Swap Bible For Porn Via Project 'Smut for Smut'

[Above: Carlos Morales, president of the Atheist Agenda, debates religion with fellow students at UTSA's Sombrilla Plaza. The club hosted an event called "Smut for Smut," encouraging students to pick up a pornographic magazine in exchange for a Bible or other religious text, which members say are filled with examples of violence and torture.]

Tired of that old Bible or Quran?

Atheist Agenda – a student organization present on the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) campus since 2005 – launched its annual 'Smut for Smut' campaign on campus. As outlined by MySA News, club members view religious texts as being on the same level as dirty pornography and thus freely exchange one for the other.

In addition to seeking nationwide media coverage and attention, the group is also hoping for a few faithless to convert to their cause and join the organization. Subsequently, the entire event is a means of opening the door to a dialog.

'Smut for Smut' is a yearly event that is always good for media attention, protesters and First Amendment debates. The UTSA student newspaper The Paisano points out that the porn for Bibles or other religious text exchange will continue until March 3. Atheists equate smutty porn with religious texts – although much of the criticism is aimed at the Christian Bible – because of the dangerous, hateful and misogynistic views the latter holds.

In a 2005 interview following the first 'Smut for Smut' campaign, the then-president of the Atheist Agenda discussed his beliefs with MSNBC. He considered religious texts as "tribal nonsense" that was "written...in tents."

As in the past, this year's campaign drew hundreds to UTSA's Sombrilla Plaza on March 2 to either cheer, protest or inquire about the event and to debate the role of religion in society.

By the Atheist Agenda's own admission, they collected a scant 10 religious texts on the first day of the Bible for porn campaign. Swappers were given print pornography, such as Playboy, Hustler or Penthouse. The group also garnered screaming protesters, Bible thumpers, those who would shake their heads, and most likely also feminist onlookers not too pleased at the porn being handed out.

The immediate religious counter-response in Texas and around the nation – though self-indicting – is that Atheist Agenda is unfairly cherry-picking from religious texts. According to The Paisano, throngs of religious – mostly Christian – believers showed up to form a counter-protest, shrilly condemning the perceived insult to their holy book, and playing right into Atheist Agenda's hands. Also, interestingly, a faction of professed 'agnostics' arrived to stand as a voice of reason separately between the two groups, both of whom they consider equally guilty of intolerance.

Some of the protesters maintained full respect for Atheist Agenda's right to speak. One student reportedly carried a sign that read, "Jesus loves the Atheist Agenda." Others were less lenient, and deemed Smut for Smut "inappropriate" and "offensive," with one reportedly ripping down a Smut for Smut campaign banner. Another student, Adam Zepada from nearby Saint Mary's University, told The Paisano, "I wanted to call up some homeboys and be like 'hey dawg, I wanna go up there and take care of it real quick.' But, because I'm saved and I gave my life to Christ in 2007, I don't live like that anymore."

"I don't understand how that equals at all..to the word of God..they're definitely opposites..." says Monica Coronado, a University of Texas – San Antonio freshman.

Coronado was one of many students who joined hands, denouncing the group's message. "Honestly God isn't just about killing people...He's about really righteousness...I just wanted to explain."

Others sided with Atheist Agenda. “It's a First Amendment right,” said Bradley Lewis, 18, a freshman from Pear-land who said he plans to join the Atheist Agenda. “If religious groups can put out missionaries and go knock on my door and wake me up at 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning, I can put a table outside of the college.”

Robin Lorkovic, 18, a freshman from Houston, disagreed. Lorkovic stood near the “Smut for Smut” table holding a cardboard sign that said “God Loves You! Keep your Bible and learn from it!”

“I don't really feel like that is appropriate at all,” Lorkovic said. “I am a Christian. I believe in God's love, and I am here to stand my ground and stand up for what I believe in.”

The debate spurred plenty of emotion from both sides, but some students took a different approach, supporting neither side, saying the debate accomplished nothing.

