April's Showers Lead to May's Beltane, Part II

May Day is Beltane and a sacred time for Wiccans and Pagans throughout the world.

It is a time to celebrate the Earth's renewal, to glory in life's power and its wonders. If you are an adult, it is a time to delight in sensual pleasures, and to dance with abandon and sing in the moonlight.

As a Solitary Practitioner of Wicca, I observe the holidays (Sabbats in honor of the gods, and Esbats in honor of the goddesses) as the Wheel of the Year turns. I follow these basic religious laws, which can be consolidated as:

"Bide the Wiccan laws ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust...Mind the Threefold Law ye should — three times bad and three times good...Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill — an it harm none, do what ye will."

May's Eve

The Sacred Sabbat Beltane officially begins at sunset on April 30. Although most celebrations don't get into full swing until May 1, most Wiccans and Pagans acknowledge May's Eve in some fashion.

A nice tradition to start is to take equal lengths of white and silver ribbons, then tie them in a bow around one of the lower branches of a tree, preferrably a Hawthorn, one of the original Sacred Trees. Do this at sunset, and focus on the beautiful tree, then ask the Goddess for Her blessings.

Beltane

As a significant Sabbat, I am presenting some additional Beltane rituals in this Part II of the post.

The word "Beltane" literally means "bright" or "brilliant fire," and refers to the bonfire lit by a presiding Druid in honor of the proto-Celtic god variously known as Bel, Beli, Balar, Balor or Belenus. It has been suggested that Bel is the Brythonic Celt equivalent to the Goidelic Celt god Kernunnos.

The third of the two Celtic fire festivals, Beltane was a celebration of the return of life and fertility to the world, and was celebrated on or around April 30, athough in these later years has become more commonly celebrated on May 1 ("May Day").

Beltane is sometimes referred to as Cetsamhain which means "opposite Samhain." Beltane was the last of the three spring fertility festivals, and the second major Celtic festival. Beltane, and its counterpart Samhain, divide the year into its two primary seasons, Winter and Summer.

On the eve of Beltane the Celts build two large fires, created from the nine sacred woods, in honor of Summer. The tribal herds were ritually driven between them, so as to purify and protect them in the upcoming year. The fires celebrate the return of life and fruitfulness to the earth. Celebration included frolicking throughout the countryside, dancing the Maypole, leaping over fires, and "going a maying". It was customary for young lovers to spend the night in the forest.

Beltane was the time of sensuality revitalized the reawakening of the earth and all of her children. It was the time when tribal people celebrated with joy the vivid colors and vibrant scents of the season, tingling summer breezes, and the rapture of summer after a long dormant winter.

It was customary that Handfastings (weddings,) for a year and a day, take place at this time. On May Eve, people would tear branches from a Hawthorn tree and decorate the outside of their homes. The Hawthorn, or Whitethorn, is the tree of hope, pleasure, and protection. The strong taboo on breaking Hawthorne branches or bringing them into the home was traditionally lifted on May Eve.

Another custom was to leap over the Beltane bonfire. Young people jumped the fire for luck in finding a spouse, travelers jumped the fire to ensure a safe journey, and pregnant women jumped the fire to assure an easy delivery.

Traditional Beltane Activities

— Arise at dawn and wash in the morning dew, for the woman who washes her face in it will be beautiful, the man who washes his hands will be skilled with knots and nets.
— If you live near water, make a garland or posy of spring flowers and cast it into stream, lake or river to bless the water spirits.
— Prepare a May basket by filling it with flowers and goodwill, then give it to one in need of caring, such as a shut-in or elderly friend.
— Beltane is one of the three "spirit-nights" of the year when the faeries can be seen. At dusk, twist a rowan sprig into a ring and look through it, and you may see them.
— Make a wish as you jump a bonfire or candle flame for good luck—but make sure you tie up long skirts first!
— Make a May Bowl —wine or punch in which the flowers of sweet woodruff or other fragrant blossoms are soaked—and drink with the one you love.
— Celebrants sometimes jump over broomsticks, especially at Handfastings (weddings) that are very common during this season, or dance around May Poles, as both of these are symbols of fertility.
— Traditional activities include blowing horns, and gathering flowers. Solitary Practitioners might consider the weaving together of ribbons as an alternative to creating and dancing around the May Pole.
— Many like to celebrate Beltaine by decorating their homes and themselves with fresh flower garlands, or by stringing up greenery around their homes and places of work.
— Sending flowers to loved ones, planting new gardens, cleaning out the cupboards and general spring cleaning are all traditional Beltaine gestures.
— Plaiting and weaving straw, creating things with wicker, making baskets and fabrics are traditional arts for this turn in the Wheel of the Year.

Outdoor Beltane Ritual for the Solitary Practitioner

Preparation

— Prior to this rite you should have made ready a wooden wand. This should be from a fallen branch of an Oak or Hazel tree. Remember, never take the wood from a living tree, as it disrespects the life force of the tree, and the Goddess!

The wood can be cut into the rough shape of a phallus, if so it should be of the appropriate size and shape. On the other hand, a simple branch, peeled of its bark, and about 13 inches long and half an inch thick is also acceptable. Place the wand upon your altar, within the the area you will be casting for a Sacred Circle.

— Prepare a dish containing earth you have gathered and place it upon the altar beside the wand. [The dirt will symbolize the entire Earth in the ceremony.]

The Rite

Cast the Circle and invoke the Lady and her Consort. After the invocation, dance and chant to raise power for magickal activities, and then send that power from the earth and into an unlit candle, which has been placed inside the cauldron and is at the center of the circle.

Chant the following (or make up your own):

"Beltane! I dance with delight on Beltane's night. All senses freeing, I dance for being. The flower and the flame of love's own rite shall blossom. Sun embrace Earth, bright."

Light the candle to the represent the reborn Sun God. This is the Beltane fire, our modern substitute for the hilltop bonfires of our ancestors. The Bel fire is an invocation to the Sun God to bring blessing and protection for the coming year. This is sacred fire with healing and purifying properties.

