Tending to Your Inner Fire for Beltane

The warmth of fiery Beltane is nearly upon us, and this year (2022), with the addition of a new moon in Taurus with a solar eclipse! It's sure to be an intense and exciting Sabbat. Beltane has always been one of my favorite seasonal celebrations. I always find that its energy is palpable in the air. There's such celebratory energy to this season, which I feel like we could all use a bit more of right now. I know I certainly can! 

Beltane, also called May Day, is one of our cross-quarter celebrations between the solar celebrations of the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice. For those living in the Northern Hemisphere, Beltane falls on April 30 and May 1 and on October 31 and November 1 in the Southern Hemisphere. In contrast, others may observe more traditional practices of honoring Beltane after the local Hawthorn trees flower.

Listen to this episode on my podcast, Rooting into Wholeness here.

You'll learn more about Beltane, its history, common correspondences, tips for connecting with Bel, a God associated with this season, and rituals to honor this season and tend to your inner fire. 

What is Beltane

For many, Beltane is one of the most important celebrations on the Wheel of the Year. It is our crescendo of energy before the Summer Solstice. Beltane is opposite of Samhain on our seasonal wheel and therefore carries similar but unique energy. Much like Samhain, the veil between the physical and spirit worlds is thin at this time, making it an ideal time for magical workings, connecting with other realms, and energetic protection. In Celtic beliefs, Beltane welcomes the onset of Summer and the light half of the year, where the sun reigns supreme. 

From an earthly perspective, Beltane ushers in a surge of growth and energy to plant life as the warmth and length of sunlight grow each day. For our ancestors, there was a special focus on pastoral animals like cattle at this time. Fire is a central theme for this season, and it was common practice to pass cattle through two large bonfires. The sacred smoke from these bonfires was thought to ensure a successful growing season for livestock. Fire and the ashes from these fires were used in various ways, both historically and to this day. 

Amidst all this season has to offer, there's also a thread of pleasure, sensuality, and union that weaves throughout. Within the lore associated with Beltane, it is at this time that the Solar or Horned God, in his prime energy, unites with the Goddess of the land in her maiden phase. Together they reign over the growing season. Beyond the myths associated with this season, it's easy to see these themes of union and sexuality within the reproduction amidst wildlife and explosion of growth. 

Honoring Fire and Bel

Much of this season is about honoring and cultivating energy and vitality, themes very much associated with fire. The sun and the earth are in their peak growth phase leading up to the Summer Solstice. Like all of the Sabbats, Beltane is an invitation to notice what's happening in the earth and the cosmos and to observe how those themes are showing up in our own lives and communities. 

With little written history to go off of, the use of bonfires around this season is something we know has happened for a very long time. Here's an excerpt from Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials Beltane by Melanie Marquis that illustrates this. 

The Beltaine fires were believed to have magical properties. Their flames, glowing embers, ashes, and smoke were all believed capable of granting health and protection. In the Isle of Man, the people invited the smoke of the bonfires to blow over themselves and their cattle, believing that this would ensure their mutual vitality. Once the fires died down, the ashes were sprinkled over the crops to increase the earth's fertility.

Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials Beltane by Melanie Marquis

The use of fire and smoke for ritual practice is something we can lean into today, and many do. 

Most attribute the name Beltane to the Celtic God named Bel, Belinus, or Belenos and suggest that the name Beltane means "fires of Bel." Bel is a well-known God in the Celtic pantheon, honored throughout the British Isles and even in France and Italy. Stories and even the spelling of Bel's name vary widely, likely because he was so widespread. However, he's become synonymous with this season, and many associated him with fire and the sun. 

Here's an excerpt from one of my favorite books about the Wheel of The Year, The Magical Year, by one of my teachers, Danu Forest, expressing the power of connecting with the power of fire or the God Bel during this season. 

In honoring the festival of Beltane, we draw this fresh virile energy into our lives, a time when, according to Irish myth, the gods arrived in the mortal world, literally infusing physical matter with divinity. At Beltane, we can reinvigorate our lives with this divine current. We can also tune into this time of duality and sacred union to honor our hearts and the romantic and sexual energies in our lives. 

The Magical Year by Danu Forest

I'll share rituals later in this post with suggestions for connecting with fire and Bel and ways to expand your vitality through pleasure, another common theme for this season. 

I also want to share something I've struggled with because I suspect some of you may have struggled with this too. I don't often share about Gods here, which is something I've personally grappled with within my practice. As someone who grew up in a Christian household and has had negative experiences with Christianity and the idea of a "father God," I've struggled with connecting with different Gods in my practice. 

