Beltane in Australia: History, Herbs & a Tea Ritual

Beltane in the Southern Hemisphere: History, Herbal Allies & a Heart-Fire Tea Ritual

Written by Michelle Ringin, Western Medicinal Herbalist & Weight Management Practitioner (NHAA 155639) l Date Published: 31 October 2026 l Last reviewed: 31 October 2026 l Reading time: 14 minutes

 

Quick answer In Australia and the Southern Hemisphere, Beltane is celebrated from sunset on 31 October to 1 November. It is the cross-quarter festival halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, with the astronomical midpoint falling around 7 November. Beltane is a Gaelic fire festival from Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, honouring fire, blossom, fertility and the full arrival of the growing season.

There’s a particular moment in late spring when the land seems to exhale. The hawthorn hedges are white with blossom, the elder is starting to flower, the evenings stretch long and golden, and you can feel summer gathering just over the hill. In the old Gaelic calendar, this was the threshold of Beltane: the great fire festival that opened the bright half of the year.

For me, Beltane is personal. My heritage is Scottish and Irish, and this festival belongs to exactly those lands. The fires lit on Irish hilltops and Highland braes, the dew gathered on May morning, the rowan tied over the byre door: these are the customs of my ancestors, and perhaps yours too. Here in the Southern Hemisphere, we celebrate them at the end of October, as our own spring reaches its peak.

In this guide, you’ll explore the history of Beltane, why we turn the Wheel of the Year for the south, seven herbal allies traditionally linked with this season, and a Heart-Fire tea recipe with a simple ritual to help you tend your own inner flame.

What is Beltane?

Beltane is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals, alongside Samhain (start of winter), Imbolc (first stirrings of spring) and Lughnasadh (start of harvest). These are the "cross-quarter" days, falling roughly halfway between the solstices and equinoxes.

Beltane marked the beginning of summer in the old Gaelic year. It was the time when cattle were driven out to their summer pastures, when communities lit great fires for protection and blessing, and when people celebrated fertility of the land, the herds and the household. Where Samhain opens the dark half of the year, Beltane opens the light half.

In modern seasonal living, Beltane has come to represent vitality, creativity, passion, connection and growth: the energy of life in full flower.

When is Beltane in the Southern Hemisphere?

In the Northern Hemisphere, Beltane is celebrated on 30 April - 1 May. Because our seasons are reversed, many Southern Hemisphere practitioners turn the Wheel of the Year so that the festivals line up with what is actually happening in the land around us. That places Southern Hemisphere Beltane at:

•       Traditional dates: sunset Saturday 31 October to Sunday 1 November 2026

•       Astronomical cross-quarter: around 7 November, the true midpoint between the spring equinox (23 September) and the summer solstice (22 December)

Gaelic days were counted from sunset, so the celebration traditionally began on the eve, with fires lit at dusk and customs carried out at dawn the next morning.

Did you know? On the very night we celebrate Beltane, our friends in the Northern Hemisphere are celebrating Samhain. The two festivals sit directly opposite each other on the Wheel of the Year, a lovely reminder that while one half of the world turns inward towards the dark, the other turns outward towards the light.

The history of Beltane: a Gaelic fire festival

The name: Bealtaine and Bealltainn

In Irish, the festival is Bealtaine, which is still the everyday Irish word for the month of May. In Scottish Gaelic it is Bealltainn, and on the Isle of Man it is Laa Boaldyn. The name is usually translated as "bright fire" or "lucky fire". Scholars still debate the exact roots of the word, but fire sits at the heart of almost every account of the festival.

One of the earliest written references comes from Cormac’s Glossary (Sanas Cormaic), an Irish text from around 900 CE. It describes druids kindling two fires on Beltane and driving cattle between them as a protection against disease for the year ahead.

