Beltane, the Gaelic May Day Festival

Beltane the May-Eve Sabbat is coming.

It marks the end of the dark half of year and the beginning of the light half of the year.

Beltane was traditionally the time to seek protection from both natural and supernatural threats. Protection for the home, the family, the crops, the livestock.

The original meaning of the name may be Bel-fire, after the Celtic God Bel or Balor - another name for Cernunnos.

In some traditions, Beltane (along with Lughnasadh) is a good time for handfasting (marriage).

Beltane is considered to be the second greatest of the four Greater Sabbats.

Beltane is traditionally celebrated on April 30th. 

The Beltane celebration actually begins on sundown of the preceding day, April 30, because the Celts always figured their days from sundown to sundown. 

And sundown was the proper time for Druids to kindle the great Bel-fires.

Frequently, cattle would be driven between two such bon-fires then they would be taken to their summer pastures the next day.


Other May Day activities included walking one's property ('beating the bounds'), repairing fences and boundary markers, processions of chimney-sweeps and milk maids, archery tournaments, morris dances, sword dances, feasting, music, drinking, and girls bathing their faces in the dew of May morning to retain their youthful beauty. 


But many popular customs associated with Beltane didn't exist in the Celtic pagan celebrations.

About the only thing that can be said about ancient Beltane is that it was a fire festival, and most likely not as adventitious as it is today. 

Cattle were routinely run between fires (and in the 9th Century that practice was said to involve Druids) to protect them as they moved from their winter quarters to their summer grazing-land. 

When you are dependent on cattle as a source of food, you want to do everything possible to ensure their survival, so instead of Beltaning in the woods it was more important to bless the livestock.

Fire as a source of control and good fortune wasn’t just limited to cattle, human beings jumped over fires for good luck as well. 

Up until the 1300’s history doesn't mention the Maypole, and when it eventually does get mentioned, it's not referred to as “phallic” or “ancient pagan.” 

The earliest function of the Maypole was to simply dance around it. 

There were no ribbons tied to the top of it, though it was sometimes decorated with flags. 

As time passed the May Pole was given a special dance with the ribbons going around it. 

And actually this is all kind of new, dating back to just the last few hundred years.

Also relatively recent is the notion that the Maypole is “phallic.” 

Early Maypoles were not designed or said to look that way.

But let's be honest, Beltane, for last 700 years May Day has been associated with sensuality.

Anyway, today's Beltane traditions may not necessarily be the purest form of paganism, and just because ancient Pagans probably didn’t dance around the Maypole, it doesn’t make Beltane any less fun. 

This festival officially begins at moonrise on May Day Eve, and marks the beginning of the third quarter or second half of the ancient Celtic year. 

About Beltane

About Beltane

Beltane happens every year around May 1 in the Northern Hemisphere and November 1 in the Southern Hemisphere. 

It’s the midpoint between the Vernal Equinox celebration of Ostara (the official beginning of spring) and the Summer Solstice celebration of Litha (the longest day and shortest night of the year).

You might also be familiar with Beltane’s other name—May Day. 

Celebrating spring with dancing and wrapping ribbons around the May Pole.

Beltane was celebrated by pagans in the British Isles, and marked the midpoint of spring when life was emerging, days were getting longer and warmer, and the time for growing and cultivating crops would soon come. 

Livestock were taken out to pasture during this time.

Celebration of Spring

Beltane is unique because it’s a celebration of spring officially arriving and the days are about to get warmer and longer. 

Crops and gardens are growing, animals are grazing in their pastures, and life is emerging after the harsh winter.

Protection

Because animals were taken out to pasture during this time, and people were spending more time outdoors, one common theme of Beltane is protecting people and animals. 

In some traditions, a large bonfire would be made and people would walk their animals around the smoke offering protection. 

People would jump over the fire for various reasons; including to get protection for themselves.

During this time it’s believed that the veil between the living and the dead is thin, so it’s a good time to communicate with spirits. 