I've started to dip my toe into this by invoking the God and Goddess as elemental energies (air and fire for the God and water and earth for the Goddess) rather than human-like forms. As I've become more comfortable with this, I've started to learn more about some of the Gods in the Celtic pantheon and have started to journey to them.

All this to say, if you don't resonate with Gods or Goddesses, it isn't a prerequisite to having a spiritual practice in line with your heritage. If connecting with the element of fire rather than the God Belinus at this time feels better, that is great. Regardless of where you land on connecting with Gods and Goddesses, I find that understanding some of the mythology associated with each season allows a more complete understanding of the Sabbats. 

Let's explore common correspondences for the season of Beltane. 

Beltane Correspondences

Understanding the correspondences of each season brings in so many additional layers. It also empowers you to craft your own rituals each season. As always, if there are seasonal things unique to your environment, add that to your list of correspondences for the season.

Themes: Pleasure, fertility, expansion, growth, sensuality, action, magick, creativity

Colors: Red, orange, yellow, green

Moon phase: waxing gibbous

Herbs & Plants: hawthorn, rose, honeysuckle, lilac, angelica, any local flowers blooming in your area

Crystals: Carnelian, garnet, ruby, orange calcite, protective crystals like black tourmaline 

Foods: Fresh herbs, edible flowers, dairy products, cakes (especially as fairy offerings)

Tools & items: Candles, bonfire, statues or symbols of the God and Goddess, symbols of fertility, Maypole, protective tools and symbols, fairy offerings

Elements: Fire, earth

Cardinal direction: Southeast 

Runes: Berkano, Algiz, Rhaido

Ogham: Oak (Duir), Hawthorn (Huathe)

Tarot card: The Lovers, Knight of Wands, Page of Pentacles

Zodiac: Taurus

Goddess: Bel or Belinus, Green Man, Danu, any earth Goddess, any Sun God

These correspondences largely come from my book, Understanding the Wheel of the Year. If you're looking for a simple guide for each Sabbat, you can get it here. 

Rituals for Beltane

Beltane is a rich season with many associations, so there are several ways to honor this powerful season. As always, I like to remind you that rituals are not necessary for any of the Sabbats and that sometimes the best ritual is to simply be outside. I encourage you to honor your capacity and do what calls to you the most. Furthermore, each Sabbat is a season! You can weave these rituals into your practice anytime between May 1 and the Summer Solstice. Here are three ways to connect with and honor the season of Beltane. 

Fae Offering

It's hard not to talk about faeries for Beltane! With the thinning veil at this time, the fae, or faeries, are said to be more active during Beltane. I'm not talking about the Tinkerbell-type fairies here! Faeries in Celtic lore are a different race of beings living amidst humans in a different realm. Though often portrayed as cute and helpful, some think they are better left alone. The fae are often seen as tricksters who don't always have our highest good in mind, so it's important to be mindful of them around this time and possibly even leave an offering for them. You can learn more about the fae and how to connect with them in this last post that I shared in 2021.  

It's common to give offerings to the fae during this season to connect with them or keep them happy, so they don't play tricks on you. Your offering can be unique to you. Common offerings include small cakes, cheese, a glass of milk, herbs like thyme, rosemary, yarrow, or heather, anything small and cute, or perhaps you even feel compelled to craft a little faerie garden. Place your offering on your altar, outside at a special location, or both. 

Fire Ritual

As discussed, fire is an integral part of Beltane. We see this mimicked with the connection to the Celtic God, Bel, and the use of bonfires during this season. Here are some ways to work with fire for Beltane, regardless of whether or not you have access to a bonfire. You can make this as simple or ritualized as you'd like depending on the time you have to dedicate to working with this ritual suggestion. 

Fire element card from The Ritual Deck

You'll need: 

• A source of fire, which could be a bonfire, fireplace, or a burning candle

• Herbs or wood that correspond to the season or is personally significant to you

• Match, lighter, or more traditional tool to light your fire

1. Prepare your items and take some time to connect inward. Notice your breath and body. If it is in your practice to cast a circle, call the quarters, or call in any protective allies, you can do that now. You may even consider calling in the God Belinus to be a part of your ritual. 

2. Light your fire or your candle. At the same time, you may choose to recite an invocation that feels meaningful to you. Here is an example, "I light this fire to honor and connect with the healing and protective fires of the season" or "With this fire I call upon Bel for wisdom and vitality." Beltane fires are traditionally lit with friction. If this is accessible to you and you know how to do this, that's great. I encourage you to do so! If it is not, that is okay too. 

