Beltane

[Toki Wartooth]

I'm surprised this isn't a sticky yet? Or a thread at all? *Changes that*

For those of you who celebrate, what do you do for Beltane? And, what does Beltane mean to you?

Have you ever lead a Beltane ritual? How did that go?

The first ritual I helped run, just yesterday, was a Beltane-focused ritual. I am also helping in another Beltane ritual that's coming up. I'm excited.

[Nacken]

I've not led a Beltane ritual and seldom have led other rituals. I'm more like the door guy. I keep out the riff raff. But Beltane is my favourite festival. We sometimes are organized to have a Maypole, and have had something like plays where I or some others act out the rites of spring. Generally this involves chasing your female partner till you catch her, or being chased and letting him catch you. This is best done out of doors away from civilization, preferably with plenty of bushes and thickets for privacy.

Unfortunately this year it will probably be a private meditation in some clearing. But that is life too.

[SunSister]

Beltaine is my favourite. Around here, we still have May celebrations with a May Queen and all that.. and just across the border in Germany, they also have a May Pole and other celebrations. It's still a tradition here that everybody accepts quite readily and it's even connected with the churches over here. I can enjoy Beltaine a bit like that, but prefer to keep the rest of the celebration indoors. Not sure what I'm going to do yet, but it's going to be great.

[Nuadu_of_Kildare]

Fair play to you Toki, that sounds like good fun.

I usually go camping at a sacred site with a bunch of people and apart from a communal offering to the deity of the sacred site, there wouldnt be a group ritual. Religion is an austere and deeply personal thing for the people I know and we'd usually peel off individually throughout the night to do our own duties seperately.

Bealtaine to me is about renewing old aquaintances and renewing a sense of purpose by burning away all the dross of winter. A time to start on the things that have been put on the long finger, to help other people achieve their things or just to take time to consider and plan for the challenges ahead.

Ive been to some Druid rituals at Bealtaine but communing with deity through energywork is a different focus then id be used to, I probably wouldnt be experianced enough in energywork to lead a ritual. I enjoy the prep work though, Id be more the helper monkey where rituals are concerned heh.

[Toki Wartooth]

Originally Posted by Nacken

Generally this involves chasing your female partner till you catch her, or being chased and letting him catch you. This is best done out of doors away from civilization, preferably with plenty of bushes and thickets for privacy.

Oh, the chase sounds like such fun!

Originally Posted by SunSister

Beltaine is my favourite. Around here, we still have May celebrations with a May Queen and all that.. and just across the border in Germany, they also have a May Pole and other celebrations. It's still a tradition here that everybody accepts quite readily and it's even connected with the churches over here. I can enjoy Beltaine a bit like that, but prefer to keep the rest of the celebration indoors. Not sure what I'm going to do yet, but it's going to be great.

That's awesome. I'm glad people at large can do such things there.

Originally Posted by Nuadu_of_Kildare

I usually go camping at a sacred site with a bunch of people and apart from a communal offering to the deity of the sacred site, there wouldnt be a group ritual. Religion is an austere and deeply personal thing for the people I know and we'd usually peel off individually throughout the night to do our own duties seperately.

Interesting...I was not aware.

Originally Posted by Nightshade_Blooms

This will actually be my first Beltane. I plan to celebrate it by being outside most of the day. I'm also looking for any good recipes(I actually have a thread on it). Hope everyone has a great sabbat!

Great! In whatever you do, may you enjoy your very first Beltane.

This wasn't exactly my first Beltane, but it was the first Beltane (and first ritual overall) in which I had a pretty "big" part. Tomorrow I'm meeting someone else to work on another Beltane ritual, one at the UU church I attend; I'm an assistant there...and I may or may not be doing something during the ritual itself. We'll see. Sometime after that planning, I'm attending a Beltane moon circle, though I'll be an audience-participant rather than do anything like handle oil or call a quarter (as far as I know, anyway).

[Nuadu_of_Kildare]

Originally Posted by Toki Wartooth

Interesting...I was not aware.

Thats just how my type of neopagan celebrates, all the wiccans, druids, shamans et al do the full on bealtaine thing. Rituals, fertility the ale and the sex.

This wasn't exactly my first Beltane, but it was the first Beltane (and first ritual overall) in which I had a pretty "big" part. Tomorrow I'm meeting someone else to work on another Beltane ritual, one at the UU church I attend; I'm an assistant there...and I may or may not be doing something during the ritual itself. We'll see. Sometime after that planning, I'm attending a Beltane moon circle, though I'll be an audience-participant rather than do anything like handle oil or call a quarter (as far as I know, anyway).

jany mac Toki you sound really involved in neopaganism in your area, fair play to you.

[Toki Wartooth]

Originally Posted by Nuadu_of_Kildare

jany mac Toki you sound really involved in neopaganism in your area, fair play to you.

Yeah, I'm generally pretty involved, though I've gotten even more and more involved.

Part of why I posted this thread was perhaps to get an idea of what I wanted to contribute to the UU/Mystic Grove Beltane...not sure I got ideas from this thread, but at least I'm in the "zone" and thinking about Beltane itself. I'm leaving soon to meet with a lady named C.R. (won't type her real name for "duh" reasons) at Panera to discuss. I'm sure things will pop into my head.

[Tuathasidhe]

I plan on celebrating with my DH...*cough*

Also being outside (weather permitting), cooking some fried honey cakes and just enjoying the day.

[Cassie]

Beltane is my favourite festival. I have never really organised a ritual but I have taken part in several rituals organised by groups I am associated with.
To me it symbolizes renewal and the energy of Spring and Summer and, well, sexual energy and flirtation; letting go and feeling very human. It always fills me with a sense of energy and power.

Originally Posted by Nacken

Generally this involves chasing your female partner till you catch her, or being chased and letting him catch you. This is best done out of doors away from civilization, preferably with plenty of bushes and thickets for privacy.

.

We usually end up doing something similar but it begins with a more stylized sort of dance, often round a Maypole.

If I happen to be on my own around Beltane I usually try to go for a walk in the afternoon either in the country or by the sea and I try to make sure I have a party of some kind to go to in the evening.

[Nightshade_Blooms]

This will actually be my first Beltane. I plan to celebrate it by being outside most of the day. I'm also looking for any good recipes(I actually have a thread on it). Hope everyone has a great sabbat!