As you light the candle, the cauldron a symbol of the Goddess, be aware of its wonderful power and significance. Say:

"I light this candle to honor the Sun."

Now, raise the dish containing the dirt. Bless it in the name of the Goddess by saying:

"I bless, consecrate, and set apart this earth, in the name of the Triple Goddess. May this be sacred earth, set apart for magick. For earth is of the Goddess, being her sacred body."

Remember that the Goddess is not only of the Moon, but of the Earth and of the farthest stars. She is the Triple Goddess of the Circle of Rebirth, the Mother of All Life. [You might wish to decorate the dish of earth with flowers prior to the ceremony.]

Now, take the wooden wand and oil it with vegetable or some other natural oil. Bless it in the name of the Lord of the Day, the youthful, ardent one, the Lord of Life, the God of the Greenwood Glen. Pass it swiftly through the candle's flame, the Bel fire, so that it becomes magickally imbued, 'charged,' with power. Place the wand upon the dish of earth, gather your magickal intent and focus.

As you hold the wand on the dish, say:

"As the wand is to the earth, so the male is to the female, and the Sun to our blossoming world. Joined, they bring happiness. May the God of Life give ___ [state a request, for example, an end to the wars in the Middle East.] May the Goddess bring it forth!"

Feel the energy spread from the ground, through your body, into your arm and by extension, into the consecrated wand. Close your eyes as your magickal intent increases, sending the power into the dish of earth, which represents our Sacred Mother, the Planet Earth.

Now, sit quietly for a while, picturing the literal blossoming of your magickal intent. The spells and invocations of each of us, all working with similar themes like this throughout the world, must eventually bear fruit because life is, by its very nature, dedicated to survival and peace. Leave the earth and wand upon the altar.

Walk deosil three times around the circle, then spiral into its center. Go evenly, with grace, meditatively. Sit beside the candle flame, allowing yourself to feel peaceful. Gaze into the flame.

The next part will be different depending on whether you are a woman or a man.

For Women: Visualize a red rosebud in your womb. Always your womb is the source of your creative power, whether you are pregnant, or brimming with an idea, a work of art, or a magickal intention. It is the source of all life, the energy-affirming center of joyous sex and desire.

Close your eyes and picture the light from the candle streaming into your womb so that the rosebud blooms, unfolds. Hold the image for a while, feel the warmth spread within you, the sensual silkiness of the flower, its scent, the freshness, the vibrant color of the fully open rose at the center of your being. Feel the strength and power of your own fully blossomed capabilities. Say:

"I am a woman, strong to conceive and to create, to give birth, to tend and to receive tending. As I am a daughter of the Goddess, and blessed by the God, I intend to ___ [state what you wish to achieve at this time in life. For example, to bring healing to others, to write a book, gain a promotion, whatever matters to you.]"

Feel the strength and creative force within your body. See the power being channeled, flowing into the desire you have just voiced. Open your eyes. Always, the rose will remain within you.

For a Man: Visualize a bright flame. This burns within your sexual center, a point at the base of the stomach, just above the pubic hairline. It is your own male strength and energy that will rise through your body to be released as fertilizing power, in any form, or it may be the potency that impregnates, creating a physical child. It is the force that blesses and bestows, a healing and creative energy, like the shining Sun. Visualize that you are sitting in a garden and that a rose tree is in front of you, the roses closed in buds. Say:

"I am a man, and in my passion is beauty, in my warmth is life. As I am a son of the Goddess, and blessed by the God, I offer my strength and vitality to ____ [Name the area of life, the place, activity, or commitment of your choice.]

Visualize the light streaming from you to a rose bud upon the tree causing it to unfold, to blossom. Your flame is lowered by this effort. Much has gone out of you, the flame retreats. Wait and watch, until a pink light streams from the rose toward your body. At its touch, just above the pubic hairline the flame resurges. It burns higher and stronger than ever before. Open your eyes. The flame is always within you.

[Source: Adapted from "The Wiccan Path," by Rae Beth]

Beltane Circle Ceremony for a Group or Coven

Place two white candles are on the altar with a wreath of spring flowers. The candles representing the Quarters should be green.

The spiritual leader should "ride" a May Pole like a child's wooden stick horse if possible, moving about the Sacred Space in quick, trotting steps, chanting:

"O do not tell the priests of our Art,
For they would call it sin;
But we will be in the woods all night,
A-conjuring summer in.

And we bring you good news by word of mouth,
For woman, cattle and corn,
For the sun is coming up from the south,
With oak and ash and thorn."

A ring dance follows after which leader casts the Sacred Circle. You may choose to have a man draws down the Moon upon the female leader. All attending are purified in sacrifice before her, who represents the Goddess.

She purifies the man who represents the God at her own hands.

All partake of Cakes and Wine (Ale) followed by feasting, dancing and singing and the Great Rite [a symbolic or actual sexual union between the two], if at all possible, in token or truly.

Note: For many groups and covens, the actual sexual union between the female and male remains controversial. For those who still do this, the couple is concealed behind some sort of screen so their activities cannot be viewed by those in attendance.

As a bisexual and modest woman, the symbolic representation of the sexual union for the purpose of underscoring the act of literal creation is the only way to go.

— Danu's Daughter

April Showers Lead to May's Beltane: Part I

Apparently, I decided to play an April Fool's Day joke on myself — I am posting this on April 3!

The name "April" is derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love who was known to the Romans as Venus.

The "Kalends" of April are sacred to Venus, as is the entire month. [Note: Kalends is the name the Romans gave to the first day of the month. The Kalends was the day of the new moon. While the Kalends were always the first day of the month, the other two named days, the Ides and the Nones, were not always on the same day of the month. The Kalends was on the new moon, the Ides on the full moon, and the Nones between the two. The longest period of the month fell between the full moon and the Kalends.]