3. Spend 5-30 minutes sitting and connecting with your fire or candle flame.

4. When you're ready to move on, add your sacred wood or herbs to the fire. If you are using a candle, you can use a cauldron to assist with burning your herbs or wood. Ask the smoke to cleanse you and bring healing. 

5. Spend some more time connecting with your fire. Here are a couple of options. 

If you have questions you'd like assistance with, consider asking the fire. Notice how the fire or flame responds after you ask it questions. Does it seem to flicker and dance or remain still? Does it move towards you or away from you? Try to lean into your intuition to decipher messages from the fire. 

Alternatively or in addition, you can connect with the fire to cultivate more energy and virility. Visualize the intensity of the fire connecting with your solar plexus area. Ask the fire to aid you in bringing in more energy and virility. Imagine your solar plexus area expanding with each breath you take. Stay here for as long as you'd like. 

6. When you feel ready to end this ritual, thank the spirit of fire and any allies you called in for connecting with you and sharing their wisdom and energy. As much as is possible, allow your fire or candle to burn out on its own. If this is not possible, you can snuff it out. Never leave your fire or a candle unattended! 

7. Optional: if you burned a larger fire, consider saving these special ashes to sprinkle over your garden, in your houseplants, or for use in future rituals. 

Honoring Pleasure

There's no shortage of pleasure and sensuality amidst this season. Beltane occurs during Taurus season, which offers a potent overlap of energies. Taurus, ruled by the planet of love, Venus, revels in physical luxuries and sensuality. We can see these same themes mirrored in the growing earth at this time, with flowers blooming, animals reproducing, and plants growing. Handfasting and weddings were and still are common occurrences during this season as well. Regardless of what your love life looks like, pleasure is something that can be cultivated with others or solo, and this is a great time to do so! 

Rose oracle card from The Ritual Deck

In a world that often frowns upon sexual liberation, I view this season as one of reclamation for all things related to pleasure and sexuality. However, this isn't just about lust and sex, though it can be. Pleasure and sexuality are powerful creative energies that can be used for positive change. Cultivating pleasure can be just as much about feeling more embodied and alive.  

How often do you let yourself feel good? Furthermore, how often do you cultivate feelings of pleasure? This season is an invitation to do just that. If feelings of shame or that you're undeserving come up, I encourage you to explore that too. Like every seasonal Sabbat, they are an opportunity to explore these themes from all angles and may stir up opportunities to explore your shadow more deeply. Here are some simple ways to honor pleasure this season. Feel free to pick and choose, try several simultaneously (my preference!), or come up with your own ideas. 

• Wear clothes that make you feel good

• Pamper yourself with a luxurious bath 

• Indulge in foods that bring you joy

• Place items in your house that invoke a sense of pleasure, like flowers or candles

• Swap massages with a partner or give yourself a self-massage

• Engage in sexual activities with a partner or yourself

• Wear or use scents in your living space that invoke feelings of pleasure

• Move your body in sensual ways through dance

Bring in some magic to any suggestions listed above by lighting an orange or red spell candle or incorporating seductive scents like rose or cinnamon. Notice how you feel after engaging in pleasurable activities like those listed above. Does it give you more energy? Does it inspire more creativity? 

I hope you feel better able to honor this special time of year! Find card spread suggestions, rituals, journal prompts, and more for each Sabbat in my book Understanding the Wheel of the Year. You can also read past posts about Beltane by clicking here. Beltane blessings!   

Fae, Faeries, and Fair folk! Who are They & 3 Ways to Connect with Them

The fae go by a variety of names, including but not limited to fae, fair folk, faeries, and fairies. The size and appearance of faeries will vary depending on your location and personal beliefs. Some see faeries as human-sized, while others see them as smaller beings.

Faeries are a magical species of human-like beings. They live in a spirit realm alongside, but separate, from our physical world. This realm is referred to as otherworld or underworld. In my practice, I refer to this space as otherworld and will refer to it as such throughout the rest of this post.

Similar to humans, the fae are not a monolith! There are benevolent and malevolent faeries. Many report them as being quite mischievous, and some even say they're dangerous. It’s important to remember that just like forming a relationship with a new human, you need to determine a faerie's intentions before engaging. Always approach anyone from the spirit realm both respectfully and carefully. 

