[april 30/may 1 (halfway between spring equinox and summer solstice)
may day
first spoke on the light side of the modern wheel of the year]
There are lots of ways to interpret the meaning of the word fertility. Actually,
creativity, being a broader term, might be a better word to use. We do like to honor
our past, though, so most of us say fertility even if we haven't planted any crops
and even if we don't hope to find ourselves in the family way.
—Ashleen O'Gaea, Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon
Beltane is a fire festival and starts the light half of the wheel of the year. The four dark holidays—Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, and Ostarahave passed, and this is the time to welcome in the light of the sun and new life. Like many festivals on the light side of the year, Beltane is primarily a fertility festival.
A shining example of Beltane fertility, maypoles represent new vegetation and new growth—and the celebration around them reflects our joy in the planet's return, among many other things. Historians believe that the practice of dancing around the maypole dates back to prehistoric times. Rock carvings have been found in Scandinavia that are believed to depict the sacred marriage between the human representatives of the God and the Goddess in the spring to fertilize the land and encourage vegetation and growth.
According to Michael Howard, author of The Sacred Ring: Pagan Origins of British Folk Festivals and Customs, some of the earliest European references to the maypole come from the fourteenth century, in the works of an unknown poetic bard. These tales refer to the raising of birch maypoles. The raising of the maypole was linked with Morris dancing, a form of English folk dancing where garlands were hung with silver spoons, watches, tankards, and symbols of the sun, stars, and moon. If this sounds familiar, it's because similar themes and scenes are found throughout the wands suit in the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck.
In the sixteenth century, a London vicar ordered the city maypole to be cut down because it was seen as a symbol of idol worship. Then England was split between the monarchy and republicanism, and maypoles were outlawed by the Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell. This was a time when puritanism was popular, so the whole concept of the maypole was considered to be a heathen abomination. While in power, Cromwell had outlawed maypoles to such an extreme that he would send soldiers out to find people continuing the folk tradition in private. The people, being smarter than the Puritan ruler at the time would hide their maypoles under the eaves of their houses, where the soldiers were unable to find them.
After Cromwell's reign, the monarchy was reinstated and so was the maypole. In fact, Charles II rode past a maypole on the way to his coronation, as it was a focal point of the celebrations for the people of London and Westminster.
Historically, some people used whole trees and decorated them much like we do Christmas trees. Others used actual poles, typically made of birch or ash, both of these having traditional spiritual significance. The birch is a sacred tree to the Goddess and represents fertility and new beginnings, and the World Tree in Norse mythology was supposedly an ash.
Beltane is one of the four Gaelic fire festivals and the sabbat that is most synonymous with bonfires. In Religious Holidays and Calendars, editor Karen Bellenir writes, “Depending on the preferences of the people conducting the ceremony, the Beltane fire may be kindled on Walpurgis Night (May Eve) or on Beltane (May 1). By tradition, the Beltane fire contains bundles of nine different types of wood chosen for their symbolism and associated attributes.” Although exactly which woods are used is unclear (it appears they change in each source, probably due to regional variation), Pauline and Dan Campanelli, in their book Wheel of the Year, compiled a list of woods that should be harvested in March to allow for proper drying in time for Beltane:
Apple
Birch
Fire
Grapevine
Hawthorn
Hazel
Oak
Rowan
Willow
These sacred Beltane fires have been used historically for ritual, community, and luck. In The Stations of the Sun, Ronald Hutton explains,
The earliest reference to it [Beltane] is probably in Sanas Chormaic, an early medieval Irish glossary. . . . Under the entry “Beltane,” both surviving texts have “‘lucky fire,’ i.e. two fires which Druids used to make with great incantations, and they used to bring the cattle against the diseases of each year to those fires.” In the margin of one is the additional jotting “they used to drive the cattle between them.”