Ireland: Uisneach, the May Bush and the May flowers

Irish tradition links Beltane with the Hill of Uisneach in County Westmeath, long regarded as the sacred centre of Ireland. The 17th-century historian Geoffrey Keating recorded the tradition that a great fire was kindled there at Bealtaine. A Beltane fire festival is still held on the hill today.

Folk customs recorded across rural Ireland include:

•       The May Bush: a branch or small tree, often hawthorn, set up near the house and decorated with ribbons, flowers and shells.

•       May flowers: yellow blossoms such as primrose, gorse and marsh marigold scattered on doorsteps and windowsills on May Eve to bless the home.

•       Protecting the "luck": May morning was considered a vulnerable time, and households took care not to give away fire, milk or butter, so that the luck of the house would not leave with it.

•       Holy wells and dew: visiting wells and washing in the May morning dew for health and beauty.

Scotland: need-fire, bannocks and the Beltane caudle

In the Scottish Highlands, Beltane customs survived into the 18th and 19th centuries. In some districts, every hearth fire was put out and then rekindled from a communal need-fire (tein-éigin), made by friction, so that each home began the summer with fresh, purified fire.

When the traveller Thomas Pennant toured the Highlands in 1769, he described herdsmen gathering on Beltane to cook a caudle of eggs, butter, oatmeal and milk. Each person broke off pieces of an oatcake and offered them over their shoulder to the spirits that protected their flocks, and to the fox and eagle, asking them to spare the lambs.

Special Beltane bannocks (oatcakes) were baked, and in some places a piece marked with charcoal was drawn by lot. Whoever received it became the "Beltane carline" and was playfully treated as if to be thrown into the fire: a folk memory that historians interpret in different ways.

The prayers and blessings collected by Alexander Carmichael in the Hebrides, published as Carmina Gadelica (1900), include a Beltane blessing asking for protection over home, family and flocks: a beautiful example of how these customs were woven into everyday faith.

Beltane has also had a modern revival. Since 1988, the Beltane Fire Festival on Calton Hill in Edinburgh has drawn thousands of people each year to celebrate with drums, fire and procession.

The common threads: fire, dew, rowan and the threshold

Across Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, the same themes return again and again:

•       Fire for purification, protection and renewal

•       Dew gathered at dawn on May morning, believed to bring beauty and health

•       Rowan sprigs placed over doors and tied with red thread to protect people and animals

•       Blossom, especially hawthorn and yellow flowers, to welcome summer

•       Thresholds: doorways, boundaries and the turning point between seasons

Is Beltane connected to Scottish and Irish heritage?

Yes, very directly. Beltane is not a general "Celtic" festival in the loose modern sense. It belongs specifically to the Gaelic world: Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, where Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Manx were spoken. (Wales celebrated the same turning point as Calan Mai, with its own customs.) If your family has Scottish or Irish roots, Beltane is part of your ancestral seasonal calendar.

For many Australians of Scottish and Irish descent, celebrating Beltane in spring is a gentle way to reconnect with those roots, while honouring the land we now live on and its Traditional Custodians, whose knowledge of seasons here runs far deeper than any wheel brought from across the sea.

The energy of Beltane: what this season asks of you

In seasonal living, Beltane is the season of Fire: warmth, expression, joy, connection and the heart. After winter’s rest and early spring’s slow awakening, this is the time when energy naturally rises outward.

From a lifestyle medicine perspective, late spring is a wonderful time to:

•       Get morning light. Early sunlight on your skin and in your eyes helps anchor your body clock, supporting better energy by day and sleep by night.

•       Move joyfully. Walk, dance, garden or swim: movement that feels like play rather than punishment.

•       Nourish your heart. Emotionally and physically. Connection with people you love is one of the most protective things you can do for your wellbeing.

•       Eat the season. Fresh greens, early berries, herbs and colourful spring produce.

•       Mind your fire. Too much fire looks like overcommitment, irritability and poor sleep. Beltane joy is best balanced with rest. Rest is medicine.