Folklore about faeries is most common in Ireland, Wales, England, and Scotland but certainly pops up in other parts of the world as well. The idea of a “spirit of place” or genius loci, which faeries are, is common for many practices. Even if you don’t work with faeries in your practice, you may have a similar entity in your spiritual lineage or a similar kind of being where you currently live. 

Rather than assuming the fae will appear to you like Tinkerbell, I invite you to be open to how the spirits of your locality and lineage may present themselves. Elves, gnomes, tree spirits, animals, and more can all be present as local spirits. 

Why Would You Want to Connect With The Fae?

At this point, you might be wondering why you’d even want to bother connecting with the fae. In fact, some highly advise not to interact with the fae at all! This is a personal choice you’ll need to make. All I can share with you is my personal experience.

I have spirit guides in otherworld who are faeries, and my experiences have been overwhelmingly positive. Beyond my personal experience, the fae do live in a spirit world less dense than ours, so they also have a very different perspective. I think most of us could learn a great deal from a different perspective!   

The second reason I think it’s important to connect with fae, or your local spirits, is to form a better relationship with the natural world and the spirit world. It takes conscious practice to form a relationship with any being in the spirit world. Doing so can be a powerful and enlightening experience.

Here are three simple ways to start building a better relationship with the fae or any local spirits in your area. 

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3 Ways to Connect with Faeries

The seasons of Beltane and Samhain are two of the best times to interact with the fae. If you’re catching this post during another season, don’t fret, you can still try these techniques. It might just take a bit longer to see any results. During Beltane and Samhain, sabbats opposite each other on the Wheel of the Year (find more about the Wheel of the Year and a free printable here), the veil between the spirit and physical world is at its thinnest. The thin veil makes it easier to reach the home of the fae, also known as otherworld. 

1. Prepare a faerie offering on a home altar or out in nature

The easiest way to start working with the fae will be to physically and energetically take action to open yourself up to the potential of learning from them. You can do this by leaving faerie offerings out in nature or on your altar. Because otherworld is all around you, this is less about attracting the fae and more about creating a safe space for you to experience beings, like faeries, from otherworld.

That said, there are items you can use that correspond with and attract faeries. The items listed below will serve two purposes, first as a reminder of your desire to connect with the fae and as a way to attract them. Faeries are said to love sweet treats like fruit and cakes. Milk is another common food item that the fae are said to enjoy. There are also a host of herbs that the fae enjoy, like thyme, yarrow, heather, and rosemary. 

All things cute and tiny will also serve as potent reminders to you to be open to experiences from otherworld. Building a faerie garden outside or creating a special altar space in your home dedicated to the fae can both be powerful ways to set an intention to work with the fae. 

2. Form a strong relationship with your natural surroundings. 

Our busy lives often distract us from the innate magic all around, but it’s always there, especially in nature. Many practices have what is called a “spirit of place” or genius loci. These are the spirits of the land, which include faeries, elves, gnomes, and more.

Connecting with nature regularly will help open doorways to your local spirits of place. This can be as simple as going for daily walks, becoming more in tune with the seasons, or gardening.

To use this method to become more in tune with faeries, try setting that intention as you walk around to notice signs of spirit in nature. Perhaps you’ll start to notice things in nature that look like portals or doorways, signifying entry points to otherworld. Maybe you’ll start to see flashes or shadows of the fae out of the corner of your eye as you explore nature. Be open to experiencing scents, sounds, sensations, and visuals from the fae and other spirits of place as you explore your natural environment. 

3. Meditation and Journey Work

Meditation and journey work are my favorite way to work with faeries. It’s unlikely that you’ll come across a solid, living, breathing faery in your garden, but journeying to otherworld is another story! If meditation is new to you, this technique will likely take some practice, or you might not feel quite ready for it, be patient with yourself. 

Remember, “Your body is one of the best vessels of magical energy.” - Sirona Knight, from Celtic Traditions: Druids, Faeries, and Wiccan Rituals.

Click here to access a free guided meditation for journey work that can help you get started with journeying during meditation. 

If meditation or journeying is more familiar to you, you can set an intention to connect with the fae at the beginning of your meditation. Here are basic steps I take when connecting with beings in otherworld. This may vary for you, and that’s okay! Take what feels right and leave the rest. 

