole is enveloped with brightly-colored ribbons.

You will need a wooden pole about 18 feet high, a hole in the ground at least 3 feet deep, lots of ribbon for your guests, a crown of flowers for the top of the pole, and people who like to have fun! Ask each participant to bring their own ribbon, in fact -- make sure they're about 20 feet long for this.

Once everyone arrives, affix the flower crown to the top of the pole, then attach the ribbons to one end of the pole (an eyelet screw is the easiest by far). Have extra ribbon on hand just in case. When the ribbons are attached, raise the pole until it's vertical, and slide it into the hole.

... yeah, y'all thought it. No worries, bawdy jokes are more than okay. ;)

Pack in the dirt around the base so the pole won't shift or fall during the dance. Have people count off by twos (especially handy if you have an uneven number of men to women), and have the ones go deosil while the twos go widdershins. Hold the ribbon in the hand closest to the pole, and start dancing!

You'll want to pass people by on the left first, then on the right, and again and again. Practice once or twice before doing it for real, then get going! Make sure you hold the ribbon high enough that the person you're weaving by can get under. Continue until everyone runs out of ribbon, then knot all the ribbons at the bottom.

Kids' maypoles are fun, too, but they might not get the hang of the weaving thing as feasibly. It's probably easier to have them all go in one direction.

Beltane In A Week: The Great Rite

Parental Advisory: Due to the possible explicit nature of this post, it is not recommended for children under the age of 18. 

First off, how did I know the entry about S-E-X would be the highest-hit so far in this Beltane In A Week series. Y'all are a bunch of horn dogs! ... and I like it!

Not all sex is purely about the physical pleasure, though. Sometimes, sex can transcend the physical body and enter a spiritual plane, notably when used in ritual settings. In the words of writers Janet and Stewart Farrar, Beltane especially is a time of "[...] unashamed human sexuality and fertility." It is this notion that exemplifies the Great Rite, a sacred part of spiritual practice in some (but not all) Wiccan and Pagan traditions.

Similarly, not all ritual sex is the Great Rite. For example, there is the idea of sex symbolism; in its original form, Wicca is a fertility religion that uses many symbolic acts of sex -- and by symbolic, I mean things other than overt sexual acts, such as joining the athame with the chalice. Then there's ritual sex, which can be used to raise energy, create magickal power, or find a sense of spiritual communion with a partner. If "all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals," then sex in ritual can certainly be a sacramental act of love!

Then there's the Great Rite, a symbol of the connection of the god and goddess. In Wicca: the old Religion in the New Age, Vivianne Crowley says, "The outer rite involves a linking of the male and female[...] the sacred marriage is outwardly a marriage of two people, but inwardly it is a marriage of two within one person." That being said, the Rite is more about the enactment of the creation of the universe than a simple sexual union; the god and goddess, through the Priest and Priestess (or whoever may be performing the Rite), combine to create the very world in which we live.

But wait... ritual sex may be used in coven settings? In short, the answer is "perhaps". In most traditions that incorporate ritual sex, it is performed in private, and in all traditions, it is performed by adults. Some traditions of Wicca actually require intercourse as a part of Third Degree elevation, but that is made absolutely clear before a neophyte (someone who has dedicated himself to a path) proceeds any further, if not beforehand. In other traditions, it is performed by the High Priest and High Priestess, either symbolic or actualized.

Speaking of symbolic versus actualized, in many traditions, there are three "tiers" of the Great Rite. The first and simplest is the use of the athame, which is to represent the god, and the chalice, which is to represent the goddess. When the athame is lowered into the chalice, filled with ritual wine, many see it as a penetration of the vagina by the penis, creating a life-force energy that further blesses the wine and those who consume it.

The Great Rite can also be symbolic.

The second tier, depending on the tradition, may either be a pantomime of the sexual act that is the Great Rite or the performance of the actual Rite through intercourse only on the Greater Sabbats (Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnassadh, and Samhain). The third tier involves the physical act of intercourse, and is performed for all eight Sabbats.

Some covens may incorporate only one of the tiers, two of the three, or all three at certain points of the year. That distinction is often made by the High Priest and High Priestess of the coven, and is well known to each neophyte before embarking on any spiritual guidance courses with the coven.

Any form of ritual sex should be consensual. In fact, scratch that: It should go without saying that all sex should be consensual, and ritual sex is absolutely not an exception. No reputable coven will ever demand sexual initiation of its members. Ritual sex, be it the Great Rite or otherwise, is a specific and sacred act that is performed only by those who have studied and learned enough to feel comfortable performing it with a trusted partner.

Janet and Stewart Farrar perform the Great Rite.

If ritual sex is performed, it is typically between two individuals who are already part of an existing relationship and are of equal levels of power within the coven's dynamics -- power plays are not incorporated, especially between such levels as a Neophyte and a Third Degree.

What about the Great Rite and same-sex or other "non-traditional" couples? Or if ritual sex is required for initiation... but you are currently in a relationship with someone other than the coven leader, and you're monogamous? Those are other topics on their own... maybe for later today or tomorrow. :)

Beltane In A Week: Let's talk about sex, baby!

Parental Advisory: Due to the possible explicit nature of this post, it is not recommended for children under the age of 18. 