Herbal allies for Beltane

Each Wheel of the Year festival has its plants, and Beltane’s are some of the loveliest of all: blossoms of the heart, flowers of the sun, and the cooling, gladdening herbs that keep summer’s fire in balance. Here are seven herbal allies traditionally associated with this season, with their folklore, how they have been used, and what to be mindful of.

A note on how herbs are described here The uses below reflect traditional Western herbal medicine and folklore. Herbs can be powerful and may interact with medications. Please read the safety notes and speak with a qualified Medical Herbalist or your GP before using herbs therapeutically, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or managing a health condition.

1. Hawthorn- the May tree

Crataegus monogyna • Part used: leaf, flower and berry

Lore & history: Hawthorn is Beltane’s signature tree. It blooms at May time in the Northern Hemisphere, and around now in our cool-climate regions, which is why it is known simply as "the May". In both Ireland and Scotland, the lone hawthorn was a fairy tree, never to be cut, and hawthorn blossom often decorated the May Bush. Bringing the blossom indoors at other times of year was considered unlucky in many places.

Traditionally used to support: healthy heart and circulation, healthy blood pressure already within the normal range, and a calm, settled heart in times of emotional strain. Hawthorn is one of the most respected cardiovascular tonics in Western herbal medicine and is often described as a remedy for the physical and emotional heart.

How to enjoy it: Dried leaf and flower make a gentle, slightly astringent tea. The berries are traditionally used in syrups and in practitioner-made extracts.

Safety: Hawthorn may interact with heart medications, including digoxin, beta-blockers, nitrates and blood pressure medicines. If you have a heart condition or take any cardiovascular medication, please speak with your doctor before using hawthorn. Not recommended in pregnancy or breastfeeding without professional advice.

2. Rose- flower of the heart

Rosa damascena, Rosa gallica, Rosa canina • Part used: petals and hips

Lore & history: The wild dog rose flowers in Scottish and Irish hedgerows at the start of summer, and roses have long been linked with love, beauty and the heart. Rose belongs to the same plant family as hawthorn, and the two are lovely companions in a Beltane brew.

Traditionally used to support: emotional wellbeing, a gentle lift in low mood, a calm nervous system, and healthy digestion. Rose is traditionally regarded as cooling and soothing, helpful when emotions run hot. Rose hips are traditionally used as a source of vitamin C.

How to enjoy it: Use organic, unsprayed petals in tea, infuse them in honey, or scatter fresh petals over summer salads. Florist roses are usually sprayed, so avoid using them for tea.

Safety: Generally very well tolerated as a tea. Use only culinary-grade or home-grown unsprayed roses.

3. Elderflower- the bourtree blossom

Sambucus nigra • Part used: flowers (berries only when cooked)

Lore & history: Elder, called the bourtree in Scots, was a tree of deep folklore across Scotland and Ireland. It was planted by doors for protection and treated with great respect: in many places it was considered unwise to cut or burn elder without asking permission. Its creamy flower heads mark the turning point from spring to summer.

Traditionally used to support: healthy upper respiratory function, seasonal sinus and hay fever comfort, and the body’s natural cooling response in warm weather or during fever. Elderflower is traditionally used as a gentle diaphoretic, which means it supports healthy sweating.

How to enjoy it: Elderflower tea, cordial, or flowers dipped in light batter for fritters. A classic and very Beltane-appropriate addition to a spring cordial.

Safety: Use only the flowers and properly cooked ripe berries. Leaves, stems, bark, roots and raw or unripe berries contain compounds that can cause nausea and vomiting. Be certain of identification, as some lookalike plants are toxic. Seek professional advice in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

4. Meadowsweet- queen of the meadow

Filipendula ulmaria • Part used: flowering tops

Lore & history: Meadowsweet’s frothy, honey-scented flowers fill damp meadows at the start of summer. It was a favourite strewing herb, spread on floors to sweeten the air, and was used to flavour mead, which gave it the old name "meadwort". In the Welsh Mabinogion, the flower-maiden Blodeuwedd is made from the blossoms of oak, broom and meadowsweet. Popular herbal lore also names it as one of the sacred herbs of the druids. Pharmacy has a link too: salicylic acid was first isolated from meadowsweet, and the name "aspirin" comes from Spiraea, its old botanical name.

