BELTANE April 30th - May 1st (also known as May Day, Walburga, Galan Mai, Shenn da Boaldyn, Bealtinne, Beltine, Beltaine, Beltan, Bel-tien, Bealtuinn, and Bealtaine,) Beltane is the second principle Celtic festival (the other being Samhain) that is celebrated halfway between the Vernal (spring) equinox and the Midsummer (Summer Solstice) that welcomes the arrival of spring in modern times, and heralded the approach of summer, in ancient times. Beltane, and its counterpart Samhain, divide the year into its two primary seasons, winter, the dark part of the year, and summer, the light part of the year. Samhain is about honoring Death, where as Beltane, is about honoring Life. Beltane, which means "fire of Bel" or "bright fire" is one of the major fire holidays, revolving around protection and purification, mostly with animals and livestock. It is also a major Fertility holiday, and marks the union between the God and the Goddess when the God inpregnates the Goddess with his seed, thereby ensuring his own rebirth once again, and the reawakening of the earth's fertlty to its fullest. It is a time of joyous reveling, as the first flowers of summer are gathered in their honor. Beltane, like Samhain, is a time of "no time" when the veils between the worlds are at their thinnest, and it is much easier to see, and experience those from other realms, especially the faerie realm. On the night before Beltane in times past, people would put rowan branches at their windows and doors for protection from the faerie folk. In Ireland, it was also believed that food left over from May Eve, must not be eaten, but rather buried or left as an offering to the faeries instead. On Beltane The Celts would burn the Bel fire, in honor of the God, Bel, the Celtic God of light and fire who was the life giver, and represented the sun. Traditionally fire would be kept burning all year, since its first lighting, on Samhain, and put out finally on May Eve. At this time, the hearth and chimney were throughly cleaned. Then they would be relit, in the community, at dawn the next day. This Bel fire was considered to be a sacred fire with healing and purification powers. Cattle and livestock would be driven between (2)fires to ensure their health, protection, and fertility. Young men and women would also jump through the flames for luck in conceiving children, or luck in finding a spouse. These fires would be kept burning all night, and people would carry home torches to relit their own household fires. Water, the other element of purification, also played a strong role in Beltane Custom. Morning dew, was seen as sacred and magickal, and on Beltane morning, young women would rise at dawn and bath their faces with dew, which was believed to enhance a womens beauty and health in the coming year, and if she uttered an appropriate charm, she may also meet her future husband in the coming year. The fertility role of Beltaine was represented primarily through the plants and flowers. Young women would stay out all night collecting flowers for making wreaths, and for their hair. They would also gather hawthorn to decorate their houses. The young men would search the woods for a tree to make a maypole which they would decorate with greenery, flowers and ribbons, to raise in the center of the village, and crown it with a garland of flowers. The Maypole dance, is an important aspect of encouraging the return of fertility to the earth. The pole represents the male phallic symbol, while the hole, in which it is "planted" in, represents the female aspect, of the womb, along with the beautiful ribbons, which wrap around the pole, embracing it, which also symbolizes the union of the God and Goddess. Young maidens and lads, would each hold an end of a ribbon, and the dance would revolve around the base of the pole, interweaving the ribbons. The circle of dancers should begin as far out from the pole as possible, so the ribbons are taunt. There should be an even number of males and females, with the males facing clockwise, and the females facing counterclockwise. Each moves in the direction they are facing, weaving in-between each other, with those on the inside ducking, and those on the outside sliding the ribbon over heads. As the dance revolves, in a spiral and circular motion, and the ribbons wrap around the pole, the energy it raises is sent down into the earth's womb, bringing about her full awakening and fruitfullness and ensuring an abundant harvest for the year. Other aspects of the celebration included parades with Jack-In-The Green, also known as the Green Man, the May KIng and May Queen, who symbolizes the God and the Goddess, frolicking throughout the countryside, circling the fire three times for good luck in the coming year, athletic tournaments, feasting, music, drinking, and children collecting may flowers and making may baskets. Than later into the wee hours of the morning, couples would venture off into the fields or forests to perform their own fertility rites, either with each other, or often for the crops, with the man pulling out and spilling his "seed" onto the the earth, which was a way of performing sympathetic magick, to ensure a bountiful harvest. Beltane is not only a time of celebrating the reawakening of the earth, sensuality and sexuality, but it is also a time to fertilize your own dreams with action, and to be joyous and thankful to be alive. So what are you going to do this Beltane??? (Smile!)