"They're going up against each other and what they stand for...what they believe in, is okay..but what they're doing today is something that fosters hatred," said Natalie Tenorio, who remained neutral.

The Atheist Agenda started at UTSA in 2005, and the group's first “Smut for Smut” campaign blew up into a national media sensation. Past President Thomas Jackson was deluged with interview requests, and he debated Tucker Carlson, the bow-tie-wearing conservative pundit, on MSNBC.

Police kept a watchful gaze over students involved in heated debates and did not report any violence.

“This is ultimately why this is going on,” Lewis said. “It's an icebreaker to get people talking about these things.”

According to a University spokesman, what the atheist groups' believe may not represent the majority of the student body. What they did was legal.

"As long as students are not violating laws or violating the Constitution, they have the freedom of speech and assembly." said David Gabler, Vice President of UTSA Communications.


Before I address the religious aspect of this account, a brief comment about pornography. I wish that Atheist Agenda had used a different vehicle to exchange with the religious texts – not for the sake of the faithful, but for the sake of porn. In a repressed society, we should be working toward a sex positive view, which includes acceptance of porn for the use and enjoyment of adults. I strongly support working to improve the image of women depicted throughout most porn magazines and DVDs. I also strongly support the women and men who work in the sex industry.

Now then. As long as the basic divide between adherents to the numerous world faiths, and those who adhere to none, remains irreconcilable, the area where we all can – and must – converge is blocked. There will be no way to actually have that important conversation. Violence or terror, most obviously, are unacceptable. But the milder form so often practiced by believers – a puerile refusal to allow one's ideas to be criticized at all – can be just as prohibitive to the conversation. Equally obstructionist was Atheist Agenda's jab at ancient texts many believe to be sacred. While they did not direct their apparent satire at any person, it was nonetheless hurtful. As a Wiccan, I respect every person's faith and will do nothing to belittle them, or those who follow their precepts. Ideas and sources must be open for criticism, but it must be constructive and NOT mean spirited.

— Danu's Daughter

Wiccan Magick and Steps to Use It

This is the third part of an introduction to basic Neo-Paganism and Wicca. Previously discussed was an overview of what constitutes a Neo-Pagan faith path, the incredible variation of these religions, and a discussion of Wiccan and Neo-Pagan beliefs/ethics.

In this section, the focus is on Wicca, specifically what constitutes magic and/or magick, and how it’s most frequently used.

First, let me restate that Paganism refers to an old and ancient number of religions predating Christianity by thousands of years, which have not survived in their original forms. Neo-paganism refers to a group of modern revivalist religions and religious practices based on those ancient faiths that include Wicca, Druidism, Santeria, Voudun, Christo-Paganism, Dianic Wicca, and many others. In fact, there are so many new faith paths that have sprouted from Wicca’s branch of Neo-Paganism that they are sometimes referred to as Neo-Wicca! (I myself am an Eclectic Wiccan, meaning that I am a Solitary Practitioner who has adapted a variety of Neo-Pagan beliefs – Celtic, Druidism, and Native American primarily – into the basic Wiccan religious model.)

In general, I’m using the term magic throughout to refer to non-religious acts, like slight of hand or other stage productions. I am reminded of the classic Bullwinkle and Rocky cartoons of my youth. Bullwinkle J. Moose, dressed in various magician garbs, says, “Nutin’ up my sleeve,” “Next, I’ll pull a rabbit out of my hat – presto!” but instead, he pulls out a lion (see illustration above) who tries to eat him. “No doubt about it, I’ve got to get a new hat,” he tells his buddy Rocky. My favorite is Bullwinkle dressed as a mentalist proclaiming: “Eeenie-meanie, chili-beanie, the spirits are about to speak!” But, in this kind of magic, sadly they never do.

Magick, on the other hand, is the real thing – and it definitely works. Practitioners perform rituals or spells to move or increase energy in religious or non-religious contexts for a specific purpose.

Technically, anyone who practices natural, earth or folk magick performs witchcraft and can be a witch, but not all witches are Wiccans, and not all Wiccans practice magick. Confused?

