Beltane, or Gaelic May Day, is an important festival in the Wheel of the Year. It is typically associated with fire, the beginning of summer, renewed life and growth, as well as an important time for agricultural and pastoral rearing. The Celtics perceived the year as being divided into two halves, a dark or winter period, and a bright or summer period. Beltane marks the beginning of the summer period. Beltane might also be connected with the ancient god Belenus, a Celtic solar deity. The Wiccan understanding of Beltane interprets this as a time of merriment, fertility, and even sensuality and sexuality because this is the time when the God and Goddess are believed to have physically united and come into fruitful union.
Continue reading “Beltane Recipes: A Historical Perspective”Beltane Recipes: A Historical Perspective
