Beltane: Springtime Rituals, Lore & Celebration

by Raven Grimassi

Hail Spring with a "Bright Fire" Celebration Discover the roots of Beltane or "bright fire," the ancient Pagan festival that celebrates spring, and the return of nature's season of growth and renewal.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1567182836
• ISBN13: 9781567182835
• Release Date: March 2001
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
• Length: 165 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 7.5" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Another in the Llewellyn Sabat Series

This book is another in the "Lewellyn Sabat Series" where Llewellyn Publishing gets one of their "superstar" authors to write on one of the Sabats and collects much information together to explain, mostly to those not familiar with the Holiday, a general overview of what this Pagan Holiday is all about. Published in 2001, this book does exactly that, with a bit of a "pagan spin" that is so dominant in the series. Raven Grimassi approaches "Beltane" with a collection of myths and lore and some spells, art and recipes that are specific to this time of the year. Unlike many of the other books, the author takes some of his material from "non-pagan" sources, as well as the usual pagan author sources. Check the bibliography for some interesting references. There are some interesting sources on English and Fairy folklore. Many may be familiar with Mr. Grimassi from his books on "Traditional Witchcraft" and his "Italian Witchcraft" books. He has also done some books on Wicca and has a very thorough "Encyclopedia" which makes for interesting reading. We see much of his background influencing the material contained in this book. Mr. Grimassi has collected the stories of the May Pole, the May King and May Queen, The Green Man, Jack-in-the-Green and so many of your favorites for this time of year. He even includes a bit on Mummery (for those who know Loreena McKennitt song "Mummers Dance"). Of course he also covers a variety of Fairy lore and some lore on flowers as well. While much of the focus of these stories is the Celtic lore of the May Day, the Roman invasion of Britain and their influence on the culture is touched upon. Some may find this interesting, others will find it speculation. Mr. Grimassi has some ideas of his own, based on his own research, and is an interesting addition to the mix. However, the story telling is the Celtic versions and is the foundation for the material included. Mr. Grimassi includes much on Fairy Lore, and again, we see some traditional sources as well as other material that Mr. Grimassi has included. While including stories from the traditional Scotland, England and Ireland, he also includes stories from Italy and Denmark, which I thought was a delightful addition. Included is lore on flowers, which includes a correspondence table of flowers and meanings, some basic lore on trees and fairies, sacred plants of the Goddess, magical correspondences of trees, and a spells and recipes section. There is a recipe for some "Quick May Wine" that sounds yummy, and a microwave recipe for custard for the modern Witch. The "May Wreath Cake" recipe appears to be off, as it calls for only ¾ cup of flour, and I believe this is a typo on their part. The spells section contains the usual spells for money, love, success and such. There is a brief overview on divination. There are some herbal mixes for fertility, much associated with this holiday, that come with the warning in bold letters "Do not use any of the following remed

Wonderful

This is the only book on Beltane that sticks to the facts, without any flights of fancy on the part of the author, and I found it very refreshing. Like all of Grimassi's books this one is well researched and informative, going beyond what one generally finds in the vast majority of books written by contemporary Wiccan and Witchcraft authors.If you're looking for authentic material related to the historical background, and festival celebration of Beltane, this is the one.

Good understanding of May Day lore

One of my associates described this book as something you can give to your friends and family who are not Wiccan or Pagan in order to help them understand non-Christian spirituality. Not only is this a nice compliment about the author, it also speaks true of the book's content. Therefore, this book is a gift to Pagan and Wiccan Communty at large. It's nice to have something like this Beltane book to be able to share openly. The first chapter covers the history of May celebrations and how they migrated throughout continental Europe and into the British Isles. Here we learn how European pagan customs became what we now call "Beltane." The second chapter introduces the reader to the old spirits long associated with pre-Christian European paganism. These include Jack-in-the-Green, John Barleycorn, and the May King and Queen. The remaining chapters cover fairies and flower lore along with many other things that have long been associated with May Day. While the publisher clearly marketed this book under the title "Beltane" to attract a Pagan and Wiccan readership, the book is not only about Beltane but also about Springtime customs and celebrations in general (just as the subtitle states). So you actually get MORE for your money than the title "Beltane" itself would lead one to think! Just about everything factual that one could say about Beltane specifically, is said in this book. So, there is no reason for anyone to feel cheated or robbed by the title of this book. Getting more information about the May Day season than just the limited availability of "Beltane" material is a bonus, not a slight.The Beltane book is a good overview of May Day folk customs and folklore. It contains basic rituals, recipes, and spells, providing a good foundation upon which to create your own. Basics are the key to everything and are therefore never useless. For those who love to add to their knowledge on May Day practices and beliefs, this book will be a treasure because it provides the reader with a fuller understanding of the pagan elements that culminated in the celebration of Beltane. However, those readers who prefer a limited understanding of this season will probably find the Beltane book to be very disappointing.

Good Overview

I found the Beltane book to be a good general overview of May Day customs and beliefs. It nicely blends elements drawn from various European regions to provide a fuller understanding of how May Day has evolved over the centuries. This book is easy reading and nicely matches the style and purpose of Llewellyn's series on the eight Sabbats. While Grimassi's books in general contain much more depth than this particular title does, it is nice to see his adaptability to a lighter project and this speaks well of his flexibility as a writer.Because the Celts did not read or write, they have left us little to truly understand about their beliefs and practices. Much of what is known about Celtic religion is drawn from ancient Greek and Roman references, along with texts written much later by Christian monks recording Celtic tales and ballads beginning around the 7th century AD. When one considers that very little is actually known about Celtic beliefs and practices (the majority of writings are speculation) it is amazing that anyone could come up with enough information on Beltane to create an entire book. This fact is a testimony to Grimassi's excellent research abilities, which is the hallmark of his books in general.The Beltane book is clearly intended for a general audience, but with a strong leaning towards a pagan readership. Even the most casual reader of normal intelligence would not consider this book to be specifically a Wiccan book, and the author never suggests that it was meant to be. Instead, it is clear that Grimassi intended this book to be a nice overview of May Day celebrations and their origins throughout Europe. While some people may feel that the title is misleading since it suggests an exclusive Celtic focus, most people realize that the Publisher has the final say in a book's title (NOT the author) and that the Celtic festival names have become "public domain" and are commonly used by many non-Celtic Traditions today.To sum up this Beltane book, it is filled with interesting lore about various spirits and characters associated with May along with fairy lore, flower lore, May Day customs, rituals, spells, and recipes and crafts for creating your own May Day celebration. A very nice book and well worth adding to your lilbrary.

A Nice Work

With this book Grimassi has joined with other Llewellyn authors for a Llewellyn project. Llewellyn is producing a series on the eight sabbats of modern Wicca, each written by one of Llewellyn's top authors.The Beltane book is a change of pace for Grimassi. It is written for a general audience and is presented in a lighter tone. It is a fun book with recipes, spells, and rituals that relate to the spring season. Also included is an abundance of folklore on flowers, fairies, and May Day characters such as Jack-in-the-Green. the Queen and King of May, the Hobby Horse, and the Mummers, among others. The book also contains instructions on making a May Pole centerpiece for a banquet table, along with other interesting craft projects related to celebrating May Day. As with all of Grimassi's writings this book is well researched and contains reliable information. Grimassi once again shines as a folklorist in this work.Beltane contains many illustrations and images presented in woodcut-like etchings. This gives the book an older feel like many of the books published at the close of the 1800s. Beltane is a wonderful addition to any library.