I can give you one good reason why Beltane is Matt's favorite holiday, and it's definitely not the food, the rituals, the customs, the history... shoot, it's not even about spring! Not entirely, at least. Beltane is a time of fertility and lusty magick, and Matt gets right in the swing of things when Beltane comes around because he knows that the gettin's good, haha.

But it's not just about the sex. While it's a big aspect of it, fertility itself has been celebrated for thousands of years in several different ways, and magic can easily be intertwined to create magickal sex, both in celebration of the fertility of the world around you... and your very own!

Fertility Customs of Old

Like I said above, there have been several different ways of celebrating fertility from ancient times through today; it is believed that performing certain acts would encourage the land to be fertile, which would therefore lead to abundant crops through the summer and into the fall harvest. Any of these can be incorporated into your rituals and ceremonies.

• In for a bit of voyeurism? Ancient Roman masters of the land would take their wives out to the fields and have sex directly on the ground. Imagine having a few acres -- this project could take a while, perhaps even all day! It was practically guaranteed, though, that the crops would be fertile and productive for the slaves who would plant after all this lovemaking.
• As for Roman women, they paid tribute to Flora,  the goddess of the flowers (who we discussed in brief a couple days ago), to ensure fertility of both the land and their own wombs. If a woman was having trouble conceiving, she might offer flowers at Bona Dea's temple on the Aventine Hill; known as "The Good Goddess," Bona Dea was a goddess of both virginity and fertility.
• A tradition that is still continued today is the adding of menstrual blood to the soil to add potency. Studies have shown that menstrual blood contains a ton of nutrients, so it only makes sense to blend it in with the dirt before planting. It is not unusual to see people urinating on their plants, either, as urine contains complementary nitrogen that can help carbon rich compost. (If you plan to do this, dilute the urine a bit, as the uric acid may burn out the roots of more delicate plants.)
• Dancing, singing, and drumming or other music are popular fertility rituals performed in many areas of the world. Farmers in the Congo region of Africa would do these and make offerings to the spirits of the land before they clear for planting, and only after the spirits indicate that they are pleased with the gifts and performances are they allowed to plant; and the Algonquin peoples of the Midatlantic region performed ritual dances to ensure a bountiful crop every autumn, making loads of noise to awaken the sleeping earth.
• Kuortes, sword dances performed in Crete by a group of men, involves gathering together and moving in unison with sticks or swords that are jabbed into the earth. Although it appears warrior-like, it is more reminiscent of the Brazilian capoeira, where marital arts and dance mix to create, as scholars say, a rite that promotes fertility. Think about it: Banging a stick or sword on the freshly plowed earth has quite a bit of fertility symbolism!
• "Is he bigger than me?!" You might think it a funny question, but when the highlight of your parade is a giant penis carved from a cypress tree, measuring about fourteen feet long and perched upon a float, you'd ask that, too! It's a tradition in Nagoya, Japan to have such a gloat at their annual Honen-sai festival, which ensures that crops are plentiful.

Sex Symbols and Modern Wiccan Ritual

While many modern Wiccans do not copulate in the fields as those in ancient Roman times did, there are still several symbols, aspects, and magickal workings during your typical ritual, and Beltane is of no exception. In the words of writers Janet and Stewart Farrar, Beltane is foremost a time of "unashamed human sexuality and fertility". One of the most poignant rituals is the Great Rite, wherein the sexual acts of a couple is used to raise energy and to celebrate the fertility of the human race and the universe as a whole.

Since the Great Rite deserves its own post, I will leave that for later. In the meantime, let's discuss the Beltane altar, the symbols that are contained therein, and how they represent fertility during this Sabbat.

Typical Altar Supplies and Fertility

If you follow one of many Wiccan traditions, your Beltane altar will have the same trappings as usual. Funny enough, many of these items are rife with fertility symbols! You will notice that the contrasting energies of each actually serve to balance one another. For reference, Lord Janus explained that, in his tradition, generally “[any ritual object] that has a recess in it is considered feminine and anything that is protruding is masculine.”

• Wand: As cliche as it may be, the wand is a central tool for any altar, used for directing energy during a ritual. Its phallic nature represents male energy, power, and virility.
• Cauldron: A symbol of the Goddess, this altar accoutrement is all about femininity. Imagine the cauldron serving as a womb in which life begins. It has the ability to tie into all elements: Placing it upon the Earth, heating it with Fire, filling it with Water, and sending the steam up as Air.
• Athame: Much like the wand, the athame (a ritual knife) is seen as phallic. During the Great Rite, it interacts with the Chalice, explained below, by being dipped into the ritual wine it contains.
• Chalice: Arguably the most feminine part of the altar, the chalice (or cup or goblet) represents the element of Water and holds the wine during a ritual. It is decidedly female considering its hollow, round shape and its function in ritual.
• Salt: Generally, salt is seen as male, especially when incorporated with water.
• Water: Also generally, most any object that represents the element of Water is deemed feminine; obviously, water is Water and is therefore seen as female.
• Pentacle: While typically seen as feminine as it is a very balanced object, the pentacle is one of those "maybe one, maybe the other" symbols. It represents all four elements plus deity, and is used as a consecration tool and protection charm. Because of its different uses and associations, the jury is out as to whether it's strictly one or the other.

