Beltane (also known as May Day) is one of the eight holidays, or Sabbats of Neopaganism. Beltane is the second of the great rituals, after Samhain. It is usually celebrated on May 1, and the two rituals divide the year into a dark half and a light half. The term means "Fire of Bel", Bel being a Celtic sun god.
Beltane is a fertility ritual. On Beltane, believers celebrate the sexual union of the God and the Goddess which brings new life into the world as the light half of the year begins. Couples often celebrate by enacting the consummation themselves, and it is considered very good luck to conceive on Beltane, as the child is considered to be chosen by the God and Goddess.
The Maypole
Many Neopagans dance the Maypole? as part of Beltane festivities. The Maypole is a [phallic symbol]?, but its origin is in the Bile Pole of the Celts. The Bile Pole is similar to the Norse World Tree, Yggdrasil, in that it connects the heavens, the earth, and the otherworld.
Traditionally the Maypole is made of birch?, although other woods are used today. Long colored ribbons are attached to the top of the Maypole, which is festooned with flowers and greenery. Boys and girls stand alternately around the base of the pole, each holding the end of a ribbon. They weave in and around each other, boys going one way and girls going the other, and the ribbons are woven together around the pole until the merrimakers meet at the base.
The weaving of the Maypole is also a magickal act.
The Fires of Beltane
Celebrants often leap through or over a fire, sometimes naked and sometimes clothed. The fires of Beltane are considered sacred and purifying. Some people believe it also ensures fertility.
Correspondences
Other symbols that are part of Beltane include eggs, rabbits, and very young animals of all types. Anything that is symbolic of new life, sexuality, conception, or birth is appropriate for Beltane. Attentive readers will have already noticed that many of the symbols used at Easter have their origin in Beltane. When the Celtic lands were Christianized, the people did not entirely give up their practices, but adapted them to their new faith.
See also Wheel of the Year.
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