While Wicca is a religion, the practice of witchcraft and magick does not have to occur in a religious setting. Anyone can learn to practice magick, atheists included. Using the natural energies within, along with the energies of herbs, stones or other elements naturally found on the planet to make changes is considered magick. Many Wiccans divide their practice of magick into rituals and spells. Most Wiccans incorporate magick into their religious practice, but some choose to omit it entirely and remain Wiccans.

Just because magick isn’t fully understood doesn’t mean that it doesn’t operate according to existing universal laws. Correctly performed magick does indeed work, much the way a properly performed science experiment does. Thus, magick is not a matter of belief.

According to the famous occultist and Ceremonial Magician Aleister Crowley, magick is, "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will."

In fact, Crowley added, "Every intentional act is a Magickal Act."

Following that reasoning, “Magick is the science and art of causing change (in consciousness) to occur in conformity with will, using means not currently understood by traditional Western science,” writes Donald Michael Kraig in Modern Magick (Llewellyn Publications.)

Thus: Magick is an act of will to bring about a desired result/change utilizing energies and the practitioner’s own abilities.

These definitions pretty well sum up the view of Ceremonial Magicians – but not the view of most Wiccans. Because Wicca is a religion, Wiccan practitioners of magick add a moral basis to that equation.

For most Wiccans, the above definition would be slightly altered in phraseology, but substantially altered in content to: Magick is an act of will to bring about needed results to effect positive change utilizing Divine energies and the practitioner’s own abilities.

Another way to express that idea is: "Wiccan Magick is change, directed by the Self, empowered by the Will and decided by Morality."

Wiccan morality is primarily based on the Wiccan Rede, the pertinent part is the last stanza, “Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfil: An It Harme None, Do As Ye Will.”

In other words, utilize free will fully and enjoy and relish life, but stop short if your actions will harm yourself, or any one else. Or according to Mnemosyne's Realm: "Spells are not about turning people into frogs or granting wishes..."

In addition, most Wiccans also adhere to the Law of Threefold Return, or the idea that anything done may be returned to them but three times as strong. It is similar to karma, but here positive actions are magnified back to the performer, as are harmful deeds. The Threefold Law is generally explained as:

“Ever Mind The Rule Of Three,
Three Times Your Acts Return To Thee.
This Lesson Well, Thou Must Learn,
Thou Only Gets What Thee Dost Earn.”

At this point, it seems important to discuss how Wiccan magick differs from practices within other religions. For example, if someone is ill, many faiths petition Deity to help the sufferer. In Wicca, if a friend is ill, the practitioner first asks their permission to perform a healing ritual. Once permission is obtained, the practitioner gathers healing energy from themselves, the earth, along with healing energy from the Divine, and sends it out joyfully to help the sufferer. In other words, it is an active practice, using magick as a tool to help or improve life, while growing ever closer to the God and Goddess.

Devotees of Wiccan magick use spells, rituals and ceremonies to harness the energy and power of the natural world and their own minds. Magick is nothing more or less than that energy, combined with their relationship to the Divine. There are many ways to direct those energies around and within. These “powers” can be learned and used by anyone, whether or not they are Wiccan. Some will find the practice of magick easier or more natural than will others.

With practice and patience it can be used in the same manner by anyone. True followers of the Ancient Path were considered healers, medicine men, seers, and were respected, even revered because they were so in tune with Nature.

It is believed that this natural energy/power has three main sources – personal energy/power, earth energy/power, and Divine energy/power. Thus, all energy/power generally comes from the practitioner, the earth, or the Divine.

Personal Energy/Power: Can be defined by the energy/power that resides within the body of the practitioner. This energy/power comes from many sources, and most don't notice they even possess it. This energy/power is absorbed from the sun, moon, and stars, and from the food and water. (A small amount even comes from the air when it is inhaled, though this is lost during exhale.) This energy/power, whatever its source, is released during movement and exercise. In general, the energy/power naturally absorbed is much greater than the energy/power we naturally expend, and so is available for use in magick.