The Beltane Altar

Tools and altar decorations specific to Beltane also carry with them strong symbols of fertility and sexuality. Antlers, sticks, acorns, seeds, and a maypole are all excellent examples of items that can be placed on your altar to represent the masculine, and any circular item, such as a wreath or ring, can be used to represent the fertile womb of the feminine.

Small fires in your cauldron can also be set up to represent the fire festival and the leaping over the flames to promote fertility. If you don't have a cauldron, a flickering candle frame works beautifully. Also decorate your altar with spring flowers and herbs, all of which have had the opportunity to pollinate and sprout new seed.

Sexy Food and Drink

What kind of site would The Coexist Cafe be without some food! Better yet, how about foods known for their effects on sexuality; aphrodisiacs are very popular during Beltane, and these recipes are sure to please both your taste buds and... well, whatever may come next. :)

These recipes are provided by Sabbats: A Witch's Approach to Living the Old Ways unless otherwise indicated.

Beltane Cream Pie
Meade
Farls
CHOCOLATE ANYTHING

Are y'all really that surprised that this is TCC's most popular post?
It's about sex, for chrissake!

Beltane Cream Pie

Ha, do I even have to explain this one?

...

Now that I'm done giggling, here's a recipe that incorporates milk and sweets, both of which are important parts of feasting during this Sabbat.

Ingredients

* 1 cup whole milk
* 1 cup whole cream
* 1/2 cup butter (not margarine!)
* 3 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1 1/4 tsp. vanilla
* ground nutmeg
* prepared pie crust, baked (I personally prefer graham cracker crusts)

Method

1. Melt the butter in a wide pan over medium heat.

2. In a separate bowl, slowly add the milk to the cornstarch, making sure it is fully dissolved and absorbed before adding more milk. When the cornstarch is fully blended, add this and all other ingredients (except the vanilla and nutmeg) to the cooking pan.

3. Stir this mixture constantly over medium heat until it becomes thick. Remove from the heat and add in vanilla.

4. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and sprinkle with nutmeg.

This pie may be eaten while still warm as long as it's cool enough to be set, or it may be chilled for later. And yes, you may continue making jokes about having eaten one's "cream pie"!

Meade

Akin to the Irish "midhe," meaning "center," this drink of fermented honey represents Spirit, and the drinking of this potion of the deities made one more in tune with this elusive element. Family recipes are jealously guarded, and meade connoisseurs cultivate this brew as one would with fine wine. It's not easy, as it takes a long fermentation period, but it's all worth it.

To have ready for Beltane, prepare this drink at least six months beforehand, preferably on Samhain.

Ingredients

* 1/2 gallon water
* 1 1/2 cups raw honey
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 1/8 tsp nutmeg
*1/8 tsp allspice
* 1 package brewer's yeast
* wooden cask or other receptacle

Method

1. Heat all ingredients together over medium heat in a large stockpot.

2. As the honey melts, an oily crust will form on the top. Some say to leave it on as it adds flavor tot he mead, while others will tell you to skim it off. It's personal preference, though I'd likely keep it on.

3. When well-blended, remove it from the heat, stirring occasionally as it cools.

4. Stir in one package of brewer's yeast and pour the meade into a wooden cask where it can ferment. You can drink it at this point if you wish, but it won't have any alcohol in it (and what's the fun in that?). It will taste like sweet honey-lemon tea.

As stated before, the meade will need to ferment for at least 6 months. During that time, the casks must be aired daily to allow any built-up gasses to escape. At least once a month, it should be poured into a fresh cask.

Farls

Oats are eaten for luck and fertility, so it would make sense that this recipe, popular in both Scotland and northern Ireland, would be a common and popular treat around Beltane.

Ingredients

* 3 cups real mashed potatoes (mash 'em yourself!)
* 2 cups dry oats
* 2 tbsp. margarine or butter
* 1/2 tsp cornstarch
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1/8 tsp salt
* pinch each pepper and rosemary
* vegetable oil for frying

Method

1. Soak the oats in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes until soft and slightly swollen.

2. Mix the oats with all other ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Knead until the mixture is a thick dough. If it seems to thin or too moist, add a teaspoon or two of flour.

3. When thoroughly mixed, form small sections into round patties. Fry the patties in hot vegetable oil in a small skillet until lightly browned. Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE ANYTHING

While not necessarily a recipe, chocolate itself is a very well-known food for its qualities as a natural aphrodisiac. In fact, there is a scientific link between chocolate and arousal: In 2004, researchers at a hospital in Milan, Italy questioned nearly two hundred people about their chocolate consumption and feelings of sexual fulfillment. Women who consumed chocolate daily reported a higher degree of sexual satisfaction, and even women who normally had a lower libido reported an increase in their sex drive after consuming chocolate.

Chocolate contains both serotonin and phenylethylamine, both of which are mood-lifting hormones naturally found in the human brain. Our levels of both increase when we eat chocolate, which leads to a feeling of excitement and an increased level of energy. It makes us feel good and replicates the feeling of being in love, which can certainly help in the bedroom!

Some ideas for chocolate are as a dip (for strawberries and other fruits, cheese, or caramels), mixed in with your favorite baked good, or straight up. There's no limit to what you can do with chocolate, both as a food and as... well, get those creative juices flowing and see what other uses you can find!

