Messages In This Digest (5 Messages)
- 1a.
- Maypole Dance Chant From: Silver Fox
- 2a.
- Maypole From: Silver Fox
- 3a.
- Maypole Dance From: Silver Fox
- 4a.
- Moon Drawing Spell From: Silver Fox
- 5.
- Retreat - Living the Sacred Feminine Lifestyle - From Patriarchy to From: Karen Tate
Messages
- 1a.
-
Maypole Dance Chant
Posted by: "Silver Fox" silverfox_57@hotmail.com trickster9993
Tue Apr 26, 2011 7:35 am (PDT)
Maypole Dance Chant
Ann O'Brien 1995
http://www.earthspirit.com/mtongue/ chtlib/chtlifr. html
Weave, spin, dance your cares away,
A spirit fire's alive to your entrancing,
Weave, spin, dance into the May,
The earth and sky are wed as you are dancing,
Weave now
Silver Fox
"It is all true, it is not true. The more I tell you, the more I shall lie. What is story but jesting Pilate's cry. I am not paid to tell you the truth."
Jane Yolen; The Storyteller
- 2a.
-
Maypole
Posted by: "Silver Fox" silverfox_57@hotmail.com trickster9993
Tue Apr 26, 2011 7:35 am (PDT)
Maypole
"The Maypole is traditionally a tall pole garlanded with greenery or flowers and often hung with ribbons that are woven into complex patterns by a group of dancers. Such performances are the echoes of ancient dances around a living tree in spring rites designed to ensure fertility. Tradition varies as to the type of wood used for the maypole. In some accounts the traditional wood is ash or birch, and in others it is cypress or elm. The Maypole concept can be traced to a figure known as the herm[a] (or hermai [for plural]) that was placed at the crossroads throughout the Roman Empire.
A herm[a] is a pillar-like figure sporting the upper torso of a god or spirit. The herm[a] was symbol of fertility and it was often embellished by an erect penis protruding from the pillar. The earliest herm[ai] were simply wooden columns upon which a ritual mask was hung. In time, to reduce replacement costs, the Romans began making herm[ai] from stone instead of wood. In May, the herm[a] was adorned with flowers and greenery, and sacred offerings were placed before it. This and other practices of ancient Italian paganism were carried by the Romans throughout most of continental Europe and into the British Isles."
Excerpt from "Beltane" by Raven Grimassi
According to Grimassi, more information on this can be found in "Dionysos: Archetype Image of Indestructible Life" by Carl Kerenyi (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1976, pp. 380-381).
And all I found in Wikipedia on Hermai was the following:
Herma
In ancient Greece, before his role as protector of merchants and travelers, Hermes was a phallic god, associated with fertility, luck, roads and borders. His name comes from the word herma (plural hermai) referring to a square or rectangular pillar of stone, terracotta, or bronze; a bust of Hermes' head, usually with a beard, sat on the top of the pillar, and male genitals adorned the base. The hermai were used as boundary markers on roads and borders. In Athens, they were placed outside houses for good luck.
Several other sources echoed much the same information. With Grimassi's book being the only source I have on hand trying to link the hermai with maypoles, I'm not sure how accurate that can be.
Maypole History And Origin
http://www.theholidayspot.com/ mayday/history. htm
Learn about the roots of this secular celebration and the ancient traditions like the Maypoles, the greens...all surviving till date.
Well, it is a fact that May Day, which the children do enjoy with all vibes, is not an overly prominent holiday in America. Yet, it does have a long and notable history as one of the world's principal festivals. The origin of the May Day as a day for celebration dates back to the days, even before the birth of Christ. And like many ancient festivals it too has a Pagan connection.
For the Druids of the British Isles, May 1 was the second most important holiday of the year. Because, it was when the festival of Beltane held. It was thought that the day divides the year into half. The other half was to be ended with the Samhain on November 1. Those days the May Day custom was the setting of new fire. It was one of those ancient New Year rites performed throughout the world. And the fire itself was thought to lend life to the burgeoning springtime sun. Cattle were driven through the fire to purify them. Men, with their sweethearts, passed through the smoke for seeing good luck.