Earth Energy/Power: Is that energy/power residing within the sacred earth, its energy and natural objects including all animals and creatures, trees, herbs, stones, wind, fire, and water. All these things have their own specific, unique energies that can be accessed during magick. Items may be dipped into water to cleanse them, or herbs can be burned to produce a certain affect, or a simple crystal can be used to effect healing, while an image or symbol of an animal or creature can be added to an altar and meditated upon.

Divine Energy/Power: Energy/power that comes directly from the Divine, is also referred to as religious magick. Though both personal and earth power are comprised of divine power, they are indirect manifestations. But, Divine power is pure energy/power that exists within the Goddess and God. The life force, the ultimate source of all things. Wiccans can invoke the presences of the God or Goddess during any type of rite.

The "casting of a spell," frequently misunderstood as a means of having power over people or nature by the use of supernatural forces, is actually a form of ritual and meditation very similar to prayer in other religions. But in Wicca instead of beseeching the aid or intervention of an external deity, the indwelling Divine energy is drawn outward to manifestation in the world through a harmonious interaction with the Divine presence that most Wiccans know is constantly present.

The steps of basic Wiccan magick are:

01 — Identify a Magickal Need

Wiccans try never to use magick for frivolous reasons, so they really mean it when they say: “Need.” (This is the change portion of the definition of magick.)

02 — Draw/Raise Energy/Power

This is a critical step. Many utilize magick visualization to accomplish this. A common visualization is to see the energy/power in a particular color as it builds. Practitioners reach out to the earth around them, and to the Deities to increase the energy/power they are holding. They may also choose to ask for energy/power from earth’s spirits for help. The idea is to feel all of the energy/power gradually building within, and to hold it there. (It is the self portion of the equation that directs the energy at this stage.)

03 — Directing Energy/Power

Continue holding the gathered energy/power while clearly focusing on the magickal goal in as much detail as possible. This is deceptively difficult. Keep the mind from wandering, and focus on the goal like a laser beam. If this is not done correctly, the energy/power will be diluted, or drained away, and will not accomplish what it is intended to do. (This is where the practitioner’s will comes in to play.)

04 — Releasing the Energy/Power

When the practitioner can no longer gather any more energy/power, they should concentrate on releasing it. They might take a breath or two, then release the energy/power within their body, sending it, directly and completely at their magickal goal. (It is the practitioner’s morality at this stage that ensures the energy has been directed in a positive fashion.)

05 — Grounding

After the energy/power has been directed at the magickal goal, it is important to return any unused energy that might still be within the practitioner’s body to the earth. The easiest way to do this is for the practitioner to stamp their feet several times. As they do this, they should visualize any energy/power still within leaving their body through their feet and returning downward into the earth.

06 — Give Thanks

After the practitioner has grounded any remaining energy/power, they should give thanks to the Deities for their participation and the success of the rite. Also, they should give thanks to any of earth’s spirits that they may have called upon for help.

These six steps may seem easy, or they may even seem very far afield from living up to the promise of “magick.” Like all true and ultimately mysterious religious practices, Wiccan magick has layers of complexity that are never completely understood. To successfully perform magick consistently takes a great deal of practice and skill. Remember, for Wiccans, the Deities involved are actually present with them each step along their magickal way.

It may be obvious at this point why a lot of Wiccans, and non-Wiccans alike, practice sex magick, since the building of sexual energy and its release has similar basic stages as do most magickal rites.

The problem is that it takes extreme control to utilize sexual energy effectively, and is also very, very difficult to direct successfully – but it is also way more than fun to keep trying!

Many early Wiccans, such as Alex Sanders, Sybil Leek and Doreen Valiente (the author of The Charge of the Goddess and former High Priestess of Crowley’s Coven,) referred to their own magick as "white magic," which contrasted with "black magic," that they associated with evil and Satanism.