The month would begin with the Veneralia, public games, called ludi, which would be held in honour of Venus. This day was also known as All Fools Day to the Romans, and they would spend the entire day celebrating with comic hillarity, doing things backwards, wearing women's clothes, dancing in the streets, and generally carrying on in the most good-natured but absurd way possible. This is one of the few Roman holidays that has preserved some of its original character, under the modern name April Fool's Day.

As a Solitary Practitioner of Wicca, I observe the holidays (Sabbats in honor of the gods, and Esbats in honor of the goddesses) as the Wheel of the Year turns. I follow these basic laws, which can be consolidated as:

"Bide the Wiccan laws ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust...Mind the Threefold Law ye should — three times bad and three times good...Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill — an it harm none, do what ye will."

May's Eve

The Sacred Sabbat Beltane officially begins at sunset on April 30. Although most celebrations don't get into full swing until May 1, most Wiccans and Pagans acknowledge May's Eve in some fashion.

On the eve of Beltane the Celts build two large fires, created from the nine sacred woods, in honor of Summer. The tribal herds were ritually driven between them, so as to purify and protect them in the upcoming year. The fires celebrate the return of life and fruitfulness to the earth. Celebration included frolicking throughout the countryside, dancing the Maypole, leaping over fires, and "going a maying". It was customary for young lovers to spend the night in the forest.

On May's Eve people would tear branches from a Hawthorn tree and decorate the outside of their homes. The Hawthorn, or Whitethorn, is the tree of hope, pleasure, and protection. The strong taboo for breaking Hawthorne branches, or bringing them into the home was traditionally lifted on May Eve.

A nice tradition to start is a modernization of that ancient one. Take equal lengths of white and silver ribbons, then tie them in a bow around one of the lower branches of a tree, preferrably a Hawthorn. Do this at sunset, and focus on the beautiful tree, then ask the Goddess for Her blessings.

Beltane

As a fun and meaningful Sabbat, I am going to present the Beltane rituals in Part II of this post. In this post, I am presenting the basics of the holiday.

The word "Beltane" literally means "bright" or "brilliant fire," and refers to the bonfire lit by a presiding Druid in honor of the proto-Celtic god variously known as Bel, Beli, Balar, Balor or Belenus. It has been suggested that Bel is the Brythonic Celt equivalent to the Goidelic Celt god Kernunnos.

The third of the two Celtic fire festivals, Beltane was a celebration of the return of life and fertility to the world, and was celebrated on or around April 30, athough in these later years has become more commonly celebrated on May 1 ("May Day").

Beltane is sometimes referred to as Cetsamhain which means "opposite Samhain." Beltane was the last of the three spring fertility festivals, and the second major Celtic festival. Beltane, and its counterpart Samhain (Halloween), divide the year into its two primary seasons, Winter and Summer.

Beltane was the time of sensuality revitalized the reawakening of the earth and all of her children. It was the time when tribal people celebrated with joy the vivid colors and vibrant scents of the season, tingling summer breezes, and the rapture of summer after a long dormant winter. It was customary that Handfastings (Marriages), for a year and a day, take place at this time.

Another custom was to leap over the Beltane bonfire. Young people jumped the fire for luck in finding a spouse, travelers jumped the fire to ensure a safe journey, and pregnant women jumped the fire to assure an easy delivery.

Beltane Love Potion

This is the only magickal ritual that I'm presenting in this post because this Potion should be made under the full moon before Beltane. This April's Full Moon falls on the 18th.

What you will need:

A single white candle
A bowl or chalice
A crystal (preferably rose or clear quartz)
A red or pink rose bud and petals
Spring water
Rose or jasmine water (optional)
Vodka
Decanter with top or seal
 If possible, cast your circle in a place outdoors (or if indoors, hopefully next to a window with a view of the Full Moon.) If bad weather/cloudy skies present an obstacle, use a candle flame instead.

Holding the bowl or chalice full of pure spring water, catch the reflection of the Moon (or candle flame) within. Call to the Goddess Aphrodite, or any other diety that represents love to you, to send Her Divine Essence flowing into the water along with the moonlight. Concentrate on what perfect love means to you and instill your own essence into the water by blowing gently upon it.

Next, add rose petals and buds to the water. Add the crystal that you´ve held up to the moonlight to consecrate to a Goddess of Love. A touch of rose or jasmine water would be nice, but is not necessary.

Pour your water into a beautiful decanter and add an equal portion of Vodka to seal the Potion. Keep this Potion in a dark space out of the sunlight - for the magickal properties of the Night are required for it to remain potent.

Use this potion to annoint candles and magickal writings — Love Spells. Use it like a perfume to attract a perfect love to you. Add a few drops to your own drink for the same effect, and naturally, it is important NOT to use this Potion in any manipulative manner, as it would be a violation of the basic Wiccan laws.

— Danu's Daughter

New Year's 2011 — Wiccan Style!

At this time of year, some neophyte and long-time Wiccans and Pagans can feel left out of the traditional religious and secular celebrations, including New Year's Eve.

As an Eclectic Wiccan, I follow the Wheel of the Year, so I celebrate the Sabbat of Yule, which is celebrated on the Winter Solstice. But, I also love the secular aspects of Christmas, so I use that theme to decorate my home.

And for me, New Year's occurs at the sacred time of Samhain (Halloween) on the Wheel, but I can also understand the importance of acknowledging the traditional turning of one calendar year into the next, so I practice my own personal New Year's Eve tradition on December 31.

On New Year's Day, January 1, I always include blackeye peas in a dish called, "Hoppin' Jack," a traditional food from where my family is from in the Midwest that is linked to a year of good luck and prosperity! I also thank the god and goddess for their continued blessings, and presence at my New Year's celebration.

I firmly believe that one of the glories of being Pagan is that you can craft your own celebrations that will then become your personal traditions to honor events that are important to you, and to your family. If you want to honor the passing of the calendar year, do so! Just make sure that you link your celebration to nature/ the earth, and perhaps include a god or goddess who would be appropriate to encorporate.

