Bealtaine 2009

MingoCreekCountyPark, Shelter #2

Lady Annabelle

Washington County, PA

Greetings of the May: All meet and greet.

Lady A sings: The Ballad of Barbara Allen

Lady A: On this day we celebrate the joining of the Lord and Lady. These are our deities, and for those who are new to Wicca, we welcome you to our traditional ways. The name for this holiday, often called Beltane is Bealtaine in our tradition, which simply means May in Irish.

We begin by joining together in the making of the vine and flower chaplets; we join the two as the Lord and Lady join this day. Then half of us get blue ribbons and half get pink for our chaplets. Once we have completed the chaplets we will create our sacred space, call the quarters, and honor and call our deities.

The circle is cast—all through this area around and about.

Jen call the east

Charlie call the south

Tammy call the west

Erincalls the north

Lady Annabelle calls the Goddess Lady of the May; Gaia ,great mother, Artemis, young energetic one, Aphrodite, lover

Steve calls the Lord her lover, the horned god Herne and the spirit of the Green Man whose magick is in the trees. Lord of the dance!

As Bealtaine is an active festival, we will want to celebrate in a traditionally active fashion such as the May dances. This is where we dance the maypole.

Dancing the Maypole: Music is at the ready

Morris men who symbolized fertility would dance with staffs, yet another symbol of male power to celebrate the season and to give greater fertility to the land. Their dances are very masculine and symbolize the growing power of the sun and the impregnating of the land with masculine power.

Steve uses his staff to bang on the ground; I use the tambourine. Jodi rings the bells. Steve again bangs his staff. Ray rings the bells.

Maypole dances: Place the crown on the Maypole.

As the Horned God did dance for the love of his Lady so let us dance summer in. All gather in a circle around the maypole

The Candy Stripe

Begin with the gathering dance. All dance toward the pole and dance back from the pole. This is done twice and then you swing your partner twice.All join hands for a simple circle dance around the pole 2X then each gets a ribbon.

All the people with the blue ribbon take one or two steps in with their ribbons. The ones with the pink ribbons take one or two steps away from the pole. The blue group dances widdershins (counter clockwise) around the pole once until they reach their starting point the pink group dances deosil or sunwise (clockwise) once around the pole until they reach their starting point. When the pole is wrapped the dancers reverse their direction. The pink go first this time dancing counter clockwise until the pole is wrapped. Then when that is all unwrapped the dancers joins hands around the maypole and do a simple circle dance around the maypole. Clap hands.

Let another group do the candy stripe again. Again begin with all the gathering dances.

Single weave

Those holding blue face left and step in toward the pole. Those holding pink face right stepping back. This easy dance involves weaving under and over the next dancer. Call the next round when the ribbons are too short. When the ribbons all are woven all dance toward the pole again and back. Clap hands. Unweave by reversing the order.

Let another group do the single weave, again with all the gathering dances and and leave it woven.

Lady A:

Let us now kindle the belfire:

We will kindle the Balefire—named for the sun god Bel.

The balefire made on Bealtaine was started from the 9 sacred woods :

Birch, for the Goddess or female energy

Oak for the God or male energy

Hazel for knowledge and wisdom,

Rowan for life force,

Hawthorne for fairy magick,

Willow symbolic of death and sacred to Hecate,

Fir for birth or rebirth,

Apple for love and family and finally

Vine for joy and happiness.

When it is properly kindled, let us jump it, shouting our wishes.

Riding the broom (or riding pole or staff) would be done hobbyhorse fashion with the bristles up at the front symbolic of the God. The riding pole might also be decorated with ribbons or Spring flowers at the top of the pole.

Steve speaks of the nine herbs and puts them in the censor. The nine herbs:

Sharing the bounty

We will share the bounty of nature with all the God's and Goddess' children. We join together to partake of many gifts of nourishment—before we do this, let us hold in our hearts and minds what gifts and bounty we will give to another. Each may share, or hold it in their hearts and minds. Each person is given a flower (or an oil blessing )and a blessing by the High Priestess --Gerri helps me.

Closing the quarters.Opening the circle.

Get the grill ready BBQ and feast!

Drumming and dancing around the big fire

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