Pronounced: bell-tayn or be-el-ten-ah

Also known as: Beltaine

Northern Hemisphere Date: May 1

Southern Hemisphere Date: September 1

Astrological Sign: 15 degrees Taurus

Primary Focus:
Appearance of the matured Horned God, fertility, protection of animas and gardens, love magick

Origins:
It falls opposite Samhain on the Wheel of the Year. It is likely to come from the Irish word for "balefire". It is of equal importance as Samhain on the Wicca Calendar.

Meaning:
Beltane has long been marked with feasts and rituals. Maypoles, supremely phallic symbols, were the focal point of Old English village rituals. Many people rose at dawn to gather flowers and green branches from the fields and gardens, using them to decorate the maypole, their homes, and themselves.

The flowers and greenery symbolize the Goddess; the maypole the God. Beltaine marks the return of vitality, of passion, and themselves.

Myth:
The God emerges 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. Witches celebrate the symbol of Her fertility in ritual.