Northern Hemisphere: May 1 – Southern Hemisphere: October 31
Also known as May 1st, Cross Day, Rudemas and Walpurgisnacht, the Sabbat Beltane is derived from the former Druid Fire Festival, which celebrated the union of the Goddess to its consort, God, and is also a fertility festival. In Ancient Religion, the word “fertility” means the desire to produce more in farms and fields and not erotic activity by itself.
Festival celebrated on October 31 (Deireadh Fomhair) marks the entry of the clear part of the year. Beltane or Bealtaine literally means “bright fire” or “fires of Bel”, in honor of Bilé, considered the father of Gods and men. It was in Beltane that the Tuatha of Danann arrived in Ireland. This festival celebrates the union of lovers, fertility, healing and creativity. The Northern Hemisphere is celebrated on May 1st.
Beltane is the opposite of Samhain and represents the beginning of summer and the end of winter. The traditional Beltane fires and offerings in the Holy Wells are typical activities of this time, symbolizing protection and good luck. It is the sacred union between Heaven and Earth, where two worlds meet again, because the veils of the Other World become more tenuous.
Beltane also celebrates the return of the sun (or Sun God), and is one of the few pagan festivals that survived from pre-Christian times until today and, for the most part, in the original form. It is based on Floralia, an ancient Roman festival dedicated to Flora, the sacred goddess of flowers. In earlier times, this festival was dedicated to Pluto, the Roman lord of the Underworld, correspondent of the god Hades of Greek mythology. The first day of May was also the one on which the ancient Romans burned oblivion and Salmon Seal and hung garlands of flowers before their altars in honor of the guardian spirits who looked and protected their families and their homes.
On Beltane Day the sun is astrologically in the sign of Tauros, the Bull, which marks the “death” of winter, the “birth” of spring and the beginning of the planting season. Beltane begins, lighting, according to tradition, Beltane's bonfires at the dawn of the moon on the eve of May 1st to light the way to summer. The Sabbath ritual is performed in honor of the Goddess and God, followed by the celebration of Nature, which consists of banquets, ancient pagan games, reading poetry and singing sacred songs. Various offerings are made to the elemental spirits, and the members of the Coven dance very joyfully, in the destructive sense, around the Mast (phalic symbol of fertility). They also intertwine various colorful and bright ribbons to symbolize the union of the male with the female and to celebrate the great fertilizing power of God. Joy and entertainment usually extend to the first hours of the morning, and at the dawn of day 1, the morning dew is collected from flowers and grass to be used in mystical potions of good luck.
The warmth of the sun and the exuberance of nature represent passion and love, marking a time of great power. The light of the fires, on top of the mountains and in sacred places, were very important rituals in all Celtic lands, especially for the purification of cattle.
“There Bealtaine” is known in Irish mythology as: “Among the two Fires of Beltane”, the great fires also mark a time of purification and transition, announcing the hope of good harvests and the blessings of creation in our lives. A typical custom of Beltane is to pass between two fires, the fire can be represented by candles or torches. The continental Celts celebrated in honor of Belenos at this time of the year.
This is a very cheerful ritual, celebrated with dances and songs!
This is an excellent time to make incantations of healing, love and prosperity, and to reap dew at the dawn of Beltane to wash the face and, with this, receive its blessings of beauty and youth. So be it!
Traditional pagan foods from Sabbat Beltane are red fruits (such as cherries and strawberries), herbal salads, pink or red wine punch and round oats or barley cakes, known as Beltane cakes. At the time of the ancient druids, Beltane cakes were divided into equal portions, taken into lots and consumed as part of the Sabbath rite. Before the ceremony, a portion of the cake was darkened with coal, and the unfortunate who removed it was called the “Beltane witch”, and became the sacrificial victim to be thrown into the burning fire.
In the Highlands of Scotland, Beltane cakes are used for divination, and pieces of them are thrown into the fire as an offering to the protective spirits and deities.
Suggestion for ritual:
Suggestion to celebrate Beltane
Correspondence:
– Correlation: festival of fertility, purification and renewal through fire.
– Symbols: red and white color, red flowers, green leaves and colored garlands.
– Incenses: olive, lilac and pink, patchouli, musk or roses.
– Food: red wine, cider or juice, honey cake, bread and red fruit.
– Colours of candles: dark green.
– Sacred precious stones: emerald, orange cornalin, sapphire, pink quartz.
– Traditional ritualistic herbs: almond, angelica, ash, bell, five-leaves, daisy, halibut, thorn, ivy, lilac, malmequer, beard, primer, roses, satyrion root, asperula and yellow springs.
