6 Modern Ways to Celebrate Beltane
Beltane is a sacred fire festival to celebrate the abundance of spring.
It’s about blooming. Unfolding to life. Fertile seeds breaking open, unfurling into the world from rich, damp soil.
What does it take for a seed to bloom?
It takes darkness. And silence. It takes time.
It takes nutrition and warmth and light.
Think about a seed … everything it needs in order to become the fullest expression of a flower. Or a fruit (juicy!). Beltane asks us to give that to ourselves without shame.
What is Beltane?
Beltane is an ancient holiday with roots in the British Isles but has been celebrated in different forms all over the world. It falls between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice, usually around April 30 and May 1.
If Spring Equinox (around March 19) was the planting of the seeds, Beltane is the celebration of new life peeking from the ground and really beginning to root. It’s a transitional season between the equinoxes, but no less important to those who keep in touch with the shifting energies of the year.
Ancestors traditionally gathered to light fires, dance, sing, eat, and perform orgiastic rituals for a fruitful harvest that year. But if you’re not down for wine-fueled orgies, keep reading for some modern ways to honor this time of year.
Beltane Energies, Gods, and Goddesses
The energy around this time is one of love, passion, and fertility. Ancient Romans honored Flora, the goddess of flowers, while other cultures observed rituals for gods of fertility, motherhood (mayhaps why Mother’s Day is the Sunday after Beltane…), gods of the forest, and gods of agriculture.
Beltane falls well into Taurus season, giving it an earthy, grounded, sensual vibe, and an opportunity for us to commune with the earth and even get more in touch with our bodies.
Of course, observance and offerings weren’t just for the fertility of the earth, but for the fertility of the womb! Which is why plenty of marriages and handfastings are done around this time.
6 Modern Ways to Celebrate Beltaine
#1: Create a Beltane Altar
Creating an altar is a beautiful way to honor a season or holiday. Use bright, rich colors in honor of spring flowers, add an abundance or fertility candle to represent the element of fire, and add anything symbolic of nature, like seeds, flowers, sticks, or other found objects.
Unsure how to create an altar from scratch? Check out this post. You can also make your garden or a tree or bush your altar by decorating it with twinkle lights and flowers. Think of it like a Spring-style Christmas tree.
#2: Break Bread
Bread is metaphor. The real goal with Beltane is to share the wealth. You may have heard that wealth and abundance energetics are the same as the energies of generosity. I’m not going to lie… this does NOT come naturally to me. I don’t know what the hell happened to me in some of my past lives, but I’m stingy and selfish as hell. It’s physically painful for me to share or give freely, but I am changing. Because I know on a deep level that my hoarding is a contraction that keeps wildly expansive wealth away.
Anyhoo… sharing doesn’t have to mean giving away cash money. It can mean lending an ear or a hand; and it’s always a good idea to host a Beltane dinner or BBQ. Bannocks, scones, honey fritters, delicious meats and piles of fruits and veggies adorned with freshly chopped herbs… that’s a Beltane vibe.
#3: Plant Seeds and Starts
It’s not too late to start a spring or summer garden in most parts of the Northern Hemisphere. I’m still starting seeds for herbs and lettuce, and I’m planning on grabbing some veggie starts this weekend. Bonus points for researching plants that will bring pollinators and butterflies to your garden!
Plant everything with intention and love. You can even give each plant a special intention by writing words or drawing sigils on the sides or bottom of the pot. For instance, “health,” “creativity,” or “energy.”
#4: party by firelight
Beltane is known as the Festival of Fire and a beautiful time to bring some fire energy into your life. Dance around a bonfire. Light too many candles in the living room and sway naked with the blinds open (why not??). Purify and burn off the last stagnate energies of winter! Stare into the firelight (yes, a candle will do), feel its warmth and set the intention to burn away the parts of your life that are no longer necessary. Emerge from your ceremony renewed — a damn Phoenix rising from the ashes. Let the heat fuel your next steps!
#5: Get into your body
I’ll speak for myself… it’s all too easy to dissociate from these incredible bodies. Or maybe worse – we’re so used to constant criticism and trash talk that we can’t appreciate them for all they do. I was at female empowerment-type event once where the facilitators just kept telling all of us to masturbate and all of our problems would go away (LOL I wish). One woman timidly raised her hand and asked what to do if she never really felt the desire to touch herself. The answer is somewhat counterintuitive – sometimes you have to fake it til you make it.
Dress in sensual clothing, drench yourself in flower water and fragrant oils. Touch your body with love, dance in the mirror – experiment with different ways that your body can feel good. If the sexy stuff freaks you out or it’s just too much, that’s ok! Lay outside under a tree, put your feet in the soil, or splurge on a spa day. The point is to get out of your head and into your body, just as the gods of Beltane would want.
#6: Do an Abundance or Fertility Spell
The only real way to learn the nuances of magical power is to practice it.
Taurus season is the perfect time to call in material resources, set new money goals, and relish in the abundance that’s already yours. Perform a spell for abundance as we leave old energies behind and embrace a brand new season. The ancients used this time to conjure fertility (yes, babymaking), but fertility can also mean birthing a new project or idea, or just conjuring the inspiration to work out more or adopt a new, healthy habit. You could also do an abundance spell for the collective, asking that everyone has all the food, warmth, and love they need.
That’s it for these modern ways to honor this beautiful in-between season. Check back often and share with your friends so you can celebrate the wheel of the year together!