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What wonderful memories of May Day I have - of putting together small May baskets, then placing them on our neighbors doorsteps, ringing the bell and running away to hide! As a child, I had no clue what the holiday was all about - but it was an occasion for celebration, and that was enough for me. These are the kinds of memories that can sustain us during th bad times - that assure us that there really is a kinder, gentler world out there.
The true origins of May Day (May 1st) go back to Pagan times. The Maypole was a living tree that was taken for use in community ceremonies - dancing around the Maypole with bright colored streamers. It was a way of marking the beginning of summer, and the transition between spring and summer. It was celebrated with exuberance - especially in the sexual activities of the community! (It was, after all, a fertility festival!)
The Church objected to this on more than one level. They objected to what they deemed to be "depravity", but they also objected to the fact that social structures were set aside, with the community as a whole being equal on this day. Whoops - they were afraid that they were going to lose control of the people, so they actively discouraged May Day celebrations.
Beltane, a major Pagan holiday, is also celebrated on May 1st. Beltane celebrates the marriage of the God and the Goddess, the joining of the Divine Masculine and the Divine Feminine to form consciousness. Beltane also marks the seasonal change to summer, and the fertility of the earth that summer represents.
Whether you celebrate May 1st as May Day or as Beltane, the intention is the same - to honor Mother Earth, to honor love in all of its various aspects and to promote a time of peace in the community. It is also a very special time, in that the veil between the worlds is lifted, making access to the Otherworld, to ancestors and ancestral wisdom much easier.
Beltane/May Day is a wonderful time to look at the corners of our lives that we want to become fertile and grow. What do you want to manifest? What creativity in your nature needs to be honored? There are several ways that we can work with the Tarot on answering these questions. One way is to work with a Tarot spread specifically tailored to this holiday. The following spread is something that I came up with. You may feel free to use it, or to create your own spread.
1. What do I need to honor within my creative self at this time? This spread can be laid out in many different ways. It can be read in a linear fashion, in the form of a pentagram or a cross, or as an elemental reading (with card number one at the center of the spread). The format for the spread, and the wording of the questions, can be fine tuned by each individual reader. The focus here is on the ability to honor the creative fertility in our lives - to let go of what is holding us back, and spread our wings. This reading can be done as the prelude to ritual that honors what we wish to manifest, or it can be done as part of such a ritual. Either way can have great meaning and great power. I would include the following elements in ritual: a green alter cloth, to honor mother earth; red, white and green candles; greenery and/or seasonal flowers; rose quartz crystals (for the heart connection); the Ace of Wands from the Tarot (Aces carry the full potential of each suit - the Ace of Wands carries the energy of Elemental Fire, representing creative passion and will). The ritual itself can be done in any manner that you wish - and can be done solo, or with a group. The intent here is to discern what you want to manifest in the coming year - how you can best honor your personal creative nature. The ritual and meditation on the spread are done with a sense of joy and peace - with a prayerful attitude. May each of you find your own personal focus on the May Day.
Blessed Be,
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