Beltane is a celebration of fertility and pleasure. In the story of the Goddess and the God, the Oak King and the Maiden aspect of the Goddess become lovers, and are joined in sacred union. The Goddess becomes pregnant with the child that will be born at the following Yule; the Oak King reborn.
For weeks, birds have been building nests, flying about chasing after one another. Flowers bloom; the trees are filled with green. There is magick in the air.
We celebrate Beltane by dancing around Maypoles and leaping over bonfires; symbols of fertility whose meanings are nearly forgotten through the expanse of time. We take this time to celebrate the sacred union of the Goddess and the God, mirroring their lovemaking. It is a carefree Sabbat, filled with pleasure and joy.
The fact that Beltane is directly opposite Samhain on the Wheel of the Year is often overlooked in the festivities. On both Beltane Eve and Samhain, the veil between our world and the spirit world is especially thin. This is a wonderful time to work magick, practice divination, and seek direction for the coming half of the year. The fertility embodied in Beltane celebrations is not only a physical one; we also celebrate the fertility in our lives. Many of us begin new undertakings on this Sabbat, knowing that the environment we begin our adventure in is especially receptive to our intentions. This receptivity, coupled with the thinness of the veil between the worlds, lends a certain potency to any magick worked on this Sabbat.
Beltane
Approximately May 1st
Pronounced "bell-tain"
Divine Myth: The Goddess and the Oak King are joined in sacred marriage and he becomes her lover, impregnating her with the child that will be born at Yule.
Keywords: Fertility, Sexuality, Spirit World