What Is Beltane?

The 1st of May marks Beltane, from the Gaelic La Bealtaine — meaning “bright fire” or “lucky flame.”

It is one of the great Celtic fire festivals, and it signals the beginning of summer.

Celebrated across Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Isle of Man, Beltane is a feast of life, fertility, sensuality, and joy.

It’s a day for dancing, for kissing in wildflower fields, for whispering to the gods of fire and bloom.

The Night Before: Beltane Eve

On Beltane Eve, couples once wandered into the woods to gather flowers… and each other.

They made love beneath the stars, wrapped in blossoms and moonlight.

By dawn, they returned to the village carrying boughs of blooms — a tradition called bringing in the May.

The Power of Fire and Bloom

Beltane bonfires are not just for warmth.

They are sacred flames, said to cleanse, bless, and awaken.

Cattle were once walked between twin fires to protect them from disease.

Lovers would leap over flames hand-in-hand to seal their union.

Even now, we gather around these flames — to shed the cold of winter and reignite our spark.

Fire Spell for Passion

Flame of May, burn bright and high,

Bring love and joy from earth to sky.

As fire leaps and blossoms grow,

Let passion rise, and magic flow.

Celebrating Beltane Today

Today, Beltane is celebrated with flower crowns, feasting, outdoor rituals, and of course — the Maypole.

Ribbons are wound around the pole by dancers moving in rhythm, representing union, balance, and joy.

We decorate our homes with blossoms, sip May Wine, and celebrate the growing light.

May Wine Recipe

A handful of woodruff (rinsed)

Sliced strawberries & lemon

A bottle of white sparkling wine

Let it steep 30–60 minutes, then serve in laughter and light.

The Sacred Marriage

Beltane honours the Heiros Gamos — the sacred union of the Goddess and the God.

She is the blooming Maiden, he the Oak King.

Together they dance the great spiral of life.

In this mythic marriage, heaven touches earth. Sky meets soil. Passion becomes creation.

The May Queen and May King are crowned — symbols of beauty, courage, and the divine in human form.

The Deities of Love

Beltane is the time to honour gods and goddesses of love, sensuality, romance, and creative fire:

Aphrodite – Greek goddess of love and pleasure

Freya – Norse goddess of fertility and war Osun –

West African goddess of beauty and rivers Eros & Cupid – mischievous gods of desire

Lada – Slavic goddess of spring and harmony

Xochipilli – Aztec god of song, art, and delight

Choose one that resonates. Light a candle. Offer wine or honey. Whisper a poem.

Symbols, Foods & Magic Tools

Symbols: Maypole, cauldron, flower crowns, ribbons, bonfires

Foods: Dairy, eggs, strawberries, oatcakes, honey

Herbs & Flowers: Hawthorn, rose, thyme, mint, elder, dandelion

Crystals: Amber, rose quartz, emerald, bloodstone

Animals: Bees, swans, cats, frogs, deer

Tools: Brooms, cauldrons, wreaths, sacred knots

The Beltane Altar

Build your altar outdoors if you can —

with flowers, bright cloth, cups and rings, and foods that speak of spring.

For feminine energy, use shells, cups, blooming herbs, and photos of maternal ancestors.

For masculine energy, add oak leaves, acorns, arrows or stags’ antlers.

Honour what gave you life.

Thank the Earth.

Celebrate the light returning.

The May Bush & Mini Maypole

Choose a small thorny bush — hawthorn, rose or blackthorn.

Decorate it with ribbons, shells, feathers and flower charms.

Place a small Maypole near your altar, wrapped in white and red ribbon.

Light a candle. Let the fire kiss your hands. Walk round the pole in a circle to bless the summer ahead.

Beltane Knot Charm for Love

Tie your intentions into a Beltane Knot Spell — an ancient folk ritual.

Use a long red ribbon or cord. Tie nine knots. With each one, chant:

By knot of one, the spell’s begun

By knot of two, it cometh true

By knot of three, so mote it be

By knot of four, this power I store

By knot of five, the spell’s alive

By knot of six, this charm I fix

By knot of seven, fate is leavened

By knot of eight, I seal my fat

By knot of nine, what’s done is mine

Venus, Queen of Love divine, bring the love that shall be mine.

Leave the charm on your altar or near your bed, and let it gather the light.

Fairies in the Garden

This is their time too — the Fae, the Sith, the Elves.

Make a small fairy garden or leave out honey and cream under the moon.

Whisper their names kindly. Invite their blessings. And never forget to say thank you.

Beltane Foods & Their Powers

Some magical favourites:

Strawberries – for love, sensuality, and sweetness

Honey – for abundance and devotion

Spinach – for vitality and protection

Oats – for endurance and ancestral strength

Dandelion – for clarity and solar magic

Eat with joy. Cook with purpose. And always leave a bite for the spirits.

Activating Life

The seed lies dormant until the spark arrives.

The Maypole is the lightning rod of spirit — energy sent spiralling down into the fertile earth.

Beltane reminds us:

Without fire, nothing grows.

Without love, nothing lives.

Without desire, nothing moves.

Ask Yourself: A Ritual for Reflection

What makes your heart sing?

What do you long to create?

What part of you is ready to rise?

Write your answers. Speak them to the fire. And take one small step to bring them to life.

The Beltane Bonfire

In the heart of every Beltane celebration burns a single flame — the Fire of Becoming.

Let it warm your hands.

Let it light your soul.

Let it remind you of this:

You are the spark.

You are the flame.

You are the dance.

You are the magic.