Blessed Beltane

One of my favorite blogs has posted some information about today's glorious Sabbat, too. I'm just adding to the mix. (btw, has anyone ever commented on how Sabbat is close to Sabbath....)

One of the best-known Celtic traditions for Beltane is the lighting of the Beltane fires. These huge fires were set to welcome back the sun for the light (summer) half of the year. All the hearth fires were extinguished on May Eve, and then they were relit the next day from the Beltane fires.

The fires were started with nine sacred woods, each with various magickal properties. People would gather and dance around the fires through the night, jumping over the flames to ensure a successful and prosperous summer.

• Birch - The Goddess, or female energy
• Oak - The God, or male energy
• Hazel - Knowledge and wisdom
• Rowan (Mountain Ash) - Life
• Hawthorne - Purity and fairy magick
• Willow - Death, sacred to Hecate
• Fir - Birth and rebirth
• Apple - Love and family
• Vine - Joy and happiness

Among the various symbols of Beltane, the Maypole is probably the most well known, even to non-Pagans.

On the surface, the tall Maypole is simply a phallic symbol to reflect the fertility of the season. But it originates with the ancient Irish story of the Bile Pole. The Bile Pole was a sacred tree of life that grew up through the Earth to join the Heavens above and the Otherworld beneath. A similar story to the the Norse tree, Yggdrasil.

One does not simply put up a Maypole at Beltane, the pole must be draped with ribbons and flowers, and it must be danced around. In the past, it was the young children who did the dancing. Long ribbons are attached to the top of the pole, usually in pastel Spring colours. Half the ribbons would be taken up by the boys, and the other half by the girls.

Note: They stopped the May Day celebration in our town - held by Christian Scandinavians. Why? Some "better" Christians thought it was too pornographic - scantily clad young girls dancing around a phallic symbol.

Oh, my....

Peace