Then the Romans came to occupy the British Isles. The beginning of May was a very popular feast time for the Romans. It was devoted primarily to the worship of Flora, the goddess of flowers. It was in her honor a five day celebration, called the Floralia, was held. The five day festival would start from April 28 and end on May 2. The Romans brought in the rituals of the Floralia festival in the British Isles. And gradually the rituals of the Floralia were added to those of the Beltane. And many of today's customs on the May Day bear a stark similarity with those combined traditions.
May day observance was discouraged during the Puritans. Though, it was relived when the Puritans lost power in England, it didn't have the same robust force. Gradually, it came to be regarded more as a day of joy and merriment for the kids, rather than a day of observing the ancient fertility rights.
The tradition of Maypole and greeneries:
By the Middle Ages every English village had its Maypole. The bringing in of the Maypole from the woods was a great occasion and was accompanied by much rejoicing and merrymaking. The Maypoles were of all sizes. And one village would vie with another to show who could produce the tallest Maypole. Maypoles were usually set up for the day in small towns, but in London and the larger towns they were erected permanently.
The Maypole tradition suffered a setback for about a couple of decades since the Puritan Long Parliament stopped it in 1644. However, with the return of the Stuarts, the Maypole reappeared and the festivities of May Day were again enjoyed. One of the great Maypoles, was the changes brought about by the Reformation included attempts to do away with practices that were obviously of pagan origin. But the Maypole, or, May tree, was not issued in practice at the behest of the second Stuart.
Although they succeeded in doing this, Maypole with most of the other traditions, many still survived. And Maypole is one of them. In France it merely changed its name. In Perigord and elsewhere, the May Tree became the "Tree of Liberty" and was the symbol of the French Revolution. Despite the new nomenclature, the peasants treated the tree in the same traditional spirit. And they would dance around it the same way as their forefathers had always done.
Maypoles and trees:
Trees have been linked to a part of celebration, perhaps, to the days ancient New Year rites. The association of trees to this celebration has come riding on the back of the spring festival in ancient Europe. Trees have always been the symbol of the great vitality and fertility of nature and were often used at the spring festivals of antiquity. The anthropologist E. O. James finds a strong relationship between the ancient tree related traditions of the British and the Romans. According to James' description, as a part of the May Day celebration, the youths in old Europe cut down a tree, lopped off the branches leaving a few at the top. They then wrapped it round with violets like the figure of the Attis, the ancient Roman god. At sunrise, they used to take it back to their villages by blowing horns and flutes. In a similar manner, the sacred pine tree representing the god Attis was carried in procession to the temple of Cybele on Rome's Palatine Hill during the Spring Festival of March 22.
Roots of May Day celebration in America:
The Puritans frowned on May Day, so the day has never been celebrated with as much enthusiasm in the United States as in Great Britain. But the tradition of celebrating May Day by dancing and singing around a maypole, tied with colorful streamers or ribbons, survived as a part of the English tradition. The kids celebrating the day by moving back and forth around the pole with the the streamers, choosing of May queen, and hanging of May baskets on the doorknobs of folks -- are all the leftovers of the old European traditions.
Maypole
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dancing around the maypole, in Åmmeberg, SwedenThe maypole is a tall wooden pole (traditionally of hawthorn or birch), sometimes erected with several long colored ribbons suspended from the top, festooned with flowers, draped in greenery and strapped with large circular wreaths, depending on local and regional variances.
With roots in Germanic paganism, the maypole traditionally appears in most Germanic countries and Germanic country-bordering, most popularly in Austria, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Finland (including the Åland islands) and Sweden in modern times for Spring, May Day, Beltane and Midsummer festivities and rites.
Regional traditions
Czech Republic
The maypole (majka or maj) is also still popular in the Czech Republic, in country villages. Villages compete to get taller maypoles than their neighbors, and during the night the youths of a village guard the maypole to keep ruffians from neighboring villages from knocking it over (while at the same time attempting forays into neighboring villages to knock over the maypoles of others).
