Also known as May Eve, May Day, and Walpurgis Night, happens at
the beginning of May. It celebrates the height of Spring and the flowering of life. The Goddess manifests as the May Queen
and Flora. The God emerges as the May King and Jack in the Green. The danced Maypole represents Their unity, with the pole
itself being the God and the ribbons that encompass it, the Goddess. Colors are the Rainbow spectrum. Beltane is a festival
of flowers, fertility, sensuality, and delight.
Prepare a May basket by filling it with flowers and goodwill and
then give it to someone in need of healing and caring, such as a shut-in or elderly friend. Form a wreath of freshly picked
flowers, wear it in your hair, and feel yourself radiating joy and beauty. Dress in bright colors. Dance the Maypole and feel
yourself balancing the Divine Female and Male within. On May Eve, bless your garden in the old way by making love with your
lover in it. Make a wish as you jump a bonfire or candle flame for good luck. Welcome in the May at dawn with singing and
dancing.
A Sacred Time
Going A-Maying & Bringing in the May
-- Merry-making and Nature communion. Midpoint between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice.
In Pagan Rome, Floralia, from April 27-May 3 was the festival
of the Flower Goddess Flora and the flowering of Springtime. On May 1, offerings were made to Bona Dea (as Mother Earth),
the Lares (household guardian spirits), and Maia (Goddess of Increase) from whom May gets its name. The Roman Catholic traditions
of crowning statues of Mary with flowers on May 1 have Roman Pagan roots. Beltane marks the second half of the Celtic Year;
one of the four Celtic Fire Festivals. A complement to Samhain, it is a time of divination and communion with Fairy Folk/Nature
Spirits. Pastoral tradition of turning sheep, cows, other livestock out to pasture. In Pagan Scandinavia, mock
battles between Winter and Summer were enacted at this time. Building on older tradition of this time being a holiday
for the masses, in the twentieth century, May Day has been a workers' holiday in many places. .
Maypole
Forms include pole, tree, bush, cross; communal or
household; permanent or annual. In Germany, a Fir tree was cut on May Eve by young unmarried men, branches removed, decorated,
put up in village square, and guarded all night until the dance occurred on May Day. In England, permanent Maypoles
were erected on village greens In some villages, there also were smaller Maypoles in the yards of households.
Beltane Fires
Traditionally, sacred woods kindled by spark
from flint or by friction -- in Irish Gaelic, the Beltane Fire has been called teine eigin (fire from rubbing sticks).
Jump over the Beltane Fire, move through it, or dance clockwise around it. Livestock was driven through it or between
two fires for purification and fertility blessings. In ancient times Druid priests kindled it at sacred places; later
times, Christian priests kindled it in fields near the church after peforming a Christian church service. Rowan twigs
were carried around the fire three times, then hung over hearths to bless homes. In the past, Beltane community fire
purification customs included symbolic sacrifice of effigy knobs on the Beltane Cake (of barley) to the fire, or, in medieval
times, mock sacrifice of Beltane Carline (Hag) who received blackened piece of Beltane Cake; Maypoles in Spain were each topped
with a male effigy which was later burned. Contemporary Pagans burn sacred wood and dried herbs as offerings in their Beltane
fires.
May Waters
Rolling in May Eve dew or washing face in pre-dawn
May Day dew for health, luck, and beauty. The blessing of springs, ponds, other sacred waters with flowers, garlands,
ribbons, other offerings. Collecting sacred waters and scrying in sacred springs, wells, ponds, other waters.
Sacred Union & Fertility
Union with the Land , often with
actual mating outside on the Land to bless fields, herds, home. The May Queen (May Bride) is seen as a personification of
the Earth Goddess and Goddesses of Fertility. The May King (May Groom) is seen as a personification of Vegetation God, Jack-in-Green
-- often covered in green leaves
