Beltane Fire picture from Edinburgh, Scotland.
Beltane is the Celtic festival celebrating the arrival of summer. May 1 is a good day to take the cattle and sheep to summer grazing, and to lighten the load of the farmer. May 1 signals that the towns and cities will be busier as people come out of the winter/spring hibernation. Many of our Ancestors honoured Beltane in some way – whether Celtic or other tradition.
In Ireland/Scotland, Beltane is celebrated by all night bonfires, such as the one pictured above. There is music and dancing, and often the burning of an effigy of old man winter.
“Another common aspect of the festival which survived up until the early 20th century in Ireland was the hanging of May Boughs on the doors and windows of houses and the erection of May Bushes in farmyards, which usually consisted either of a branch of rowan/caorthann (mountain ash) or more commonly whitethorn/sceach geal (hawthorn) which is in bloom at the time and is commonly called the 'May Bush' or just 'May' in Hiberno-English. ~~ From Wikipedia~~”
Beltane is a time of healing because in the celebration of life, all one’s troubles are placed on a shelf, to be dealt with at another time. This is a time when Nature shows how beautiful she is, and the deer and the wolf give birth. It is a time of oneness in a community. And often, great fun emerges as people tip back an ale or two, and shed their inhibitions.
This is a time for newness. It is a time to become motivated – to work on the yard, the garden; to take up an exercise program; to look up family and old friends; to do something nice for one’s self; to get out of the city, or to get out of the country; to write/paint/play music and allow the creativity. May 1 is a doorway for loving one’s self unconditionally, and appreciating others.
May your Beltane motivate you to have fun!
Many blessings,
Judy