BELTANE–The Fire Festival

As the third Pagan Sabbat of the year, following Imbolic and Ostara, Beltane (pronounced B’yal-t’n), begins on sundown April 30 and lasts until sundown May 1. It is one of the four cross-quarter holidays (sometimes called the Greater Sabbats), also including Imbolc, Lughnasadh, and Samhain.

With the return of Summer, many Pagans, Witches, and Satanists celebrate Beltane as a Pagan holiday of fertility, fire, and Summer. Although it is commonly celebrated beginning on sundown April 30 and lasting until sundown May 1, some prefer to mark it around May 5, when the sun reaches 15 degrees of Taurus. Beltane is midpoint between the vernal equinox and summer solstice.

Beltane is also sometimes called 'The Love Chase' and also 'The Wild Hunt' when the gods become at once 'The Hunter', as well as 'The Hunted'. Feasting, orgies, and celebrations of fertility are key to this date. In the words of Witchcraft writers Janet and Stewart Farrar, the Beltane celebration was principally a time of '...unashamed human sexuality and fertility.' Such associations include the obvious phallic symbolism of the Maypole and riding the hobby horse. Even a seemingly innocent children's nursery rhyme, 'Ride a cock horse to Banburry Cross...' retains such memories. And the next line '...to see a fine Lady on a white horse' is a reference to the annual ride of 'Lady Godiva' though Coventry. Every year for nearly three centuries, a sky-clad [nude] village maiden [elected Queen of the May] enacted this Pagan rite, until the Puritans put an end to the custom. Due to the alignment of the earth at this important time, telepathic communication with the Gods and spirit world is very open. This is an excellent time to communicate with Demons. The Beltane festival is the highest day on the Druidic Witch’s Calendar of western Europe. As this practice spread throughout Europe eastward, it was called Walpurgis Night, then later Witches Sabbath. Btane-Walpurgis is the celebration of sexuality and passion with frolicking, and antlers (horns) in worship of the horned god-Satan. It is also a fertility ritual with dance movements westward, connecting with the waxing power of the Sun. This Satanic influenced unholy day is yet celebrated today. BELTANE’s ORIGINS Beltane is an ancient celebration of fertility. Beltane is also the Satanic New Year and is an ancient traditional celebration of spring. Fertility celebrations have their origins in Ancient Mesopotamia. Orgies took place along with feasting to encourage the fertility of food animals and the abundance of crops for the coming year. Beltane is directly opposite Samhain [Halloween] on the Satanic Calendar, as Samhain is the time of reaping. Beltane is also the celebration of the return of the Sun, the planting of crops, and the rebirth of spring. BELTANE’s CUSTOMS

A central aspect of the festival was the lighting of bonfires on hills.

May Day was then celebrated as the beginning of summer; garlands were made, and houses and doorways were adorned with the newly sprouting vegetation (indeed, so much so that John Aubrey lamented the damage done to so many hawthorn trees). A tree was felled and set up as a maypole, around which the folk danced and sang. It was a day of great license, the excesses of which could provoke many a puritan to bewail the fact that of many young women in the woods, few 'returned home undefiled.' Beltane is also when cattle were driven out to the summer pastures. Rituals were performed to protect the cattle and people, and to encourage growth. Special bonfires were kindled, and their flames, smoke and ashes were deemed to have protective powers. The people and their cattle would walk around or between bonfires, and sometimes leap over the flames or embers. All household fires would be doused and then re-lit from the Beltane bonfire. These gatherings would be accompanied by a feast. Doors, windows, and livestock would be decorated with white or yellow May flowers, perhaps because they evoked fire. In parts of Ireland, people would make a May Bush: a thorn bush or branch decorated with flowers, ribbons, bright shells and rushlights. Many of these customs were part of May Day or Midsummer festivals in other parts of Great Britain and Europe. Holy wells were often visited at Beltane. Visitors to holy wells would pray for health while walking sunwise (moving from east to west) around the well). They would then leave offerings, typically coins or clooties. The first water drawn from a well on Beltane was seen as being especially potent, and would bring good luck to the person who drew it. Beltane morning dew was also a source of good luck and health. At dawn or before sunrise on Beltane, maidens would roll in the dew or wash their faces with it. The dew was collected in a jar, left in the sunlight, and then filtered. The dew was thought to increase sexual attractiveness, maintain youthfulness, and protect from sun damage (particularly freckles and sunburn and help with skin ailments for the ensuing year). On May 1st night a cake and a jug were left on the table, because it was believed that the Irish who had died abroad would return on May Day to their ancestral homes, and it was also a general belief that the dead returned on May Day to visit their friends. TRADITIONAL BELTANE CELEBRATIONS Celebrations include lighting bonfires, decorating homes with May flowers, making May bushes, visiting holy wells, and feasting. White and yellow flowers such as primrose, rowan, hawthorn, gorse, hazel, and marsh marigold were traditionally placed at doorways and windows.

