Well my friends Beltane is in the air, and I’m looking forward to celebrating this weekend, I’m not sure what I will do on the actual day, it probably will involve going to the beach or to the river just to offer my thanks and gratitude for the return of the waxing year and the sacred union of the Lady and Lord. In old times fires would be lit on hilltops to celebrate the night and the return of fertility, it must have been quite a sight to see. There’s also a tradition of jumping the fire for various reasons, bringing luck to find a mate, for easy childbirth, for a prosperous harvest or just to receive a blessing. Dairy animals, usually cows were herded between fires to bless their fertility and milk production, I’ve heard that horses and sheep were driven through the magical gateway between two fires, it seems to depend on whether it’s British, Irish, or Scottish tradition as to what animals are blessed or not.
Beltane is definitely a fun time, the sun is getting stronger, the growing time is well underway, The Lady and Lord are joined in sacred union. Some people do get married on Beltane, I was always taught the day is sacred to the Goddess and God, and to have your own marriage was taking away from their celebration, in fact to get married during May could annoy the gods. Greenwood marriage, or the trial marriage of a year and a day are associated with Beltane, again it depends on your tradition.
Beltane is about the sensuality of life, flowers fragrance the air, the sun physically warms your skin, we usually are wearing lighter weight and perhaps more colourful clothing than in winter and spring. It’s a time to celebrate life, all the beauty and mystery, the blossoming of love, read stories about love between the gods, like Hades and Persephone, Tristan and Iseult. It’s also a time to appreciate young people who are on the brink of adulthood, the Lady and Lord become lovers at Beltane, and it reminds us of those times in our lives too.
Beltane is the flipside of Samhain which honours the death process and ancestors, Beltane is about the green man, the growing cycles, vitality, joy, the Goddess transforms from her Maiden aspect to Mother, she is fertile, the Lord is the young Horned God and transforms from divine youth to the magician, full of life and vigor, he lives life fully and encourages us to just be and appreciate what is around us.
The dew on Mayday morning is full of power, it is thought to help women retain their beauty for the year, dew found on a hawthorn tree is supposed to be very magical, though any dew will do! Of course if you can gather the dew just before the sun comes up over the horizon, in a between time, it’s thought to be more potent, in some areas dew was gathered into magical bottles to use all year long. Many pagans get up to watch sunrise on Beltane, so dew gathering could be a fun activity, perhaps a roll in the dew with your lover would bring a blessing as well. I wouldn’t be surprised!
The wheel turns through the seasons and each turn brings change, and I find there is change for me as well, I have really enjoyed being a contributor for Pagan Dad, and I appreciate all of you who have continued reading and left your comments throughout the years. I’m at a point where it’s time to take a break from contributing and to focus on my own writing once again, though I will continue to be a reader of the talented writers found here. Thank you for your support
Abundant Blessings All