Beltane In A Week: Carefree Crafts

All right. So you've been stuck inside all winter, with nothing to entertain you but the boob tube and maybe a few games of checkers. Now that it's bright, sunny, and cheerful out, let's make some crafts to celebrate the thawing of our creative juices... let's get 'em flowing!

Many of these crafts involve items that can be found outdoors, from flowers to sticks to the images of animals. Below are some simple craft ideas you can put together to decorate your altar and home.

(If you are creating these crafts with children, please take care that adult supervision is available at all times.)

via...

Floral Crowns

Bring out your inner goddess with a wreath of flowers on your head! Whether you make a mini version or a full-out crown for your Beltane ritual, these crowns are sure to hail in the essence of Spring and, of course, fertility. Before taking flowers from the earth (if you're using fresh flowers), be sure to thank the flowering tree or bush for its offering.

You will need:
* green pipe cleaners
* spring flowers, such as azaleas, daffodils, violets, and irises (leave the stems on), either fresh or artificial; and spring herbs, such as ivy and marigold (leave the stems on), either fresh or artificial
* green florist's wire
* ribbons in your preferred spring colors
* bells and other decorations as you see fit

Method:

1. Take a pipe cleaner and wrap it around your head until it fits. (Kids will typically need one, while adults may need two.) Twist the ends to form a ring.

2. With additional pipe cleaners, loop them around the crown until you have a framework to add your flowers.

3. Take your spring flowers and herbs and weave them into the loops. Tuck them in so the frame is covered. If you're having trouble keeping them in, use some green florist's wires to hold them in place. You may also want to use the wire to tie on some bells or other decorations.

4. Cut ribbon to a desired length, and tie them around a small area of the crown.

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Maypole Altar Centerpiece

This is an easy craft that involves just a few objects, but the color and joy it brings will last all the way through summer! Place this mini maypole in the center of your altar and watch as the ribbons dance about.

You will need:
* a tall object to act as a center pole, about 1' high (Michaels and other craft stores sell dowels that work beautifully)
* a wooden circle
* lengths of ribbon about 1/2" wide, any color(s), a couple inches longer than the pole
* hot glue gun
* miniature floral crown

Method:

1. Using the hot glue gun, glue the dowel to the middle of the wooden circle. Allow to dry. If you desire, you may paint the base of your maypole a myriad Spring colors, plain white, or even stain it.

2.Attach the ribbon to the top of the maypole. If you have a decorative top (as in the picture shown above), you may glue them to the very top. The ribbons will hang down from the point of attachment.

3. Use the maypole as a meditative piece by weaving the ribbons around the pole, or use in ritual.

Faerie Chair

Now THIS, I really want to make! Especially since I plan on turning our backyard into a faerie's and gardener's paradise, having a chair like this would serve as beautiful decor while also housing some fruit-bearing plants... and maybe even a few faeries!

You will need:
* an old wooden or wrought-iron chair
* some primer paint, exterior paint in colors of your choosing, and acrylic paints for creating designs (make them fae-friendly!)
* polyurethane or sealant
* seeds for a climbing flower, like morning glory or clematis, or fruit-bearing plants, like blackberry, passion fruit, and grapes
* a sunny spot in your garden

Method:

1. Apply a coat of primer paint to the chair. White or another light color is the easiest to work with. After the primer has tried, paint on your exterior colors, then use the acrylic paints to decorate the chair with designs. Get creative!

3. Allow this paint to dry, then apply a coat or two of polyurethane to protect the chair from the elements.

4. Find a sunny spot in your garden and loosen the soil a bit. Place the chair where you want it to remain, as it can't be moved after this! Once in place, plant seeds around the base of the chair, just a few inches away from the legs.

5. Tend to your plants according to their care instructions. As the plants appear, twine the vines up through the legs of the chair and around it. If necessary, gently secure them to the chair until they're on their own. Soon enough, you'll have a chair covered in leafy greens and bright flowers. Encourage your children to seek out faeries that might be flitting around!

Beltane Counting Calendar

The anticipation of Beltane could prove to be a strain after a long, harsh winter, especially on children. Much like an Advent calendar, this Beltane calendar can become a popular holiday distraction and give your children a beautiful project to work on while they wait for Spring to arrive once more.

You will need:
* thirty buttons of any shape, size (preferred size is about 1" in diameter), and design
* Velcro, cut into thirty 1/2" to 1" squares (they make this stuff with sticky backs on both sides)
* yellow or white felt (if you're really creative, you could "quilt" one!) measuring 36" x 6"
* ribbons in the color of your choice, cut in one 12" long segment and several 3" long segments
* needle and thread
* a quarter-inch dowel cut 7" long
* white construction paper
* crayons, markers, or other coloring tools
* hot glue gun
* school glue
* school scissors

Method:

1. Take the felt or "quilt" and, using the needle and thread, add loops of 3" ribbon to the top (shorter) side to hold the dowel. Weave the dowel through the ribbon loops. Tie the 12" ribbon to each end of the dowel for hanging.

2. Stick the Velcro squares down the center of the calendar, one on top of the other, leaving as much space as necessary between each. Remove the backing on the other sticky side, and allow your child(ren) to affix the buttons to the Velcro.

