The 411 - Beltane

 

Beltane is an ancient Gaelic festival that celebrates the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. It is traditionally held on May 1st or the evening before, marking the midpoint between the spring equinox and summer solstice.

Beltane is a time of renewal and growth, as the earth begins to warm up and new life emerges. It is often associated with fertility and abundance, and is celebrated with feasting, dancing, and the lighting of bonfires. Historically, Beltane was also a time when cattle were driven between two bonfires to bless them with health and fertility for the coming year.

In Celtic mythology, Beltane was believed to be a time when the veil between the mortal world and the realm of the supernatural was thin, and it was thought that spirits and fairies could easily cross over into the human world. As a result, many Beltane celebrations include rituals to protect against negative spirits and bring good luck and blessings.

Today, Beltane is still celebrated by many people in modern Pagan and Wiccan traditions, as well as by those who are interested in Celtic spirituality and folklore. The holiday is often observed with rituals that honour the changing seasons, connect with the natural world, and celebrate the renewal of life and growth.

Wiccans and Wiccan-inspired Neopagans celebrate a variation of Beltane as a sabbat, one of the eight solar holidays. Although the holiday may use features of the Gaelic Bealtaine, such as the bonfire, it bears more relation to the Germanic May Day festival, both in its significance (focusing on fertility) and its rituals (such as maypole dancing). Some Wiccans celebrate 'High Beltaine' by enacting a ritual union of the May Lord and Lady.

Among the Wiccan sabbats, Beltane is a cross-quarter day; it is celebrated in the northern hemisphere on May 1 and in the southern hemisphere on November 1. Beltane follows Ostara and precedes Midsummer.