Beltane Greetings Card by Elaine Sheldrake

Beltane has long been celebrated with feasts and rituals. Beltane means "fire of Bel", one name for the Sun God, whose coming to manhood the festival celebrates. As summer begins, weather becomes warmer, and the plant world blossoms, an exuberant mood prevails.

Associated colours are red and white, and associated herbs are ash, cinquefoil, frankincense, marigold, meadowsweet, and woodruff. Angelica, bluebells, daisy, hawthorn, ivy, lilac, primrose, and roses can be used as offerings or decorations.

In old Celtic traditions it was a time of unbridled sexuality and promiscuity; young people would spend the entire night in the woods "A-Maying," and then dance around the phallic Maypole the next morning. The Maypole was a focal point of the old English village rituals. Many people would rise at the first light of dawn to go outdoors and gather flowers and branches to decorate their homes. Women traditionally would braid flowers into their hair. Men and women alike would decorate their bodies.

Beltane marks the return of vitality and of passion. Ancient Pagan traditions say that Beltane marks the emergence of the young God into manhood. Stirred by the energies at work in nature, he desires the Goddess. They fall in love, lie among the grasses and blossoms, and unite. The Goddess becomes pregnant of the God.