Traditionally used to support: healthy digestion and a settled, comfortable stomach, healthy stomach acidity, and comfort of the joints. Meadowsweet is traditionally valued as one of the most gentle and soothing digestive herbs.

How to enjoy it: A small pinch adds a beautiful almond-honey note to tea. It pairs beautifully with rose and lemon balm.

Safety: Meadowsweet contains natural salicylates. Avoid if you are sensitive or allergic to aspirin or salicylates, have asthma triggered by aspirin, or take anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication. Not recommended for children under 16 or in pregnancy.

5. Calendula- the summer’s bride

Calendula officinalis • Part used: flower heads and petals

Lore & history: Calendula opens with the sun and closes as evening falls, making it a natural emblem of Beltane’s solar fire. Its golden petals echo the yellow May flowers that Irish families scattered on their doorsteps to welcome summer, and in old Scots gardens the marigold was a much-loved pot herb.

Traditionally used to support: healthy skin and skin healing, the health of the mucous membranes, healthy lymphatic function, and healthy digestion. Calendula is traditionally one of the most trusted herbs for gentle tissue repair.

How to enjoy it: Petals brighten tea, salads and butter. Calendula-infused oil is a classic base for skin balms.

Safety: Avoid if you are allergic to the daisy family (Asteraceae), such as chamomile, echinacea or ragweed. Traditionally avoided internally during pregnancy.

6. Lemon balm- the gladdening herb

Melissa officinalis • Part used: leaf

Lore & history: Lemon balm has been cherished in herbal tradition for centuries as a herb that "makes the heart merry". Its fresh, lemony scent is the very essence of a warm spring afternoon, and it has long been grown in cottage and monastery gardens.

Traditionally used to support: a calm and balanced mood, relief from mild nervous tension, restful sleep, and healthy digestion, particularly when stress affects your stomach. It is traditionally used to cool Beltane’s fire when it tips into restlessness or irritability.

How to enjoy it: Fresh leaves make a beautiful tea, hot or iced. It grows easily in most Australian gardens, but keep it in a pot, as it spreads.

Safety: May interact with thyroid medication and sedative medicines. If you have an underactive thyroid or take thyroid medication, check with your health practitioner first. May cause drowsiness in some people. Seek advice in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

7. Nettle- the green spring tonic

Urtica dioica • Part used: leaf

Lore & history: Nettle was a vital spring food across Scotland and Ireland, eaten in broths and porridges as the first fresh greens of the year. An old Irish saying holds that eating nettles three times in May keeps illness away for the year. In Scotland, nettle broth was a traditional spring dish, and nettle fibre was even woven into cloth.

Traditionally used to support: healthy nutrition as a mineral-rich food herb, seasonal hay fever comfort, healthy fluid balance, and general vitality. Nettle is traditionally regarded as one of the great spring tonics, ideal for the season of new growth.

How to enjoy it: Dried leaf in tea, or young tops (picked with gloves) cooked like spinach in soups and pesto. Cooking or drying removes the sting.

Safety: Nettle may interact with blood-thinning medication (because of its vitamin K content), blood pressure medication, diabetes medication, lithium and diuretics. Wear gloves when harvesting. Seek professional advice in pregnancy.

Folklore companion: Rowan, the protector

Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) is perhaps the most important protective tree in Scottish and Irish Beltane folklore. Sprigs were placed above doors, windows and byres, and small crosses of rowan twigs bound with red thread were tied to cattle to ward off misfortune at this vulnerable turning of the year. An old Scots rhyme says "rowan tree and red thread put the witches to their speed". Rowan is included here for its lore rather than for your teacup. The raw berries contain parasorbic acid and can irritate the stomach, so they are traditionally only used cooked, in jellies. A rowan sprig over your door is a lovely way to honour this tradition.

