| BELTAINE |
| Beltaine is also called May Eve, because it falls on April 30th. It is also known as Walpurgis Night, Beltane, and Baltein. It is at Beltaine that Pagans celebrate the blossoming of the spring flowers and they also celebrate the powers of sexuality adn fertility. Starhawk says this is the eve when "Sweet desire weds wild delight." Beltaine is one of the Greater Sabbats, and perhaps the most ancient. It was recognized by the early pastorla peoples of ancient Europe. It stands directly opposite of Samhain on the Wheel of the Year. The aspect of the Goddess at Beltaine is the Virgin --a woman that belongs to herself-- and is called Maia, Maya, Mai or May (for whom the month is named) in Northern Europe, Flora in Rome, and Kore in Greece. Beltaine is also sacred to the God Bel, Baldur, and Baal, whom this Great Sabbat is named. Bel is a God of light and fire, "The Bright One" "Bel Fires" or "balefires" blaze on the hilltops of Europe to mark the night, and sometimes the God is burned in effigy to symbolize His "love-death" in the fires of passion. The maypole represents the divine lingam planted into the Earth's womb, and may also be called a herm or hermes. In India, phallic pillars directly related to the maypole are still used. Centuries ago in England, after the all-night, revels of May Eve, teams of oxen were hitched to the pole and then they dragged the pole, which was decorated with flowers, green boughs, paint, and ribbons, back into the village in a grand processional. Once it was erected the traditional dance would then take place. The ribbons would be woven as villagers danced around the pole in opposite directions. This was known as the May Pole Dance. After the Paypole dance, the Great Rite was enacted in harmony with teh fertile energies of the season. You may wish to celebrate Beltaine in the following ways: ---Weaving a garland of flowers to wear in your hair ---Wearing green all day, then nothing at night ---Rising before dawn, if you have slept from the night before, and wahsing your face in the morning dew, granting you beauty for the upcoming year. ---Hanging fruits and baked goodies from trees to feast from later ---Building a Beltaine fire of your nine different woods then leaping over it to purify yourself and to rid yourself of the negative energies from the previous year ---Blending a May bowl of white wine, strawberry wine or liquor, fresh strawberries, and sprigs of woodruff. Pour a libation and toast the Gods ---Leaping over your gardens sharing with them your joyous energy ---Erecting a maypole. ---Making Beltaine bowers. Indoor or out, part of your celebration can be colorful isolated bowers where couples can slip away to celebrate privately. |
 |
 |
 |
|
   |
 |