Bealtaine Magic: Divination & Ritual

Imbas Dispatch #24

A Chairde, Friends,

We are on the threshold of Bealtaine, the Irish word for the month of May. It is thought to derive from the god Bel or Belenus, a pan-Celtic deity meaning ‘bright’ or ‘shining’, and the Gaeilge word tine, meaning ‘fire’, so ‘Bright Fire’. Another possibility is that it comes from béal meaning ‘mouth’ in Irish and again tine, fire, so ‘Mouth of Fire’.

The ancestral year was a journey from darkness into light. It likely began at Samhain (the Irish word for the month of November) in the darkness, as all life begins. Six months unfolded in the dark half of the year, until at Bealtaine, in May, the great wheel turned towards the light half of the year. The fire festival at Samhain, now celebrated as Halloween, marks our entry into the darkness. The fire festival at Bealtaine marks our entry into the light. Darkness and light were held in equal value for our ancestors. Both are a necessary part of human life.

Spiral of Flames

The Old Irish medieval text, the Dindshenchas, the ‘Lore of Places’, tells us that on Bealtaine an immense fire was lit by the druid of Mide (Meath) on the Hill of Uisneach in modern-day County Westmeath. Uisneach is known as the navel point of Éire, the island’s sacred centre.

‘These were the great festivals of the Druids, when all domestic fires were extinguished, in order to be re-lit by the sacred fire taken from the temples, for it was deemed sacrilege to have any fires kindled except from the holy altar flame.’

Lady Jane Wilde (mother of Oscar Wilde), Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms and Superstitions of Ireland

One story goes that all regional household fires were first extinguished and a small number of pre-ceremony fires were lit. These fires would be kindled from the wood of the sacred druidic trees; Oak, Hazel, Elder, Apple, Alder, Ash and Yew, and the flames from the seven trees used to light the great Bealtaine fire on Uisneach. Once this fire was lit, it was a visible signal to ignite fires on surrounding hills, creating a blazing spiral across the land. This symbolised nature’s full awakening from the dark half of the year into the light.

Love Magic

‘The May Bush is most common in Leinster, although it is also known in other parts of the country. It is set up outside the house on May Eve and is decorated with flowers, ribbons, pieces of paper etc. Whitethorn is the most popular type of bush’ - from Dúchas. Photo by James G. Delaney, 1st May 1964

‘When gorse is out of blossom, kissing’s out of fashion.’

We know that our ancestors potentially began their day at sunset, not sunrise like we do today, and so Oíche Bhealtaine, May Eve (30th April) is an auspicious time for folk activity and love spells.

Bealtaine is a period of pleasure on this island. It is a time of divination, especially for love and marriage. It was believed if you peered at your reflection in water on May Eve, you may see the image of your future lover over your shoulder.

Another custom was to decorate your door with gorse branches to invite love across your threshold. It is said that whenever gorse is in flower, kissing is in season in Ireland, and gorse is almost always in bloom.

And yet another, was to leave ashes on a threshold and then the following morning interpret a footprint (if you find one): Facing outwards meant marriage. Facing inwards meant death. No joking about here!

Fresh Face

Women in 1965 on Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh, Scotland, washing their faces with May dew before dawn.

Bealtaine Riddle:

‘I washed my face in water that had neither rained nor run, and I dried it on a towel that was never woven nor spun.’

This is another ritual you might like to do at this time of year. It is usually done on May morning, but Bealtaine celebrations would likely have lasted for days if not weeks in Old Ireland. Technically Bealtaine is the midpoint between the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice so feel free to do this as a regular seasonal ritual.

Before dawn, gather morning dew and wash your face with this natural elixir or if you want to go full throttle, roll around naked in it. You can collect your dew in a jar or soak a facecloth on the grass and smooth over your skin. The dew’s fusion of fire from sunbeams and the healing properties of water are thought to bestow beauty as well as protecting from sunburn, chapping and wrinkling of the skin for the summer ahead. To conserve the potency of the dew, it should not be washed off. Allow it to be dried by air, the ‘towel that was never woven nor spun’.

Wishing you the brightest of entries into Bealtaine’s bloom.

Croí isteach,

Jen x

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Sources:

The Hill of Uisneach

Dúchas: National Folklore Collection

Lady Jane Wilde, Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms and Superstitions of Ireland

Marion McGarry, Irish Customs and Rituals: How our ancestors celebrated life and the seasons