This includes nature spirits, such as fairies, which are a mixed bag when it comes to good or ill intentions.

The original festival of Beltane was about blessing and protecting the cattle as they were moved up to the summer pastures. 

The cattle were made to walk through two protective fires that would bless the cattle and protect them from the feared aos si (fairies).

Cows were also made to leap over lighted straw or wood to prevent their milk from being stolen by the fairies whilst rowan branches were hung over milking equipment for the same effect. 

Rowan branches were also hung over doorways, cows and the hearth.

Not only this, the fire was used to bring luck as well as protection. 

The fire was thought to bring good fortune and bless those who jumped over it and as such, it was a common custom at Beltane for the embers of the fires to be sprinkled around the sprouting crops in order to protect them and ensure a good yield for harvest time.

As a side note, why do those in distress call out “May Day?”

The Mayday call originated in the 1920s. ... As much of the traffic at Croydon airport at that time was to and from Le Bourget Airport in Paris, Mockford proposed the expression “Mayday" derived from the French word “m'aider" that means “help me" and is a shortened form of “venez m'aider", which means “come and help me".

Beltane Is Coming

 

Beltane is a Fire Festival. The word 'Beltane' originates from the Celtic God 'Bel', meaning 'the bright one' and the Gaelic word 'teine' meaning fire. 

Together they make 'Bright Fire', or 'Goodly Fire' and traditionally bonfires were lit to honour the Sun and encourage the support of Bel and the Sun's light to nurture the emerging future harvest and protect the community. 

Bel had to be won over through human effort. 
Traditionally all fires in the community were put out and a special fire was kindled for Beltane. 

"This was the Tein-eigen, the need fire. 

People jumped the fire to purify, cleanse and to bring fertility. 
Couples jumped the fire together to pledge themselves to each other. 

Cattle and other animals were driven through the smoke as a protection from disease and to bring fertility. 
At the end of the evening, the villagers would take some of the Teineigen to start their fires anew." 

(From Sacred Celebrations by Glennie Kindred) Green Man - Beltane

 

 

May Day, still celebrated is all about welcoming Summer. 

The Germanic Pagans celebrated the night before by lighting a bonfire, and dancing around a Maypole which symbolized a big throbbing Schwanz.

The night before May Day, known as Walpurgisnacht (Walpurgis Night) is celebrated by German Pagan Folk band Faun, and they do it beautifully.

 

The Video by Faun proves that Paganism is alive and well.

May Day, still celebrated is all about welcoming Summer. The Germanic Pagans celebrated the night before by lighting a bonfire, and dancing around a Maypole which symbolized a big throbbing Schwanz.

The night before May Day, known as Walpurgisnacht (Walpurgis Night) is celebrated by German Pagan Folk band Faun, and they do it beautifully.

Faun’s “Walpurgisnacht” of German Pagans coming out to celebrate goes like this:

“In den Abendhimmel steigen 

Heute Nacht die Zauberweisen

Wildes Volk und Liliths Art

Lauernd Winde heimlich fahrt

Lasst uns zu den Feuern streifen

Raunend nach den Sternen greifen

Gutes und auch böses Wort

Tragen wir heut fort und fort”

In the sky tonight

The witches rise

Wild Folk and Lilith's kind

Lurking, secretly riding the winds

Let us wander to the fires

Whispering, reaching for the stars

Both the good and the bad word

We carry on and on tonight

An English translation really doesn't do justice to how poetic this sounds in German. But as you listen you can feel the music.

 
The very beginning has this nice drum rhythm that lets you know you’re in for something special. Then after the vocalists do some beautiful harmonizing, they move into the chorus.

“Hört die Geigen, hört die Geigen,

Die Feuer sind entfacht

Folgt dem Reigen, folgt dem Reigen

In der Walpurgisnacht”

Hear the violins, hear the violins

The fires are ignited

Follow the dance, follow the dance

In the Walpurgisnacht

As we, in the Northern Hemisphere will be celebrating Beltane, 

our Brothers & Sisters in the Southern Hemisphere will be celebrating Samhain.