Pagan spirituality is flexibility. While there are a few common guidines, most Pagans find that their beliefs and practices are a highly personalized spirituality, rather than a rigid, dogmatic one.

So, if there is a day in addition to the eight Wiccan Sabbats that hold special significance to you, it's not a question of whether it's celebrated or acknowledged by other Pagans. What's more important is whether the event or date hold a spiritual meaning to YOU.

Some pagans actually celebrate the eight Sabbats based on agricultural markers, not on calendar dates. For example, Beltane, which is a planting Sabbat, is celebrated on May 1. But, for those who live in the Midwest, chances are good it's still too cold to actually plant anything. But if you wait until May 15 or so, the soil is warm enough, you can put seedlings in the ground, and observe Beltane as a planting and fertility festival on a later date. Likewise, if you live in a place where the harvest is gathered at the beginning of September, why wait until September 21 to observe Mabon?

Some covens celebrate their Initiation Day on a Blue Moon. Why? Because it's a rare lunar occurrence, which means it's a big cause for celebration when one finally rolls around.

At any rate, as a Pagan your spirituality is very personal and individualized. If you want to celebrate something of spiritual significance in a manner that's not a traditional "Pagan holiday," by all means break out the candles!

Here's a great example from the United Kingdom. New Year's is Hogmanay in Scotland — a four to five day blast, including parties, street festivals, entertainment and wild — occasionally terrifying — fire festivals that are Viking or pagan in origin. Enormous public New Year's events are held throughout Scotland, with something for the whole family, the biggest and most famous taking place in Edinburgh.

In addition to concerts, street parties, fireworks and more earthbound fire spectaculars — as well as consumption of one of Scotland's most famous products, Scotch whisky — there are a number of very ancient traditions associated with Hogmanay. Some say these traditions are dying out in favor of public celebrations, but they can still be found in smaller communities and private celebrations:

Redding the House: Like the annual spring cleaning in some communities, or the ritual cleaning of the kitchen for Passover, families traditionally did a major cleanup to ready the house for the New Year. Sweeping out the fireplace was very important and there was a skill in reading the ashes, the way some people read tea leaves.


First Footing: After the stroke of midnight, neighbors visit each other, bearing traditional symbolic gifts such as shortbread or black bun, a kind of fruit cake. The visitor, in turn, is offered a small whisky. A friend of mine who remembers first footing, also remembers that if you had a lot of friends, you'd be offered a great deal of whisky.

The first person to enter a house in the New Year, the first foot, could bring luck for the New Year. The luckiest was a tall, dark and handsome man. The unluckiest a red head and the unluckiest of all a red-headded woman.

Bonfires and Fire Festivals: Scotland's fire festivals at Hogmany and later in January may have pagan or Viking origins. The use of fire to purify and drive away evil spirits is an ancient idea. Fire is at the center of Hogmanay celebrations in Stonehaven, Comrie and Biggar and has recently become an element in Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebration.

The Singing of Auld Lang Syne: All over the world, people sing Robert Burn's version of this traditional Scottish air. How it became the New Year's song is something of a mystery. At Edinburgh's Hogmanay, people join hands for what is reputed to be the world's biggest Auld Lang Syne.

Although some of the Hogmanay Traditions are ancient, the celebrations were elevated in importance after the banning of Christmas in the 16th and 17th centuries. Under Oliver Cromwell, Parliament banned Christmas celebrations in 1647. The ban was lifted after Cromwell's downfall in 1660. But in Scotland, the stricter Scottish Presbyterian Church had been discouraging Christmas celebrations — as having no basis in the Bible, from as early as 1583. After the Cromwellian ban was lifted elsewhere, Christmas festivities continued to be discouraged in Scotland. In fact, Christmas remained a normal working day in Scotland until 1958 and Boxing Day did not become a National Holiday until much later.

But the impulse to party, and to put the products of Scotland's famous distilleries to good use, could not be repressed. In effect, Hogmany became Scotland's main outlet for the mid-winter impulse to chase away the darkness with light, warmth and festivities.

— Danu's Daughter

Month at a Glance: May

Please Note: On-going series will be interrupted from time to time to present posts related to unexpected events, or celebrations occurring within the Turning of the Wheel of the Wiccan Year.

May

May represents the rebirth of the Earth in the saga celebrated within the Wiccan Wheel of the Year. Once April's rains and winds have subsided, the sun begins to warm up the earth so gardens and crops are planted. Followers enjoy getting out in their gardens under the Flower Moon and putting their hands into the rich soil of Mother Earth.

Spring is a time of fertility, and May is a fiery month indeed – full of lust and passion! It's sometimes called the month of the Hare Moon – and it’s known what hares are busy doing in the spring.

Moon Phases – North America

New Moon: May 14; 01 hour, 04 minutes
First Quarter: May 20; 23 hours, 43 minutes
Full Moon: May 27; 23 hours, 07minutes
Last Quarter: Jun 04; 22 hours, 13 minutes

Correspondences

In Wicca, followers honor or attune to the energy/power of a goal or seasonal occurrence by selecting natural objects and deities to better bring that target goal or occurrence into clearer focus prior to meditation, or for use when working with them in magick. These are referred to as “Correspondences,” and they generally have been linked by practitioners to that goal’s energy/power or seasonal occurrence since antiquity.

Thus, the following have been shown to “correspond” or be linked with May:

Colors: Red, Orange, Yellow
Gemstones: Ruby, Garnet, Amber, Apache Tear
Trees: Hawthorn, Rowan
Gods: Kali, Priapus, Cernunnos, Flora
Herbs: Cinnamon, Members of the Mint Family
Element: Fire

May 01 – Beltane

Beltane, May 01, 2010, is one of the eight Sabbats (Holy Days) celebrated by Wiccans and other Pagans in the Wheel of the Year.

Beltane is a celebration of the union of the union of the Goddess and the God – a celebration of fertility and new life.

