Beltane

It is traditionally thought of as a celebration of fertility and virility. The holy day gets its name from the Gaelic Goddess “Bel” meaning the bright one, and the Gaelic word “teine” meaning fire. The Beltane fire is at the centre of the ritual for this special day. The Everyday Witch sums it up nicely: “Kindling the Bel Fire is an invocation to the Sun God to bring blessing and protection for the coming year. This fire also holds many healing and purifying properties, so think carefully about what intentions you wish to bring to it or what applications you wish to make of it. Traditionally, people lept over or through the fire to be cleansed and renewed in vitality. Pregnant women leapt through the flames to ensure an easy birth and safe delivery. Cattle were driven through the dying embers to banish disease. Couples could jump the fire together, to protect their union and renew their vows.”

Another important symbol that is incorporated into the celebration, and more frequently thought of by pagans, and non pagans alike, is the may pole. The union between the masculine (pole) and the feminine (ribbons) with an interweaving dance.

This year we didn’t have that much of a celebration in our household. We lit a fire in the fireplace and cuddled in front of it. We woke at dawn, after a night of turbulent sleep, to go to the village centre and watch the Morris dancers bring in the day. Although both were rewarding , I regret that I have not put much energy into this special day. This holyday, more than perhaps any other in the wheel of the year, resonates with me because of its history of sexual celebration. It is what I stand for, the removal of taboo. It would have been great to celebrate this with D this year. Our little baby inside me jiggling and kicking to a good hardy drumming. It would have been good to look at photos from our wedding last May Day and celebrate the year we have had. I was just too ill.

Almost fifteen years ago, when I was part of a casual coven of women in the States, I remember the most exhilarating May Day of my youth. We had all brought roses and a jar for the celebration. As we danced around the fire we placed a single rose into our jar and filled it with water. These sat next to the fire for the remainder of the ceremony. We sang, we purged, we ran through the flames, we talked of sexuality and sensuality. We celebrated those of us in the group who were maidens, the young ones, and said “goodbye” to the crones, who in mythological terms, turned to stone on Beltane Eve. There was another young woman who was visiting from west coast America. She looked like a pixie and her feet and hands were dirty from the earth she walked freely on. A fellow wanderer. She handed me her rose and kissed me on the lips. Far from being comfortable in my own sexual expression, this is one of the few times in my life I remember blushing.
The innocence of it all.

The glee.

It was exactly what it should be.