NMR ISSUE 1

Astrological Forecast 1
Beltane
Closer Look at the Tarot: Aces
Earth's Coronation
Eastern Insights
Editorial
Evolutionary Astrology
Guardians of the Four Gateways
How to Eat Meat
Olivine
Solitary Beltane Ritual
Solitary Summer Rite
Stone Banishing Ritual
Summer Solstice
Tarot Images
The Kabalah in Everyday Use
The Oldest Magick
The Other Editorial
Witchcraft: Problems of Study

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BELTANE

By Jason Rath

In the Celtic tradition, the two greatest festivals are Beltane and Samhain—the beginning of summer and the beginning of winter. To the Celts, the year had two seasons, not four—subtler divisions concerned crop-raisers rather than cattle-raisers.

Beltane means May Day. The original meaning is "Bel fire," the fire of the Celtic God variously known as Bel, Beli, Balar, Balor or Belenus. These names trace to the Middle Eastern Baal, which means Lord. Bel was the Bright One, God of light and fire. He had sun-like qualities, but was not strictly speaking, a sun god. The Celts were not solar-oriented. Symbolically, the Bel aspect is seen as the Great Father who impregnates the Great Mother. These themes of fertility and fire dominate the festival. It originally culminated in the sacrifice of a man representing the Oak-god.

Bel-fires were lit on the hilltops to celebrate the return of life and fertility to the world. Bowls of nuts replaced the usual celebratory cakes. The Maypole is an obvious phallic symbol, celebrating fertility. They rejoiced in their sexuality and celebrated the wedding of the God and Goddess. Another feature of Beltane is jumping over the fire to bring a wife or husband, to ensure a safe journey, to ensure an easy delivery of a child and so on. Cattle were herded between two fires to increase their numbers. This was also the time to ensure that there would be a bumper crop of human babies. Beltane is a time of love, the wedding day of the God and Goddess, when all rites of pleasure are Her rites.

Editor's Comment: Drawn from A Witches Bible Complete by Janet and Stuart Farrar.