Its origins among the Celtic peoples of Western Europe and the British Isles, particularly Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Think of The Excalibur, where knights spur and damsel’s in distress are saved nightly.

One of my favorite examples of Beltane is the scene in the movie, Camelot, where Queen Gwenevere (Vanessa Redgrave) goes off with her court “a-maying.” She sang the famous Lerner and Lowe song:

It's May! It's May!
The lusty month of May!...
Those dreary vows that ev'ryone takes,
Ev'ryone breaks.
Ev'ryone makes divine mistakes!
The lusty month of May!

Even today it sort of sounds like a night in Las Vegas.

Beltane heralds the beginning of the bright time of year, a time when we emerge from the darkness of winter into lighter, airy days. Makes us want to open our hearts and feel the warmth of the sun.

From the perspective of the ancient Celts ... they had been cooped up in doors for a long winter. Beltane came at the peak of spring, and brought life back to the people and the land. Not only does the warmth of the Sun help plants blossom. People fall in love and consume each other in fiery passion.

The reason this holiday is so sexy yet sacred is that it is symbolic of the passion and love between the Goddess and God. Divine passion, it was believed, was evident in all of nature’s bounty springing forth this time of year.

As an ode to nature -- and an offering to God and Goddess – maids and lads would frolic in the fields from Sundown to the morning after. Part of this celebration included enacting the rites of fertility as an offering to ensure continued fertility of the lands – as well as the continuation of the tribe.

The local men and women did it, in the groves and the fields.

It’s been said that the annual Beltane Baby Boom – 9 months later -- was legendary in ancient times

Maypole and Fertility

The Celts divided their year into eight parts, as opposed to 12 months, and Beltane continues to be celebrated one of the four great festivals of the Celtic Pagan wheel of the year.

Long before our current high school prom king and queen, villages had a young, attractive couple to represent the King and Queen of the May. Dancing around the maypole was a focal point of activity. The Maypole was made of oak, and had ribbons of many colors. When the ritual was over, the ribbons would be entwined and this represented the sacred lovers entwined.

Women would grab a ribbon and dance around the maypole. It was said that last woman left holding the ribbon would be crowned the May Queen.

Talk about a big wedding! A wedding feast for the God and Goddess, and for all, was prepared in advance of the dance around the may pole. The “bride and groom” often did not they were the bride and groom until after the maypole dance and other competitions.

On a practical level, it was believed that the act of dancing around the maypole would ensure fertility for women, cattle and crops.

Practical or not ... the May King and Queen would consummate their “marriage” as a symbolic gesture of fertility. All the townspeople would emulate them and head off to partake in some sacred love. It was a bit of free love and wanton lust sometimes called “Greenwood Marriages.”

Bringing in the May/Celebration Today

One of the most beautiful customs associated with this festival was called "bringing in the May." The young people would go out into the fields on April 30th and gather flowers with which to bedeck themselves, their families, and their homes.

They would process back into the villages, stopping at each home to leave flowers, and to receive the best of food and drink that the home had to offer.

They were symbolic messengers of renewal and this also

represented the ritual sharing of food -- the substance of life -- and the ideal that this generosity must keep circulating.

We can all go “a Maying”. Buy doing something nice for others or sharing a spring ritual with the one you love!

Image of Maypole: MERRIE ENGLAND (by Edward German) Programme cover design by Paul Stallard.

© 2008, Reverend Laurie Sue Brockway

Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway, editor of Wedlok.com, is a leading interfaith and non-denominational wedding officiant. She creates unique ceremonies for couples of all backgrounds and faiths, and is also widely recognized as a soulmate coach, bridal stress expert and columnist. She is author of YOUR PERFECT WEDDING VOWS: How to Write, Find and Select the Words that Express What is in Your Heart and WEDDING GODDESS: A Divine Guide to Transforming Wedding Stress into Wedding Bliss. To help reduce wedding stress, get your personally autographed copy at www.WeddingGoddess.com. Join The Soulmate Project on Beliefnet.com.