3. Using the white construction paper, have your child(ren) draw little images of what they think of when they think of Spring. Have your child(ren) cut out the images and glue them to the calendar with the school glue. Alternately, you may also shop around with them for stickers and other little tchotchkes to affix to the calendar.

4. Take your creation and hang it on the wall! For each day approaching Beltane (starting with 1 April and ending on 1 May), have your child(ren) stick a button on the calendar, starting from the bottom. They may also chant or sing the following while sticking each button up (from Pagan and Wiccan Parenting):

Good Bye Winter,
Good bye Winter,
Good bye Winter,
Good bye Winter,
We wish you’d leave us now.
(replace the following words for “Winter:” snow, slush, snowsuits, cold wind, and any thing else the children come up with.)
Come back Springtime,
Come back Springtime,
Come back Springtime,
We wish you’d come today.
(replace the following words for “Springtime:” green grass, flowers, birds, and any thing else the children come up with.)

Beltane In A Week: Bee Chant for Beltane

I heard this chant a few years ago at a private Beltane ritual and fell in love. Hopefully you'll find some joy in it, too. :)

Beltane In A Week: The Faery Courts

As promised, here's a bit of information about the Faery Courts. Whether you believe in the fae or not, it'd still be good to know how they make an impact on the changing of the seasons... and who knows, maybe not seeing is believing!

Beltane is the first of three yearly Faery Realm festivals, with the other two being the eves of Midsummer (Litha) and Samhain. These dates, especially Beltane and Samhain, signal a great change in the Faerie Realm as the courts shift: Starting on Beltane eve, the Seelie Court reigns supreme, and on Samhain ege, the Unseelie Court takes over. The most significant difference between the two is compassion or lack thereof, as the Seelie Court tend to exhibit more compassion towards humans while the Unseelie Court outright refuses.

The Seelie Court

The term "seelie" is derived from the German selig meaning "blessed" or "holy", and Old English sælig meaning "silly". It can also be spelled from the Irish spelling seleighe. Obviously, then, the term itself would imply that those in the Seelie Court are more benevolent towards humans, while those in the Unseelie Court are quite the opposite.

Both Courts are capable of retaliation for an injury or insult, though, and are swift to do so. They both also borrow or steal items from humans, from your household keys to your cattle (well, provided you have cattle), and they're not above using humans for their own purposes, whatever those may be. Often, this is even without our knowledge.

Generally, Seelie faeries are often helpful and fair in dealing with us, returning things they borrow, showing gratitude for kindness we show them, showing delight in music and dancing, and displaying appreciation for neatness, order, beauty, and fertility.

Considering this, it makes complete sense that Beltane brings forth the Seelie Court, who emerge on this day to help us celebrate love, lust, and life. As explained in a previous Beltane post, one might look through a sprig of rowan twisted into a ring to seek the faeries at dusk... but beware that faeries, regardless of the Court, do not like to be watched!

Faerie Blessings and Practices

While faeries still do enjoy their carefree and mischievous ways of life, especially after a long winter's repose, Beltane often brings out the best in them. Requesting a blessing by leaving offers of bread and drink at your doorstep may leave you in their good favor. They enjoy the sweet harvests of fruits, candied roots, and aromatic spices, so breads made with dried fruit like raisins and candied peel, ginger, and cinnamon are sure to win them over. Be sure to not use any steel or iron, as they tend to detract the faeries.

Types of Faeries

Below the jump are types of Seelie Court faeries. You might find some to be very familiar, indeed!

