“With flowers in a ring upon her hair,
tonight she will dance without a care.
The energy of abundance and fertility she will raise
with a confidence worthy of being on stage.
Tonight the fires will burn bright
so make your wishes on this night
As we begin this beautiful month of May,
It’s time to celebrate Beltane today.
Beltane Blessings!
– Jasmeine Moonsong
Who’s ready to dance around the fire tonight? With all this shifting energy around us it truly does feel like the perfect night to get out there and lend a bit of our own energy to the mix. It’s a great night to get out and dance, enjoy nature and celebrate all the wonderful blessings that we have in our lives right now.
Beltane is known for its fiery passionate energy and tonight is the perfect night to raise the heat of the energy around us by having fun and doing things that we are passionate about in life.
Beltane is one of the eight sabbats that we celebrate and it’s honestly one of my favorites. We are opposite Samhain on the Wheel of the Year and there’s something about the energy right now that is just so inspiring and energizing that I can’t help but get excited when Beltane comes around. Maybe it’s the green everywhere, or my greenhouse that is packed with plants. There is so much new energy and energy of life around us now it’s hard not to get excited and join in on it. Tonight we celebrate the coming of summer and all the abundance that it will bring us, fertility, passion, and ritual with bonfires and May Pole dancing. It’s a day to honor life and shake off the sleepiness of winter.
The Maypole used to be made of a communal pine tree where all the branches were trimmed off and then moved to a tree that was driven into the ground. The tree represents the world center, Tree of Life and is also a phallic symbol. Those who are dancing around the pole hold onto red and white ribbons that are attached to the top of the pole. The White Ribbons represented the Goddess and the Red Ribbons represented the God. Traditionally there would be 8 dancers, one for each Sabbat, paired into couples. The men held the red ribbons and the women the white ribbons. They then would weave together a representation of the birth canal by moving in circles around the pole, weaving under each other’s interlocked upheld arms in mock sexual union. Beltane circles were once constructed with the Maypole at the center and a balefire at a distance at one or all four cardinal points. Because of the sexual connotations, Parliament made Maypoles illegal in Europe in 1644 but they came back with the Restoration and a 134-foot maypole was erected in the Strand in London.
It’s also an amazing time to connect with the magickal energy of the Fae. I think the gardens around my yard always remind me of the Fae this time of year as we have so many things for the Fae outside. It’s a great time to set little trinkets out for them like tiny stones, mini cakes or sparkly items. It also can be a lot of fun and quite rewarding to design areas that are meant for them. You may be surprised when they leave a trinket in return for you! It is said that the night before Beltane is the night that the fairies return to us. Legend has it that the Queen of the Fae rides back on that night on her white horse and tries to attract people back to Faeryland with her. I’ve also heard that if you sit beneath a tree on Beltane Eve, you may catch a glimpse of her or hear her bells.
We can’t forget the thinning veils. I know many of you have likely already noticed them. Twice a year the veils between the worlds thin and this is one of them. For those of you who are sensitive, you have likely been noticing the shift in the energy and your ability to pick up on things that perhaps we wouldn’t normally notice. In ancient times, on the night before Beltane they would put Rowan Branches on the windows and doors for protection during this time from any unwanted spirits that may come through the veil. If you are sensitive be sure to practice extra grounding and shielding during this time. It’s also a wonderful time to work on your gifts and connect with loved ones on the other side.
Next is my favorite way to celebrate Beltane, the bonfire. It’s also one of the symbols or ways to celebrate Beltane that most of you are likely familiar with. The name Beltane translates to “bright fire”, the “bale-fire”. On the evening of Beltane the Celts would build a fire from nine sacred woods: birch, oak, rowan, willow, hawthorn, hazel, apple, grapevine and fir.
“Nine woods in the Cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow.
Birch wood in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows.
Oak in the forest, towers with might in the fire it brings the God’s insight.
Rowan is a tree of power causing life and magick to flower.
Willows at the waterside stand ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is burned to purify and to draw faerie to your eye.
Hazel-the tree of wisdom and learning-adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility.
Grapes grow upon the vine giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen to represent immortality seen.
But – Elder is the Lady’s tree burn it not or cursed you’ll be.”
– From the Wiccan Rede
On the night before Beltane the young people in the town would go out at midnight to gather flowers. They would come back from this all night event dressed in flowers, leaving flowers on doorsteps and blessing the crops in exchange for food. It’s a bit similar to trick-or-treating on Samhain. Because of the passion associated on this night it was not uncommon for many a young maiden to come back pregnant after this evening.
It’s the perfect night to celebrate with a bonfire and tell your wishes to the stars.
Have an amazingly Blessed Beltane!
Much Love and Many Blessings,
Jasmeine Moonsong
P.S. Today is your last day to order the Journey to the Beltane Fires Reading!
Join me on Moonsong Daily Magick for the complete Beltane edition and access to a special spell for tonight!