Canadian pagans are readying their homes, circles and themselves for one of the biggest pagan holidays in the calendar (Wheel of the Year). Beltane is the celebration of birth, growth and the full blooming of spring and the growing season.
The Vernal Equinox precedes Beltane and celebrates the first days of spring, whereas the sabbat of Beltane marks the full season and its importance to crops and animal reproduction, reminding us to give thanks for the abundance of growth at this time.
Canada's varied climate moves pagans to celebrate the holiday with creativity and a deep sense of the land and its people, often bringing together eclectic tradition and diversity. Canadians have to celebrate within the framework of a northern geography, often incorporating the earliest signs of spring in ritual and on altars. The brilliant yellow of the early forsythia can grace a circle or hang above an entry way, as the May boughs of old were hung, welcoming into dwellings the joy of life and growth. Where other climates can use later spring flowers, leaves and decoration, Canadians, depending on their national location, must make do with what blooms by the time April 30th, Beltane Eve, comes around.
Pagans have many varied traditions and because of the pagan sense of religious freedom, the decorations and celebrations can and often do change, adding to the sense of joy and acknowledgment of this time of the Wheel. May Poles are sometimes used to dance around and weave the season into the lives of the community, as the ribbons on the pole are woven,
Beltane fires are lit not only to illuminate the path of couples wishing to celebrate the sabbat in its deepest fertility aspect, but also to highlight the transition from the dark of winter, to the full sun of the growing season. Feasts and laughter, singing and games can mark spring as a time for growth, both in agriculture and in the heart.
Use representations of the fire element (the cauldron or fire, candle or coal) to mark the coming heat of summer, with a token of the element of air (incense, feathers, etc) as it marks the spring breezes.
Although many Canadian pagans don't have a wide variety of fresh spring flowers to use for celebrations, others can be as beautiful. Tiny buds on new branches, the pale green of the earliest leaves, tulips, iris and forsythia may be used to decorate feast tables and altars.
As Beltane approaches, clean away the dust and stale air of winter and dance around the May pole, waking the earth once again. Light your Beltane fire and celebrate the bounty that summer gives us. Don't let climate or geography restrict your feasts or celebrations. Whether you are a city pagan or a country pagan, find what works for you. Get together with other pagans and have fun. Use your imagination, get creative and usher in the new growing season.
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