1. Optional: Grab a piece of black tourmaline to have with you as you meditate for energetic protection. 

2. Sitting or lying down, close your eyes and begin your meditation. 

3. Set an intention, in your mind or aloud, to connect with a faerie that has your highest and best intentions. 

4. Tune into your body and focus on your breath to get grounded. 

5. Close your eyes and begin to focus your attention inward. 

6. Visualize a safe and happy place in your mind. For me, it is a lush forest. 

7. When you feel ready, visualize a doorway or portal to exit into otherworld. 

8. Ask to be taken to a faerie or any other kind of spirit being you’d like to connect with. 

9. Be open to the process and the journey. 

10. When you feel ready, find your way back to the portal to come back to your safe space.

11. Stay in your safe space for as long as you need before coming back to the physical world. 

12. When you’re ready, open your eyes and rest for some time to integrate your experience. 

Remember, the spirit realm is always available to you. It’s simply a matter of tuning into it.

The Importance of Pleasure + 3 Pleasure Rituals

We are spiritual beings, but here as humans, we have bodies. Our bodies experience a wide range of sensations and emotions — fear, anxiety, shame, joy, love, pleasure, and many more.

Pleasure is one of the things that feels so specific to having a body - something that’s available to us through the tactile, through sensation, through what we can see and feel and touch.

One of my favorite quotes about pleasure comes from the classic The Ethical Slut: “pleasure is a worthwhile goal in and of itself.”

Many of us have learned in our society that prioritizing pleasure is selfish, unnecessary, and even wrong. But pleasure is our birthright, and as the quote above shares — it is worth pursuing. We all deserve to experience pleasure. 

In this blog, I’m sharing three rituals to help you tap into pleasure. Scroll down to read them!

Before we jump into the rituals, here's a list of ritual items that correspond to pleasure. Any of these items can be used to help you set the intention to invite in more pleasure. They are in no way necessary, but if you have them on hand, feel free to add them to any of the following rituals.

Pleasure Correspondences:

Crystals- rose quartz, garnet, carnelian, ruby

Element- Water

Colors- pink, red, orange

Tarot cards- The Empress, Queen of Cups, The Sun

Plants and scents- Rose, sandalwood, ylang ylang, patchouli, cinnamon

Shell- CowryEnergy points- Sacral

1. Presence Ritual

To me, one of the key ingredients to pleasure is presence. Many of us aren’t present throughout our days for many deeply valid reasons, from trauma to busyness, but when we aren’t present with our lives, I believe we miss out on a lot of the pleasure available to us in the moment.

For this presence ritual, all you’ll need to do is bring presence to something you’re doing in your day. Here are some examples of things you could try doing more mindfully to experience the pleasure within them:

• Taking a walk

• Eating a snack or a meal 

• Gardening

• Watching the sunset

• Having a conversation with someone you love 

• Listening to a song you love 

• Listening to a poem over audio 

• Moving your body in some way (yoga, dancing, running, etc.)

• Having sex (solo or with others) 

Whatever you choose, try to ground yourself beforehand with a few breaths, a hand on your body, petting your animal companion, or doing something else that feels grounding for you. 

Throughout the experience, try to keep your breath deep and truly notice your embodied experience. When you feel yourself drifting back into your mind (I can almost guarantee this will happen, and that’s okay!), try to just notice that, release the thoughts, and return to your breath. Just keep showing up with your breath and your presence, and see how it helps you attune to the pleasure that’s available to you at this moment. 

2. Exploring the Senses Pleasure Ritual

This ritual is inspired by a group experience I took part in at Spirit Weavers a few years ago called Pleasure Stacking.

For this ritual, you’ll want to gather items that can stimulate the senses (sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch). Get creative and use what you have around you! What items in your space open up possibilities for you, feel delicious, or spark curiosity? 

Here are some things that I have used for this ritual to inspire you: 

• Crystals with different textures 

• Silky fabrics 

• Eye mask 

• A delicious tincture that tastes like cacao  

• Fruit  

• A CBD pre-roll  

• Velvety fabrics 

• Scented massage oil  

• Incense  

• Candles 

• A chain from a necklace  

• Sensual music  

1. Once you select the items you'll be working with for this ritual, set yourself up somewhere you feel comfortable - I like to lay down on a yoga mat on the floor.

2. Light your candles and incense if you’re using them, and start to breathe deeply and tune into the senses.

3. The intention of this ritual is to connect with pleasure through the senses and through the body. The only guideline is to use your tools intuitively and keep breathing!

4. Try to really stay present with sensation. You might start by rubbing oil on your body and massaging yourself, experimenting with different pressures. You might trace the chain from your necklace over your belly, taste your tincture or fruit, let your music wash over you and find organic movement, breathe in the scent of your incense, or wrap yourself in different fabrics.