• Ballybogs: a type of Bogan that lives in peat bogs
• Bean-Tighes: house faeries that look like kindly faced old peasant women
• Biersals: house faeries that look after beer cellars
• Bogans: a type of Hobgoblin that is very fond of tricks
• Bodachan Sabhaills: house faeries that work at night threshing corn and that keep things tidy; live with and look like old men; are very wise
• Browneys: faerie guardians of bees
• Brownies: house faeries that do odd jobs about a house and farm, cleaning, tidying up, or helping with the brewing; usually go naked, dress in rags, or wear a brown hood and mantle; an offer of clothes will cause them to leave; if offended, they turn into Boggarts
• Bruder Rausch: house faeries that delight in getting people drunk
• Buachaileen: faeries that appear as young men wearing pointed red caps; like to play tricks on shepherds and their animals, but keep their own herds
• Buschfrauen: golden haired faerie women that are small and shaggy with pendulous breasts and hollow backs; they live in hollow trees and guard the forests
• Caryatids: nymphs that live in walnut trees
• Centaurs: have the upper bodies of men and the lower bodies of other beasts, usually horses (hippocentaur), but sometimes donkeys (onocentaur) or even fish (ichthyocentaur)
• Church Grims: live in church bell towers and delight in ringing the bell at midnight; may appear to the clergyman during a funeral, who can tell based on how the grim looks if the deceased soul was saved or lost; they guard the churchyard from the devil
• Cluricauns: similar to Leprechauns, but overfond of raiding wine cellars and borrowing sheep and dogs to ride at night
• Coblyn: mine faeries that do not actually mine anything, just pretend to; if spoken ill of, they will throw stones but never really hurt anyone; often guide miners to the best seams
• Couril: little faeries with webbed feet that haunt ancient stone circles and standing stones
• Dobies: house faeries fond of helping workmen at their tasks; unfortunately, they are so stupid they are more a hindrance than helpful
• Doonies: faeries that appear in the form of a horse, an old man or old woman, and are generally helpful, even to the point of rescuing fallen climbers
• Drakes: house/fire faeries that keep the firewood dry, bring gifts of gold and grain, take care of the house, barn and stables, and make sure the pantry and money chest are well stocked; smell like rotten eggs and take on the character of fire only when they fly, otherwise look like small boys with red caps and coats
• Dryads: Nymphs that make their homes in oak trees
• Dwarves: born of the Giant Ymir’s body, they are intelligent and have great strength; they are superb craftsmen and very wise; they mine precious stones and metals, guard the earth and its riches, and are spirits of rocks and caverns, kin to the Knockers and Coblyn
• Elves: originally ancestral spirits that brought fertility; they are trooping faeries that live in companies ruled by a king or queen, and dwell underground or in certain groves
• Epimeliads: nymphs that live in apple trees
• Fadhas: small, lovely faeries that are generally friendly, will always return anything they borrow, and repair anything they break
• Familiars: guardian faerie spirits, such as Haltias, Fylgiar, and Leanan Sidhe
• Fantine: kindly faeries that bring good weather to farmers; they invented the cow-bell to keep cows from becoming lost
• Fauni: gentler equivalent of the Satyr, mischievous woodland faeries with the heads and torsos of young men and the legs of goats or deer; they love to dance with Nymphs in woodland glades, play their flutes, and are guardians of the fields and forests
• Fatuae: female Fauni; the off-spring of Fauni and Fatuae are known as Incubi
• Flower Faeries: the faerie spirits of flower-bearing plants; born in the flower, they look after them, causing them to grow and then fade
• Forest Sprites: broad term for faeries that live in forests and woodlands, often inhabiting trees and caring for forest animals
• Fridean: faeries that guard roads; they live under rocks
• Fylgiar: protective spirit Familiars that accompany children born with a caul
• Geancanach: house faeries that like to warm themselves at the fireside and be offered drinks of milk; they cannot fly even though they have wings, but can vanish and reappear in another spot instantly
• Gnomes: guardians of the earth and suburban gardens, they live for thousands of years, and reach maturity at the age of one hundred
• Grigs: tiny faeries the size of grasshoppers who are always happy and jolly
• Gryphons: legendary creatures with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle; as the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle was the king of the birds, griffins are an especially powerful and majestic creature; they are known for guarding treasure and priceless possessions
• Gwarchells: small faeries that are gentle and kindly unless disrespected; they live underground and avoid sunlight
• Haltias: faerie Familiars that take on the role of an individual’s genius (i.e., guardian angel) within 3 days of birth; others protect the house or bath like house faeries
• Hamadryads: unlike Caryatids, Epimeliads, Meliai and Dryads, which are Nymphs, Hamadryads are the actual tree with which they are associated, of which there are eight
• Heather Pixies: are diminutive creatures with translucent wings that spend their time spinning
• Hobbs: sometimes a type of house faerie, these shaggy creatures often guard roads and lonely places, and can be either helpful or malicious as they choose, though they are often sought out for their power to cure
• Hobgoblins: hairy, good-natured, but sensitive house faeries that turn into nasty Boggarts if they are slighted, they are associated with farms and particularly dairies
• Hogboys: faeries that live in and protect local mounds and protect domestic animals from Trows; they sometimes mend farm implements in exchange for milk poured into the mounds
• Knockers: small, ugly, thin-limbed faeries that live in mines and guide miners to the best seams by tapping or “knocking”
• Kobolds: as house faeries, if sawdust placed on the floor by Kobolds is left untouched and milk with dung dropped in it by Kobolds is drunk, they know they are welcome and will move in, going so far as to sing lullabies to the children; as mine faeries, they will sometimes take a particular miner under their wing and direct him to the richer seams
• Kornböckes: faeries that guard the grain and cause it to ripen, riding on the breezes that ripple the cornfields
• Korn-Katers: faeries that protect the grain fields
• Korrs: faeries that guard dolmens and the treasure beneath them, as well as stone circles; they deal fairly with humans
• Leanan Sidhe: a faerie mistress that gives inspiration to her poet or musician lover; however, the lover pays the price of the relationship with a shortened life
• Leprechauns: faerie cobblers that make all the shoes for the faerie gentry; they love whiskey and tobacco, smoking small pipes, live under the roots of trees and in deserted castles; it is impossible to steal their legendary pots of gold
• Lesidhes: solitary Irish faeries that guard forests and look like foliage until they move; they can imitate birds and sometimes lead travelers astray
• Lobs: very large and strong house faeries with long, thin tails; they help out around a farm in exchange for a warm spot by the fire and a bowl of milk
• Luchorpáins: sea dwelling Leprechauns that can take humans safely under water by placing herbs in their ears or putting a magical cloak over their head
• Meliai: Nymphs that live in ash trees
• Mermaids: although these creatures (which have the upper bodies of lovely women and the tails of fish and may occasionally be seen sunning themselves on rocks as they gaze into mirrors while combing their hair), like Sirens, have sweet voices with which to lure human lovers into the depths or summon storms to wreck ships, they also make good wives and caring mothers, and have the power to grant gifts
• Merrows: Irish mer-people are human above the waist and fish below; the males have green teeth and hair, pig eyes and red noses but are jovial and friendly, while the females are beautiful and gentle but have webbed fingers
• Moss Maidens: faeries that spin the moss of the forests; they help humans they like and have healing powers; they help crops to grow and turn the color of the leaves in autumn
• Naiads: Nymphs of running water, rivers and springs, fountains and streams
• Nymphs: female nature spirits that may be regarded as minor goddesses
• Pillywiggin: delicate faeries that live among wild flowers
• Pixies/Piskies: little green faeries that like to dance in the shadow of standing stones; they wear bells often heard across moors or within faerie mounds; steal and wildly ride ponies at night; can turn into hedgehogs at will; loves to lead travelers astray, but always returns them safely; although mischievous, they can be as helpful as house faeries; in Cornwall, described as dapper little old men with gright eyes and white waistcoats, green stockings and highly polished shoes that gleam with diamond dew that ride snails; rings of mushrooms appear where they have been dancing; give humans: usually witches) a green ointment that rends them invisible so they can join in the faerie revels
• Roane: faerie seal people who are gentle, shy and retiring; females sometimes come ashore and cast off their sealskins
• Satyrs: nature spirits of the fields and woods, covered in bristly hair with goat legs and feet, have small horns on their foreheads and extremely large genitals, flat noses and pointed ears; incessantly chasing various Nymphs
• Selkies: take the form of seals in the sea but shed their seal skins when the come ashore and assume human form, where they dance
• Shellycoats: water faeries that haunt shallow woodland pools; covered with shell-like scales of red or purple and generally look like fish with large mouths and eyes; can take off their coats, but become weak and powerless; they can fly and like to play harmless pranks on travelers looking for fresh water
• Sprites: faeries that change the colors of the leaves in Autumn
• Sylphs: air elemental that lives in the mountain peaks and are rarely seen; sometimes their voices are heard on the wind; mostly transparent, very small and winged, or alternatively tall with feathered wings and large hawk-like eyes
• Undines: elemental spirits of water
• Unicorns: white horse with a single horn in center of forehead; seldom seen by humans
• Wood-wives: shaggy in appearance and covered in moss, they haunt old forests and groves; they ask people to bake them a cake or repair their wheelbarrow, or ask woodcutters for food; they always leave a gift in return, wood chips that turn into gold
• Woodwose: a forest spirit, wild man or green man, shaggy in appearance, naked and covered on in their own hair but does not speak; guards the forest and its inhabitants

