ritual for Beltane

By the Powers of the Sky Father,
The burst of wind, the shower of rain;
The bold of lightening, the clap of thunder.
By the Powers of the Earth Mother;
The strong mountain, the fertile soil,
The rushing river, the fragrant wildflowers;
May this circle be cast;
A place between the worlds
On this Beltane Sabbat, Joining
The Powers Above, And the Powers Below
Call the Quarters:
Call the quarters, beginning in the South, or in the direction/order of your tradition:
I call upon you O Element of Fire,
To bring your Warmth and Passion to my rite
In the Spirit of Beltane
I call upon you, O Element of Water,
To bring your Emotion and Compassion to my rite
In the Spirit of Beltane
I call upon you, O Element of Earth
To bring your Fertility and Prosperity to my rite
In the Spirit of Beltane
I call upon you, O Element of Air,
To bring your Clarity and Wisdom to my rite
In the Spirit of Beltane
Invoking the Deities:
Call to God and Goddess, by whatever names or traditions that you use for this season. Or, simply call:
Great Goddess, Bright and Pure Maiden,
Whose beauty we see in the fields of wild flowers,
Whose sweet, warm breath is the Spring breeze,
Whose gentle kisses are like the morning dew,
Whose body dances like the rolling waves,
Whose love washes over us like the Spring rain,
I call and welcome you with this Rite of Beltane.
Bless our circle with your loving presence
So that we may honor you in our ritual.
Great God, Strong and Virile Consort,
Whose charms we see in the sparkling night sky
Whose passion we feel in the rays of the Sun,
Whose booming voice is heard in the thunder,
Whose body is hard and strong like the sturdy oak,
Whose desire stirs us like the rushing wind,
I call and welcome you with this Rite of Beltane
Bless our circle with your loving presence
So that we may honor you in our ritual.
On this, the night of Beltane, we celebrate the Union of the Lord and the Lady,
The Young God has looked upon the Fair Maiden and is filled with desire.
The Young Lady feels a rush of heat run through her body.
On this night, they come to one another
And join in the dance of passion
Through their union, all the Universe has sprung forth
Through their continued, eternal dance of romance,
The Circle of Life is perpetuated and all Life is Sustained
I thank You Both, God and Goddess,
For everything you have given us;
For what you have given us is everything.
This tree (plant) is in honor of your Union
With my love and gratitude.
May the blessings of your Union continue
To pour over the Earth
As the Wheel of the Year continues to turn
Set the tree in the center of the altar. Later, you can plant it, transplant it into a nice pot and take care of it, or give it as a gift to someone who could use a blessing.
If you prefer, you can do your spell work, personal meditations or divination at this time.
Celebrate the Feast:
The perfect blessing of the feast for Beltane is the symbolic Great Rite. Hold an athame, wand, or any knife you have on hand, above the cup of ritual drink and say:
As the Athame unites with the Cup,
So the Lover unites with the Beloved,
And both become One in that Union-
Two halves, made whole again,
Strengthened in Love,
And part of each other forever
Draw a pentacle over the food and say
And the blessings of that Union
Gives life to the living
And by partaking of the cycle of life
We are filled with Their essence.
Take some food and beverage and set it aside to be returned to the earth. Partake of the simple feast.
Meditate, or sing, chant and dance for as long as you like.
Closing:
Devoke the God and Goddess by these or similar words:
Lord and Lady,
I thank you for your presence
That has graced this circle.
Stay if you will, Go if you must,
Though your presence continues to be felt
In all of Nature
And for that I give you thanks
And bid you Hail and Farewell
Release the Quarters:
I thank you, O Element of Fire (Air, Earth, Water),
For lending your energies to my rite.
Stay if you will, go if you must
I bid you Hail and Farewell
Open the Circle:
May the circle be open,
And the energy within that lingers
Sink into and nourish the Earth
So that all may benefit from the celebration
Of this loving Union of the Divine.
Have a blessed Sabbat.