5. As you work with this ritual, notice what happens in your body. Notice what feels delicious in your body, what just feels weird, what your body wants more of. Can you give yourself what you need?

6. As you keep tuning into the senses, allow any organic pleasure mantras to arise like “I deserve pleasure,” “My pleasure is sacred,” or “My pleasure matters.”

7. Notice, too, if shame arises or thoughts telling you that you don’t deserve pleasure, it’s not okay to feel good, etc. Allow these thoughts and feelings to be here - it’s okay! They’re important information. See if you can breathe into them, honor them, and return to your journey through the senses.

8. Take as much time as you need. Remember that experiencing pleasure is your birthright.

9. When you’re ready, close this ritual by placing your hands somewhere on your body and speaking some loving words to yourself, to your body, to whichever parts of you need it.

Ritual to Open to More Pleasure

This ritual is intended to support you in feeling in your body where you hold blocks to pleasure - and moving them out in a fun way. 

In my opinion, it’s not only our tears and pain that move energy and blockages. We can open to more pleasure, and we can move blocks out of our bodies in a fun and playful way as well. In this way, we become open to experiencing more pleasure and create a new pattern in the body. 

For this ritual, feel free to put on some music and create a sacred space, whatever that means to you - (maybe lighting candles or incense, or not - you are a sacred space so you don't have to do anything but you can if you'd like!).

You’ll want to be somewhere you can be comfortable, like in your bed or on a yoga mat.

1. Once you're set up and comfortable, start to feel in your body where you hold blocks to pleasure. I recommend starting by sitting in meditation and breathing deep, feeling these places that are present today (and if you can’t feel anything, that’s okay too).

2. When you feel ready, start to move those blocks in a fun and intuitive way. Just play - see if you can let the moving of these blocks itself be fun and pleasurable.

3. You can use laughter, orgasm, shaking, yelling, roaring, moaning, hissing, vibrating, circling, dancing, moving, or anything else you can feel into or think of to move these blocks out of your body.

4. Can you let it be pleasurable? Can you let it be fun even to heal and explore and transmute? Let your creativity and intuition take over when it comes to moving these crunchy, sticky places out of your body.

5. When you feel complete, take a moment to breathe and notice your new state. Can you feel where there is more space, more openness, in your body? How does your connection to yourself feel now? Breathe, notice, and perhaps take a few moments to explore these questions and process your experience in your journal.

Looking for more pleasure-based rituals? Check out this blog post for more rituals for Beltane!

Three Rituals for Beltane

Beltane is a cross-quarter holiday on the Wheel of the Year that honors the return of summer, the return of the fertility of the Earth, and the element of fire. It’s a nature-based holiday that many of our ancestors celebrated for a long time, and now we get to carry that tradition forward. 

Like Samhain, Beltane is a time when the veil is thin. This holiday is a particularly beautiful time to connect with nature spirits, as well as any other beings you’re wanting to create a connection with. 

At Beltane, we honor the goddess as part of us. We honor the body, pleasure, sensuality, and sexuality. We bask in the fiery energy of the sun and the fertile energy that’s present. 

In this blog, I'm sharing three rituals and suggested tools for Beltane that you can work with to honor this sacred holiday. Keep scrolling to watch a video and read more!

Page featured from the Goddess Discovery Book V2

OPTIONAL RITUAL TOOLS FOR BELTANE

Feel free to add any of the symbols and tools outlined below to your Beltane rituals or altar. They each correspond with the energy of Beltane. They are not necessary and should be viewed as optional layered energy in your rituals.

Cards featured from The Ritual Deck. 

• Crystals: Rose quartz, garnet, pink tourmaline, rhodochrosite, emerald, malachite, and moonstone

• Scents and plants: Sandalwood, ylang-ylang, lilac, angelica, jasmine, and rose

• Candle colors: Pink, orange, and red

• Element: Fire

• Tarot: Empress

• Rune: Berakno

• Goddess: Venus/Freya

• Tools and Symbols: Cowry shell, flowers, and anything that represents pleasure and creativity to you

Learn more about these rituals for Beltane with Eryn by clicking the video below.

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PLEASURE RITUAL FOR BELTANE

This is one of my favorite pleasure-based rituals, and there’s no time like Beltane for it! You’ll need:

• An oil that you’re comfortable using on your skin, like coconut oil or sunflower seed oil (feel free to mix in any essential oils that intuitively feel good to you as well! Ylang Ylang, rose, and sandalwood are great options.)

• Music (optional)

• A journal (optional)

If you’re using music, take some time to create an intentional, sensual playlist. What songs make you feel really juicy and embodied?

