Monday, April 28, 2014

May Poles and Celebrations


Celebrating May Day with the Fae
The dancing of the May Pole is a very very old pagan tradition and a way to celebrate Beltane. It is the celebration of the  fertility  and growth of this season, the lush greenery of the beginnings of gardens and growth as week as our days getting longer and our nights shorter. 
The May Pole dance was a way of bringing together new relationships and weaving wishes and hopes for the summer and beyond. 
The  chosen trees were honored and  the  tree spirit or Dryad was celebrated as a honored guest. 
Hawthorn trees play a magical role in May Day.  They are know as the heart tree.
They were traditionally protected as they were guardians to the doors of faerie kingdom. Their flowers and leaves were and still are used for healing and flavoring food and drink. 
Folks made wishes and tied ribbons on the branches to ensure their success in the summer season.  It is considered lucky to wear a small branch part pinned to your clothing on May Day. You must ask for a branch or collect it from a windfall as the Hawthorn tree is protected by the faerie folk and do not like those who are disrespectful. 
Spirals are also very important on May Day and marketing faerie wishes while walking or dancing in a spiral is a powerful and fun way to celebrate this magical time of year. Use to to bring new love or strengthen  and freshen the love you all ready have in your life. Nothing brings more inner peace and happiness than being grateful and joyful of all you are and the blessings  that fill your life.

So cut a dozen ribbons and make a wish for each 3 for your self,3 for the world, 3 for your family ( your blood or your chosen ) and 3 for the faeries.  Take your ribbons outside and tie them to the trees of your choice and dance or walk in a spiral as your make your wish and give thanks. 
A spiral show start in the middle and expand out just as your wish is expanding out into the world.. As you reach the end stamp your feet or clap and finish with Blessed Be!

 To celebrate  create small fresh flower crowns for your hair. Simple flowers and leaves woven together  in a circle are great. I have used old wire shaped in a circlet to fit my head and the woven and looped daisy mums from the grocery store and added leaves from my garden. Be creative. Or simply tuck a flower behind your ear. 

For your maypole  invite a few friends  or family over (even numbers please.)  make wishes and weave and dance the ribbons around  in a over under pattern tying off with another ribbon when you have reached the end.. I always like leaving tails to flutter in the wind. I leave my maypole up till June to remind me of my hopes and reams and blessings of this time of year.

I also add tiny bells to the ribbon tails at the top of the maypole to call to the faeries as they love the sound of tiny jingle bells

To create your own May Pole


Dowl rod 3/4" diameter  26" length
10 ribbons 3/4" nylon chiffon 2xlength of May pole
 Cut an even number for weaving 
I choose to cut 10
May pole basic assembly 
I am making a small MayPole for the Fae. I used a 3/4" diameter wooden dowel rod cut to 26" in length
3/4" nylock nut for the top of the pole to finish and hold the ribbons in place. 
I used 10  3/8" nylon chiffon ribbon. I choose rainbow or Chakra colors. You need an even number of ribbons. I cut them 2 times the length of the pole. Tied a knot at about 3/4 of the length this gives you a tassel for the top of the pole. 
Taper the dowel with a file or whittle a bit off with a sharp knife so  the nylock nut slides on easily. Feed the knot and tassel end of the ribbon thru the nut, then arrange the 10 ribbons evenly around the dowel before tightening down.