Brilliant Fire
For the lands beyond the horizon,
Winds blow the flames of bright fire
roubar: The gods turn to the fountain
Making the heart pound fast
Love dance entanto under the moonlight
Destination beyond images
That shine before that look
Movement of the body that groans with pleasure
In the sacred dance that unites the cup and the sword
Hearts united by the eternal brightness of Bel
They rescue Avalon's memories
In this intoxicating holy liquid of honey
The gold ring seals the silver kiss
For the mists that bloom again
Just to ritualize this divine love
Where lovers meet at last
Sabba todavia Beltane Ritual
The atravesSabbath Beltane of the Witches officially begins at the birth of the Vesper moon of May 1st (or November in the southern hemisphere), and is traditionally held on top of a mountain where Beltane's immense bonfires are lit to illuminate the path to summer and increase fertility in animals, seeds and houses. (The great fires of Ireland, which symbolized the life-giving Sun God, were lit with the spark of a flint or the friction of two rods.)
If you plan to celebrate Beltane in a closed environment, you must light the fire in a suitable place. Be sure to put a branch or twig on fire to revere the guardian spirits of your home and family, bringing good luck to the house and keeping away the ghosts, leprechauns and evil fairies. If you have no proper place, you can light 13 dark green candles to symbolize the Bel tane bonfire.
Dress in bright spring colors (unless you prefer to work without clothes) and use many colorful flowers and strong odor in your hair. Before dressing for the ceremony, meditate and bathe in candlelight with herbs to cleanse your body and your soul from any impurities or negative energies.
Start by drawing a circle three meters in diameter and set up an altar in the center facing east. On the altar top, place two statuettes to represent the Goddess of Fertility and His consort, the Cornish God. Next to each of them, a censor containing olabane and salomon seal. On the right side of the altar, place a consecrated dagger and a cup full of wine. Light 13 dark green candles around the circle.
Prepare a flower crown of the field that blooms in the spring, such as daisies, primroses, springs or malmeks, and place it on the altar before the symbols of the Goddess and God. A small decorated mast (about 1 m high) can be placed to the right of the altar, adorned with flowers and ribbons of bright colors.
Kneel before the altar. Light the candles and the incense. Close your eyes, focus on the divine image of God and God, and say:
IN HONOR TO GOD AND THE CORNEAL GOD, AND UNDER THEIR PROTECTION,
NOW START THIS RITUAL OF SABBATH.
Open your eyes. Take the daggerfas at the altar, greet him east, and say,
OH, GOD OF ALL SELVAGES AND BOOKS,
IT I CONSAGUE THIS CRITERIA.
Hold the dagger in salute toward the south and say:
PRIMAVERA VIRGIN,
FOR HER I SING THIS PRICE OF LOVE. SHE MAKES FLORESTS AND PRados GREEN,
vina: OH, NATURE GOD, SHE KINGS SUPREMA.
Hold your dagger in salute to the west, and say:
OLIBAN AND SALOMAN SELO, THANK HER FOR MAKING THE ROAD!
Hold the dagger and salute the north, saying:
Blessed be the Lord of Spring, for him I sing the price of love. GOD DIVINE OF THE TREE, GOD DIVINE OF LIGHT, THIS NIGHT I CLEAN YOUR FERTILIZING POWERS.
Put the dagger back on the altar. Take the field wreath and place it on top of your head. When this ritual is performed by a Coven, the custom Comissário is that the High Priest places it on the head of the High Priestess. Kneel before the altar, looking at the images of the pagan fertility deities. Open your arms and say:
WATER SPIRITS AND AIR SPIRITS, I WANT YOU TO HEAR MY PRICE:
That the sky and the sea remain clean, that the earth be faithful and green.
FIRE SPIRITS, MOTHER SPIRITS,
Introdução that the world is greeted with peace, love and joy.
Take the cup of wine and lift it up with your arm stretched out, and as you pour a few drops into the ground, as libation to the Goddess and God, close your eyes and say:
BURN BELTANE'S SACRED FIRE,
LIGHT THE WAY TO SUN RETURN.
The storms of winter should now end,
THE GREAT ROAD OF LIFE TURNED AGAIN. THAT SO IS.
Drink the rest of the wine from the cup and then put it back on the altar. Put out the candles, but let the incense finish burning. The ritual is now complete and must be followed by a banquet, songs and dances towards the movement of the sun around Beltane's bonfire or decorated mast to symbolize the divine union of the Goddess with God.
Source: Wicca – A Feitiçaria Moderna, de Gerina Dunwich