 

Beltane the May-Eve Sabbat is coming

Beltane marks the end of the dark half of year and the beginning of the light half of the year.

Beltane was traditionally the time to seek protection from both natural and supernatural threats. 

Protection for the home, the family, the crops, the livestock.

The original meaning of the name may be Bel-fire, after the Celtic God Bel or Balor - another name for Cernunnos.

In some traditions, Beltane (along with Lughnasadh) is a good time for handfasting (marriage).

Beltane is considered to be the second greatest of the four Greater Sabbats.

Beltane is traditionally celebrated on April 30th. 

The Beltane celebration actually begins on sundown of the preceding day, April 30, because the Celts always figured their days from sundown to sundown. Sundown was the proper time for Druids to kindle the great Bel-fires.

Frequently, cattle would be driven between two such bon-fires then they would be taken to their summer pastures the next day.

Other May Day activities included walking one's property ('beating the bounds'), repairing fences and boundary markers, processions of chimney-sweeps and milk maids, archery tournaments, morris dances, sword dances, feasting, music, drinking, and girls bathing their faces in the dew of May morning to retain their youthful beauty. 

But many popular customs associated with Beltane didn't exist in the Celtic pagan celebrations.

About the only thing that can be said about ancient Beltane is that it was a fire festival, and most likely not as adventitious as it is today. 

Cattle were routinely run between fires (and in the 9th Century that practice was said to involve Druids) to protect them as they moved from their winter quarters to their summer grazing-land. 

When you are dependent on cattle as a source of food, you want to do everything possible to ensure their survival, so instead of Beltaning in the woods it was more important to bless the livestock.

Fire as a source of control and good fortune wasn’t just limited to cattle, human beings jumped over fires for good luck as well. 

Up until the 1300’s history doesn't mention the Maypole, and when it eventually does get mentioned, it's not referred to as “phallic” or “ancient pagan.” 

The earliest function of the Maypole was to simply dance around it. There were no ribbons tied to the top of it, though it was sometimes decorated with flags. 

As time passed the May Pole was given a special dance with the ribbons going around it. 

And actually this is all kind of new, dating back to just the last few hundred years.

Anyway, today's Beltane traditions may not necessarily be the purest form of paganism, and just because ancient Pagans probably didn’t dance around the Maypole, it doesn’t make Beltane any less fun. 

This festival officially begins at moonrise on May Day Eve, and marks the beginning of the third quarter or second half of the ancient Celtic year. 

Happy Beltane

Beltane

Beltane is the May-Eve Sabbat, also known as Cyntefyn. It marks the end of the dark half of year and the beginning of the light half of the year.
Beltane was traditionally the time to seek protection from both natural and supernatural threats. Protection for the home, the family, the crops, the livestock.
The original meaning of the name may be Bel-fire, after the Celtic God Bel or Balor - another name for Cernunnos.
In some traditions, Beltane (along with Lughnasadh) is a good time for handfasting (marriage).
Beltane is considered to be the second greatest of the four Greater Sabbats.

Beltane is Coming

3 Days To Go

 

Beltane October 31

As the Northern Hemisphere prepares for Samhain, the Southern Hemisphere prepares for Beltane. 

 Both are celebrated with fire and the veil is thin in both Hemispheres.

 

Our Beltane Best Wishes

It's Almost Beltane

Beltane Blessing

“Walpurgisnacht” is performed by the Pagan Folk band Faun, in German wehear:

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful."

As you know, Christians in power began persecuting Pagans in an attempt to destroy the old religions, a practice that continued well after the empire had fallen, and there were new kingdoms in its place. One of the ways of ridding out the religion and culture of Paganism, besides a torture and death here and there, was the Christianization of Pagan holidays. The Celtic holiday of Samhain became the Catholic holiday of All Hallows’ Eve, now known as Halloween. Ostara became Easter. For those of you wondering what painting eggs has to do with the return of Jesus, it symbolized the return of Spring, which is what Ostara was about. One of the Pagan holidays was May Day, which is the day after Walpurgisnact.
    

