All you need to know about Beltane

Have you ever taken a second glance at a Bluebell moving in the wind, convinced it was a dancing fairy?

Or how about when the early sunrise light glistens on the surface of water, and you swear you see another face reflecting back at you.

The trick of light this week may not just be your lack of sleep from the brighter nights.

This is the magic of Beltane.

Just like its Autumnal counterpart of Samhain (Halloween), the veil between the world is
thinning at the start of Summer, so all sorts of mythical creatures are coming out to play.

Beltane, also known in the Celtic calendar as Bealtaine, is a pre-Christian spring festival
celebrated on the first day of May.

Wheel of the Year print and accompanying booklet by Moon Phase Studios

Did you Know?

The word ‘Beltane’ comes from the Celtic god ‘Bel’, meaning ‘the bright one’, and the Gaelic word ‘teine’, meaning fire — together representing Bright Fire.

Traditionally, Beltane fires were lit to protect the crops, livestock, and community, and to encourage growth and fertility. Symbols like the Maypole and the symbolic union of the May Queen and the Green Man celebrate this powerful life force.

As a cyclical Earth witch and priestess, I honour Beltane by returning home to my body to the sacred temple of sensual pleasure, life, and light. 

Close up of the accompanying booklet to the Wheel of the Year print by Moon Phase Studios

As we mark the turning of the Wheel with Beltane — the first of the great Celtic fire festivals — the tender seeds we planted at Imbolc are now blossoming into fragrant blooms.
The Earth, in all her wild beauty, surges with life. And with it, the serpents and dragons of our own inner fire stir and rise.

The element of Fire invites us to embody passion, awaken the senses, and celebrate our primal, divine power.

Light is alchemy.

Our very cells are nourished by sunlight, vital for our energy, mood, and radiance.
Beltane reminds us: it’s time to dance with the light, to weave ourselves back into the living, breathing tapestry of life.

Beltane Ritual: Dance with the Dragons of Light.

This Beltane, I invite you to create a simple, powerful practice at home:

1. Create a Fire or Candle Altar:
- Light a candle (or if safe, a small fire outdoors).
- Surround it with flowers, herbs, or anything that feels alive and beautiful.
2. Dance:
- Put on music that makes your soul rise.
- Move your body intuitively around your flame, weaving movements like serpents,
letting your hips, heart, and hands guide you.
- Imagine you are stirring your inner fire awake, calling in vitality, sensuality, and joy.
3. Make a Wish:
- Whisper your desires into the flame — love, abundance, creativity — whatever your
heart yearns for.
- Visualise golden light from the fire weaving through your body, lighting you up from
within.
4. Ground:
Sit or lie on the earth afterward, soaking in the sunlight if you can, anchoring this new
energy deep into your being.

The light is returning, beloved. Let it awaken you.
Let your body be the chalice that receives the solar codes, the promise of abundance,
beauty, and love that Beltane brings.