Sri Lanka
In the 2005 Perahera (procession) at Kataragama in Sri Lanka; children in turbans, dressed like Indian princes, plaited tapes and clashed sticks as they danced around a moving, portable Maypole. They then reversed direction to un-plait the tapes around the moving maypole.
Sweden
In Sweden it appears in many varieties, the most common being a cross with two rings hanging from the "arms" and the pole is popularly identified with the male sex and the rings with the female.
Sometimes a crown of flowers is placed on top of the maypole, supported by the ribbons, so that it gradually descends the pole as the ribbons are woven together, finally falling to the ground.
A maypole at the Viktualienmarkt in Munich, GermanyToday maypole dances are often done without dividing the participants by gender, simply having them in pairs facing one another so half go one way and half go the other.
In Sweden similar traditions were once observed but today the pole is the centre of traditional ring dances, the songs being more or less the same as during the dances around the Christmas tree. Arrangements are usually made by local traditional groups.
United Kingdom
The Maypole as a simple pole is several centuries old in the United Kingdom, but the addition of ribbons is an invention of John Ruskin in the 19th century. Pairs of boys and girls (or men and women) stand alternately around the base of the pole, each holding the end of a ribbon. They weave in and around each other, boys going one way and girls going the other and the ribbons are woven together around the pole until the merry-makers meet at the base.
There are also more complex dances for set numbers of (practised) dancers, involving complicated weaves and un-weaves, but they're not well known today. The Maypole is usually erected on a village green and events are often supervised by local Morris dancing groups.
Symbolism
The Maypole is often considered a phallic symbol, coinciding with the worship of Germanic phallic figures such as that of Freyr. Potential other meanings include symbolism relating to the Yggdrasil, a symbolic axis linking the underworld, the world of the living, the heavens and numerous other realms. Also likely related, reverence for sacred trees can be found in surviving accounts of Germanic tribes, for example, Thor's Oak, Adam of Bremen's account of Sacred groves and the Irminsul. The present day tradition of maypoles coincides geographically with the area of influence of the Germanic mythos.
Modern popular culture
A maypole was featured in Men Without Hats' music video for the song "The Safety Dance".
The 1973 British film The Wicker Man features a musical scene with children dancing round a maypole while singing a pagan song. The scene is continued in a classroom where an all girl class is taught the phallic symbolism of the maypole.
Maypole tradition in Bavaria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article discusses the tradition of maypole setting and dancing in Bavaria, Germany.
History and Introduction
In the 16th century erecting a white and blue painted maypole became a tradition in Bavaria. Later, in the 18th century, symbols and shields of different worker's guilds were added to the pole. One of the oldest illustrations of a maypole was made in 1590. It can be seen on a fresco by Hans Donauer in the Antiquarium of the "Münchner Residenz". The fresco shows Lake Starnberg and a castle. Beside the castle a maypole is depicted with double sided tillers for the emblems.
Erecting a maypole was not unique to Bavaria or to the Alpine region, but occurred in nearly all other European countries. The tradition reaches from "gesteckten Maien" to May dances around a decorated pole which was put up in a village square. Erecting a maypole must follow certain rules and is accompanied by traditional customs which are explained below. There are regional peculiarities which are beyond the scope of this general article.
Erecting a maypole is a community enterprise. This can take the form of local clubs and groups of unmarried boys and girls. Normally, these groups choose a "Maibaumchef" or Leader, usually a farmer, joiner or carpenter, who knows about wood and woodworking tools.
Work is traditionally divided between the men and women. Men take care of choosing, cutting down and transporting the tree pole, while young women are responsible for the garlands, collecting donations and other decorations.
The selection of the tree is important; it has to have a height of at least 30 meters and must be bolted upright. To cut the tree down requires care and concentration to avoid damage. Usually it is donated by a local farmer or a club in the village. For transport a decorated horse-drawn wagon was used but today a tractor is common. The boys and girls arrive together in the village with the tree, where the residents wait for them together with a brass band.
Before erecting the maypole the tree must be prepared. First, the branches and the bark are removed. Then tree gets a wash with hot water and if necessary it is planed to the desired shape. To work more effectively, the tree is put on bevels. If they are going to paint the trunk, they take the tree into a factory hall or a repair shop. Traffic is normally blocked in the city where the Maypole is to be set up on the 1st of May.
