Beltane | May Day | 1st May

Beltane marks half-way between Ostara (The Spring Equinox) and Litha (The Summer Solstice) it honours the reunion of male and female energy, love, life, fertility and the returning of Summer. All of the Earth's energies are at their strongest and most active; fertility, sexuality, passion. Energy and new life are at their peak at this time.

Beltane is a good time for bringing hopes, dreams and aspirations to life.

The word 'Beltane' originates from the Celtic God 'Bel', meaning 'bright one' and the Gaelic word 'teine' meaning fire. Together they make 'Bright Fire', or 'Godly Fire' and traditionally bonfires were lit to honour the Sun and encourage the support of Bel and the Sun's light to nurture the emerging future harvest and protect the community. Traditionally all fires in the community were put out and a special fire was kindled for Beltane. People jumped the fire to purify, cleanse and to bring fertility. Couples jumped the fire together to pledge themselves to each other.

Handfasting

Beltane is a popular time for pagan weddings or Handfastings, a traditional betrothal for 'a year and a day' after which the couple would either choose to stay together or part without recrimination. Today, the length of commitment is a matter of choice for the couple, and can often be for life. Handfasting ceremonies are often unique to the couple, but include common elements, most importantly the exchange of vows and rings (or a token of their choice). The act of handfasting always involves tying the hands Handfasting ('tying the knot') of the two people involved, in a figure of eight, at some point in the ceremony and later unbinding. This is done with a red cord or ribbon. Tying the hands together symbolises that the two people have come together and the untying means that they remain together of their own free will.

Another common element is 'jumping the broomstick' - this goes back to a time when two people who could not afford a church ceremony, or want one, would be accepted in the community as a married couple if they literally jumped over a broom laid on the floor. The broom marked a 'threshold', moving from an old life to a new one.

Mead and cakes are often shared in communion as part of the ceremony. Mead is known as the Brew of the Divine, made from honey which is appropriate for a love ceremony (and is the oldest alcoholic drink known to humankind).

Activites/ways to celebrate:

- Light a Beltane fire

- Gifting Rose Quartz to your loved one as this is the crystal of universal love. (It restores trust and harmony in relationships, encouraging unconditional love. Rose Quartz purifies and opens the heart at all levels to promote love, self-love, friendship, deep inner healing and feelings of peace).

- Create flower crowns

- Create daisy chains

- Wear flowers on your body

- Take a walk in nature, have a picnic with your loved one

- As this is the day of love (the original valentines day if you will...) if you are of an appropriate age, comfortable and have a partner you would like to take part in this with; being sexually active is part of the celebration!

Crystals:

Rose Quartz - Rose Quartz is the stone of universal love. It restores trust and harmony in relationships, encouraging unconditional love. Rose Quartz purifies and opens the heart at all levels to promote love, self-love, friendship, deep inner healing and feelings of peace.

Emerald - Called the “Stone of Successful Love,” Emerald opens and nurtures the heart and the Heart Chakra. Its soothing energy provides healing to all levels of the being, bringing freshness and vitality to the spirit. A stone of inspiration and infinite patience, it embodies unity, compassion and unconditional love.

Sunstone - Sunstone is linked to luck and good fortune. It clears and energises all the chakras. Sunstone instills good nature, heightens intuition and allows the real self to shine through happily. It dissipates fearfulness, alleviates stress and increases vitality.

Pink Tourmaline - Pink Tourmaline is a stone of love, compassion, emotional healing and self love. It helps calm ones emotions in times of distress, and is the perfect stone to carry if you suffer from daily bouts of anxiety. This stone is such a strong healing stone due to it commonly being formed within Quartz masses

Beryl - Beryl has been said to promote happiness and marital love, increase sincerity, cure laziness, protect travelers from danger, and maintain youthfulness.

Pink angel aura quartz - This treated stone works well with the heart chakra as well as other upper chakras including the soul star chakra. By infusing the body and energy field with pure love, Pink Aura Quartz offers an ability to manifest and accept pure love in the physical, emotional, mental and etheric bodies

Alter ideas:

- Decorate with seasonal spring flowers

- Drape it with green cloth and ribbons to represent the green earth as it is now here

- Light red, pink and green candles

- Red and pink represent passion, love and fertility, which suit the theme of Beltane

I hope you enjoy Beltane how ever you will be spending it! :)

*All information offered is checked to the best of our ability, and whilst every effort has been made to make it accurate, no responsibility will be accepted for errors and omissions.

Any information displayed on our website is not regarded to be authoritative or certified as the best practice and is only considered to be useful supplementary advice to other certified codes of practice. All information on our web site is updated regularly.

Sources: Wicca - Harmony Nice,

https://www.goddessandgreenman.co.uk/beltane