Some Beltane Customs

Maypole

Forms include pole, tree, bush, cross; communal or household; permanent or annual. * In Germany, Fir tree was cut on May Eve by young unmarried men, branches removed, decorated, put up in village square, & guarded all night until dance occurred on May Day. * In England, permanent Maypoles were erected on village greens * In some villages, there also were smaller Maypoles in the yards of households. * Maypole ribbondances, with two circles interweaving; around decorated bush/tree, clockwise circle dances.

Flowers & Greenwood

Gathering and exchange of Flowers and Greens on May Eve, pre-dawn May Day, Beltane. * Decorating homes, barns, and other buildings with Green budding branches, including Hawthorn. * Making and wearing of garland wreaths of Flowers and/or Greens. * May Baskets were given or placed secretly on doorsteps to friends, shut-ins, lovers, others. * May Bowl was punch (wine or non-alcoholic) made of Sweet Woodruff blossoms.

Beltane Fires

Traditionally, sacred woods kindled by spark from flint or by friction -- in Irish Gaelic, the Beltane Fire has been called teine eigin (fire from rubbing sticks). * Jump over the Beltane Fire, move through it, or dance clockwise around it. * Livestock was driven through it or between two fires for purification and fertility blessings. * In ancient times Druid priests kindled it at sacred places; later times, Christian priests kindled it in fields near the church after peforming a Christian church service. * Rowan twigs were carried around the fire three times, then hung over hearths to bless homes. * In the past, Beltane community fire purification customs included symbolic sacrifice of effigy knobs on the Beltane Cake (of barley) to the fire, or, in medieval times, mock sacrifice of Beltane Carline (Hag) who received blackened piece of Beltane Cake; Maypoles in Spain were each topped with a male effigy which was later burned. Contemporary Pagans burn sacred wood and dried herbs as offerings in their Beltane fires.

May Waters

Rolling in May Eve dew or washing face in pre-dawn May Day dew for health, luck, beauty. * Getting head and hair wet in Beltane rain to bless the head. * Blessing springs, ponds, other sacred waters with flowers, garlands, ribbons, other offerings. * Collecting sacred waters and scrying in sacred springs, wells, ponds, other waters.

Sacred Union & Fertility

Union with the Land focus, often with actual mating outside on the Land to bless fields, herds, home. * May Queen (May Bride) as personification of the Earth Goddess and Goddesses of Fertility. * May King (May Groom) as personification of Vegetation God, Jack-in-Green -- often covered in green leaves. * At Circle Sanctuary, in addition to May Queen & May King, is May Spirit Couple, an already bonded pair. * Symbolic Union of Goddess and God in election/selection, crowning, processional, Maypole dance, feast. * Morris Dancers and pageants (with Hag & Jack-in-Green) to awaken the fertility in the Land.

Correspondences

Tools, Symbols & Decorations

Maypole & ribbons, flower crowns, fires, bowers, fields, May baskets, white flowers and ribbons, daisy chain, flower chaplet, white wine in clear crystal glass, chalice, butterchurn, blackthorn & hawthorn branches, seasonal fruit.

Colors

Red & white (symbolizing God and Goddess), dark green, dark yellow, rainbow spectrum, blue, pastels, all colors.

Customs

maypole erection, dancing around the maypole, bonfires, jumping fire, mating, picking flowers, making flower baskets, frolicking throughout the countryside, archery tournaments, sword dances, feasting, drinking and music, moving the herds to high pasture.

Animals/Mythical beings

The white cow, goats, giants, rabbits, honey bees, faeries, satyrs, pegasus.

Gemstones

Emerald, orange carnelian, sapphire, rose quartz, lazuli, sapphire, yellow agate, bloodstone.

Herbs

Almond, angelica, damiana, hawthorn, hibiscus, saffron, ash tree, bluebells, cinquefoil, daisy, frankincense, hawthorn, ivy, lilac, marsh marigold, meadowsweet, primrose, roses, satyrion root, woodruff, yellow cowslip, yarrow.

Incense/Oil

Passion flower, frankincense, tuberose, vanilla, lilac, rose

Rituals/Magicks

The Great Rite, love, romance & fertility magicks, elf & faery power, offerings to elementals, crop blessings, relighting sacred fires, divination, building shrines, fire-calling, honoring house guardians, snake dancing, bathing faces in the morning dew of May to retain their youthful beauty.

Foods

Dairy, honey, oats, red fruits, herbal salads, red/pink wine punch, large round oatmeal/barley cakes, sweets