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The May Pole
What has vanished are the fertility rites that accompanied the raising of the Beltane May pole and that once continued unabashed and unashamed throughout the entire month of May. Marriage vows were considered to be in abeyance and enthusiastic promiscuity was the duty of every pious worshipper.
Once the May pole had been raised, men and women danced around it in opposite directions and wove ribbons and garlands; together in order to symbolise the potent energies of the Lord streaming into the fertile lap of the Lady. The hawthorn wreath at the top of the May pole symbolised the labia of the Great Goddess. It was strung with white ribbons (symbolizing the Goddess) and red ribbons (symbolizing the God).
The celebration of May Day, complete with May pole and dancing maidens, stretches back into Pagan antiquity. All of the elements of a good May Day celebration, from the May Queen on her white horse to the hawthorn wreath that crowns the May pole, are full of good old-fashioned Pagan symbolism. The May Queen herself was once a representative of the Norse goddess Freya. Freya was a golden-haired goddess of magic, love, fertility, war, and poetry.
Celebrations include weaving a web of life around the Maypole and leaping the Beltane fire for luck. Wiccan handfastings are common at this festival. This is a time of self-discovery, love, union and developing your potential for personal growth. The rituals may be quite erotic in nature, symbolizing the union of diety and of the newly impregnated Goddess. It is another fertility Sabbat, and the Great Rite may also be a part of the ritual. Dancing around the Maypole may be a part of the festivities.
Balefire
During Beltane, marriage vows were considered to be in abeyance and enthusiastic promiscuity was the duty of every pious worshipper.
Once the May pole had been raised, men and women danced around it in opposite directions and wove ribbons and garlands; together in order to symbolise the potent energies of the Lord streaming into the fertile lap of the Lady. The hawthorn wreath at the top of the May pole symbolised the labia of the Great Goddess.
Then the bonfire or balefire was lit, and all couples wishing to conceive would leap over it hand in hand. The balefire itself was once a sacrificial flame with roots in the Nordic myth of Balder. With the May pole erect and the bonfire blazing, the Queen and King of the May would go into the freshly plowed fields and imbue the soil with their blessings of fertility. All the other celebrants would split off into the surrounding countryside and do their part to ensure the abundance of the harvest.
Though we live in a time when pretty much anything goes between consenting adults, the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies, not to mention what the neighbours would say, makes celebrating Beltane the old fashioned way rather impractical.
Beltane is thought by Wiccans to be derived from a word meaning "balefire". It is traditional to take home a smoldering piece of the Beltane bonfire to bring blessings to your home during the coming summer months. It is also believed that the smoke from a Beltane bonfire is the best to use for ritual purification of tools, jewelry, etc.
The May Queen - Freya
As a goddess of love, Freya's reputation was unparalleled. She made love to all the male members of the Nordic pantheon, as well as a whole group of dwarfish craftsmen who had created Her magical golden necklace-the Brisengamen. However, She did not limit Her sexual exploits to gods and dwarves. She also indulged Herself with giants, the souls of slain heroes, and mortal men.
Freya taught Her followers seidr. Seidr was a magical discipline that combined sex magic, yoga, divination, and healing. Women practitioners were called seidhkoma and male practitioners were called seidmadhr and dressed as women. There are similar disciplines called Siddhi in Hindu, sidh in Gaelic, and sikr by Sufis.
Freya was a fearsome warrior. The Nordic saying "Freya's sword is short" meant that size isn't everything. A skilled warrior like Freya with a short sword could easily outmanoeuvre any big dolt with a broadsword. However, it was Freya's prowess as a lover, not a fighter, that was celebrated on May Day.
The May Queen rode a white horse, and by her side her consort rode a black steed. One of Freya's titles, godiva (goddess), took on a life of its own 'as the story of Lady Godiva, who rode naked through the centre of town on a white horse.
Bannock
As well as the widespread lighting of Beltaine bonfires on moors or hilltops throughout the Highlands, a special cake or bannock would be made using eggs, milk and oatmeal. These bannocks, which were kneaded entirely by hand and should not come into contact with steel, were being made up until the end of the nineteenth century.
In Perthshire, one piece of the bannock cake would be blackened with charcoal and distributed along with the other pieces. Whoever drew this piece out of the bonnet had to leap three times through the flames.
In Inverness-shire, within living memory, children would meet on a small hill on the first of May to prepare a fire. They each took an egg, a specially baked bannock and a piece of cheese. One side of the bannock was marked with a cipher to signify death or misfortune.
The bannocks were rolled down the hill, and when they came to rest the children's fates were revealed. However, this was all done in a very light- hearted manner.
updated April 16, 2000
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