After preparing the maypole it is important to guard it because young men from surrounding villages may attempt to steal it by tradition. To prevent this, the inhabitants and predominantly young men, stay awake the whole night. Young men from surrounding villages also stay awake the entire night looking for their chance to steal the pole. If, by chance, they should be successful in absconding with the pole, the pole is returned after negotiations take place over barrels of beer and food.
A few unwritten rules govern the stealing of the maypole:
Thieves who are captured inside the village have to give the maypole back.
No force is allowed!
The maypole must remain undamaged.
After May Day, it is not allowed to steal the tree.
A tree can only be stolen when it is in the village.
The larcenist must commit the deed unobserved.
If a stolen tree is not redeemed, the thieves can put it up as their maypole or can put it up as a disgraced tree next to their own.
The theft and the redemption should be made without the need of police and the courts.
Only the maypole can be stolen not the figures or the wreaths.
If the maypole survives all of these dangers then positioning begins. An unwritten law is that this should be accomplished only by physical strength. For this purpose, the entire village of men are mobilized. This is a traditional event which takes place on only one day of the year and so the entire villages comes together to celebrate this tradition in a big festival. Before erecting the maypole, the mayor of the village says a few words to the assembled villagers. After that the Reverend blesses the tree and then command is taken over by the "maypole chief". With commands such as "Hauruck" and "Zugleich" and with the aid of so called "Schwaibeln" the tree gets higher and higher. As soon as it is upright it is fixed in place. The band then plays for the traditional May dance. The festivities continue until late into the evening with plenty to eat and drink.
Summary
The setting up of the maypole is a tradition going back to 16th century.
Young people of the village work together to select and cut down the tree, to transport and to decorate it. During the preparation it is necessary to guard the maypole because young people from other villages who would like to steal it. The setting up of the maypole is a big feast for the whole community.
Silver Fox
"It is all true, it is not true. The more I tell you, the more I shall lie. What is story but jesting Pilate's cry. I am not paid to tell you the truth."
Jane Yolen; The Storyteller
- 3a.
-
Maypole Dance
Posted by: "Silver Fox" silverfox_57@hotmail.com trickster9993
Tue Apr 26, 2011 7:36 am (PDT)
Maypole Dance
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dancing around the maypole, in Åmmeberg, SwedenMaypole dancing is a traditional form of folk dance from western Europe, especially England, Sweden and Germany. Dancers dance in a circle each holding a coloured ribbon attached to a central pole, known as the maypole. By the movements of the dancers the ribbons are intertwined and plaited either on to the pole itself or into a web around the pole. The dancers may then retrace their steps exactly in order to unravel the ribbons.
Maypole dancing is extremely ancient and is thought to have Germanic pagan fertility symbolism. It is traditionally performed in the spring around the festival of May Day, but in Sweden it is during the midsummer festivities.
It was revived in the early twentieth century in a more genteel form.
Silver Fox
"It is all true, it is not true. The more I tell you, the more I shall lie. What is story but jesting Pilate's cry. I am not paid to tell you the truth."
Jane Yolen; The Storyteller
- 4a.
-
Moon Drawing Spell
Posted by: "Silver Fox" silverfox_57@hotmail.com trickster9993
Tue Apr 26, 2011 7:37 am (PDT)
Moon Drawing Spell
"Beltane" by Raven Grimassi
3 Green candles
1 Aventurine stone
1 Lodestone
Patchouli Incense
Patchouli Oil
A small pouch containing cinnamon, peppermint and comfrey
This spell should be worked when the waxing crescent of the moon can be seen in the night sky. Begin by anointing the candles with the patchouli oil. Then place them in holders, setting them to form a triangle surrounding the aventurine stone and the lodestone. Next anoint yourself on the solar plexus with patchouli oil. Light the candles and take three deep breaths through the closed herbal pouch. As you inhale, close your eyes and imagine a green sphere of energy pass into your solar plexus.