When you’re ready, get yourself into a cozy space, turn your music on if you’re using it, and start to anoint yourself with the oil. Take your time to gently massage the oil into your skin. Keep your breath deep and full, giving yourself sensual touch and really letting yourself receive it.

As you breathe and anoint yourself with the oil, really tune in to the sensation of this touch. Try to stay present and tap into feeling good. We are generally so touch-starved in our lives, and giving ourselves loving touch can be really special.

At some point, this ritual might move into some organic, embodied movement. Or it may not! Feel free to follow whatever feels right here, but keep tuning into your senses and breathing deeply. Some mantras or affirmations might arise organically that you’d like to offer yourself, or perhaps you start to just rest with your hands on your belly and heart. 

Close this ritual with a few loving breaths, reach for your journal and hold some space for yourself to process your experience and think about your relationship with pleasure. 

SELF-LOVE RITUAL FOR BELTANE

Traditionally, folks would jump over fires at Beltane to strengthen a bond, increase fertility, and/or attract a partner. Any and all of those intentions are beautiful, but I’m most interested in connecting with our own love for ourselves at this time. For this ritual, you’ll need:

• A mirror

• A candle with a very stable base (rather than a traditional spell candle, try to use a votive or a short candle in a glass container. You’ll understand why as you keep reading!)

When you’re ready, soften into a cozy, ritual space. Place your hands somewhere on your body to ground and open your circle, and find your breath. Drop into meditation, and start to breathe into a simple phrase: “I love you.”

Notice what starts to happen in your body as you keep telling yourself this (silently or out loud). You may find yourself entering a trance. You may feel a rush of loving energy, a flood of shame, feelings of inauthenticity, or something completely different. Just notice, with compassion, how your internal world shifts as you continue to meditate on this phrase. If another phrase around love comes up for you, you can start to work with that as well. 

Follow your intuition and follow the threads. Perhaps a specific version of you or a part of yourself you feel ashamed of arises to the surface. Can you give that part of your self love, too? Perhaps a critical voice comes up, judging you and your practice. Can you be with that part of yourself, too, and give it love?

Stay with yourself, breathing into love, until at some point you feel ready to open your eyes and gaze into your mirror. Look into your own eyes. Drink yourself in. Tell yourself what you need to hear, what whichever parts of your shadow and self have come up during this ritual need to hear - that you love them regardless. That they could never do anything to lose your love. That you’ll never abandon yourself. Speak the words out loud and feel their power.

When you feel complete, close your ritual by lighting your candle and taking a sacred moment to jump over it (staying safe, of course! If you don’t have a safe candle to do this with, you can place something else there like a candle oracle card from the Ritual Deck and jump over that). As you jump, feel these promises of love solidified. Feel more love move into your body. Feel your declarations of love rise into the Universe. 

And so it is. 

EMPRESS RITUAL FOR BELTANE

The Empress, ruled by Venus, is an archetype of love, creativity, pleasure, and receptivity. This card speaks to the fertility aspect of this holiday, reminding us of our capacity to birth - whether that’s babies, a new world, art, a creative project, purposeful work in the world, or something else. Birth can be so many things beyond and outside of the birthing of humans, although of course, you can work with that here as well! 

For this ritual, you’ll connect with your inner Empress and embody her energetically. All you will need is your Empress tarot card and your journal! If you’d like to add any crystal allies to this practice rose quartz, emerald, moonstone, or rhodochrosite. 

Empress Card from The Starchild Tarot

Create a soft and cozy ritual space for yourself. Spend some time gazing upon your Empress card. Take this archetype in. How does it land in your heart, your body? Notice how you feel and any thoughts, ideas, or associations that come up (feel free to jot these down in your journal if that feels good). What is your unique connection to the Empress? 

When you feel complete, close your eyes and enter into meditation. Invite in the version of you that is the Empress. See them appear in front of you in your mind’s eye as the most embodied, Venusian version of you.

Take this version of you in and ask them any questions you have for them. You might ask them what you’re ready to birth at this time, what you need to release to step into this version of you or anything else that lands on your heart. Take your time and be in connection with the Empress - which is already inside of you.

As you feel complete, thank this version of you and close with a few deep breaths. Open your eyes, and take some time to process your experience in your journal. What will you take away from this ritual? What are you going to change, release, embody, step into? Write it all down!

Which ritual will you be working with for Beltane this year? Let us know over on Instagram! Check out the Wheel of The Year Guided Meditation Bundle here and more rituals for Beltane here.