So, the Video by Faun (Watch) proves that Paganism is alive and well, despite two thousand years of attempts at Christianization.

May Day, still celebrated is all about welcoming Summer. The Germanic Pagans celebrated the night before by lighting a bonfire, and dancing around a Maypole which symbolized a big throbbing Schwanz.

The night before May Day, known as Walpurgisnacht (Walpurgis Night) is celebrated by German Pagan Folk band Faun, and they do I beautifully.

Faun’s “Walpurgisnacht” of German Pagans coming out to celebrate goes like this:

“In den Abendhimmel steigen 

Heute Nacht die Zauberweisen

Wildes Volk und Liliths Art

Lauernd Winde heimlich fahrt

Lasst uns zu den Feuern streifen

Raunend nach den Sternen greifen

Gutes und auch böses Wort

Tragen wir heut fort und fort”

In the sky tonight

The witches rise

Wild Folk and Lilith's kind

Lurking, secretly riding the winds

Let us wander to the fires

Whispering, reaching for the stars

Both the good and the bad word

We carry on and on tonight

An English translation really doesn't do justice to how poetic this sounds in German. But as you listen you can feel the music.

   
The very beginning has this nice drum rhythm that lets you know you’re in for something special. Then after the vocalists do some beautiful harmonizing, they move into the chorus.

“Hört die Geigen, hört die Geigen,

Die Feuer sind entfacht

Folgt dem Reigen, folgt dem Reigen

In der Walpurgisnacht”

Hear the violins, hear the violins

The fires are ignited

Follow the dance, follow the dance

In the Walpurgisnacht

 Faun’s ode to Paganism is definitely about the pre-Christian Pagan celebrations bridging  the past with the present.

Beltane Cake: The Taste of the Ancient Celtic Festival

Beltane, as we've discussed, is a festival with ancient origins traditionally celebrated on May 1st, a spring time festival of optimism. This was a festival of great spiritual significance for the Celts, but some people celebrate it from a purely secular perspective. Numerous traditions surround the festival of Beltane. Bonfires would be set as a means of purification. Some people even burned their beds and floor coverings to start anew. The fires were also believed to protect people from harm by spirits of the netherworld. Many people put out sweets for the fairies in order to appease them. 

So, would you like to make the fairies happy?

Here's a traditional Beltane cake recipe so you can do just that:


Beltane Cake

This recipe makes a rich and spicy one-layer cake with 8-10 slices.

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

½ tbsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. ground cardamom

½ tsp. ground cloves

¾ tbsp. ground ginger

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate

½ cup milk

¼ cup brandy

½ tsp. vanilla

¾ cups butter

½ lb. dark brown sugar

3 eggs

¾ cups amaretto liqueur

confectioner sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grease a large bundt pan or spring-form pan
Melt chocolate in a double boiler and set aside.
Mix milk, brandy, and vanilla.
Mix flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, and ginger in a separate bowl.
Cream the butter, then add brown sugar and beat until fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, into the butter mixture.
Add cooled chocolate to the butter mixture.
Add the flour mixture and milk mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time.
Pour mixture into greased bundt pan or spring-form pan.
Bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until done (test with a small knife), taking care not to overbake.
Let cake cool for 20 minutes before removing from pan, then place it into a bowl (flat side up) which is just large enough to hold it, but no larger.
Using a skewer, pierce the cake with 10-12 holes, being careful not to go all the way through.
Pour 1/3 of the amaretto over the cake. When that is absorbed, pour another 1/3 amaretto; when absorbed, pour the remainder onto the cake. This will take several hours.
When all of the amaretto has been absorbed, gently invert the cake onto a plate (flat side down).
Dust the cake with confectioner's sugar.

Beltane is Coming