Also referred to as the Fire Festival, Beltane represents the peak of Spring and the beginning of Summer. It celebrates the union of the Goddess and the Green Man – the coming together of male and female energies to create new life.
The word ‘Beltane’ originates from the Celtic God ‘Bel’, meaning ‘the bright one’ and the Gaelic word ‘teine’ meaning fire. Together they make ‘Bright Fire‘, or ‘Goodly 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. Bel had to be won over through human effort. A special fire was kindled for Beltane. This was the Tein-eigen, the need fire:
- People jumped the fire to purify, cleanse and to bring fertility.
- Couples jumped the fire together to pledge themselves to each other.
- Cattle and other animals were driven through the smoke as a protection from disease and to bring fertility.
Mead and sweet cakes are often shared in communion as part of the ceremony. Mead is known as the Brew of the Divine, made from honey which seems appropriate for a love ceremony. Mead is the oldest alcoholic drink known to humankind.
Beltane dew was thought to bring beauty and maintain youthfulness.
The Colours of Beltane:
- Green, representing growth, abundance and fertility.
- Red, representing strength, vitality, passion and vibrancy.
- White/Silver, representing cleansing and clearing and the power to disperse negativity.
Trees of Beltane:
- Hawthorn – Hawthorn is a deeply magical tree. Traditionally Beltane began when the Hawthorn, the May, blossomed. It is the tree of sexuality and fertility and is the classic flower to decorate a Maypole with. It was both worn and used to decorate the home at Beltane.
- Birch – Birch is regarded as a feminine tree and Deities associated with Birch are mostly love and fertility goddesses. It is one of the first trees to show its leaf in Spring. Birch twigs were traditionally used to make besoms (a new broom sweeps clean). Maypoles were often made from birch and birch wreaths were given as lover’s gifts.
- Rowan – Known as a tree of protection and healing. Branches of Rowan were placed as protection over the doors of houses and barns at Beltane to protect from increased Faery activity as they woke from their winter slumber. Sprigs were worn for protection also. Rowan berries have a tiny five-pointed star on the bottom reminiscent of the pentagram.
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