Beltane is one of the four "fire festivals" or "greater sabbats". Although the holiday may use features of the Gaelic Bealtaine, such as the bonfire, it bears more relation to the Germanic May Day festival, both in its significance (focusing on fertility) and its rituals (such as maypole dancing). Some Wiccans celebrate 'High Beltaine' by enacting a ritual union of the May Lord and Lady.

Even some of the folk traditions which are still followed today can find their roots in the ancient celebration of love, sex and fertility. The May Pole was originally designed for Beltane, the Pagan fire festival that celebrated the abundance of spring. The pole and ribbons of the May Pole represented the phallus and semen and maidens danced about the maypole to evoke fertility and prosperity for the summer. This festival, which was celebrated on May 1st, was named after the Celtic God, Bel, a fire God of fertility, love and passion but was eventually dissolved into folk custom and renamed May Day.

The May Pole, an ancient pagan phallic symbol representing the king and spirt of vegetation (in Celtic lands referred to as The Greenman, or Oak King), is planted into Mother Earth to symbolize union and balance.

It was on May Eve that the Tuatha Dé Danann (Tribe of the Goddess Danu) arrived in Ireland. They are masters of enchantment, and in May their magic is the strongest.

Brigid (Brighid), known in Ireland as the Goddess of fire and inspiration, also represents THE GREAT GODDESS, Danu. Brigid is also known as Queen of the Faeries.

To celebrate Beltane with the Spirits, say:

Star light, star bright,
I call the faeries forth tonight,
Come and celebrate with me,
Dance and sing, so mote it be.

May 05 – Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is a date of great importance for the Mexican and Chicano communities. It was on May 5th in 1862 that 2,000 poorly trained Mexican peasants, under the command of General Ignacio Zaragoza, fiercely fought and won the Battle at Puebla against a regiment of 6,000 French soldiers under the command of Napoleon III.

In modern times on the Fifth of May, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated by native Mexican (and American) people everywhere. In Mexico, several towns elaborately reenact the Battle of Puebla in a day-long dramatization that includes acting and speeches. In America, Cinco de Mayo is an opportunity to celebrate Chicano culture in general, and is celebrated with huge fairs that include Mexican singing, dancing, feasting, costumes, sports activities, fireworks, and entertainment. Mariachi bands play while dancers perform native Mexican dances such as the Mexican Hat Dance and the Raspa. Speeches and parades encompass a large part of the celebration too. These events are one way in which people celebrate the friendship of the United States and Mexico.

This observance of the Cinco de Mayo victory is a special symbol for all Mexican people who celebrate their rights of freedom and liberty, honoring those who fought and won against greater odds. Although the Mexican army was eventually defeated, the "Batalla de Puebla" has come to represent a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism. With this victory, Mexico demonstrated to the world that Mexico and all of Latin America were willing to defend themselves of any foreign intervention. Especially those from imperialist states bent on world conquest.

May 21– Gemini

Moon moves into Gemini, the sign of the Twins. Its power stone is citrine, and its birth stone is the beautiful diamond.

The ruling planet is Mercury. In mythology, Mercury was the messenger between the gods and men. He is depicted wearing a winged helmet, and has wings at his ankles, enabling him to deliver messages with great speed. Ironically, it is because of his swiftness that he was also adopted by the god of thieves!

May 27: Full Moon – Hare Moon or Flower Moon

In most areas, flowers are abundant everywhere during this time. Thus, the name of this Moon. Other names include the Full Corn Planting Moon, or the Milk Moon.

May is rebirth of life upon the Earth. With its reputation for being prolific, no creature is more suited than the hare as this month’s symbol.

This is a good time to work on magic related to careers and jobs. Thinking about switching to a new position, or perhaps trying a new field altogether? Want to take a class or get your degree? Take the seeds you've planted last month, and allow them to bloom and grow in your favor. Do some fire divination this month to help guide you on your way. This would also be a good time to plan a ritual to reaffirm your goals.

From me to you: May the peace of Danu remain in your hearts, now and forevermore. Tod Estu.

— Danu’s Daughter

Beltane Kicks Off The Merry, Merry, Merry Month of FEY!

Beginning at sundown tonight through sundown tomorrow most Wiccans and Neo-Pagans will celebrate one of the oldest, bawdiest and most controversial nature-based holidays of the year: Beltane, commonly called May Day.

May represents the rebirth of the Earth in the saga that Wiccans celebrate through the Wheel of the Year (calendar.) The wheel has turned from Winter to Spring, and the God who was reborn at December’s Yule is now Jack-in-the-Green, the Green Man, or the Oak King – a young man stepping into manhood. The Great Goddess is now transforming herself from Maiden to Mother, preparing to conceive.

(In fact, celebration and acknowledgment of the union of the God and Goddess to conceive the sun-child takes place on this holiday – regardless of the tradition or path of Neo-Paganism followed.)

So, celebrate life, love and your sexuality, since it all began as a very ancient fertility celebration. It is also a time when Wiccans perform “magick” toward the success of plans and projects, the achievements of goals, prosperity, and of course, the conception and birth of healthy children.

But, modern Beltane is not just about orgies and sexual depravity. It is primarily a glad celebration and welcoming of the return of the Sun, of Spring, and the Summer to come with all the gifts nature provides during this time of green abundance.

It is one of the four "Fire Festivals" or "Greater Sabbats." Originally, all Neo-Pagan Sabbats (holidays) was celebrated from dusk one day to dusk the following, similar to some other religions.

Although the holiday may use features of the Gaelic Bealtaine (Beltaine), such as the bonfire, it bears more resemblance to the Germanic May Day festival, both in its significance (focusing on fertility) and its rituals (such as maypole dancing).

Some Wiccans still celebrate 'High Beltaine' by enthusiastically enacting a ritual sexual union of the May Lord and Lady during outdoor coven meets. Generally, such a union involved the High Priest and Priestess of the coven. Some Solitary Practitioners also enact sexual celebrations on this holiday, but privately either inside or outside under the moon and stars.

