Beltane

Beltane ~ May 1st. (astrological quarter can hit through May 7,8) Alternate NamesBeltain, Bealtaine, Beltine, May Day, Cetsamhain ('first Samhain'),Walpurgis Night (Beltane Eve), Celtic 'Flower Festival'Druidic NameBeltaneChristian EquivalentRoodmas, Rood Day, Feast of Saint Philip and Saint James, Feast ofSaint Walpurga

Place in the Natural CycleBeltane is the cross-quarter festival that marks the start of thesummer quarter of the year and the end of the spring quarter.

This is a time when nature blossoms and felicity and fertility return to theland. In times past, the livestock stockaded at Samhain was returnedto summer pastures at Beltane.Further DetailsBeltane is a joyful festival of growth and fecundity that heralds thearrival of summer. It is the festival of the 'Good Fire' or 'Bel-fire', named after the solar deity Bel. Bel was also known as Beli orBile in Ireland, with Bile meaning 'tree', so Beltane may alsomean 'Tree-fire'.

Beltane is the counterpart of Samhain (and issometimes referred to as Cetsamhain, the 'first Samhain'), and thesetwo important festivals divide the year into summer and winterhalves, just as the two equinoctial celebrations, Ostara and Mabon,divide the year into light and dark halves.Lighting fires was customary at Beltane, and traditionally a Beltanefire was composed of the nine sacred woods of the Celts. All hearthfires were extinguished on Beltane Eve and then kindled again fromthe sacred "need fires" lit on Beltane. People would leap through thesmoke and flames of Beltane fires and cattle were driven through themfor purification, fertility, prosperity and protection.

In terms of the God and Goddess cycle, Beltane marks the union of thetwo deities, bringing new life to the earth. It is a traditional timefor Handfastings (marriages), and was a time for couples to make loveoutside to bless the crops and the earth. Maypoles were often dancedaround at Beltane to bring fertility and good fortune. The lateraddition of ribbons which were wrapped around the pole by the dancersbrought a further sense of the integration of male and femalearchetypes, mirroring the union between the God and the Goddess.Beltane lore also includes washing in May-day dew for beauty andhealth, and scrying in sacred waters, such as ponds or springs.

The festival is sometimes referred to as Roodmas, a name coined bythe medieval Christian Church in an attempt to associate Beltane withthe Cross (the Rood) rather than the life-giving symbol of theMaypole. Beltane was also appropriated by the Church as the Feast Dayof Saint Walpurga, who was said to protect crops and was oftenrepresented with corn.

Beltane is a time to devote energy to growth and integration. It is atime of celebration, exuberance and hope, when we should enjoy andappreciate the gifts of nature.