Beltane | Origins & How to Celebrate
History, folklore, and ideas for the modern day
Spring is hesitant this year. She inhales, then exhales, spreading a breath of warmth across the meadows, whispering her secrets of growth to the wildflowers. She wiggles her toes one by one, testing the cool air, and stretches dew-soaked fingertips towards the greying sky. There is no rush for spring, she is patient and still. She can wait for brighter days before nudging the bumblebees into action. She rests, breathing deep, tickling the legs of butterflies.
It feels like just moments ago I was planting my first seeds for Imbolc and beginning a new calendar year, and now suddenly Beltane is upon us once more. Beltane, or Bealtaine, is the Gaelic festival which celebrates the beginning of spring. In this post, Iām going to explore some of the history and origins of this sacred time, as well as offer ten suggestions on how you can celebrate in the modern day.
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What is Beltane?
Simply put, Beltane (Irish spelling Bealtaine) is an ancient Gaelic festival which marks the beginning of summer. It is traditionally held on the 1st of May, or about midway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice.
Itās been widely observed for a long time in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, as well as spreading out into other areas of the world. Bealtaine is one of the four main Celtic seasonal festivals, along with Samhain, Imbolc and Lughnasadh, and is now also celebrated in the modern day.
Where did it come from?
The earliest reference that can be found about Bealtaine is in the Sanah Chormaic, an early Irish glossary. The glossary has been attributed to a man named Cormac of Cashel who lived in the 9th century, and under the entry āBeltaneā, he referenced ālucky firesā that the druids would make with āgreat incantationsā, and drive the cattle between them. The text also referred to this marking the beginning of summer.
As for the word itself, Beltane could possibly derive from a Common Celtic word meaning 'bright fire', though some speculate that āBelā could reference a pagan god.
According to a seventeenth-century historian named Geoffrey Keating, there was a gathering at the hill of Uisneach each Beltane in Ireland, where a sacrifice was made to a god named Beil. Keating wrote that two bonfires would be lit in every district of Ireland, and cattle would be driven between them to protect them from disease. Excavations at Uisneach in the twentieth century found evidence of large fires and charred bones, and even now people flock to the hill to light fires and celebrate on Beltane.
The traditions carried on as time went on, and even in the 1820s in the rural south of Ireland, cows were made to jump over lighted straw to stop milk from being stolen by fairy folk.
Beltane spread to Scotland too, and in 1571 in Peebles, there is a record of the corporation doubling the watch around this time in an effort to control some of the festivities that were going on at the time. The gatherings would involve a large feast, drinking, and celebrations of the season.
Often flowers would be used in decoration at this time, such as covering doors, windows, cattle, or even making a āMay Bushā in some parts of Ireland by decorating a thorn bush with ribbons and flowers. Holy wells would be visited, and the Beltane dew was thought to bring beauty and youthfulness to women when applied to the face.
Many cultures around the world share similar celebrations, such as Walpurgis night in Germanic countries, Calan Mai in Wales, the Roman festival of Flora (the goddess of flowers), and May Day in England.
The modern day
So, you may be wondering why anyone in the modern day would still be interested in celebrating what could essentially be seen as a festival to bring in luck for livestock, but as all traditions evolve and grow through the years, Beltane is now celebrated once more to bring in the summer season.
When thinking of Beltane or May Day, you may conjure up images of folk dancing around maypoles with ribbons, imagery of the green man and a fair maiden chasing one another in a theatrical performance, or flower crowns adorning the heads of young women.
Large Beltane gatherings are now very common, such as the hill at Uisneach, a festival in Edinburgh each year involving fire performers and parades in the streets, and a Beltane celebration at Butser Ancient Farm in the south of England, just to name a few.
There are also smaller pagan groups that gather to bring in the season, and with a little searching, you could probably find a celebration near you. It seems thereās a deep desire within humans to connect to the season around this time, to shake off the cold winter and spring and welcome in the warmth of the fire and the sun.
Ideas on how to celebrate
If youāre keen to keep the old ways alive and continue the ancient tradition of celebrating Bealtaine at this time of year, here is a list of simple things that you can do to welcome in the season:
Meditative walk - I make this suggestion for absolutely every seasonal festival, but I think a meditative walk is a really key way to begin your celebration of the season. Take some time out to go to a park, garden or forest, and switch off all distractions. Really take some time for a contemplative walk, where your aim is to observe the seasonās shifts, noticing which flowers are out, which trees are in bud, and any bird calls you may here. A simple walk like this does wonders for connecting you to the land and to the nature around you.
Light a fire - the Beltane fire is one of the key features of this celebration and a really good way to connect to the spirit of the festival. Perhaps you would like to light a great bonfire, or maybe a fire pit in the garden, or even lighting a candle will be perfect. Consider the warmth and heat of the fire in relation to the sun, welcoming in the warmer days to come.
Get flowery - focusing on flowers is another lovely way to celebrate Beltane, and there are all sorts of things you could do. Perhaps you purchase a bunch of flowers and set them on a table somewhere to brighten up your room, or you could get a potted plant and watch it bloom. Doing some sort of craft with flowers such as creating a flower crown or mini-maypole is also a great activity.
Gather with people - Beltane was traditionally celebrated in groups of people merry-making, so grab some friends, put on a spread, and share some drinks together. Beltane is a time when you can indulge a little!
Photo by Ben Rosett on Unsplash Embrace intimacy - this time of year is a celebration of fertility, life and love, even the maypole stands proud as a phallic symbol of virility. This can be a great time to be intimate with a partner and welcome this energy in.
Fertility/creativity rituals - in the spirit of fertility, you may wish to work on a fertility spell/ritual, but this doesnāt need to only be about becoming pregnant. Fertility can also be about your creativity, and you can use this time to think about something youād like to welcome in or create in the coming months.
Engage with the fae - this one will depend on your beliefs, but many people like to ues this time of year to work with the fae. Many traditions feature offerings being presented to the fairy folk at Beltane, but some practices are there to simply ward off the negative fae and foster good luck.
Sunbathe - free and simple! After many months of grey skies and dark days, the simple act of sitting outside intentionally to sunbathe can be transformative. Welcome in the life-giving energy of the sun and bask in the gratitude that warm, long days are coming.
Gardening - there are few things more magical than watching a bee gather pollen from a flower that you planted and brought into the world. This can be a great time to plant certain flower bulbs, sow seeds, or tend to your garden. Even a potted plant on a windowsill will help you bring in the magic of Beltane.
Foraging - depending on where you live, this can be a great time to forage for plants outside and use them in your recipes. Spring greens like dandelion, nettles and cleavers will help support the liver and clear the lymph, as well as flowers and wild edibles to help get you more in touch with the land around you. Be safe with this one and make sure you know what you have gathered.
Iād love to hear what your plans are for celebrating the season, so please let me know in a comment!