 

Beltane herbal allies at a glance

Herb	Beltane theme	Traditionally used to support	Key caution
Hawthorn	The May tree, the heart	Heart & circulation, emotional heart	Heart medications
Rose	Love, beauty, softness	Mood, calm, digestion	Use unsprayed petals
Elderflower	Threshold of summer	Respiratory, cooling, hay fever	Flowers only; correct ID
Meadowsweet	Sweetness, celebration	Digestion, joint comfort	Salicylates; anticoagulants
Calendula	Sun & fire	Skin, membranes, lymphatics	Daisy-family allergy
Lemon balm	Joy, gladness	Mood, tension, sleep	Thyroid medication
Nettle	Green vitality	Nutrition, hay fever, fluid balance	Blood thinners, other meds

Beltane Heart-Fire Tea: a herbal tea recipe

This blend brings together the heart-warming blossoms of the season with the cooling, gladdening herbs that keep Beltane’s fire in balance. It is floral, softly sweet and gently uplifting, and is beautiful served warm at dusk on Beltane Eve or iced on a warm afternoon.

For one pot (makes 2 cups)

•       1 teaspoon dried hawthorn leaf and flower

•       1 teaspoon dried rose petals (unsprayed)

•       1 teaspoon dried elderflower

•       1 teaspoon dried lemon balm (or a small handful of fresh leaves)

•       ½ teaspoon dried calendula petals

•       ½ teaspoon dried meadowsweet (optional, omit if you are salicylate-sensitive or taking blood thinners)

•       500 ml freshly boiled water

•       Raw honey, to taste (optional)

•       Fresh rose petals or calendula petals, to garnish

Method

1.      Place the herbs in a teapot or plunger.

2.      Pour over water just off the boil. Cover the pot to keep in the aromatic oils.

3.      Steep for 7–10 minutes, then strain.

4.      Sweeten lightly with honey if you like, and float a petal or two in each cup.

Iced variation for warm Beltane afternoons

Brew at double strength, allow to cool, then pour over ice with a slice of lemon and a sprig of fresh mint. A splash of elderflower cordial makes it feel truly festive.

To make a jar of loose-leaf blend

Combine 2 parts hawthorn, 2 parts rose, 2 parts elderflower, 2 parts lemon balm, 1 part calendula and 1 part meadowsweet (optional). Store in an airtight, labelled glass jar away from light, and use 1½–2 heaped teaspoons per cup.

Is this tea right for you? This tea is intended as a gentle seasonal beverage. Please avoid it, or check with your Medical Herbalist or GP first, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take heart, blood pressure, blood-thinning, thyroid or sedative medication, are allergic to the daisy family or to aspirin, or are preparing it for a child.

A Beltane tea ritual: tending your inner fire

This simple ritual draws on the old Beltane customs of Ireland and Scotland (passing between two fires, blessing the threshold and gathering the dawn dew) and brings them into your own home, safely and gently. It takes about 20 minutes. You can do it alone, with a friend, or with your family.

You’ll need

•       Your Beltane Heart-Fire Tea

•       Two candles in stable holders on a heatproof surface (or battery candles)

•       A flower or green sprig from your garden: hawthorn, rose, calendula or rowan if you have it

•       A journal and pen

The ritual

1.      Clear the threshold. Sweep or tidy your front doorstep. Place your flower or green sprig there, or above the door, just as Irish families laid May flowers on the doorstep to bless the home. As you do, set the intention to welcome warmth, joy and good health into your household.

2.      Light the two fires. Set your two candles on the table a comfortable distance apart, with your teacup on the table between them. This echoes the ancient practice of passing between two Beltane fires for protection and renewal. Pause and take three slow breaths.

