Beltane Ritual

 

Best done by a couple, to celebrate the need for both the male and female aspects that are required for creation and fertility of the land.

Much of this ritual was borrowed and adapted from the ritual given on the Llewellyn Publishing website.

All to wear green and/or floral clothing or colours.

 

Equipment required:

 

  • God and Goddess candles for the altar
  • Quarter candles
  • Athame and Chalice with something to drink in it
  • Sunflower seeds or other representation of the harvest to eat and receptacle to put them in
  • Small cauldron filled with water
  • Coins in a bowl

 

The Ritual

 

High Priest opens the circle and invites all in through the NW door, then completes the circle.

High Priestess: May is a month of special magic. Looking at the Wheel of the Year, you see that Beltane is opposite Samhain. Just as Samhain is associated with other worlds, so it is Beltane when the unseen can be seen. It was on May Eve that the Tuatha de Danaan (tribe of the Goddess Danu) arrived in Ireland. They later took refuge in the hollow hills and became known as the People of the Hills and the Sídhe. We’ve all heard of them; we know them as the faeries. They are masters of enchantment and in May their magic is strongest. 

High Priest: More than at any other time of year, the waters of May are particularly potent; especially for healing. Even today, many springs and wells all over Europe are sites of pilgrimage for spiritual and healing purposes. 

High Priestess: Brigid, known in Ireland as Goddess of fire and inspiration is honoured at Imbolc. She is also important at Beltane because she also presides over water, holy wells, and healing. To some, she is also known as the Queen of the Faeries.

High Priest: There are four cities of the Faerie, one for each of the compass directions.  In calling the quarters today, we will invoke these cities and the qualities they embody. (Call for volunteers and hand them a copy of the relevant invocation.)  Light quarter candles as they are invoked.

Call the quarters (E, S, W – whoever is standing there, N – High Priest.  High Priestess lights the candles): 

East: I look to the East, to Gorias. Star Sailor, holy breath, your clear blue skies smile on us and carry the lusty scent of life. Be with us. 

South: I look to the South, to Finias. Blue Flame, light of the earth, your warmth makes me dance with delight at the life that flows through my body. Be with us. 

West: I look to the West, to Murias. Rain Maker, sacred dew, your gentle rains pour forth in life-giving wonder. Be with us.

North: I look to the North, to Falias. Dark Mother, rich black soil, your fertile body nurtures the seeds of life.  I call on your powers of creation. Be with us.

High Priest (lighting god candle on altar):  
Earth and Water, Fire and Sky
I invoke the God on high
This night we are Between the Worlds
To celebrate the year unfurled!

Horned God, Lord of the Wild Hunt, Winter-born King, bring forth your sacred seed of life. Be with us. 


High Priestess (lighting goddess candle on altar):  
Earth and Water, Fire and Air
I invoke the Goddess there!
This night we are Between the Worlds
To celebrate the year unfurled! 

Sweet Maiden, Lady of the Lake, Queen of Heaven and Earth, receive the sacred seed of life. Be with us

At the altar, High Priestess takes the chalice and High Priest the athame. High Priest lowers the athame into the raised chalice to symbolize the Great Rite while both say: 
This is Beltane, a time to celebrate life, a time to create life, when the Lord and Lady join as one. They kiss.

High Priest and High Priestess take a sip each from the chalice, saying I partake of the nectar of life They then pass the chalice on and all repeat as they take a sip and pass it on.

High Priest and High Priestess eat a few sunflower seeds (or scrap of bread, etc.), saying I partake of the seed of life.  They pass round the plate and all repeat as they take a piece/handful and pass to the next person.

High Priest:  Tonight, the cauldron is filled with water to represent a holy well. The cauldron is a symbol of the womb of the Goddess and place of transformation. Tonight we celebrate life, and call on the power of faery to add enchantment to our personal intentions. 

High Priestess:  Fix an intention in your mind. It might be about love and someone you want to attract, or a creative project, or something you are hoping to achieve in the coming months. You may call on Brigid for healing, or you may simply want to give thanks for the joy of living. When you are ready, take a coin from the tray beside the cauldron, then walk around the altar three times whispering your intention, speaking it aloud, or repeating it silently in your head three times. When you arrive back at the cauldron, drop the coin into the water.

High Priest and High Priestess lead the group in fixing their intentions, by repeating:
Sacred well, enchanted land, 
Take this coin now from my hand. 
With my wish I set it free, 
Make it real, so mote it be. 

Closing

 

High Priestess (blowing out goddess candle): Sweet Maiden of May, thank you for your blessings and presence this night.  Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid you farewell. 

High Priest (blowing out god candle): Lord of Life, thank you for your blessings and presence this night.  Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid you farewell. 

Dismiss the quarters and blow out candles:

Dark Mother, thank you for your blessings and presence this night. 
Stay if you will; return to Falias if you must. I bid you farewell

Rain Maker, thank you for your blessings and presence this night. 
Stay if you will; return to Murias if you must. I bid you farewell. 

Blue Flame, thank you for your blessings and presence this night. 
Stay if you will; return to Finias if you must. I bid you farewell. 

Star Sailor, thank you for your blessings and presence this night. 
Stay if you will; return to Gorias if you must. I bid you farewell. 

Open the circle, saying: 
By the four great cities of the faery realm, by the four powers from beyond, our circle is open, but unbroken.  May the peace of Danu remain in our hearts. In love and unity, blessed be. 

All:  Blessed be.