Beltane: Rise With The Fire!

The midway point between Spring and Summer is the holiday Beltane, also known as May Day. This fire festival is symbolic of new beginnings and fertility.

The ground is thawing, even though there may be some peaks of cold, the days are growing longer and warmer. We see the sun lingering at the end of the day in a blazing glory of oranges and red, the pinks and purple giving way to the more fierce fire colors of summer. 

The animals are waking up too. Birds are chirping early in the morning even if an overnight frost lingers on the ground. And even those are becoming few and far between. The heat of the sun is rising.

During this celebration, we honor the polarity of feminine and masculine. In some pagan faiths, the May Queen (The Maiden) and the May King (Young Oak King) are honored. Their joining results in the abundance of earth.

How To Celebrate

There are so many fun ways to celebrate Beltane and the awakening energies that surround us. In this Sabbat, we are celebrating the earth coming to full vibrancy. Our ancestors who relied on the earth for crops and to take care of their animals, also performed rituals to protect the animals and the crops while also encouraging growth. 

While many of us don't solely rely on our gardens to provide year-round sustenance, we can still honor the beauty of the earth and the abundance we receive from it.

Flower Garlands

Add flowers to your altar or make a flower crown. If you grow flowers in your own garden, you can carefully pluck a few while giving thanks to the earth. If you’re crafty and want to make a crown, get some wire and use floral tape to hold the flowers in place. You can add branches or twigs to fill in the spaces and add a more rustic look.

While crafting, make sure to send positive energy and personal intentions to your piece. Think of abundance and new energies for the coming growing season both in your garden and in your life.

Maypole

Perhaps one of the most recognizable symbols of Beltane is the Maypole. This can be as small or as large as you want or as space allows.

All you need is a large stick and some ribbons of various colors. You can glue the ribbons on, but make sure they are all the same length. You can decorate the top of the pole with flowers. 

If it’s large enough, you can dance around it wrapping the ribbons around as you go. The movement creates positive energy and abundance. 

Fire

Enjoy a bonfire or do some candle magic.

Since Beltane is a fire festival, honor this Sabbat with some fire, whether it is in the form of a bonfire or even some candle magic.

This is the time when protection rituals were performed. If you can’t have a bonfire, a simple candle will suffice. You can add a red candle to symbolize Beltane on your altar. You can also engrave the candle with flowers or sticks if that calls to you, or just leave it plan. 

Some of the most powerful magic is the most simple. Simply lighting the candle and focusing your intentions on the season and the positive, protective energies you seek is enough.

Just make sure you are being careful. Use a fire safe container and never leave any type of fire or flame unattended. 

Work in nature

You may have started planning your garden in Ostara, or even before that if you are an eager gardener! But now is the time to get to work!

See what’s growing. Is it time to start cleaning out the dead stuff to make way for new plants? Get your hands in the dirt and start feeling the earth between your fingers.

There are so many ways to grow a garden. If you don’t have personal outdoor space, you can grow plants in pots. 

Even if you don’t have a sunny space, the beauty of hydroponic gardening may be something to consider. Setting it up, taking care of the plants and watching them grown can still provide a connection to nature. Some have set ups with their own natural light to mimic the sun.

Creativity 

Since the earth is becoming alive and abundant, so too should our creativity. Take the time to do something you love that is creative. Are you a writer? An artist? Or a dreamer? Whatever it is that feeds your soul, now is the time to do it.

Now is also the time to take further action on any intentions. If you set them at Imbolc, planted the seeds at Ostara, well, now is the time to make sure you are watering those plants and watching them grow. Take the steps necessary to create the life you want. 

Make it grow with a prosperity fire ritual by visualizing your intentions coming to fruition as you watch the flames grow and flicker, the smoke and flying embers sending those positive intentions to the universe.

Overall, the theme for Beltane is abundance. It's the joining of two (Goddess and God) to form the abundance of earth during our growing season.

Your celebration can be as big or as small as you like. There is no formal, wrong or right way. There is only your way. And that is right for you. So get out there! Enjoy the earth awakening! And honor the fire season of Beltane as summer is around the corner.