3.      Brew with intention. As your tea steeps, notice the colours and scent of the blossoms. Ask yourself: What is ready to bloom in my life?

4.      Three sips, three gifts. With the first sip, give thanks for something that has grown in you since winter. With the second, release something you no longer need to carry into summer. With the third, invite in what you would like to nurture in the months ahead.

5.      Write what you’re tending. In your journal, write down one creative spark, one relationship and one way of caring for yourself that you would like to tend this summer. These are your Beltane fires.

6.      Close gently. Thank the season, then snuff out your candles. When it has cooled, pour any leftover tea onto the garden as a small offering, much like the Highland herdsmen who shared their Beltane caudle with the land.

At dawn on 1 November: gather the May dew

In both Scotland and Ireland, young women would rise before sunrise on May morning to wash their faces in the dew, believed to bring beauty and good health for the year ahead. On Beltane morning, step outside barefoot onto the grass, notice the cool air and early light, and touch a little dew to your face and wrists. Choose an area of your garden that has not been sprayed. Even a few minutes of morning light and fresh air is a beautiful way to greet the season and to support your natural body clock.

Fire safety comes first November is bushfire season across much of Australia. Never leave candles unattended, keep them away from curtains, children and pets, and always check your local fire danger rating and any total fire ban before lighting an outdoor fire. In NSW, you can check current ratings with the NSW Rural Fire Service. Battery candles carry the same symbolism with none of the risk.

Simple ways to celebrate Beltane in Australia

•       Watch the sunrise on 1 November and gather the dew.

•       Make a May Bush: tie ribbons onto a tree or shrub in your garden, with a wish for each ribbon.

•       Weave a flower crown from your own garden flowers. Please avoid picking native wildflowers from bushland or roadside reserves.

•       Bake bannocks or oatcakes in honour of the Highland Beltane tradition, and share them.

•       Have a sunset picnic with the people who warm your heart.

•       Plant something: summer herbs like basil, calendula and lemon balm all thrive now.

•       Hang a rowan or green sprig over your door for blessing and protection.

For your four-legged family

If your dog is joining your Beltane celebrations, a few simple precautions will keep them safe and happy:

•       Keep candles, fire pits and incense well out of reach of wagging tails and curious noses.

•       Some garden plants and flowers can be harmful to dogs. Keep flower crowns, posies and leftover herbs out of reach, and remember that elder leaves, stems, bark and unripe berries are not safe for dogs.

•       Keep teas, honey and baked treats for the humans, and never offer anything containing xylitol, chocolate, grapes or raisins.

•       Dawn dew walks are wonderful for dogs too. Just keep to areas free of garden sprays and snail bait.

Herbs can offer lovely support for dogs, but they must be chosen and dosed for your dog specifically. Please always speak with your vet first, particularly if your dog is on medication, pregnant, very young, elderly or unwell. Once your vet has given the all-clear, I’m happy to discuss gentle, dog-specific herbal support in clinic.

Safety first: using herbs wisely

Herbs are gentle allies, but they are also active medicines. To use them safely:

•       Speak with a qualified Medical Herbalist or your GP before using herbs if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking prescription medication, have a chronic health condition, or are preparing to have surgery.

•       Take extra care with children, and do not give meadowsweet to children under 16.

•       Be 100% certain of plant identification before harvesting anything from the wild or garden, and only harvest away from roads and sprayed areas.

•       Buy dried herbs from a reputable supplier, and choose organic or unsprayed flowers.

•       Stop using any herb that causes an adverse reaction, and seek medical advice.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Frequently asked questions about Beltane

When is Beltane in Australia in 2026?

In Australia, Beltane is celebrated from sunset on Saturday 31 October to Sunday 1 November 2026. The astronomical cross-quarter point falls around 7 November, and some people prefer to celebrate then.

Is Beltane Scottish or Irish?