Beltane is believed to have been named after the Celtic God, Bel, a fire God of fertility, love and passion, but the holiday eventually dissolved into folk custom and was renamed May Day.

Even some of the folk traditions which are still followed today can find their roots in the ancient celebration of love, sex and fertility. In fact, the maypole was originally designed for Beltane to celebrate the abundance of spring.

It was also on May Eve that the Tuatha Dé Danann (Tribe of the Goddess Danu) is believed to have arrived in Ireland. They are masters of enchantment, and in May their magic is the strongest. Brigid (Brighid), known in Ireland as the Goddess of fire and inspiration, also represents THE GREAT GODDESS, Danu. Brigid is also known as Queen of the Faeries.

Thus, Beltane begins the season of faerie magic, and the Faerie Queen (an aspect of the Goddess) is represented by the May Queen in many modern celebrations and festivities across the globe. Faeries are spirits of nature, also referred to by Neo-Pagans as Elementals. They are believed to reside in rocks and trees, flowers, meadows, every natural formation! Beltane is one of the three "spirit-nights" of the year when it is believed that these faeries can be seen. At dusk, it is suggested to twist a rowan sprig into a ring and look through it – celebrants might very well see them.

Like Samhain (Halloween,) this is a night when witches, faeries and ghosts wander freely because it is believed that veil between this world and the otherworld is unusually thin.

Legend maintains that the Queen of the Faeries rides out on a snow-white horse, looking for mortals to lure away to Faerieland for seven years. Folklore says that if you sit beneath a tree tonight, you will see Her or hear the sound of Her horse's bells as She rides by. If you hide your face, She will pass you by but if you look directly at Her, She may choose you.

To celebrate Beltane with the Fey Spirits, say:

Star light, star bright,
I call the faeries forth tonight,
Come and celebrate with me,
Dance and sing, so mote it be.

Beltane is the one holiday most discouraged by the Christians, who didn't even use it as a point for a holiday of their own because the type of natural power it raises. Still, even in Christianized Ireland the May Day dance of the maypole remained, as did the giving of flowers to those you love or care for as friends.

The maypole itself is a symbol of the union of the God and Goddess to create life, the pole a phallic symbol while the dancers and their streamers, ribbons or vines of flowers represent the fertile womb of the goddess as it takes in the Phallus of the god and his seed. The pole is planted in Mother Earth to represent balance to evoke fertility and prosperity during the coming summer.

Samhain (Halloween) is primarily a festival of death, a time for letting go and of mourning. May Day, on the opposite side of the Wheel of the Year, is about life, about falling in love and frolicking in the woods. As such, it is the start of the "light" half of the year. Death is an ending but also a beginning. Falling in love is a beginning which is also a death. It is believed, “the Goddess who manifests herself at May Day calls you out of yourself and you may never return, at least to the same world you knew.”

When the Druids and their successors raised the “Beltaine” fires on hilltops throughout the British Isles on May Eve, they were performing a real act of magic, for the fires were lit in order to bring the sun’s light down to earth. In Scotland, every fire in the household was extinguished, and the great fires were lit from the need-fire that was kindled three times by three men (underscoring the sacred and magickal number three) using wood from the nine sacred trees of Paganism. When the wood burst into flames, it proclaimed the triumph of the light over the dark half of the year.

When that was done, the entire hillside came alive as people thrust branches into the newly roaring flames and whirled them about their heads in imitation of the circling of the sun.

If any man in attendance was planning a long journey or dangerous undertaking, he leaped backwards and forwards three times through the fire for luck. As the fire sank low, the girls jumped across it to procure good husbands; pregnant women stepped through it to ensure an easy birth; and children were also carried across the smoldering ashes. When the fire died down, the embers were thrown among the sprouting crops to protect them, while each household carried some back to kindle a new fire in their hearth. When the sun rose that coming dawn, those who had stayed up to watch it might see it whirl three times upon the horizon before leaping up in all its summer glory.

Thus, it became Beltane and a time of fertility and unbridled merrymaking, when young and old would spend the night making love in the Greenwood. In the morning, they would return to the village bearing huge budding boughs of hawthorn (the tree associated with May), and other spring flowers used to decorate themselves, their families, and their homes.

As they slowly returned home, they stopped at each house on their way and left leave flowers, while they enjoyed the best of food and drink that the homeowner’s hospitality had to offer. In every village, the maypole – usually fashioned from a birch or ash tree – was raised, and dancing and feasting began anew.

Festivities were led by the May Queen and her “consort” representing the King (again representing Jack-in-the-Green, the Green Man, or the Oak King), the old god of the wildwood. They were borne in state through the village in a cart covered with flowers and enthroned in a leafy arbor as the “divine” couple whose unity symbolized the sacred marriage of earth and sun.

At Beltane, today’s followers open to the God and Goddess of Youth. However old, Spring makes us feel young again, and at Beltane celebrants jump over the fires of vitality and youth and allow that vitality to enliven and heal them. When young celebrants might use this time as an opportunity to connect to their sensuality in a positive creative way, and when older the mating sought might well be one of the feminine and masculine sides of everyone’s nature. Integration of the male and female aspects of the Self has long been seen as one of the prime goals of spiritual and psychotherapeutic work, and Beltane represents the time when celebrants can open to this work fully, allowing the natural union of polarities that occurs in nature at this time the opportunity to help them in their work – a work that is essentially alchemical.

In addition to a maypole, often a bonfire is present, and members of the group are encouraged to jump the flames for luck and their own fertility. Food, drink and love are the order of the evening. In most covens the celebration of unions of love are enacted. Beltane is the time of many marriages/handfastings in the pagan community (in some it is the point where one chooses to begin and end relationships of a physical nature).

