Beltane

(beel-teen or bell-tayn) bel is`shining/brilliant’, tene is ‘fire’. Hence, Beltane means "brilliant fire, - Major Sabbat (High Holiday) - Fire Festival April 30-May 1st

AKA:
Bhealltainn, Bealtaine, Beltaine, Beltinna, Lady Day; Samhradh; La Baal Tinne May Eve, May Day, Walspurgis Night, Rudemas, Walburgal, Giamonios, Shenn do Boaldyn, Galan Mae, Whitsun, Rudemas, Festival of Tana (Strega)

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

Incense/Oil:
passion flower, frankincense, tuberose, vanilla, lilac, rose

Colors/Candles:
red & white (symbolizing God and Goddess), dark green, dark yellow, rainbow spectrum, blue, pastels, all colors

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

Goddesses:
May Queen, Flora, Maia, Flower Goddesses, Lady of the Greenwood, Divine Couples, andGoddesses of the Hunt, Aphrodite (Greek) Blodewedd (Welsh), Erzulie (Voodun), Baubo (Greek), Rhea (Cretean), Prithvi (Hindu)

Gods:
May King, Jack in the Green, Horned God (European), Herne (Greek), Green Man, Bel (Celtic), Baal (Phoenician), Gods of the Hunt,

Essence:
compassion, youthful play, exhuberance, sensuality, pleasure, action

Dynamics/Meaning:
sacred marriage of the Lord and the Lady, arrival of the Tuatha de Dannan in Ireland

Purpose:
fertility festival, celebrate 1st day of Celtic summer, 1st day of the light half of the year

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

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

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

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

Element/Gender: air/male

Threshold: dawn

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Yummy Beltaine Recipes
SAMHAIN AND BELTAIN THE TWO GATES OF THE CELTIC YEAR


Litha
Lughnasadh
Mabon



SOURCE(S)
"Katydid"


PRODUCT(S)

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