Beltane, which happened on May 1st, is a major fertility festival that celebrates the greening of the land, the coming of summer weather, and the metaphysical union of the Goddess and the God. It is a holiday that is both deeply spiritually resonant and wonderfully festive. In sacred circle, people often wear flowers and crowns of green branches and leaves to celebrate the potentiality of all that grows. It is a time to continue to nurture the growth of creative projects. If a couple is seeking to get pregnant, Beltane is traditionally a very good time to start trying.

The imagery of the abundant earth and of fertility in all its senses leads handily to the tradition of couples going off and making love in the fields. Outdoor sex was said to help the growth of the crops. Who’s to say that a little extra positive energy swirling out there isn’t a good thing? Energetically speaking, sex outdoors in nature combined with intentions set can indeed help build momentum toward the conception or growth of an endeavor for the season.

Two people running off to fuck in the meadow or sneaking off from the balefire to do it are common Beltane images. Group sex can also be a part of the picture. Pagan traditions vary, and very traditional groups that focus on male-female relationships and pairings may not take part. However, people celebrate sexuality in various ways, and on a whole, Pagans are among religious groups who are most welcoming to differences. As long as the energies remain spiritually connected, many Pagans would feel perfectly fine about people celebrating Beltane in whatever way feels organic and best.

Beltane rituals tend to consider the union of the masculine and feminine energies, or more broadly, the bringing together of those seeming opposites; such as earth and sky or immanent and transcendent; to make a complete whole. If a group were to get together for Beltane, each person may want to consider which energy, such as receptive v. active, they will most likely channel. So as the traditional symbolic blade is to the chalice, the ready cocks, hands, or dildos will be to the receptive pussies or other orifices in the group. Beltane sex is as earthy as it is holy.