The flames on the eve or the day were also used to bless and protect humans, who leaped them. The best description of this custom in country districts was furnished in 1852 by Sir William Wilde:
. . . If a man was about to perform a long journey, he leaped backwards and forwards three times through the fire, to give him success in his undertaking. If about to wed he did it to purify himself for the marriage state. If going to undertake some hazardous enterprise, he passed through the fire to render himself invulnerable. As the fire sunk low, the girls tripped across it to procure good husbands; women great with child might be seen stepping through it to ensure a happy delivery, and children were also carried across the smouldering ashes. At the end the embers were thrown among the sprouting crops to protect them, while each household carried some back to kindle a new fire in its hearth (Sir William R. Wilde, Irish Popular Superstitions [Dublin, 1852], 39–40, 47–49).
In its more modern form, Beltane fires and festivals are a reason to celebrate the joy of living and being alive. In Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon, Ashleen O'Gaea reminds us that one of the attributes of solar energy is the capacity to fertilize and stimulate growth. And that the great bonfires at the beginning of summer represent the creative heat and the light in the warmth of fertility of all kinds, from the fires we feel in our loins to forged fires and the fires of poetic inspiration.
Fires are cathartic, a source of life and a source of relief. In my high school years, I attended a boarding school in very rural Montana. Once a year, the whole student body would attend what was called a “burn ceremony.” This tended to be in the late spring to early summer, somewhere between May and July. During this ceremony, students would bring letters they had written, photos, and items that held particularly painful or toxic memories. One by one, each person would stand up and explain what they were burning, why they were burning it, and what they hoped the outcome would be.
At the time, I was dealing with the grief of losing my father. I had written a letter to him, so when it was my turn to stand up, I said something along the lines of, “I wrote this letter to my dad to tell him how I feel about his death. I will not let this control me anymore.” It was in this moment that I reclaimed my narrative on who I was and what I was going to do.
I was born an only child to an isolated family. I lost both of my parents between the ages of ten and thirteen very suddenly. From there, I was shipped to boarding school, out of sight and out of mind for family members who did not want to (or have the ability to) take me in. I held this anger, hurt, and bitterness for years. I let it consume me. I took a very pessimistic worldview and became extremely distrustful of others.
Leading up to this burn ceremony, I knew it was something I wanted to let go. I didn't know what that was going to look like or how it was going to work out in the long run, but I knew that I couldn't allow myself to keep living in the role of a victim. I decided to hatch this plan to identify, target, and constructively remove learned behaviors and personality traits.
Sitting down, the first part of this is to plan. Center yourself in your body and turn inward. Think about any part of your personality that no longer serves you. It's a good practice to begin with something that is attainable to change, versus a habit that is lifelong. Good places to start might look like, “I put myself down in front of others” or “I allow people to mistreat me.” Whatever that trait is, write it at the top of the page. If you're struggling to find a trait, phone a friend. (Humans aren't an island; sometimes the best way to find out that you have a tail is by someone telling you!)
Next, write a letter to yourself as though you are giving advice to your best friend. How would you talk to them? How would you guide them? If the friend is constantly putting themselves down, how would you hold space for their pain while opening the door to healing?
When the letter is written, it is time to light the flame. I think this is better as a group exercise, because there is something healing about letting yourself be vulnerable with someone or a group of people you trust. This allows them to support you and hold you accountable and allows you to do the same for them.
Whether you are alone or in a group, walk around the fire in a circle, going counterclockwise as you read your letter aloud. As you finish, speak the words, “This no longer has control over me. Like a phoenix, I will rise,” as you throw your letter into the fire. If you are in a group, allow others to do the same process. Sit in silence and meditate on what just happened.
Lastly, when you return back to your house, journal about your experience and how you felt about it. Check in with this journal entry once a week for a month. How far have you come from releasing that narrative?
The etymology of the word Beltane, like many of these holidays, is shrouded in a dose of healthy mystery. It is believed to be of Scottish Gaelic origins, coming from the word Bealltainn, which roughly translates to “May 1.” This word comes from the root bhel, which means “to shine, flash, or burn,” with the Old Irish word ten, which translates to “fire.” Others have suggested that the root of this word can be traced back to the proto-Celtic god Balor.
