Beltane

Beltane is a fire festival of the wheel of the year and is often known as May Day. It signifies the height of spring as it sits between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. Beltane is about celebrating life and fertility, with the May Queen being crowned as she awakens the land with her love, joy and maiden energy.

The Green Man has been waiting for the maiden to awaken the ground once more, he comes out of the shadows with his ivy, twigs and mossy appearance and is greeted by the May Queen, who will discard the foliage from him, as they come together to create the fertile land of Summer.

During May Day festivals, you will often find a young lady chosen to be the May Queen, dressed it a floral crown, and the green man dressed in green, and foliage. Another tradition is maypole dancing. The maypole represents the Phallic symbol of the male energy, and the ribbons binding the pole represents the feminine energy. Morris Dancers dance and call, with ringing bells and banging of poles to awaken summer, but all these rituals are relatively new, and where ever you are in the country on May Day, they all have their own traditions and versions of the May Queen and Green man.

New Forest Medlars - Green Man Parade

In times gone by, Beltane was celebrated by sending the cattle to their summer pastures, but not before they had walked between the two bonfires created by the villagers, walking the animals between the fires purified the milk and gave them protection from the fairies. Mayflowers were tied to the tails of the cows to prevent the fairies stealing the milk and a cup of milk were left on the doorstep of houses to give an offering to the malevolent fairy and to prevent them entering homes. On a fire festival, the home fires are left to burn out and relit from the embers of the village bonfires to bring protection to the homes and to connect the community through the energy and protection of the sacred fire.

You can acknowledge the Beltane energy for yourself by finding a fire festival near you; these are becoming more and more popular. Burley, here in the New Forest, holds a Green Man parade at the beginning of May, organised by the local Morris dancing group, The Medlars. Alternatively, you can quietly acknowledge the energy alone by taking some time in nature and observing the 'awakening' as the trees unfurl their leaves, birds are nesting, bracken is shooting into intricate spirals, and the summer visitors are arriving. Swifts and swallows swoop, cuckoos call, and redstarts flit about in the woodland. Young mammals are venturing from dens and braving it a little further from the safety of the family, and wildflowers dance on the breeze. Feel this new awakening in your body, with more light and warmth, and maybe pick some wild herbs, such as yarrow, plantain, nettle, and cleavers, and brew them into a refreshing spring tea, mindfully sipping as you drink in the energy of spring and Mother Gaia's awakening.

This is also a really good time to tend to your young plants you had seeded earlier in the year. Gently weed around them and get your hands in the soil, while showing gratitude to your young plants for the support and nutrients they give to the soil, wildlife, and you. Then mindfully water them as you feel your heart of joy connect to the water, the plant, and the earth.

Bring a twig into your home and decorate it with things that make you feel joyful, and write wishes and desires and tie them to the twig. Bring spring flowers into your home, or wear flowers in your hair and light a candle to honour the fire festival. When your twig is looking a little dry and ready to be removed, burn it with your wishes attached to allow the Universe to answer.

You can create some handmade gifts to strengthen the energy of your community, you can make salves and balms from spring plants (just like to Whoops-a-daisy balm in a previous post) or make some candles with sweet smelling essence to hand out to your loved ones, knowing they are infused with your energy and love, You may agree to light them at the same time and to think of each other, although you cannot be together, just to strengthen that bond.

However and whenever you acknowledge Beltane, just remember it is an energy of awakening that starts in the belly of our beautiful Earth and vibrates through everything she supports, including us. If you just take a moment to think about that, it is enough to connect to the energy and vibration of nature, our planet, and how you are part of and intrinsically connected to all.