Donald Michael Kraig, a philosopher and Certified Tarot Grandmaster, states in his book Modern Magick – Eleven Lessons in the High Magickal Arts (Llewellyn 1988), that “black” magick is “the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with will, using means not currently understood by traditional Western science, for the purpose of causing either physical or non-physical harm to yourself or others, and is done either consciously or unconsciously.”

Others shortened that definition to be “any type of magick that interferes with the free will of another person.”

Likewise, any spell that directly or indirectly and either intentionally or unintentionally harms another person is also considered to be an “evil” spell. Thus, even protective magick can fall under the realm of “black” magick. The most constructive protective magick does not send negative energy back to the practitioner or responsible party who cast the harmful spell, but either ends it or turns it into a more positive form of energy.

Magick that controls spirits, demons, angels and so forth is also so-called “black” in nature. Again, this type of magick interferes with the free will of another.

Some also used the similar terminology of "left hand path" to describe malevolent magick, and "right hand path" to describe magick performed with good intentions; terminology that originated with the occultist Madame Blavatsky in the 19th Century. Many modern Wiccans have stopped using the white-black magic and left-right hand path dichotomies, arguing that the color black should not necessarily have any associations with evil, nor the color white with good.

In general, Wiccans do not believe in Satan, nor do they believe that a single "evil" entity exists. Most see evil as imbalance, and the result of people making mistakes and choices that lead to their own suffering, and the suffering of others. Wrongdoing occurs when people forget, or sever, their sacred connection and relationship with the earth and the universal Divine Spirit.

When Wiccans adhere to their moral code they choose not to use magick to harm or manipulate others. Those who choose to ignore any moral code and intentionally or unintentionally perform magick for ill, will gain a three-fold payment.

“Magic(k) is dependent on our relationship with the Divine. As much as ceremonialists tell us that magic(k)al power is neither black nor white and can be used for anything, anyone practicing an ecstatic religion like Wicca knows that magic(k) is inherently positive and holy,” writes Dianne Sylvan again in The Circle Within.

What would Wicca be without the possibility of magick? Magick is at the heart of Wicca for most followers, because the essence of this rich Neo-Pagan path is sacred transformation.

Next: Wiccan and Ceremonial Rituals and Spells

— 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

The Sacred Cycle of Life = Turns Along the Wheel of the Year

To truly understand Neo-Paganism, the best place to begin is to appreciate how followers perceive everyday life.

For Wiccans and Neo-Pagans, life provides constant opportunities to “remember the Divinity within ourselves and all things; to manifest our God and Goddess all the time, every day, every moment; to love as They love, to give as They give; to serve Them in perfect trust; and thus bring Their grace more fully into the world; to understand that we are the embodiment of the Divine love and nurture, and to express that love in the world; to walk as God and Goddess,” says Dianne Sylvan in The Circle Within.

To Wiccans, anything and everything is possible. Wiccans try to look at the world with the eyes of a child, fully open to wonder and the magic that is all around. Yet, they also believe in taking responsibility for choices that are made along the path without judgment, and learning from them.

They see existence as presenting a cosmic cause and effect relationship, believing that everything that exists, including themselves, is comprised of energy from the Divine. Many Wiccans, and some other Neo-Pagans, seek to work with this sacred energy to improve their lives and also to return energy back to the sacred Earth. Practitioners call this important work, “magick.”

To them, walking with the Goddess and God daily means that these Deities are actually and truly present. One important way for Wiccans and other Neo-Pagans to celebrate this vital connection is to reflect on the changes of the seasons, to watch the days “turn” until life ages and turns to death, and death gives way and turns to rebirth.

As a result, they have developed the Wheel of the Year, a term for the annual cycle of the Earth's seasons. It consists of eight festivals, spaced at approximately even intervals throughout the year. These festivals are referred by Wiccans as Sabbats.

In many forms of Neo-Paganism, natural processes are seen as following this continuous cycle. The passing of time is also seen as cyclical, and is represented by a circle or wheel. The progression of birth, life, decline and death, as experienced in human lives, is echoed in the progression of the seasons. Wiccans also see this cycle as echoing the life, death and rebirth of their Horned God and the fertility of their Goddess.

