Beltane Intro

Beltane is the name of a major Celtic feast that can be traced back to early medieval sources, one of which claims that it descended from the Druids. It was a fire festival held on May 1st, which in the British Isles marked the beginning of the summer season. In America, however, we find ourselves at mid-spring at this time due to climatic differences. According to historian Ronald Hutton in his 1996 book The Stations of the Sun, the name “Beltane” most likely means “lucky fire,” referring to the ritual bonfires that were built to ward off ill-health and ill-fortune for the coming year. He reports that the tradition was maintained in Ireland and other Irish-influenced areas of Britain well into the 19th century, as well as in “parts of England in which native British culture lingered the longest” (p.223). This suggests that the bonfires were indeed a survival of a widespread ancient practice. Interestingly, he notes also that mentions in Welsh literature impart an “arcane quality” to May Day, similar to the oft-celebrated “thinning of the veil” at Samhain, which lies at the opposite point on the Wheel of the Year.

Being the time of year when trees are budding and flowers are blossoming, it seems appropriate that the theme of Beltane celebrations should be “Life.” New life is coming into view all around us, reminding us to renew our hopes and aspirations. But we also take stock of where we are, as though from the top of a hill, and consider how best to move forward. Are there goals we want to pursue? Where do we want to put our energy? If we were trees, we could devote ourselves to growing our trunks taller, spreading our branches wider, digging our roots deeper, or making our protective bark thicker. Even trees have to choose their priorities for the year. And their choices will affect all the other trees with which their root systems connect. So we also celebrate the interconnectedness of all life on this world and remember that we do not stand apart from or above that web of life. Whether you’re a tree or a bird or a human being, life can be daunting—all the more reason to celebrate.

Beltane Ritual

Celebration for Beltane, the Spring Festival

We have gathered here to celebrate Beltane, the year’s third and final spring festival. At Imbolc, in the depths of winter, we honored the seed time, when growth occurs deep underground, sheltered from the harsher elements. Then, at Ostara—the Vernal Equinox—we celebrated the balance between light and dark and welcomed the return of the light, so that it might encourage further growth and produce the first blooms of the spring. Now, we have come to Beltane and the full blossoming of the spring season.

In springtime, we see trees, plants, animals, and insects all coming to life after their long hibernation. There’s a feeling in the air of newness, of freshness, of awakening potential that was absent just a few weeks ago. This winter was particularly long and harsh. It would be enough to celebrate merely surviving; but when we look around—at our yards and each other—we can see that life is truly thriving. Like all the living things of nature, we have been reborn. At this time of the year, we can imagine the Planet Earth as a mother giving life to us all.

The Earth Mother is a figure that appears in cultures all across the globe, dating back many thousands of years. In India, she has been worshiped as Prithvi, the source of all the world’s bounty and a dependable, supportive goddess. To the ancient Egyptians, she was Neith, the fierce creator of the universe and mother of the sun, identified with the primordial waters. The Vikings knew her as Jord, the mother of Thor, and the Celts considered Danu the mother of their gods. To the Greeks, she was Gaea. These names, along with many others, all represent a personification of the Earth as a maternal figure—a way of relating to the life-giving energy of the planet.

In most human cultures, including ours, the qualities associated with motherhood are thought of as feminine qualities: nurturing, caring, encouraging, protecting, calming, healing, teaching. But if we step beyond those commonplace stereotypes, we can recognize that all the ways of loving transcend gender. We are all Earth mothers, and we are all of the Earth mothers. Just as we are cared for, so too do we care for others—whether children, pets, feral cats, roaming bunnies, or the tender first seedlings of spring.

This evening, as we make offerings and burn intentions in the fire, let us think of how we care for living things—ourselves, our loved ones, our friends, our families, our communities, our gardens, our world. Let us remember that as we do so, we are doing the work of the Earth Mother. We are doing the labor of the spring.

(Placing individual intentions or offerings into the fire)

As we watch our offerings burn in the Beltane fire, we say goodbye to that which no longer serves us and we welcome that which will help us to reach our highest and best selves. We have endured a long and bitter winter. We retreated into the darkness, where we found ways to look within, to identify those parts of ourselves that needed attention or respite. Now that spring has come, we are ready to grow, to look into the light, to reach towards the sun, to spread our wings. As the days grow longer, the light within us grows as well. We look forward to the warmth and joy of summer. The Wheel has turned once again. Blessed be. Blessed Beltane.

Closing Poem

Suggested reading: “The Trees” by Philip Larkin