Beltane is a Gaelic May festival associated with the beginning of summer, protective fire rites, livestock and seasonal transition. Modern Pagan practice also emphasizes fertility, vitality, community and the flowering landscape.
Beltane symbols and meanings
| Bonfire | Protection, vitality and seasonal transition. |
| Maypole | Communal celebration and modern fertility symbolism. |
| Hawthorn | May blossom, boundaries and flowering abundance. |
| Flowers | Growth, beauty and the fullness of spring. |
| Green branches | Living vegetation and the opening of summer. |
| Ribbons | Community, movement and festive decoration. |
| Dew | Freshness and May-morning folklore. |
| Cattle | The pastoral context of Gaelic Beltane. |
| May bush | Seasonal greenery and local folk custom. |
| Twin fires | Protective passage in historical descriptions of Beltane customs. |
How to work with the symbols
Choose a few symbols that reflect the festival’s actual seasonal and cultural context. Fire, hawthorn and greenery are usually stronger anchors than a long list of generic correspondences.
Reference
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beltane
Explore More Beltane
Return to the Beltane main guide for the history, meaning, traditions and wider context of the Sabbat.