While most of the Sabbat names derive from historical Celtic and Germanic festivals, the non-traditional names Litha and Mabon, which have become popular in North American Wicca, were introduced by Aidan Kelly in the 1970s. The word "sabbat" itself comes from the witches' sabbath or sabbat attested to in Early Modern witch trials.

All of the Sabbats are agrarian, four relate more to plants (planting, harvest, etc.) and four relate more to animal husbandry (cycles of fertility).

Among most Wiccans, the common Wheel of the Year narrative is that of the God/Goddess duality. In this cycle, the God is born from the Goddess at Yule, grows in power at Vernal Equinox (along with the Goddess who has now returned to her maiden aspect), courts and impregnates the Goddess at Beltane, wanes in power at Lammas, passes into the underworld at Samhain, then is once again born from Her mother/crone aspect at Yule.

The Goddess, in turn, ages and rejuvenates endlessly with the seasons, being courted by and giving birth to the Horned God. Versions of this myth vary from coven to coven, shifting the birth, conception, or death of the God to different sabbats.

Another, more solar, narrative is of the Holly King and the Oak King, with one ruling the winter, the other the summer. These two figures battle with each other endlessly as the seasons turn. At Midsummer the Oak King is at the height of his strength, while the Holly King is at his weakest. The Holly King begins to regain his power, and at the Autumn Equinox, the tables finally turn in the Holly King's favor; he vanquishes the Oak King at Yule. Then over the next months, as the sun waxes in power, the Oak King slowly regains his strength; at the Spring Equinox he begins to triumph until he once again defeats the Holly King at Midsummer.

Wicca and the Wheel of the Year

The following details the Wiccan Wheel of the Year. Four of the Sabbats, the cross-quarter days, are referred to as the Greater Sabbats, coinciding with Celtic fire festivals, and these were initially the only four sabbats. The other four are known as Lesser Sabbats, and comprise of the solstices and the equinoxes, and were only adopted in 1958 by the Bricket Wood coven. The names of these holidays are often taken from Germanic pagan and Celtic polytheistic holidays. However, the festivals are not reconstructive in nature nor do they often resemble their historical counterparts, instead exhibiting a form of universalism. Ritual observations may display cultural influence from the holidays from which they take their name as well as influence from other unrelated cultures. The eight sabbats, beginning with Samhain, which has long been thought of as Celtic new year:

• Samhain – Greater Sabbat of the Dead (Oct. 31, Nov. 1)
The first festival is known as Samhain is celebrated on October 31st. This is also known as Witch's New Year. This festival celebrates the death of the God and waiting for his rebirth at Yule. Usually, this is a festival of remembering your loved ones who have gone on. According to Celtic tradition the New Year began at sunset on this day. This holiday is also known as the Feast of the dead. Divination magic is said to be strongest on this day as the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest.

• Yule – Lesser Sabbat, the Winter Solstice (Dec. 21 or Dec. 22)
This celebration is for the birth of the God. It is usually a celebration with family and friends. Candles are a huge part of this festival as the god is associated with light and the sun.

• Imbolc (Candlemas) – Greater Sabbat (Feb. 02)
The God is now a child growing and playing. The celebration is also to acknowledge the returning sunlight to the Earth. The first seeds are usually planted at this time. Some people light candles to honor this and others still wake up in the dead of night and stay up and watch the sunrise.

• Ostara – Lesser Sabbat, the Spring Equinox (March 20-23)
Ostara celebrates the beginning courtship between the God and Goddess. The Christian tradition of decorating Easter eggs was borrowed from this holiday. This is celebrated on the vernal equinox where daylight and night are equal. This festival is another planting holiday. The eggs symbolize fertility and it is said by decorating the eggs with desires for the upcoming year and burying them in the ground will help bring these desires to fruition.