Now pick up the lodestone in your left hand and the aventurine stone in your right. Then speak this affirmation:
All obstacles are gone and I draw prosperity to myself.
I attract gain and increase. I draw the abundance.
To me comes now the money that is needed and to spare.
Sit quietly in front of the candles and visualize yourself looking into your purse or wallet and having lots of cash. Next see yourself writing checks to cover your bills and having a nice balance left in your checkbook.
Extinguish the candles and incense. Repeat the spell for three days in a row.
Silver Fox
"It is all true, it is not true. The more I tell you, the more I shall lie. What is story but jesting Pilate's cry. I am not paid to tell you the truth."
Jane Yolen; The Storyteller
- 5.
-
Retreat - Living the Sacred Feminine Lifestyle - From Patriarchy to
Posted by: "Karen Tate" karentate108@ca.rr.com specialjourn
Tue Apr 26, 2011 10:20 am (PDT)
Join us in Wisconsin this June...
I'm presenting on "Living the Sacred Feminine Lifestyle -
From Patriarchy to Partnership"
http://www.gaiaswomb.com/event- jun11.htm
<http://www.gaiaswomb.com/event- >jun11.htm
Now in our 13th year, Gaia'a Womb calls forth the Woman Tribe to gather
at the gateway to Summer for a very special weekend retreat. Join us as
we bring together two dynamic presenters for a powerful weekend retreat
Gaia's Womb Presents:
The Sacred Feminine; Changing the Paradigm
Featuring: Karen Tate & Judika Illes
All of the major world religions deprecate women to some degree. Former
President Jimmy Carter has articulated this well. "...it is the
religions of the world which lead the way and provide cover for the
abuse of women. " Carter called mistreatment of women "the most serious
and all pervasive and damaging human rights abuse on Earth."
But now, in 2011, quietly, steadily there comes a shift. Where the old
paradigm has very much been one of the destructive masculine, as
evidenced by the devastation of the environment, the wars, and the
dictatorial governments that dominate our planet; the new paradigm
brings into consciousness that this destructiveness is a manifestation
of the masculine when it is disconnected from the feminine, taking the
form of reckless ungrounded action. And it is only through the awareness
and acknowledgment of this, that a new paradigm is able to emerge.
Come with us on a journey of exploration; from the hallowed halls of the
goddess temples of the ancient past and forward, perhaps to glimpse the
hallowed halls of the houses of governance of the nations of the world
of the future; a future in which the Sacred Feminine rises once again,
to partner with men and to facilitate the peaceful healing of our world.
http://www.gaiaswomb.com/event- jun11.htm
<http://www.gaiaswomb.com/event- >jun11.htm
Karen Tate
www.karentate.com
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ø¤º°` Earthwise ø¤º°`
<:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::]]======0
The Worldwide Spirit of Paganism
in Australia, America & Worldwide!
Take a Look at Our Huge EBay Store
For all your Magickal & Ritual Supplies
http://stores.ebay.com.au/Astarte-Earthwise
___________________________________________________________________________
This Earthwise Book of Shadows group holds the expectation
that a tolerant, mature and respectful dialogue be strived
for in our communications with each other. Members are
encouraged to challenge anyone not adhering to these
principles and to notify the list owner Astarte if you are
offended by a posting, write to me at
earthwise@bigpond.com
Thank you.
___________________________________________________________________________
Earthwise is a world wide group.
We are based in Western Sydney, NSW. Australia.
Located in the valley before the beautiful Blue Mountains were
we hold sacred rituals, workshops, social events and outings,
for more information see our calendar of events at Witches Meetup
http://witches.meetup.com/1293/
___________________________________________________________________________
Astarte also works full time as a Psychic Counsellor, Medium,
Clairvoyant, Healer and Teacher.
If she can be of assistance to you, please see her home page at
www.earthwise.net.au
___________________________________________________________________________
ARE YOU CREATIVE?
Astarte is always sourcing new suppliers of quality pagan
related items, to purchase wholesale or even put on consignment,
she willing to purchase worldwide items for the Earthwise Store.
If you have something of interest please contact Astarte
earthwise@bigpond.com
___________________________________________________________________________
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