May Day 2005 Arranged by: Shining Spider Date of holiday: May 8th Date of ritual: April 30th Astrology of Day: Moon in Aquarius I. Creating A Sacred Space A. Cleansing 1. Pass incense 2. Pass water B. Introductions (Names and truths) 1.Explanation of the Holiday: Whether this day is called May Day, Beltane, Fairy Day, Sacred Thorn Day, Rood Day, or Roodmas the cumulative energy of the sun is being celebrated. It is the softening of the earth, the pollination of the trees and the twitterpating of our energies that is calling us to dance, sing, make merry and celebrate in the awakening of the Earth. When sun is at 15 degrees Taurus it marks the between stage of the solar energy shifting from the gentle growth of spring, to the fiery heat of Summer. 2. Each participant introduces themselves. C. Ground and Center 1.Group meditation D. Call Elements East to North deosil We call you Direction East, Element Air into our sacred space, into our circle. We ask that you bring with you X. Hail and Welcome! We call you Direction South, Element Fire into our sacred space, into our circle. We ask that you bring with you X. Hail and Welcome! We call you Direction West, Element Water into our sacred space, into our circle. We ask that you bring with you X. Hail and Welcome! We call you Direction North, Element Earth into our sacred space, into our circle. We ask that you bring with you X. Hail and welcome! E. Create Space Group meditation II. Calling And Honoring the Divine A.Goddess Ephemeral Goddess of beauty joy and happiness fly into our eyes so we may see you; fly into our mouths so that each word we utter is that of beauty and mirth and fly into our hearts so that we may feel you and express this perfect fleeting love B. God Father God, Creator, protector, seer of beauty: help us to see the joy in this moment, open our eyes to the beauty of now. Wise author the present: lead us to a moment where we too can initiate through wisdom and pluck beauty and change. C. To call Spirit *group meditation/calling* D. Honor those who came before (Ancestors) *group meditation/calling* E. Myth: Area: North America Peoples: Papago Tohono O'odham The Tohono O'odham (Papago) nation's native word papah, beans, is the source for being called the "bean people." They belong to the Piman branch of the Uto-Aztecan linguistic family, and are closely related to the Pima tribe southeast of the Gila River and south of Tucson, Arizona, and extending west and southwest across the desert Papagueria on into Sonora, Mexico. In 1694, Father Kino became the first white man to visit the Tohono O'odham (Papago) nation, finding a very large population into the thousands. Census figures in 1937 listed 6,305 members of the Tohono O'odham (Papago) nation. They have their own printed alphabet and language studies. The Papago Language is part of the Uto-Aztecan Language family. It is extremely difficult to tell what kind of societal structure that the Papago used to have before European intrusion. It appears that they have a patrilineal system now, but the Spanish colonized them in 1687 so their original structure exists only in Spanish diaries of missionaries over 300 years ago, with a bias to a not-so pleasant Catholic attitude calling them savages. The Butterfly Maiden is an Papagoian Goddess about whom many stories are told. According to the tribe's legend, the Creator made butterflies to gladden his heart when he perceived the impermanence of life. He took a spot of sunlight, some blue from the sky, the whiteness of cornmeal, the blackness of a beautiful girls' hair, the green of pine needles, and the red, purple, and orange of flowers. He put them in a bag which he gave to the children. When the children opened the bag, thousands of multi-colored butterflies danced about them, lighting upon their skin. The wisdom of the Butterfly Maiden is the power to know ones' mind and to transform one's life through wisdom. It is a never ending cycle of planting, growing, harvesting rewards, and planting again the seeds of spiritual seeking. The Butterfly Maiden sees herself in the world. She is aware of herself as a microcosm within the macrocosm. She seeks her truth adorned with the vibrant colors of Gaia, sharing her beauty with no conceit as she joyfully dances through the day. III. Pathwork A. Meditation Close your eyes Breathe in the sounds and rustles of the room Exhale stress, discomfort and worry Be at peace with yourself, the moment and life. Feel your body feeling warm and light. Your left foot tickles. Open your eyes to a pixie no bigger than your thumb tickling your toes with a bright pink feather. When this being sees that you are awake it dances in front of you, begging you to mimic its dance. This being tells you in its own way, that it wants you to follow it. Follow the pixie over the grassy lands you are now in. Experience the joy of dancing and this elongated game of chase. Feel the grass on your feet, the wind in your hair. How does your heart feel? Follow the pixie. Who does it introduce you to? How does it carry itself? What does it want to show you, to teach you? As the sun sets you realize you must say goodbye. The pixie may offer you a gift, a rock or feather. It may give you advice on your life, or ask you to meet them in the glade again. Listen well, thank them, and close your eyes. Feel the light against your eyelids Breathe in peace Exhale warmth Listen to the rustles of the room, and the breathing of everyone in circle. When you are ready, open your eyes. IV. Spell-work - A. Raising Energy- Dancing with one person being the maypole, and a group dancing around Weave, weave, weave me a rainbow Out of the falling rain. Weave me the hope of a new tomorrow. Fill my cup again V. Thanking Share in fruit Discuss experience in circle B. Thank Energies Thank Deity 2. Thank Elements C. Open Circle Credits: God/dess Invoking Poetry ; Myth: compiled and expanded on by Shining Spider 2005 Meditation: written by Shining Spider 2004 |