What is Beltane?
Liberation of the Life-forces within our Nature, as within all Nature.
The Season of Beltane really starts with the turning of Light at Ostara, where the balance of Light is emancipated from the dominance of the Dark. In the old world, Light was seen as a way to discern a quality of Spirit. The liberation of the Light, seen at Ostara as a rising up of the annual solar Dawn, was a metaphor for the liberation of Divine Spirit from all bonds. Liberty was seen as the folly of the fool or the wild havoc of the Mad March Hare. Liberty as the emergence of the chick from the confines of the Egg. The classic metaphor observed in the Orphic Mysteries describes the emergence of Phanes from the Orphic Egg. As a variant of Eros, he emerges as a perfect Divine being of Light, who brings Light and Order to our world of chaos. The breaking of the egg and the emergence represents the liberation of the Divine Spirit from the ignorance and illusions of the earthly shell in which we are bound.
It puts a different spin on the Christian Easter Mythos when you view the mystery as the liberation of Divine Spirit from the shell of earthly illusion and chaos. It’s establishing a new Dawn of Cosmic Liberty for the Spirit of Humanity, rather than the usual focus of the crucifixion: a suffering event of betrayal and torture. Instead, see this as the liberation of Divine Light from the corporeal form, aligning Christ – a much misunderstood Venus figure – with Ostara and her Mad March Hare, delivering Orphic Eggs! It also explains why the Bunny and Eggs shift presence from Ostara to the Christian Easter!
It’s fun to look at these festivals through a Witch’s eye and understand how things landed as they did (while observing the confusion that comes when you ask folks how Eggs have anything to do with the torture and nailing of some dude to a cross). But then that’s what happens when you take a rich mythos that holds insight and truths and present it as literal history. It loses its insights and truths, and falls prey to banality.
Why am I talking so much about the Spring Equinox in an article about Beltane, you may wonder? Well, it’s because the real mystery within the season leading up to the Beltane observances, is all about the emancipation of one’s spirit from the restrictions we feel bound by. Be that the illusionary bounds of reality represented by the interior of the Egg, or the perceived bounds of societal norms we assist in placing upon ourselves, all in our pursuit to be respectable citizens. The whole season addresses this theme of emancipation and liberty at all levels and in all ways, culminating in the final Land Fire Festival event we know as Beltane.
It was probably easier for pagans of old to view this liberty of carnal lifeforce in nature by dancing around a Maypole to represent the fertility of life, both within the land and the village tribe. But as Witches, we understand that this goes much deeper. We understand that we are not just talking about fertility; this festival event awakens and potentially liberates our own draconic lifeforce. And with that, it stirs all the desires we hold within, both the light and the darkness of our deepest nature.
The power to create comes from these deep forces within, and it’s not all fun and giggles – as anyone who has encountered a true Maenad knows! These forces of nature, when let loose, are as powerfully destructive as they are creative. The question is: which of these will finally take hold and manifest through us? The answer lies within our ability and willingness to face, own, and master the draconic lifeforces within us and channel them towards productive goals. Or perhaps better stated: it’s the proverbial battle of Light (as the Divine Harmony within us) triumphing over the Darkness of our powerful yet primal forces. Those we dare to face.
This challenging encounter with the primal forces of self is known as the Witches Sabbat. Traditionally on May Eve, it’s otherwise known by its German name Walpurgisnacht. This is not generally observed by regular folks, even pagans. It is an initiate level event where the darker side of liberation is explored in search of the true power of Beltane. In this Witches Sabbat working, we address the primal forces within the cave of our desires – unfulfilled, unexplored, and frustrated, those primal forces that may reside within the Witch. Traditionally this is a vision working, rather than a literal one, as it would not be safe to explore such things in the physical world. And besides, this corporeal world could not accommodate the extent to which a Witch’s interior universe can unfold!
These are not pursuits to be made manifest in this world. These are things that we as Witches need to know about ourselves. The potential that dwells within. The part of us that we feel sits there as a possibility, lurking in the shadows. That which intrigues us and frightens us. That part of us that holds the darker forces from whence we may draw power our from, and yet must never be ruled by. We need to know what those forces look like, and that we can hold our virtue and authority when facing them as they rise to tempt or challenge us. Walpurgisnacht can be fun, empowering, and life changing for a Witch. But it can also destroy people, who when faced with their inner dragons, lose to them. Even the likes of Aleister Crowley, who revelled in the self-proclaimed persona of the Beast 666, knew better than to disrespect the battle with Typhon, the inner Dragon of our Humanity.
Having delved into the darker side of Beltane, let’s then finish with the brighter side, and finally get to the real point of this whole festival. From the dancing of the Maypole to the jumping of the Beltane Fire for fertility! From the Broom chasing the Wreath of Beltane, to the Hobby Horses chasing the women (representing the primal draconic forces of lust let loose, and the fertility that follows from chance encounters of desire) ending with the May-Begotten bastard children! With all the joyous acts of Beltane, we laugh and we celebrate our inner free Spirit. That spirit of liberty that emancipates our flesh, our simple nature, freed to play in all its mischievousness. Its laughter, its naughtiness, its frivolity!
Then as we’re self-liberated, we look to what we can become if we embrace the Light within us and step forward into life with pride and joy. How our own demons are of our own making, shadows that ride us down into the chains. Those that, if left unchecked, finally define and shape our daily lives. We are the architects of our own world, shaped by the quality of light our spirit holds. Our Spirit influenced and shaped by the emotions we hold to our chest. The world we live in, so often unknowingly created by our own making. What we hold Within, so then becomes manifest Without.
Simply put, this is all about the battle between the Darkness battling the Light within us. Beltane at its core is where we look to celebrate and empower the Liberty of that Light, the Liberty of our Light, and the fruits that the Light of our Spirit can produce through our corporeal forms. Beltane is where we get to live our dream of freedom, the emancipation of our spirit and our nature. To laugh and revel in the Spirit of the Season, tied to those same spirits of fecundity that are manifesting all around us – if we dare to let loose and engage. If we give ourselves the Liberty to engage the nature within us as it makes communion with the Nature of our World around us. Beltane is a Love Fest with Life, Nature, the Planet and the potential of Light we hold inside, standing empowered, one foot upon the dragon of Self within!