The god Bel, or Balor, was known as “the bright one,” as the Celtic prefix bel- is roughly translated to “bright” or “fortunate.” Bel is thought by some to have been a sun god, while other historians argue that earlier Celtic clans saw the sun as a feminine aspect and do not attribute him to the sun at all. It is said that Lugh blinded Balor and replaced him as the alpha solar god.
During this time of year we remember the Goddess in her fire aspects as well, typically as Brigid, a triple fire goddess. As with all fire celebrations, Brigid does play a central role for many people during this time of year. What is interesting about Brigid is that there are a lot of stories of her union with the sun god at this season.
Beltane brings with it the beginning of light and the return of longer days. The harsh reality of winter is over, and our food supplies are generally safe. Overall, Beltane feels very secure, and it's no wonder, since it's smack in the middle of Taurus season. However, no matter how secure you may feel now, there will be times in the future when you don't feel this way. Creating a special place to spiritually retreat to will allow you to unwind from the physical and mental burdens of life.
It's just a fact of life that if you work in any sort of way throughout your day, you will encounter situations and people that are beyond your control. Not everyone can handle dealing with this power loss or struggle and feel crushed under the weight of that particular brand of pressure. The good news is, what you decide to do with your stress is ultimately what's going to change your situation. The tried-and-true advice of “we cannot change the wind, but we can adjust the sails” has its place in a witch's spiritual life.
I first decided to make a spiritual retreat about five years ago, while I was seeing a therapist to work through some trauma I had experienced as a young woman. We worked on a technique of building a place in my mind where I could retreat to when life got too overwhelming, and this method is applicable to a wide variety of situations and I believe it would help anyone. Being able to turn off the world when you choose to is a big accomplishment, and with practice it is something we all can achieve.
MINDFUL MEDITATION
I've found that the best way to handle stress is through intentional, mindful meditation. The best time for this practice is in the morning before work or school, but you can also do it at the end of your day if you find that you are too pressed for time in the morning. I like to give myself about thirty minutes to be fully immersed.
To begin, put on some instrumental music that isn't distracting but is pleasant to listen to. Put a blanket down on the floor and lay flat on your back.
Close your eyes, and slowly reach your hands up above your head, feeling your back muscles stretch slightly.
Return your arms to your sides and flex your feet forward until you feel a slight stretch in your legs. After a few seconds return your feet to a normal position.
Breathing deeply, feel your chest rise and fall for five counts.
Imagine you are standing at the top of a spiral staircase in your mind's eye. As you descend the stairs, take long, even breaths, making sure to release each breath for as long as you let it in.
When your foot touches the first step, a light forms above your head. On the second step, the light starts moving over your head and shoulders. On the third step, the light continues moving downward and warming you from the inside out.
Now you take a fourth step, nearly encompassed in this warm, purifying light. As you take the fifth and final step, you are light, safe, warm, pure. Once you have reached this final step, you will see a door in front of you. Walk to it and open it up. Step inside and see a place of peace and tranquility.
Sit in this space and feel the ground. Touch it with your fingertips, lay in it, and feel the surrounding air. Allow the light from earlier to surround you and fill you with peace. This is your sacred space. You can come back here whenever you desire by opening the door.
When you are relaxed and ready to leave, return to the door. Ascend the steps back to your body.
Feel the floor under you, your hands by your side. Raise your arms up over your head and stretch life back into them. When you are ready, open your eyes.
I do go to this sacred space a lot during my day when I need a break from my fast-paced life. I go to a place of rolling hills and trees, with cool air and a nice breeze. Wherever you go will be perfect for you as well.
This guided meditation can be done without any special materials. You can, however, call upon your intuition to create a full ritual with candles, an altar, and other props.