Clothing is optional in some coven get-togethers on this holiday, as some do celebrate naked, referred to as “Skyclad” by Wiccans. Regardless, it is a sensual and colorful celebration. Even those coven that are prudish about things tend to accept the rules of the holiday, as it is the holiday of free love. It is said that a child conceived on this day will grow up to wield great power and knowledge and to be healthier than upon any other.

The month’s sacred tree is oak, known as “duir” to the ancient Celts, to whom it represented great strength, survival and to overcome the challenges placed before us. It is interesting to note that Druids were originally called that because they held the Oak Tree as sacred.

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The following terrific, in depth account of Beltane, “A Celebration of May Day,” was published in 2005 by Mike Nichols, and is reprinted here in full with permission from the author:

“Perhaps it’s just as well that you won’t be here...
to be offended by the sight of our May Day celebrations.”
— Lord Summerisle to Sgt. Howie from The Wicker Man

There are four great festivals of the Pagan Celtic year and the modern Wiccan (Witches’) calendar, as well. The two greatest of these are Halloween (the beginning of winter) and May Day (the beginning of summer). Being opposite each other on the Wheel of the Year, they separate the year into halves. Halloween (also called Samhain) is the Celtic New Year and is generally considered the more important of the two, though May Day runs a close second. Indeed, in some areas – notably Wales – it is considered “The Great Holiday.”

By Celtic reckoning, the actual Beltane celebration begins on sundown of the preceding day, April 30, because the Celts always figured their days from sundown to sundown. And sundown was the proper time for Druids to kindle the great Belfires on the tops of the nearest beacon hill (such as Tara Hill, County Meath, in Ireland). These “need-fires” had healing properties, and skyclad (nude) Witches would jump through the flames to ensure protection.

Sgt. Howie (shocked): "But they are naked!"
Lord Summerisle: "Naturally. It's much too dangerous
to jump through the fire with your clothes on!"
—from The Wicker Man

Frequently, cattle would be driven between two such bonfires (oak wood was the favorite fuel for them) and, on the morrow, they would be taken to their summer pastures.

Other May Day customs include: walking the circuit of one’s property (“beating the bounds”), repairing fences and boundary markers, processions of chimney sweeps and milkmaids, archery tournaments, morris dances, sword dances, feasting, music, drinking, and maidens bathing their faces in the dew of May morning to retain their youthful beauty.

In the words of Witchcraft writers Janet and Stewart Farrar, the Beltane celebration was principally a time of “unashamed human sexuality and fertility.” Such associations include the obvious phallic symbolism of the May Pole and riding the hobbyhorse. Even a seemingly innocent children’s nursery rhyme “Ride a cock horse to Banburry Cross…” retains such memories. And the next line, “to see a fine Lady on a white horse,” is a reference to the annual ride of Lady Godiva through Coventry. Every year for nearly three centuries, a skyclad village maiden (elected “Queen of the May”) enacted this Pagan rite, until the Puritans put an end to the custom.

The Puritans, in fact, reacted with pious horror to most of the May Day rites, even making Maypoles illegal in 1644. They especially attempted to suppress the “greenwood marriages” of young men and women who spent the entire night in the forest, staying out to greet the May sunrise, and bringing back boughs of flowers and garlands to decorate the village the next morning. One angry Puritan wrote that men “doe use commonly to runne into woodes in the night time, amongst maidens, to set bowes, in so muche, as I have hearde of tenne maidens whiche went to set May, and nine of them came home with childe.” And another Puritan complained that, “Of forty, threescore or a hundred maids going to the wood over night, there have scarcely the third part of them returned home again undefiled.”

Long after the Christian form of marriage (with its insistence on sexual monogamy) had replaced the older Pagan handfasting, the rules of strict fidelity were always relaxed for the May Eve rites. Names such as Robin Hood, Maid Marion, and Little John played an important part in May Day folklore, often used as titles for the dramatis personae of the celebrations. And modern surnames such as Robinson, Hodson, Johnson, and Godkin may attest to some distant May Eve spent in the woods.

These wildwood antics have inspired writers such as Rudyard Kipling:

Oh, do not tell the Priest our plight,
Or he would call it a sin;
But we have been out in the woods all night,
A-conjuring Summer in!

And Lerner and Lowe:

It's May! It's May!
The lusty month of May!...
Those dreary vows that ev'ryone takes,
Ev'ryone breaks.
Ev'ryone makes divine mistakes!
The lusty month of May!

It is certainly no accident that Queen Guinevere’s ‘abduction’ by Meliagrance occurs on May 1 when she and the court have gone a-Maying, or that the usually efficient Queen’s guard, on this occasion, rode unarmed.

Some of these customs seem virtually identical to the old Roman feast of flowers, the Floralia, three days of unrestrained sexuality that began at sundown April 28 and reached a crescendo on May 1.

There are other, even older, associations with May 1 in Celtic mythology. According to the ancient Irish Book of Invasions, the first settler of Ireland, Partholan, arrived on May 1, and it was on May 1 that the plague came that destroyed his people.

Years later, the Milesians conquered the Tuatha Dé Danann on May Day. In Welsh myth, the perennial battle between Gwythur and Gwyn for the love of Creiddyled took place each May Day, and it was on May Eve that Teirnyon lost his colts and found Pryderi. May Eve was also the occasion of a fearful scream that was heard each year throughout Wales, one of the three curses of the Coranians lifted by the skill of Lludd and Llevelys.

By the way, due to various calendrical changes down through the centuries, the traditional date of Beltane is not the same as its astrological date. This date, like all astronomically determined dates, may vary by a day or two depending on the year. However, it may be calculated easily enough by determining the date on which the sun is at fifteen degrees Taurus (usually around May 5). British Witches often refer to this date as Old Beltane, and folklorists call it Beltane O.S. (Old Style). Some covens prefer to celebrate on the old date and, at the very least, it gives one options. If a coven is operating on ‘Pagan Standard Time’ and misses May 1 altogether, it can still throw a viable Beltane bash as long as it’s before May 5. This may also be a consideration for covens that need to organize activities around the weekend.

