Beltane Ritual! 3 ideas to celebrate the Sabbat of Fertility

Learn in this post 3 ideas to make a Beltane ritual and celebrate the Sabbat of Fertility!

Beltane celebrates life, sexual energy, joy, fertility and love.

The rituals presented here were taken from the book “Wicca, A Religião da Deusa” by Claudiney Prieto, with adaptations.

To understand more about the subject go to The Wheel of the Year and the Sabbats page.

Beltane Ritual: Making a Maypole

The Maypole is the most famous Beltane ritual.

It represents the union between the Goddess and God and it is an excellent way to celebrate Beltane with great joy.

You can do this ritual in two ways:

• With several people in an open area and a full-sized Maypole, as in Ancient Europe;
• Or alone with a miniature Maypole.

Doing the Maypole with several people

For the first option you will need:

• 1 tree trunk approximately 2m high;
• Long multicoloured ribbons approximately 10 cm wide in the same amount of people participating in the ceremony;
• Nails and hammer;
• Some rubber bands;
• 1 wreath.

First cast the Magic Circle and start a Baelfire then nail the tapes at one end of the trunk.

Fasten the wreath at this end and position it so that it covers the nails used for the ribbons.

Fasten the ribbons with rubber bands so that they do not entangle.

The ritual begins with the women digging the hole where the trunk will be erected.

Meanwhile, the men make three clockwise rounds around the Magical Circle, everybody sings:

Beltane, Beltane, Beltane is here.
It is the Sabbat of fertility, of love and no fear.

At the end of the third round, the mast is erected and fixed in the hole.

The interlacing of the ribbons begins then, as the chant is on. At this time it is important to think about the good energies such as joy, love and health.

At the end of the interlacing, the mast is withdrawn from the hole. Everyone holds it, taking several turns together around the Circle, continuing to chant.

The mast is then finally taken to the fire and placed on the flames. The party continues around the Baelfire and everybody continues singing sacred songs and dancing.

Doing the Maypole alone

For the second option alone, you will need:

• 1 twig;
• Small coloured satin ribbons
• Little flowers for the top
• 1 Cauldron

The procedure is basically the same. 

First cast the Magic Circle, then hold the flowers at the top of the twig and begin to intertwine the satin ribbons by mentalizing positive energies such as joy, love and health.

After this, place the twig in the Cauldron, set fire and let it burn.

Beltane Ritual: Beltane Package

This Beltane ritual consists of using tree branches for magical purposes.

Due to the rhythm of modern life, it is not always possible to recreate rituals as they were practised in ancient times.

Therefore, adaptations are always welcome. Keep in mind that the most important thing is the intention you put in the ritual and the correct use of symbols and representations.

The Celtic people, when making the Baelfire, used trunks of nine different trees, considered sacred: 

• The ash tree;
• The birch tree; 
• The yew tree;
• The hazel tree; 
• The rowan tree; 
• The willow tree; 
• The pine tree;
• The hawthorn tree;
• The oak tree.

Corresponding to this, we now have the Beltane ritual known as the Beltane Package, which is made up of nine tree branches found in different places.

During the course of the year, collect these nine branches that will be part of the Beltane Package. Collect these branches in special places for you, if possible.

When the Beltane Sabbath arrives, join these branches together and wrap them with a green ribbon and tie them with it. Embellish it with leaves and flowers.

Your Beltane Package is ready!

During the celebration of Beltane Sabbat, burn the Beltane Package in your Cauldron or in the Baelfire if you can create one as an offering to the Goddess, the God and nature.

When placing the Package in the cauldron, say the following spells:

Beltane Package, burn in the flames
Ornate with flowers for the crowned Lady.
This is my offering to the Spirits of Nature
Burn in the flames

How to make a full Beltane Ritual celebration

For this Beltane ritual you will need:

• 1 garland with leaves and flowers;
• 8 green candles;
• Altar with a chalice with wine;
• Athame;
• Cauldron;
• Fruits of all colours;
• Beltane package;
• Cereal alcohol.

Place the chalice in the middle of the altar and also place the eight green candles in a circle around it. 

Decorate your altar with all the fruits, so that it is well coloured and cheerful.

Draw the Magic Circle and say:

Today we call upon the Goddess and the God to fertilize the whole earth and let the fields, cattle, men and women be fertile.

When lighting each candle you say:

With this Sacred Fire, Winter departs and Summer approaches.

Raise the garland:, saying:

This is the Sacred Circle of Rebirth, the symbol of unity that brings joy to the Earth.

Place it on the Altar, so that the Chalice is at its center. Put alcohol in the Cauldron and light it while saying:

In this Cauldron, the flame of Bel shines,
The Spring Fire that calls Summer.
So the Wheel of the Year turns once more.
This is the Beltane Fire.
May it bring joy and peace.

Put your Beltane Package on the Cauldron’s Fire saying:

With these nine sacred woods, I call Summer to bring happiness to the Earth and wealth to the world.

Jump over the cauldron, asking for the purification and making a request.

Hold your Goblet with your left hand and the Athame with your right hand. Raise them up, saying:

Mother and Father eternally represented here by the Chalice and the Athame,
I unite the masculine and the feminine so that the Earth is fertilized.
May the union of the Goddess with the God sustain the Earth.

Dip the Athame in the Chalice with wine.

Drink a little and make a libation (the act of offering wine in honour of the Gods) in honour of the Gods. 

Eat a fruit and make your requests mentally.

Dance and sing in honour of the Goddess and the God.

Undo the Circle.

Celebrating The Wheel of the Year and the Sabbats with rituals

Now that you got ideas for your Beltane Ritual and celebration, you can also get ritual ideas for the other Sabbats in the Wheel of the Year:

• Samhain ritual
• Yule ritual
• Imbolc ritual
• Ostara ritual
• Beltane ritual (you are here :D)
• Litha ritual
• Lughnasadh ritual
• Mabon ritual