Sabbats - Beltane

Beltane is usually celebrated on May 1st. It is a celebration of May Day, and is also seen as a fertility festival.

Beltane is the Sabbat that marks the beginning of summer. It can be traced back to early Irish literature and even within Irish mythologies. Rituals held in those times included ones to protect cattle and to encourage growth. There were even celebratory bonfires lit. Now it is seen as a fertility festival and this can be taken to mean plants or sexually. Bonfires are still used, or fire pits for smaller gatherings.

Activities for Beltane include; fertility practises, creating flower crafts, having a picnic, singing, dancing, laughing, planting bulbs, lighting bonfires, creating a dream pillow and tending to wild plants.

Some activities I plan to do with the kids this year include making dream pillows (I’ll do a post on these!), creating flower crafts and having a picnic. Once they are in bed, I want to invite over some people for a small firepit celebration. I did this on my first Beltane at my parents, and we burned intentions for the summer months.

Corresependences for Beltane are

Deities - Brigid, Horned God, Eros, Diana, Freyja, Odin, Pan

Herbs - Mugwort, cowslip, lemon, mint, rosemary

Colours - blue, pink, red, white, yellow

Crystals - amber, fire agate, emerald, jasper, rose quartz

What else would you like to know about Beltane? Let me know in the comments.