Beltane is the beginning of summer. It is a festival which celebrates life and gives blessings of fertility for the year to come. The original meaning of the word Beltane is "bel-fire". "Tane" means fire and "Bel" was a Celtic God known as "The Bright One" - God of light and fire. Bel fires are kept burning throughout this celebration to symbolise the sun's growing strength and it's influence over fertility and life. Traditionally nine sacred types of wood were burned in these fires:
- Oak for the God
- Birch for the Goddess
- Fir for birth
- Willow for death
- Rowan for magic
- Apple for love
- Grapevine for joy
- Hazel for wisdom
- Hawthorne for purity and for May
- Birch for the Goddess
- Fir for birth
- Willow for death
- Rowan for magic
- Apple for love
- Grapevine for joy
- Hazel for wisdom
- Hawthorne for purity and for May
Beltane is celebrated in a variety of ways. Many traditions exist from centuries ago such as maypole dancing, morris dancing, making flower garlands and may baskets. In the past it was customary for couples to jump over the bel-fire for good luck and to encourage fertility, cattle were driven between fires to promote a good milk yield and frail or sick people would also walk between fires to obtain healing blessings from the sun.
Beltane is a popular time for couples to court or proclaim their love for each other and many decide they would like to be handfasted at this time. Handfasting is a ceremony which joins a couple together for usually a year and a day although this union can continue after this time, for as long as both partners wish. During the ceremony the couple joins hands in a figure of eight creating the symbol of infinity to signify an everlasting bond. Their hands are then bound together with ribbon or cord to signify their union and this is where the common phrase "tie the knot" originates. Other handfasting traditions include decorating the ceremonial space with an abundance of flowers in honour to the Goddess and jumping over a broomstick to signify the beginning of a new life together.
At this time of the year you will see the budding leaves on the trees with cherry, apple and hawthorn blossom in full bloom. Flowers will be conducting their daily ritual of awakening in salutation to the soft kiss of the sun's rays to beautify our gardens and green areas during the day and then curling up softly to sleep under the moon's watchful gaze at night.
Beltane is a time to play and have fun, to be content and experience the joy of life. It is a time of fresh beginnings, of celebrating new projects and seeing our hard work beginning to take shape. It is a time to rejoice in the new life around, to welcome the summer with passion and celebrate ourselves as creatures of love and sensuality.
