A Queer Beltane

This fire festival marking the start of summer is themed by sexuality and fertility. Its traditional focus is very cisheteronormative ~ on fertility, associated wombs, eggs and sperm, but that is not the only relevance and representation of Beltane ~ join me in looking at this festival through a queer lens…​

​As with every turn of the wheel of the year, there is a strong connection to nature. You may have noticed the hedges springing to life in the last few weeks; the white spray of cow parsley and other apiaceae, the pink pop of red campion and squadrons of bluebells dotted about. That is particularly the case here in Devon when this new colour took over from primroses and daffodils. This is one of the signs that Beltane is here. Nature’s changes have always been the marker of season change, before calendars; traditionally for Beltane, it would be the emergence of hawthorn blossom, which I have also noticed over the last two weeks - slightly earlier than its associations, including it’s common name ‘may flower.’

Beltane means bright fire, and links to the celtic fire god. The peak of spring, it marks the arrival of summer and the start of the light half of the year. It is a celebration of fertility and sexuality in both people and the earth.​

​This is a time of strong earth energy, where the fertility of the earth is apparent all around us in nature, from woodlands and agricultural land, to our own gardens, hedges, and even the cracks between the paving stones. Seeds are germinating, seedlings sprouting, and crops flourishing ~ nature is providing for us as the earth bursts into colour.​

​​Fire is another element featuring strongly at this time. Not only a fire festival, Beltane celebrations, especially within communities, focus on fire. Fire is well known as a spiritual cleanser and purifier, and at this point in the year symbolises the heat and power of the sun. Bonfires were lit in celebration of this, and danced around ~ even cattle were led around them ~ as a purification and fertility ritual. Traditionally all hearth fires in the community were extinguished, a new neid (need) fire started, and used to start the hearth fires anew - this connected everyone in the community through the one neid fire.

​The mythical tale of the goddess and the green man recounts the wheel of the year in terms of the cycle of growth, represented through their fertility, marriage, conception, gestation, and birth. Their ‘sacred union’ through sex serving to prompt our ability for inner union of the ‘divine masculine’ and ‘divine feminine’ energies within all of us (separate post coming with a queer exploration of these ‘masc/fem’ energies). Due to its celebration of fertility, Beltane is heavily cisheteronormative and focused on procreative sex. We can of course look to the earth, and these themes applied in the context of nature, crops, growth, and abundance, but we don’t, and shouldn’t have to disregard and lose the human context just because historically, the words don’t fit. Let’s step out from spiritual oppression, honouring our queer identities and make the traditions fit. 

​The gendered terms of masculine and feminine energy are widespread and tricky, but if we take away the stereotypical and binary gendered words, we are left with the qualities of the energies, which is the relevant part. Drawing on ancient wisdom from yoga and traditional Chinese medicine, we can look at these as moon energy (yin), and sun energy (yang); two opposing, yet complementary forces which make up life, and which are (or the potential for them are) held within us. The qualities of these energies are relevant to all people, transcending the outdated language of tradition. These opposites can exist on several planes or spectrums ~ active / reflective and expansion / contraction are two examples alluded to in the paragraph above, and light / dark is another, very relevant to Beltane in its liminal placement marking the start of the light half of the year.

​​The maypole dance is probably one of the more familiar traditions. The pole itself symbolises the green man sunk into the potent earth, with the ring of flowers atop it symbolsing the goddess. The dance symbolises weaving the union of the yin and yang energies mentioned earlier, as well as the union of earth and sky. We can weave our light with our shadow, weave our expansive (think energetic, extrovert) self with our contractive (think restful, introvert) self. Not forgetting, of course, the earth and sky ~ this is a practice of connecting to spirit and earth as well; yet another continuum of opposites. This dance is all about acknowledging and honouring the opposites residing within us and weaving them together through ritual and ceremony.

​Traditionally, the colours for Beltane and their representations are:
Green - growth, fertility, abundance
Red - strength, passion, vitality
White - cleansing, clearing
Maypole ribbons are always colourful. Sometimes these colours mirror a rainbow, which can be queer affirming. 

​Exploring opposites
The union of opposites is a strong theme and celebration in Beltane. The union suggests balance, which is generally a healthy outcome leading to feelings of wellness. Balance does not necessarily equate to a 50:50 mix of things ~ it will vary for each of us, and depend on the opposites we are seeking balance within. In order to achieve a balance of opposites, we need to explore what those opposites are. So take a moment to consider the opposite forces within you - you might like to use the examples above, of active / reflective … expansion / contraction… light / dark. To journal on this, the following questions may be helpful: What do these words and concepts mean to me? Where do these show up for (or hide from) me? What could bring them to balance within me?

​Weave a May Ribbon
Take lengths of material of each of the colours you want to use ~ these could be the traditional Beltane colours, colours representing the opposites and balance you are exploring, or the colours of a pride flag relevant to you. Plait or weave these together to create a decoration; for your altar, your keyring, or your house. For the material you might like to use recycled plastic, yarn, cord, or lengths of fabric ~ get creative!

​If you try these out, I’d be interested in hearing how you get on, and seeing any pictures of your May Ribbons!