Should You Care About Beltane? (+ 10 Embodiment Rituals)

Just another Celtic fire festival?

Should you really care about this little old feast day, squeezed between spring equinox and summer solstice?

I say absolutely YES! Beltane is one of the most important cross quarters in the year, especially for women because it marks the awakening of eros – the Earth’s current of serpentine sexual energy.

And just because this is a holiday (and a celebration) we modern folks have pushed into the background, doesn’t mean Earth’s feminine power isn’t rising…

Beltane is all about sex

… And pleasure, sensuality, connection, intimacy and the irresistible fires of passion.

In days of old, Beltane was a pagan holiday almost exclusively given over to fertility rituals, in honour of the the sacred union between the Goddess and the Green Man. This was something REAL, to celebrate and honour and invite into everyday life.

At this time of year, sexual energy is so clearly rippling throughout the land, manifesting in blossoming flowers and their sweet, heady scents, the nectar flow supped by honeybees, and the warm breeze felt across bare skin.

Beltane beckons us to embrace our sensual selves, as not only mirrors of Mother Earth, but as embodied extensions of nature’s own aliveness.

What do you feel in your own body as you read these words?

Can you recognise that same stirring in the softness of your female flesh? Or are you unsure? Is this talk of sensuality and eros a little unfamiliar? A little too far out of (comfortable) reach?

Celebrating Beltane is a reclamation of the feminine

I’m going to jump straight in and say that if you care about reclaiming the sacred feminine, or if you’re even curious about what this means, celebrating Beltane needs to be pretty high on your agenda this week.

There are so many fun, lighthearted, crafty ideas for Beltane celebrations out there – from making flower crowns to lighting Beltane bonfires and performing purification rites.

BUT Beltane isn’t just about the practicalities.

At its core, this sacred fire festival is a portal to the Goddess, a direct line into her sweet, honeyed and OH SO sexy current of pure, passionate life force energy.

Beltane is all about tapping in DEEPLY to the pulsing fire of life herself and allowing ourselves to be moved by it.

For centuries, female sensuality and sexuality have been twisted, conflated and distorted into something shadowy and shameful. Our natural, embodied responses to life have been shut down, suppressed and relegated to the shadows by this patriarchal paradigm we find ourselves in.

We have been conditioned to mistrust our sensual selves. To hide and confine our sex into tiny boxes, only allowed out for the benefit of others.

The purity and power of erotic innocence is stripped away from girls and women, and instead, we’ve been given masks to wear, roles to play and scripts to read.

Reclaiming feminine energy has everything to do with restoring our sensuality, and this means remembering that our sensitivity to life is a gift.

Beltane is a reclamation of this feminine power. It’s an invitation BACK into pleasure and partnership with our bodies, as our birthright.

Also read: What is the Sensualist Archetype?

Female body reclaiming sensuality at Beltane

10 Embodiment rituals + practices for working with Beltane

The overt sexual expression that wove its way through ancient Beltane rites likely won’t quite fit in 2024! (Yeah… There will always be modern pagans performing a fertility ritual or a marriage ceremony, jumping over two fires, but I’m talking about something a little different).

Working with the energy of Beltane to reclaim feminine power will look a little different for everyone, but I absolutely recommend starting with embodiment practices. Coming back to the sensations of your body and cultivating the capacity to feel more, is how you’ll become a strong and sensitive container for healthy sexuality.

THIS is the foundation for feminine power.

And because Beltane is bursting with erotic charge, anything you do to explore these realms will be supported and guided by the Goddess – of that you can be sure.

I’m going to give you some ideas of practices you can do to awaken eros in your body and your life. Many of them are SO simple (no, you won’t be decorating a may bush, maypole dancing or making a flower crown) but don’t let that put you off.

When it comes to embodiment, some of the most profound insights and experiences come from the most subtle shifts in behaviour.

1. Slow down

Simply do everything a little more slowly. I say “simply” but this is a lot harder than it sounds. Try taking your time with a few specific activities – walking from A to B, chewing your food, getting dressed in the morning – and try to feel the impact of stretching time.

2. Savour your food and drink

Again, this is a way to slow down the experience of taking food and drinks into your body and then pausing to really FEEL the response your body has to the change.

Pay close attention to the textures, flavours, and sensations of each bite or sip you take, fully engaging all of your senses in the act of nourishing your body.

3. Track your present state

In somatics, we use the 5-point check. Spend a few minutes, checking in with these 5 states:

Posture
Physical sensations
Breath
Emotions
Mind and thoughts

The important thing is not to judge, criticise or explain the “whys” of what you discover, but to simply notice and allow presence.

4. Lean into your back body

This is a practice I learned from Maya Luna. So many of us are unconsciously reaching forward into the front of our bodies.

Take a moment to consciously sit back.

Rest your awareness into the back of your body, energetically feeling the contours and the space that exists here.

Can you feel the difference?

5. Ground into nature

Spend a good 30 minutes outside, preferably somewhere wild and natural. Seek out nearby forests, meadows and river or coastal paths.

You could take off your shoes and walk barefoot, or simply spend time harmonizing with the frequency of the Earth. This is a wonderful way to naturally draw your attention down from your monkey mind, back into the body.

6. Body mapping

Use your hands to very lightly and gently explore the contours of your body. Notice any areas of tension, pleasure or relaxation and send loving energy to each part that needs it.

7. Free somatic movement

Choose some music.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and begin to move your body spontaneously, guided by the sounds. Avoid “dancing” in ways you usually do, and allow your body to follow its natural rhythms and sensations without judgment or expectation.

8. Authentic movement

This practice is done without music. Simply stand or sit, and move by following the impulses of your body. If no impulse comes, wait – allow your body to guide you.

9. Animal Movement

A fun practice to shake off the masks and the rules of what it to behave “properly”.

Mimic the movements of different animals such as cats, birds, or snakes (great if you have a pet!) Tap into the primal wisdom of your body and reconnect with your innate physicality.