Beltane 1998 Newsletter Meaning of Beltane

Beltane is a Celtic fire festival, and in the Southern Hemisphere it is celebrated on, or around the 1st November. In the Northern Hemisphere, Beltane is also known as May Day. Beltane literally means "Bel's fire".

The most famous symbol of Beltane is the Maypole. The pole itself is a phallic representation, with white ribbons for death, red for the blood of life, or red for the sun god, white for the virgin goddess, or white for the maiden and red for the mother (as you can see there are many variations depending on your tradition). The ribbons are woven together, traditionally by an equal number of men and women. The Maypole represents the rebirth of fertility for the land and it's inhabitants.

The Celts celebrate Beltane as the day the Tuatha De Dannan (the children of the Goddess Danu) landed on Irish shores. It is said that they brought the sun to the land, and are celebrated as the "light" aspect of Celtic Mythology. The Tuatha De Dannan live in the otherworld, in mounds under the earth called Sidhes. The veil between this world and the otherworld is thin at this time of year (like at Samhain), and the two worlds intermingle easily on this day.

It is a time for the Celts to collect the nine sacred woods for the kindling of the "bale fire". Animals and people are driven between the sacred flames to purify them and ensure fertility for the coming year. Wiccans jump the cauldron for the same symbology. In particular, cattle were purified for the Celts, because of the importance of cattle for food, clothing, milk and therefore survival. We can see the importance of cattle in many Celtic stories, in particular The Tain Bo Culaigne. (If you are interested in reading this story I would recommend Thomas Kinsella's translation of The Tain, as a good place to start. Early Irish Myths and Sagas by Gantz is a good introduction to Celtic literary traditions and mythological stories).

An old beauty routine is to get up early on Beltane morning and wash your face with the dew that is present on your grass. This helps to preserve your beauty.

Beltane's 'opposite' on the wheel of life is Samhain. As the people in the North prepare to celebrate the veil between the worlds being thin, some people in the south like to acknowledge this festival as well as Beltane. As Samhain celebrates the souls of the departed, it seems that we are blessed in the Southern hemisphere: while we look towards fertility and health, we are reminded of that which is passed and that which is yet to come.

Because of the significance of fertility at this time of year, it has increasingly become known as a time for Handfastings. This is because Beltane is seen as the time when the Maiden marries the young God, they consummate the marriage on Beltane, and she conceives.

You might like to place fresh flowers on your altar and in your cauldron. If you are not able to make a large Maypole, you may like to make a small version for your altar to remind you of the season. Now is the time to take action on the dedications you made or planned at Ostara. The seed has now germinated and needs your help to grow to its full potential.

In Australia, Beltane marks the beginning of the warmer months. The full force of summer is yet to hit us, but the cold and frost of winter is long behind us. Get out and enjoy watching the changes that are taking place in the landscape around you. During this season, watch as water becomes increasingly important. Remember the times you did not need to water your garden, and reflect now as you pour water on those plants that wilt in the warming summer sun. Watch the growth on the vines and bushes as the new shoots grow rapidly in search of the sun. Watch as the new animals begin to grow older and become independent from their parents. Watch as the wheel revolves and life is triumphant.