Beltane 2026

May 1st 2026 Solar Beltane coincides with the Full Moon on the same day, a rare and extremely magically powerful alignment! The moon’s movements follow a roughly 19 year pattern – but in 2007 full moon fell on May 2nd, so the last alignment of sun opposite moon on May 1st was back in 1988.Continue reading “Beltane 2026”

Beltane Rites: A History

BELTANE is an ancient fire festival marking the point in Spring when Winter is finally defeated and the journey into Summer truly underway. The last vestiges of the dark half of the year were burned away in the Beltane fires, and Maypole dances whisked up a spirit of revelry and celebration. Of all the paganContinue reading “Beltane Rites: A History”

The Great Maypole of London

“Depriv’d of Root, and Branch, and Rind, Yet Flow’rs I bear of ev’ry Kind: My Head, with Giddiness, goes round; And yet I firmly stand my Ground: All over naked I am seen, and Painted like and Indian Queen.” (Jonathon Swift, ‘The Maypole‘) The British quite naturally come in for plenty of criticism for theContinue reading “The Great Maypole of London”

THE ECSTATIC RITES OF SPRING

Equinox is the turning point – the inward pull of the Winter energies gives way to the growing, vital, impulse of the rising Spring. We can see in nature just how dramatic this shift is, and as humans we can learn from nature – to bring human minds, hearts and bodies in tune with theContinue reading “THE ECSTATIC RITES OF SPRING”