• Beltane or May Eve – Greater Sabbat (May 01)
This is a significant celebration as the union of the God and the Goddess is made known. Large bale fires are usually lit and this is a well-known and practiced fertility ritual.

• Litha – Lesser Sabbat, the Summer Solstice (June 21)
Also known as Midsummer Night's Eve. This holiday is usually celebrated on the summer solstice; the longest day of the year. This festival is also fertility holiday. Many men would jump bonfires to aid in the fertility of the land and their livestock. This is a favorite time to perform hand-fasting, meaning commitment or pagan wedding ceremonies.

• Lughnasadh, or Lammas – Greater Sabbat of the Harvest (Aug. 01)
This is the first dedication to the god and goddess of the harvest. Traditionally, bread is baked and served at the celebrations as wheat is a harvest symbol. It is a time to give thanks for the start of a bountiful harvest season.

• Mabon – Lesser Sabbat, the Autumn Equinox (Sept. 23)
It is another harvest holiday. Usually vegetables make a star appearance at this festival. It is the waning of the god's years as the goddess starts to prepare to give rebirth to the god at Yule. This is a time for preparation for the winter and giving thanks again to the god and goddess for a good harvest season.

Wiccan founder Gerald Gardner made use of the English names of these holidays; "The four great Sabbats are Candlemass, May Eve, Lammas, and Halloween; the equinoxes and solstices are celebrated also," but the other names are now also commonly found.

Most of the holidays of the Wheel of the Year are named after Christian, Pre-Christian Celtic and Pre-Christian Germanic religious festivals, but depart largely in form and meaning from the traditional observances of those festivals. Historian Ronald Hutton ascribes this to the influence of turn of the century romanticism as well as the eclectic elements introduced by Wicca. The similarities between these holidays generally end at the shared names, as Wicca makes no effort to reconstruct the ancient practices. Hutton has described the merging of culturally diverse festivals into a unified set of eight as a form of universalism not corroborated by any historical continuity.

There is no region in Europe where all eight festivals have been observed as a set, and the complete eightfold Wheel of the Year was unknown prior to modern Wicca. In early forms of Wicca only the cross-quarter days were observed. However, in 1958 the members of Bricket Wood Coven added the solstices and equinoxes to their original calendar, as they desired more frequent celebrations. Their High Priest was Gardner who was away visiting the Isle of Man at the time. He did not object when he returned, since they were now more in line with the Neo-druidism of Ross Nichols, a friend of Gardner's who founded of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.

In Wicca and similar Pagan faiths, each full moon and sometimes its phases are also celebrated. These are called Esbats and are different from Sabbats. While Sabbats generally honor the life of the God, Esbats are dedicated to the Goddess.

Generally, there are 13 Esbats every years. Actually, any moon phase can be used for an Esbat. They are considered to many as important as the Sabbats. An Esbat is an excellent time to honor the Goddess – a natural connection considering the female manifestation of the Moon, although the God is often honored as well.

It is often a time of gathering for members of a coven, but can effectively be kept by followers who are Solitary Practitioners.

Most try to celebrate outside if possible to allow the Moon to drench them with its cooling, soothing and inspiring rays. But, Esbats are often held inside too, providing opportunities to share energy with each other and the universe, or to do so alone.

During an Esbat, participants honor the Goddess, in whatever form they choose, in ritual forms. They thank her for her presence in their lives, and for the guidance she provides. To some, it is also a time to perform structured rituals and to cast “spells” according to the phase of the moon.

The Full Moon is the time in the lunar cycle when the moon is complete. This happens for three days in succession – the day before the astrological Full Moon, the astrological Full Moon itself, and the day after the astrological Full Moon. Participants believe it is then that all the magickal qualities of the Moon are their peak, thus is the time of greatest power.

A common practice during the Esbat is to “Draw Down the Moon.” This can be done as a group or as an individual. When this is done, participants call upon the moon’s magical powers to fill them with its power and inspiration. The energy gathered is used either in spells or to send back out to the universe to heal, while any that is unused is returned to Mother Earth as the ritual ends.

