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~*~ Beltane ~ May 1st ~*~
Beltane, is May 1, or the first Full Moon
in Taurus. Other names for it are May Day or Lady Day. It is primarily a
fertility festival with nature enchantments and offerings to wildlings and
Elementals. The powers of elves and faeries are growing and will reach their
height at Summer Solstice. A time of great magic, it is good for all
divinations and for establishing a woodland or garden shrine. The house
guardians should be honored at this time.
Also known as:
May Day, Bealtaine, Beltane, Bhealtainn, Bealtinne, Festival of Tana
Symbols: May Pole, Egg, Baskets, Flowers, Butterchurn
Deities: Flower Goddesses, Divine Couples, Deities of the Hunt
Colors: Red and White
Herbs: almond, ash, cinquefoil, frankincense, marigold, meadowsweet,
and woodruff may be burned; angelica, bluebells, daisy, hawthorn, ivy,
lilac, primrose, and rose may be decorations.
The first of May has been celebrated in song and verse for longer than
human history has recorded the date. It is a time to celebrate new life in
all its forms, and the time when the Goddess and the God are united in
sacred marriage, their relationship consummated, an act which symbolically
fertilizes the animals and crops for the coming year.
The most common ritual act which celebrates this union is known as the Great
Rite. It is the symbolic union of the male and female principles of
creation, the union of the two halves of the All-Power which unite to bring
all things into being. The Great Rite is usually performed by ritually
placing a male ritual tool, usually the athame, into a female ritual tool
representing the cosmic womb. A chalice or small cauldron is usually chosen
for this purpose. Couples working together will often invoke the deities
into themselves and perform the Great Rite de facto, which is also
acceptable.
The dancing of the May Pole is another May Day Celtic custom practiced both
within and outside of Paganism. The weaving of the red and white ribbons
around the pole, like the Great Rite, symbolized the union of Goddess and
God.
Here are some Beltaine activities that could be included at the Sabbat or
during the day:
Make a wish as you jump over a bonfire, (or campfire, May Day is a good time
to go camping).
Make Beltaine bread. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and combine:
4 cups sifted flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
2 cups sugar
1 tube almond paste
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon 5 eggs
When dough is worked to medium soft, shape into flattened balls and place on
an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool,
ice with a white Solar Cross. You could try this as a single loaf.
Activities taken from
Grimoire for the Green Witch: A Complete Book of Shadows
Wiccan Sabbat Books...
Beltane: Springtime Rituals, Lore and Celebration
Witches' Sabbats
A Year of Ritual
Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon
Seasons of the Witch: Celebrating the 8 Wiccan Festivals of the Year
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This wonderful site was created to help inform any person wanting to
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*About Me
I, Syrah, am simply a Wiccan Priestess who upon the discovery of Wicca
experienced a profound and amazing change in my life. I just want
to give back to the Wiccan community and help it to grow and prosper.
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