Beltaine (May 1)

Make an altar to celebrate the senses.
By Anika Stafford
May/June 2005 5.1.05

Beltaine, a time of fertility and growth, celebrates how our sexuality, spirituality, and creativity are all part of the same sacred source. During Beltaine, we celebrate this source within us as well as within all plants, animals, and life. It honors the Goddess and the God as the lovers of all things. They remind us to respect and protect our bodies and the earth's body.

Use your five senses. This altar-decorating activity can be done in two ways:

Go for a nature walk and try to find something that affects each of your five senses. Find something that smells good to you, something that feels good to your skin, something you like to look at, something that tastes good to you or reminds you of a good taste, and something that makes a pleasing sound. Say what you like about each thing as you put it on the altar.

Find personal belongings that remind you of things, people, or events you have loved in your life. Bring them to the circle. Tell the story of each thing as you place it on the altar.

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Reprinted from Aisha's Moonlit Walk: Stories and Celebrations for the Pagan Year, © 2005 by Anika Stafford, by permission of Skinner House Books. Available from the UUA Bookstore; see link in sidebar.