To each Lunar month, ancestral follower’s of Paganism assigned an Esbat name in accordance with the nature of the activity that took place at that time. Depending upon the path followed, these names often differ. Thus, the Full Moons have been named by many cultures, and can also be known by tree names, astrological names, American Indian names – the list is virtually endless. This blog will be using the most common names for the Esbat Moons, which appear below along with their matching Celtic tree correspondences:

• January – Wolf Moon or Snow Moon (Alder)
Amid the zero cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. It was also known as the Old Moon or the “Moon After Yule.” In some tribes this was the Full Snow Moon; most applied that name to the next Moon.

• February – Storm Moon or Death Moon (Willow)
It occurs at a time of long nights and dark days, making it a good time of year to do magick for accepting challenges and perseverance.

• March – Chaste Moon (Ash)
This moon occurs at the beginning of spring, a time of purity and newness, making it the perfect time to do magick for planting the seeds for success and hope.

• April – Seed Moon (Hawthorn)
The energies around this moon are ones of fertility, growth and inner wisdom. Followers are encouraged to be bold at this time; to take action.

• May – Hare Moon or Flower Moon (Oak)
The energies around this moon are ones of health, romance, love and wisdom. Followers are encouraged to begin to take action on the things we’ve recently been planning.

• June – Dyad (Pair) Moon or Lover’s Moon (Holly)
The energies around this moon are ones of love, marriage and success. It is a time to acknowledge and celebrate our “garden” – our life, loved ones and accomplishments.

• July – Mead Moon or Blessing Moon (Hazel)
The energies around this moon surround success, appreciation of what’s been worked hard to achieve, reaping the first harvests and celebrating all successes. Followers are encouraged to appreciate accomplishments, and to begin to put new energies into building on them.

• August – Wyrt (Green Plant) Moon or Corn Moon (Vine)
The energies around this moon are abundance, in all areas of life and marriage. Followers work to begin harvesting and collecting herbs that will be used over the next year, and storing them. Magic done at this time of year can be help themselves or someone else (who has asked for help) to reap the benefits of hard work done.

• September – Barley Moon or Corn Moon (Ivy)
Named for the corn harvest and the threshing of ripened barley. For native Americans, it has been the Nut (Cherokee), Mulberry (Choctaw) and Moon When the Calves Grow Hair (Dakota Sioux). It's the last Full Moon before the autumnal equinox. The full light allows harvest chores to go into the night.

• October – Blood Moon or Hunter’s Moon (Reed)
With the leaves falling and the deer fattened, it is time to hunt (symbolically.) Since the fields have been reaped, hunters can ride over the stubble, and can more easily see the fox, also other animals that have come out to glean and can be caught for a thanksgiving banquet after the harvest. Thus, it is a time to give thanks for the hunt, all food, regardless of type. Participants give thanks for all they’ve received: body, mind and spiritual sustenance.

• November – Snow Moon or Beaver Moon (Birch)
This was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name comes from the fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for winter. Rituals generally focus on preparation in body, mind and spirit as Mother earth is now at peace, she has given all food and warmth during the past year and now needs to rest under a blanket of whitest snow. Participants should take time to finish projects, and since nights are longer, to spend more time in the house and we should be preparing for the coldest months.

• December – Oak Moon or Cold Moon (Rowan)
Though we think of December as a dark month, it is also the time of the returning of the sun. A very special month in many ways, participants are asked to remember all they have as well as those who have less. They might organize a meal with loved ones, or for those less fortunate. To spend time alone or with loved ones reflecting on the year’s end in gratitude.

• Blue Moon – Variable (Second Full Moon in a Month)
When two full moons occur in a single month, the second full moon is called a "Blue Moon." Another definition of the blue moon is the third full moon that occurs in a season of the year which has four full moons (usually each season has only three full moons.) Because of its rarity, it is considered a very powerful Full Moon and should be used for important goals.

— Danu’s Daughter