This date has long been considered a “power point” of the zodiac, and is symbolized by the Bull, one of the tetramorph figures featured on the tarot cards, the World and the Wheel of Fortune. (The other three symbols are the Lion, the Eagle, and the Spirit.) Astrologers know these four figures as the symbols of the four “fixed” signs of the zodiac (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius), and these naturally align with the four Great Sabbats of Witchcraft. Christians have adopted the same iconography to represent the four Gospel writers.

But for most, it is May 1 that is the great holiday of flowers, Maypoles, and greenwood frivolity. It is no wonder that, as recently as 1977, Ian Anderson could pen the following lyrics for the (classic rock) band Jethro Tull:

For the May Day is the great day,
Sung along the old straight track.
And those who ancient lines did ley
Will heed this song that calls them back.

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The Flower Maiden

Sir Thomas Malory wrote the following about the potent effect of May and the customs of King Arthur's court in La Morte d'Arthur:

It was the month of May, the month when the foliage of herbs and trees is most freshly green, when buds ripened and blossoms appear in their fragrance and loveliness. And the month when lovers, subject to the same force which reawakens the plants, feel their hearts open again, recall past trysts and past vows, and moments of tenderness, and yearn for a renewal of the magical awareness which is love.

Early one morning in May, Queen Gwynevere commanded ten of her knights to prepare to ride with her a-Maying. Each knight was to be accompanied by a lady, a squire and two yeomen, and all were to be decked in silk or other cloth of the freshest green, and decorated with moss, flowers and herbs. They were to ride into the fields and woods of Westminster and to return to King Arthur at the court at ten o'clock.

It was customary for the queen to ride forth only in a large company of knights, know as the Queen's knights – knights who were most young, lusty and eager to win fame, who wore plain white shields. Knights who were killed were replaced at the next Pentecost. Chief of them all, of course, was Sir Launcelot.

But this particular May Day, Launcelot is absent and Gwynevere is kidnapped by Sir Mellyagraunce, from whose clutches she must be rescued by Launcelot.

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The following are some fun chants/poems to be used on Beltane:

Chant

Here we come a piping,
In Springtime and in May;
Green fruit aripening,
And Winter fled away.

The Queen she sits upon the strand,
Fair as lily, white as wand;
Seven billows on the sea,
Horses riding fast and free,
And bells beyond the sand.


Doreen Valiente: "Witchcraft for Tomorrow"; Phoenix Publishing 1985

Chant

Oh, do not tell the Priest of our Art,
Or he would call it sin;
But we shall be out in the woods all night,
A conjuring summer in!

And we bring you news by word of mouth
For women, cattle and corn
Now is the dun come up from the South
With Oak, and Ash and Thorn!

Janet and Stewart Farrar: "Eight Sabbats For Witches"; Robert Hale 1983

Stag Call

The men gather around the bon fire, next to their partners, and they repeat in unison:

I am the stag of seven tines;
I am a wide flood on the plain;
I am a wind on the deep waters;
I am a shining tear of the sun;
I am a hawk on a cliff;
I am fair among flowers;
I am a god who sets the head afire with smoke.

Robert Graves; "The White Goddess": Farrar 1970

A Modern Poem

A Meeting. Nighttime

Two people, separated by the waves
Meet
Without bodies
Minds linked by a keyboard
Neither knowing what to expect

They communicate
The screens tell their story
A connection
Not expected
But gladly welcomed
Time and space forgotten
They exchange pictures
Instant recognition
Past memories resurface
Past lives remembered

The ancient ones smile on the meeting
Two paths crossing once more
Past, present, and future fixed on this moment
Two people
One soul
Reunited under the light of Awen.

by Sionnach 1998

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Suggestions To Celebrate Beltane

Arise at dawn and wash in the morning dew: the woman who washes her face in it will be beautiful; the man who washes his hands will be skilled with knots and nets.

If you live near water, make a garland or posy of spring flowers and cast it into stream, lake or river to bless the water spirits.

Prepare a May basket by filling it with flowers and goodwill, then give it to one in need of caring, such as an elderly friend.

Make a wish as you jump a bonfire or candle flame for good luck – but make sure you tie up long skirts, pants first!

Make a May bowl – wine or punch in which the flowers of sweet woodruff or other fragrant blossoms are soaked – and drink with the one you love.

Creating Your Own Bower
Writter Waverly Fitzgerald suggests:

Bring the May into your life by bringing home green branches, flowers and branches of flowering trees. Transform your house into a bower. Make a wreath to hang on the door or to crown your version of the Goddess.

This is a time for giving gifts. Gather flowers with special messages for friends and relatives. Make up your own explanation of the meaning of each flower and give it along with the bouquet. For friends at a distance, send pressed flowers or May Day cards or packets of flower seeds. Barbara Walker in Women's Rituals suggests other appropriate gifts including perfume, incense, candied flower petals, herbs, sachets and artificial flowers.

If you can, stay up all night, preferably outdoors. At least go for a walk in the night on April 30th and listen for the bells that herald the approach of the Fairy Queen. And you can run around, under cover of darkness, leaving May baskets of flowers on doorsteps.

On the first of May, wear your most colorful clothes or dress all in green (the color of the fairies). Consider wearing a flower in your hair. If festivals were associated with decades, Ma Day would definitely be the 1960's because of its association with sensuality and free love, sweet smells and Nature, flowers and bells.

Make May wine by flavoring wine with herbs, berries, fruits or flowers. The traditional May wine is white wine flavored with sweet woodruff (soak the sprigs of woodruff in the wine for only 15 minutes or so to flavor the wine). If you don't drink alcohol, use the same technique to flavor milk or apple juice. Drink a toast to the glory of May. You might want to use this in a love ritual.

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If you choose to celebrate or acknowledge this powerful holiday in any way, I bid you joy, love and that the beloved God and Goddess bestows prosperity, abundance, fruitfulness, health and well-being.

— Danu’s Daughter