Both. Beltane (Bealtaine in Irish, Bealltainn in Scottish Gaelic, Laa Boaldyn in Manx) is a Gaelic festival celebrated historically in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. Wales marked the same season as Calan Mai.

What does Beltane symbolise?

Beltane symbolises fire, fertility, vitality, blossom, love and the start of the light half of the year. Traditionally it marked the beginning of summer and the move of cattle to summer pastures.

What is the difference between Beltane and Samhain?

Beltane and Samhain sit opposite each other on the Wheel of the Year. Beltane opens the light half of the year; Samhain opens the dark half. When the Southern Hemisphere celebrates Beltane on 31 October, the Northern Hemisphere celebrates Samhain.

What herbs are associated with Beltane?

Traditional Beltane herbs include hawthorn (the May tree), rose, elderflower, meadowsweet, calendula, lemon balm and nettle. Rowan is associated with Beltane protection customs.

Can I drink Beltane tea if I’m pregnant or taking medication?

Please check with your Medical Herbalist or GP first. Several Beltane herbs, including hawthorn, meadowsweet, lemon balm and nettle, can interact with medications or are not recommended in pregnancy.

How can I celebrate Beltane during a total fire ban?

Celebrate with candles or battery candles indoors on a heatproof surface, a sunrise dew walk, a flower ritual at your doorstep or a picnic. Always check your local Rural Fire Service fire danger rating before lighting any outdoor fire.

Final Thoughts

Beltane is a festival of the heart: the moment the year opens its arms fully to the light. For our Scottish and Irish ancestors, it meant fires on the hills, dew on the face, rowan over the door and hawthorn in flower. For us in the Southern Hemisphere, it can be as simple as a cup of blossom tea between two candles, a barefoot walk at dawn, and a moment to ask what you would like to grow in the warm months ahead.

As your energy rises with the season, remember that the brightest fires are the ones we tend with care. Let hawthorn steady your heart, rose soften it, and lemon balm keep it light, and balance all that summer joy with rest.

May this Beltane bring warmth to your hearth, joy to your heart and blossom to everything you are nurturing. May your fires burn bright and steady, and may the season bless you and all you love.

Blessed Beltane.

About the author Michelle Ringin is a Medical Herbalist (NHAA Member #155639), Nutritionist and Weight Management Practitioner with over 14 years of clinical experience. She runs Inner Peace Holistic Herbal Therapy & Weight Management Clinic in Lithgow, NSW, supporting people and their dogs with personalised herbal medicine, nutrition and lifestyle care, woven through with the rhythms of the seasons. Would you like a personalised herbal blend for the summer months ahead? Book a consultation here or visit innerpeacehealth.com.au or call 0490 335 602.

References and further reading

•       Bone K, Mills S. Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy: Modern Herbal Medicine. 2nd ed. Churchill Livingstone; 2013.

•       European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). Community herbal monographs: Crataegus folium cum flore; Melissa officinalis folium; Calendula officinalis flos; Filipendula ulmaria herba; Sambucus nigra flos; Urtica dioica folium. Available at ema.europa.eu.

•       Hutton R. The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain. Oxford University Press; 1996.

•       Danaher K. The Year in Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs. Mercier Press; 1972.

•       McNeill FM. The Silver Bough, Volume 2: A Calendar of Scottish National Festivals. William MacLellan; 1959.

•       Carmichael A. Carmina Gadelica: Hymns and Incantations. Edinburgh; 1900.

•       Pennant T. A Tour in Scotland, 1769. Chester; 1771.

•       Keating G. Foras Feasa ar Éirinn (The History of Ireland). c. 1634.

•       Meyer K, ed. O’Donovan J, trans. Sanas Cormaic (Cormac’s Glossary). c. 900 CE; English edition 1868.

•       NSW Rural Fire Service. Fire danger ratings and total fire bans. rfs.nsw.gov.au.