Around the beginning of May you may see lots of posts of fires or May Poles, or saying that the wheel is turning. The festival of Beltane is on its way…
But what actually is Beltane, and how can you celebrate?
Falling on 1st-5th May, Beltane (also sometimes referred to as Bealtine or Beltaine) marks the halfway point between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice.
The word Beltane comes from the Old Irish and translates as bright fire, or fire of Bel You’ll sometimes hear people like myself refer to it as Bealtine, because this is true to the original form of the word with tine (pronounced chin-ar) being the Gaeilge/Irish word for fire 🔥
The festival is symbolic of the return of fertility to the land, and creating protection for crops and livestock for the year’s farming.
Beltane is one of the four major Ancient Irish, and later Celtic, Fire Festivals, and is also thought to honour the Sun God Bel, to encourage the blessings of the sun to come upon the crops for the season.
How To Celebrate Beltane
There are many ways you can celebrate Beltane, both on your own and as part of a group – here’s some of my favourites…
Fire
As one of the major Fire Festivals, one of the best ways to celebrate Beltane is with Fire.
Of course, if you are qualified to work with large fires you may find yourself leading a Ceremonial Fire for others, but there is nothing to say it has to be a fire like this! Burning candles around your home is also great.
The colour of candles associated with Beltane are usually red or brown, earthy tones – think of what colours and fragrances make you think of the coming of summer and fertile ground for some inspiration if you’re not sure.
It would have been traditional for people to light two fires and then lead their cattle, or carry their seeds, between the two to receive blessings. Perhaps you could light two candles and place representations or words of your intentions for the coming season between the two, to also receive Beltane Blessings.
Make a flower crown
There are lots of videos on Youtube etc on how to make a Flower Crown from fresh flowers, grasses, reeds, and other natural materials.
Flower Crowns are one of the most beautiful and fun ways of celebrating the day if you can source the materials to make yours from.
Remember if you’re harvesting or foraging for your supplies to always ask the plants permission, and to pass blessings forward to it from what it allows you to create.
dance the maypole or hang the bunting
Beltane is all about celebrating in community, and nothing can beat a May Day Dance around the Maypole for this.
If you can’t find any local celebrations you could create your own representation by tying bright ribbons or bunting around areas you’ll be using for your celebration.
This is also a great way of getting family or friends together for your Beltane celebrations too.
Water Your Intentions
Did you set some affirmations, goals, or intentions for the year? Maybe you’ve started to plant the seeds for creating these.
Now is the time to bring your mind back to them and think of how they might need a little nurturing as they begin to grow. How do they need blessing so that they can become fruitful this year.
You might want to create a vision board if you haven’t already, use tools like drums and rattles, or just meditate on the ideas you’ve birthed and now want to flourish as the year moves on.
connect with nature
With a focus on the blessings of the elements to create great crops, Beltane is a time for getting outside to connect with those element – get your feet on the land, spend time by a river, sit with the new plants that are beginning to flower.
If the weather doesn’t allow, find a space in your home that you can create a nature alter space and bring things that represent nature to you indoors. This could be twigs, stones, a wee bottle of river water.
Even just decorating a space to burn your Beltane candles with things from the outdoors, is a great place to start.
With the preparation for the summer months, and bounty to come, beltane is an exciting time
Whether you’ve celebrated Celtic festivals before, or this is your first time dipping your toe into re-membering the ways of our ancestors, I hope this has given you some ideas and inspiration.
If you’re going to be celebrating Beltane this year do please leave me a comment to let me know what you’ll be up to below.
Oh, and by the way…
I host a juicy, free, Facebook group, for folk like you – want to be a part of the Wild Soul Tribe and find your magik?
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Unpacking the re-membering of land, lineage and the fire inside, Lottie is the founder here at the Wild Soul Tribe.
Lottie believes in walking the path less travels, which has taken her from living in Burkina Faso, to trekking some of the biggest mountains in the world.
Now growing within her Irish heritage, Lottie supports others to experience a little adventure AND inner peace.