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The SabbatsSabbats in History and Mythology / Samhain (October 31st) / Yule (December 21st) / Imbolc (February 2nd) / Ostara (March 21st) / Beltane (April 30th) / Litha (June 21st) / Lughnasadh (August 1st) / Mabon (September 21st) Written and compiled by George Knowles
BeltaneThe Beltane festival is one of the greater Sabbats of the
Witches annual calendar and today is normally celebrated on the 30th
of April (May Eve). Beltane
also marks the midpoint of the Sun’s progress between the vernal equinox and
the Summer Solstice. As the Celtic
year was based on lunar and solar cycles, many people choose to celebrate on the
full moon nearest this midpoint, the date of which is closer to the 5th
or 7th of May, but this can vary from year to year. Beltane is also known as “Roodmas” or “Walpurgis
Night”, and symbolizes
the start of Spring, one of
the most important festivals of the Wiccan year.
It’s origins lie in among the Celtic peoples of Western Europe and of
old was celebrated all across the British Isles, including England, Scotland,
Wales, Ireland and the Isle of Man. In
Ireland it is known as “Bealtaine”, in Scotland “Bealtunn”, in Wales as
“Galan Mae” and in the Isle of Man as “Shenn do Boaldyn”. This is
the time of year when crops begin to grow, when animals bear their young, and
when people came out of houses after being cooped up during the long dark months
of winter. Without the trapping of the technical age “lighting and
central heating”, things that we all take for granted today, in older times
the coming of fair weather and longer daylight hours would have been most
welcome and cause for celebration. Along with
Samhain, Imbolc and Lammas,
Beltane is one of the four great “fire festivals” that quarter the turning
points of the Celtic year. In
preparation of Beltane, the Celts would build two
large bonfires called “Bel-fires”, which would be dedicated to the Celtic
sun god Bel in thanks for shining his blessings and protection down on the clan,
their lands and livestock. Traditionally
the fires would be built using nine of the sacred woods of the Druids:
Oak, Ash, Rowan, Birch, Alder, Willow, Hazel, Holly and Hawthorn. The Hawthorn in particular, as according to the Celtic
calendar of the Druids, Hawthorn is the sacred tree most associated with the
month of May (13th-9th June).
On the Eve of Beltane the two fires be would be lit by
the Druids, leaving enough room between the two fires so that
cattle and other livestock could be
ritually led between them, an act that purified and protected
them from disease during the coming year. While
the cattle and other livestock were led away to their
summer grazing lands, torches
of dried sedge, gorse and heather would also be lit and carried around their
barns and stables, another act of purification.
The Bel-fires were considered sacred for their
healing and purifying powers, and were lit to celebrate the return of life and
fruitfulness to the earth while burning away the cold of winter.
All across the country household fires would be extinguished and re-lit
afresh from the Bel-Fires. Later
the left over ashes from the fires would be scattered in the fields. Once the fires had been
lit on Beltane Eve, and children had been put to bed, in the hours before
sunrise adult activities would begin. These
would include traditional activities associated with fertility.
Newly wed couples would dance around the fires to enhance their
fertility. Single men and women
would also join in and later wonder off into the nearby fields or forest to let
nature take its course. Such unions
were seen as good and proper, even when not sanctified by marriage (a Christian
notion), and were referred to as “Greenwood marriages”.
These were the origin of the “Year and a Day” handfasting customs
observed by modern witches and pagans today.
If the new marriages did not produce children within the year, the
couples had the option to split and re-marry others without the messy and
complicated procedures of divorce (another Christian notion). Water also
has a strong association
with Beltane, and more specifically Morning Dew, which was seen as sacred and
magical (particularly dew from Oak and Rowan trees). Of old, women would bathe in dew
gathered before dawn on Beltane morning in the belief that her beauty would
flourish throughout the year,
and if she chanted an appropriate charm while doing so, she might even meet her
future husband. Another
custom was to drink from a well before sunrise on Beltane morning to insure good
health and good fortune.
This led to the tradition of “Well Dressing”, particularly in Ireland
where many wells are considered Holy places. Another
popular custom associated with Beltane is “bringing in the May”, when people
from the villages go out into the fields and forests to gather seasonal flowers,
these they would use to decorate their homes and later to dress themselves in
readiness for the festivities. On
returning laden with flowers they would stop at each house along the way to sing
songs of spring and leave gifts of flowers, they would customarily be greeted
with the best food and drink that the house had to offer. One of the principal characters associated with the
Beltane festivities is
the “Queen of May”.
The May Queen is usually a young maiden selected from the previous years
“Maidens in Waiting” and crowned with a ring of fresh flowers.
Many old accounts mention both a May Queen and King being chosen, and
that they reign from sundown on the Eve of Beltane to sunset on Beltane day.
Among their duties were to lead the Beltane procession around the
village, and start the day’s festivities and games, later awarding prizes to
the victors. Perhaps
the most recognised symbol associated with the Beltane festivities is the
Maypole. To the Celts who started
the custom, the Maypole was a phallic symbol representing fertility.
The Celts were a tribal clan who depended upon the land and their animals
for survival. If their cattle and
crops proved to be fertile, they were able to eat, but if there was famine or
drought, they went hungry. Likewise
the fertility of their women was essential to the survival and longevity of the
clan. The Maypole as a phallic
symbol was therefore a very powerful symbol of the significance of fertility. In the old
days just before Beltane, clan members would go into the woods and cut down a
tall tree. Stripped of all its branches, the
resulting tall pole would be erected in the village square and decorated with
long brightly colored ribbons, leaves, flowers and wreaths.
During the festivities an even number of young men and maidens would be
selected to dance the May pole, each alternately holding the end of a ribbon.
The circle of dancers would start as far out from the pole as the length
of ribbon allowed, men facing clockwise and maidens facing counterclockwise.
Once the dance began, each would move in the direction they faced, those
on the inside ducking under the ribbon of those on the outside, while those
passing on the outside raise their ribbons to slide over those on the inside.
As the dance progressed the ribbons weave into a pattern down the pole.
The success of the pattern is said to indicate the success of the years
harvest. As with any festival of old, food plays an important part
in the celebrations. On Beltane it
was customary to bake small scones like cakes called “Bannocks”.
These were made from oat or barley flour worked into dough with just a
little water and no leavening, then filled with sweetmeat and spices.
Traditionally one of the cakes would be burned or marked with ashes. The recipient of the burnt cake would be considered bad luck,
and required to jumped over a small fire three times to purify and cleanse him
or herself of any ill fortune. Offerings
of bannocks and drink were traditionally left on doorsteps and roadways for the
Fairies as an offering. Beltane marks the end of Winter and the beginning of
Summer. It should be a day full of laughter and gaiety, fun and
frolicking, games and feasting, while bearing in mind it is still a precarious
time year, when crops are still very young and tender, and susceptible to frost
and blight. As was the way of
ancient beliefs, the Wheel of the Year wouldn’t turn without human persuasion,
and the people did all they could to encourage the Sun’s growth, for the Earth
will not produce and prosper without its warmth.
Fires, ritual and celebration were an important part of the old ways to
insure the Sun’s light would continue to promote the fecundity of the earth. End.
Sources:
Microsoft®
Encarta® 2006. © 1993-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Cunningham's
Encyclopedia Of Magical Herbs - By Scott Cunningham A Witches Bible - by Stewart and Janet Farrar http://twopagans.com/holiday/Litha.html http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/lithathesummersolstice/p/Litha_History http://www.netglimse.com/holidays/summer/summer_solstice_celebration.s Plus others to many too mention Written and compiled on the 04th August 2007 © George Knowles
Best wishes and Blessed Be
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