The May Bush or May Bough was popular in parts of Ireland until the late 19th century. This was a small tree or branch—typically hawthorn, rowan, or sycamore—decorated with bright flowers, ribbons, painted shells.

Beltane fires symbolized the spark of life and fertility. Traditionally, the Beltane fires were composed of wood taken from nine different types of trees and kindled on a specially prepared sacred grid. The grid was created by outlining a square on the ground and dividing it into eight smaller squares. Turf from the eight outer squares was dug out and removed, leaving the ninth square in the center intact. The Beltane fire symbolized the central hearth of the community. These local sacred hearths represented the mystic divine fire at the center of all things, whose spark of life is carried by each of us. The Eve of Beltane has traditionally been celebrated in the nude with orgiastic sex. Couples would pair off, jump through the flames of the bonfires, and go into the woods until dawn, engaging in all night sex after intense feasting. Wearing clothing or ritual robes was much too dangerous when jumping through the flames. Celebrants danced nude around the maypole. The Maypole is derived from the Egyptian obelisk and represents the erect phallus [penis]. It is traditionally constructed from wood of the birch tree, the tree of purification. Other May Day customs include walking the boundaries of one's property, repairing fences, and boundary markers, performing chimney sweeps, participating in archery tournaments, dancing, feasting, music, drinking, and indulgence. TODAY’S BELTANE CELEBRATIONS “Beltane” means “bright fire and one of the simplest ways you can host a Beltane ritual at home is by having a fire. You can honor the fire element of the holiday by simply lighting a candle, using an indoor fireplace, or even creating fire-themed art.

Many use the tools of tarot, runes, pendulum, and the I Ching to discern general outlook for health, wealth, and general success. Witchcraft may incorporate honoring the union of energies manifesting the blossoming of nature and sex solo, with a partner, or with multiple partners. Sex can have a highly reverent tone with the sole purpose of communion with the Divine. One of the major elements of a Beltane celebration is fertility, which extends beyond our biological capabilities. Beltane is a time to conceive and create, including any kind of creative or generative endeavor. This is a good time to begin journaling, learn a new painting technique, try a new project, or apply for the new job you have been eyeing.

Go for a walk on a Nature trail and pick some flowers, then take those home to make a flower crown. You can also create a flower basket or bouquet to feature in your home. Connecting with Nature is one of the easiest ways we can celebrate the holiday. A longstanding tradition is to collect any rainwater or fresh morning dew from the day of Beltane, and use that liquid to wash one’s face – this mini ritual represents cleaning of negative thoughts and welcomes beauty into our lives. Go camping overnight, even if just in your backyard! Stare at the stars. WHAT WE SHOULD TAKE AWAY FROM THIS FESTIVAL DAY With the movement of the Earth and the stars, Taurus the Bull brings on energies capable of renewing life and enhancing growth. It is a time of increasing strength and sexuality. It's also a time to give thanks, connect to the living, to ask for continued blessings, and to secure supernatural protections. Beltane is the perfect celebration and time to look back to your previous year, observe failures, successes, and draw out a new path for the future. It is a good time to set new goals, as the energies are more beneficial for every Satanist to be in closer contact with the Gods. Beltane is also a time for new beginnings. We celebrate Beltane to honor the shifts in Nature, to welcome the impending season, and to stay connected to our ancestral roots. Beltane has always been a date for being humble, looking back, and emboldening ourselves for the future. It is a major time when it's important to appear in front of the Gods and ask for their counsel and advice, so that one can improve open ears, and willing to listen. In Theistic Satanism, the path is upwards and towards development. The Gods do help everyone. People must help themselves by also doing meditation and being open and receptive to wisdom. We should be glad and happy to be at the company of the Great Gods, and in that they are looking out for our well-being. Main sources · SatanicBloodBrotherhood members, particularly Lord Bayaty and EvanGuardianWolf · Internet sites (both content and graphics) · Llewellyn’s Sabbat Essentials: BELTANE

Additional information

· Lord Bayaty's 5/1/20 Beltane SBB Essential Oil Blend

· Bruder Satyr's 4/28/22 post on Walpurgisnacht

and 4/25/22 post on Hexennacht