Love Conquers All

Happy Beltane all you lovers out there! I hope you enjoyed this fine Sunday enjoying the outdoors and stopped to smell the roses at least once.

Unfortunately, I did not get a chance today. I was at work and when I came home, I found that some kind person had smashed the back window of my car. Therefore, I spent the evening waiting for police to come and take a report. Let this be a lesson to those people… Always remember the rule of three…

So what is Beltane you ask?

Beltane is another name for the Gaelic May Day festival. Most commonly, it is held on 1 May, or about halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. Beltane is mentioned in some of the earliest Irish literature, and it is associated with important events in Irish mythology. It marked the beginning of summer and was when cattle were driven out to the summer pastures. Rituals were performed to protect the cattle, crops 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 the bonfire or between two 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, and some of the food and drink would be offered to the spirits. Doors, windows, byres and the cattle themselves would be decorated with yellow May flowers, perhaps because they evoked fire. In parts of Ireland, people would make a May Bush: a thorn bush decorated with flowers, ribbons and bright shells. Holy wells were also visited, while Beltane dew was thought to bring beauty and maintain youthfulness. Many of these customs were part of May Day or Midsummer festivals in other parts of Great Britain and Europe.

Beltane celebrations had largely died out by the mid-20th century, although some of its customs continued and in some places, it has been revived as a cultural event. Since the late 20th century, Celtic neopagans and Wiccans have observed Beltane, or something based on it, as a religious holiday. Neopagans in the Southern Hemisphere often celebrate Beltane at the other end of the year (around 1 November).

There is so much history and ritual to this holiday and it is one of my favorites. This is just the generic Wikipedia version.

In addition, since I have not had too much time today, here I offer you some great websites where information was already written. Enjoy them.


Wikipedia- Beltane
Beltane
Beltane- ThoughtCo.
Beltane- Circle Sanctuary


Tomorrow I will go out and smell the roses myself. I promise.