What is the Wheel of the Year & How to Use It // With Free Printable

Learning more about the Wheel of the year will not only help you feel more in-tune with nature, but it will give you rituals to use year-round to connect with yourself and Mother Earth. This topic can seem a little overwhelming when getting started, so I will provide you with a quick overview with this post. I'll cover what the Wheel of the Year is, who uses it, how to use it, and some resources, including a free printable of a wheel that I created. Keep scrolling to read more and find a link to your free copy.

What is the Wheel of the year?

The Wheel of the year is comprised of eight Sabbats or festivals that occur on or around the same day each year. The eight Sabbats include four solar events, i.e., the Summer Solstice, Winter Solstice, Spring Equinox, and Fall Equinox. The remaining four festivals are based on seasonal changes and farming. Here's a rundown of the eight Sabbats, what they align with, and their dates:

Yule: December 21st - January 1st // Winter Solstice

Imbolc: February 1st // Holiday is known as Candlemas, which signifies the first signs of Spring

Ostara: March 20th // Spring Equinox (first day of Spring)

Beltane: April 30th - May 1st // A fire ceremony that signifies the midpoint between Spring and Summer

Litha: June 21st or 22nd // Summer Solstice

Lughnasadh: July 31st - August 1st // Marks the first harvest of the year

Mabon: September 21st - September 23rd // Fall Equinox

Samhain: October 31st - November 1st // Samhain is considered the witch's New Year. It is the third and final harvest season and ends the seasonal Wheel.

© Cassie Uhl 2015-2022. Please properly credit when sharing.

Who Celebrates the Wheel of the Year?

You don't have to subscribe to a specific religion or label to use or observe the Wheel of the year. Most notably, Wiccans, Pagans, Neo-Pagans, and practicing witches reference the Wheel of the Year for festivals and rituals. If you don't identify with any of these labels, but like to dabble in ritual or spellwork, that's perfectly fine! You'll still be able to find many uses for this powerful tool.

Where did the Wheel originate?

The Wheel of the year is rooted in several cultures and combines festivals from Romans, ancient Greeks, Germanic cultures of northern Europe, and the Celts. It's for this reason that you'll see a variety of names for some of the festivals and differing dates. For example, Lughnasadh also goes by Lammas or Lughnasa, and Litha also goes by Midsummer.

The full Wheel of eight festivals is a relatively new creation that came about in the 1950s. The groups listed above each celebrated some of the eight Sabbats, but the evidence is lacking that any of them celebrated all eight. Combining all eight into a wheel was a way to honor and streamline all of the celebrations that many Pagans and Wiccans hold dear.

How to Celebrate The Wheel of The Year

Learning to implement the Wheel of the Year can feel overwhelming, but the way that you work with it can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. There are countless ways to celebrate each celebration on the Wheel of the Year. Check out the list below for a general list of ways you can enjoy the Wheel of the Year. For specific rituals and celebration suggestions, check out The Goddess Discovery Book V2 or search our blog for the Sabbat you'd like to learn more about.

• Spend time outside in nature.

• Attend a local celebration or create your own for some or all festivals.

• Conduct a ritual for each Sabbat. You can find several ritual examples for each Sabbat by searching the Sabbat on our blog.

• Add decor and scents to your house based on the Wheel of the Year.

• Cleanse and update your altar or sacred space for each Sabbat.

• Cook specific foods for each of the Sabbats.

• Enjoy crafts with your Goddess circle or kiddos based around the Sabbats.

• Go within and try journaling for each Sabbat.

• Perform a unique tarot or oracle card spread.

Here's an example of how I often perform my altar update for a new Sabbat.

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Additional Resources

Want to dig deeper into using the Wheel of the year in your practice? Here are three ways to learn more:

1. Click here to get access to the free Wheel of the Year printout.

2. Click here to purchase Understanding The Wheel of The Year, which goes into detail about the Wheel of the Year and contains wheel images for both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, rituals, card spreads and journal prompts for each Sabbat.

3. Find links to blog posts specifically for each Sabbat below.

• Samhain

• Yule

• Imbolc

• Ostara

• Beltane

• Litha

• Lughnasadh

• Mabon

Here are other books that I love about the Wheel of the Year: The Magical Year by Danu Forest, The Great Work by Tiffany Lizac, and The Modern Witchcraft Guide to the Wheel of the Year by Judy Ann Nock.

I hope you find the Wheel of the year as special and magical as I do! It has so many positive and powerful applications to bring life to your sacred practices.