Beltane In A Week: Gods, Goddesses, and Other Symbols

Yesterday we discussed a (very!) brief history of Beltane, but what's some history without a little folklore? The gods, goddesses, and other symbols of Beltane are what really bring this Sabbat to life!

The Green Man

Imagine being in the British Isles, where forests can stretch for miles and miles, and how terrifying it must be to enter that great expanse of woods with nothing but a few hunting tools and some satchels to carry your finds. Pretty intimidating! Of course, you would have had to enter such a place in the spring months for the meat the animals provided, the edible plants in abundance, and the wood for your fires (sacred and otherwise). It only seems logical that people would attribute such a place with earthy spirituality and as representative of the cycle of life.

The Green Man

A very recognizable god of spring, the Green Man represents vegetation and plant life, symbolizing the life that is found in the earth and in the plant world. He is typically portrayed as dense foliage that creates a human face -- and if you're wandering around the woods as in the example above, you're likely to come across his face more than once. In some Wiccan traditions, he is an aspect of the Horned God Cernunnos, a Celtic god connected with male animals (particularly the stag), fertility, forest protection, and the hunt, of which he is surely a master.

The May Queen

Each spring, as the sun finally begins to peek above the horizon and animals emerge from their slumbers for a good post-hibernation stretch, the May Queen, the Maiden herself, stirs from sleep, awakening to do battle with the Queen of Winter, the Crone. This battle is not for naught -- if it weren't for this fight, we wouldn't enjoy the six months of abundance and warmth that spring brings! Finally the Crone is sent away until it is her time to return in the fall.

The May Queen, or the Goddess Flora

In some Wiccan traditions, this story is told year after year as the wheel turns. Her name is Flora, and she is goddess of the flowers, the young blushing bride, the princess of the Fae. She has several archetypes, from Lady Marian in the Robin Hood tales to Guinevere in the Arthurian cycle. In Roman times, she was so well-revered as a goddess of fertility that she was often the patron goddess of prostitutes, and libations of milk and honey were paid in her honor.

Just like the seasons, the May Queen is ever changing; as spring rolls into summer, she becomes the Mother, nurturing the earth to help it bring forth flowers and trees, to watch them blossom and bloom in abundance. Then summer turns to fall, and she becomes the Crone, who brings dark skies and winter storms. You might remember the Crone that the May Queen battles after a long winter? They're one and the same, and the wheel of life, death, and rebirth turns on.

The Faeries

Just like Samhain, which falls on 31 October, Beltane is a time when the veil between the worlds are at its thinnest, and the Fae come out to play -- sometimes, if a human is a bit too daring with them, with very negative consequences! Leave a gift or offering for them, though, and you're sure to be in good graces with them... and they may leave a little something in return. Look for a sprig of rowan twisted into a ring, as this is where they will likely hide, and scope it at dusk to get a better chance of sneaking a peek. Just be careful, as I said earlier about being daring, especially with their privacy...!

It is said that the Queen of the Faeries rides out of her white horse at Beltane, enticing people away to Faeryland. If you sit beneath a tree on Beltane night, you may see her or hear the sound of her horse's bells as she rides through the night. Hide your face, and she'll merely pass you by; look her in the face, though, and she may choose you for Faeryland.

Later today, we will go into detail about the Faery Courts, the Seelies and the Unseelies, which rule at different times of the year and which bring very different Fae attitudes.

The Bees

I'll be entirely straightforward and admit that, like most people, Matt and I are terrified of bees. (It may have something to do with Matt's allergic reactions to their stings, but even that aside, we prefer if they leave us... erm, "bee"!) Bees, however, are a very magical part of spring -- in addition to the earth suddenly returning to full bloom, a change in local wildlife occurs, as squirrels and chipmunks coming out to play and birds twitter as they flit from tree to tree. Take a peek at some herbs or a flowering bush or tree, and you'll also see bees buzzing from flower to flower, partaking of the rich pollens they offer and carrying them from one blossom to the next.

Bees are known to have magical qualities in addition to them providing us with fresh honey and waxes. Many legends float about them:

• Bees that fly into your house are said to bring guests, and if you kill the bee, they'll come bearing bad news. (Note to self: Buy a net and just let them free!)
  
• Several deities that are associated with bees, including Aphrodite, Vishnu, and Pan.
  
• In some areas of New England and Appalachia, if someone dies, it is believed that the family must "go to the bees" to tell them of the death. Whoever kept the bees for the family would make sure the bees got the news so they could spread it.
  
• If a bee lands on your hand, you will fall into a financial windfall.
  
• Are you a Harry Potter fan? You'll appreciate this one: Albus Dumbledore was named in honor of bees, as "Albus" is a runner plant that produces pure-white flowers and edible snap beans, and "Dumbledore" comes from the early modern English word meaning "bumblebee." J.K. Rowling says he was named such as she could imagine him "walking around humming to himself."
  
• In some cultures, because worker bees that produce honey never mate, bees are associated with purity. In others, they are associated with wisdom.
  
• In Celtic mythology, bees are messengers between our world and the spirit realm.

Here at TCC for our first [Insert Pagan Holiday] In A Week? Be sure to grab our button and share this Beltane with your friends!







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Beltane In A Week: A History of Beltane

Welcome to my new series, [Insert Pagan Holiday] In A Week! This week, I'll be focusing on Beltane, a holiday celebrated on 1 May that focuses on Mother Earth's fertility as the wheel turns to Spring. Hopefully by the end, you'll be well-versed in Beltane history, lore, spellwork, and more!

The word Beltane is derived from the Old Irish Beltain, the Gaelic name for the festival that takes place the first day of May. It was originally a festival celebrated in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, and has spread over different areas of the world, especially in light of recent Celtic revivals. The Celts of old honored the fertility of the gods with gifts and offerings (sometimes even sacrificing an animal or human), while the Irish lit the fires of Tara each year at Beltane, which supplied fire for every other bonfire in the area.

There is a lot of history and are several rites that celebrate Beltane, but for the sake of brevity, I'll be discussing the traditions celebrated by modern-day Wiccans and Pagans. According to some Wiccan traditions, Beltane is when the May Queen Flora and the Queen of Winter duke it out in a battle for who will reign over the season. Oddly, this goddess is one and the same: As spring becomes summer and the wheel of the year turns, she goes from Maiden (of fertility, bounty, and hearth) to Mother (of blossoming and abundance) to Crone (of dark skies, winter storms, and the end of the cycle of life), only to be revived as the sun returns.


Despite its dissemination in different areas of the world, Beltane still maintains several of its components, the most recognizable being bonfires and the Maypole.

Bonfires are typically made with the wood of nine magickal woods associated with the season (oak, apple, hawthorn, birch, elder, ash, blackthorn, grape vine, mountain ash (rowan), holly, willow, cedar, yew, and hemlock), and they mark a time of purification and transition, the welcoming of the sun after what are typically long, cold, harsh winters. Young women are encouraged to jump over them for fertility, and jumping over the dying embers of a Beltane fire is said to bring good fortune in the summer.

Maypoles are tall poles decorated with flowers and hanging ribbons, which are woven as dancers, who grasp the ends of the ribbons in their hands, circle around the pole. As they weave in and out of each other, the ribbons eventually knot up, creating intricate patterns of colorful stripes by the end. The pole represents the phallus of the god, and a wreath perched at the top of the pole represents the vagina of the goddess. It's easy to see why Beltane is often referred to as the "sexy holiday"!

Many modern Pagans also celebrate this time of fertility and abundance by planting and sowing seeds, anticipating the buds and flowers of early May as the sun renews and the rain nourishes. Certain trees are associated with Beltane, which we'll cover at a later date along with other Beltane associations.