Earth Journey - MAY EVE RITE / Merry Moon April 30th - May 1st
Updated: Apr 30, 2021
May is a joyous fertility festival marking the start of the summer. A lovely tradition is to build a may pole for this event decorated with garlands of greenery. Or a May Tree with sprigs or even a May Wreath all represents the world tree Yggdrasil, in Norse cosmology, is an immense and central sacred tree. Around it exists all else, including the Nine Worlds., May is a joyous fertility festival marking the start of the summer.
This ceremony is marked by outdoor activities such as dancing, parades, boundary blessing, and the seeking of permission from the Landwights the Landvættir for future rites and workings. For all these reasons, we consider Freya to be at the core of this festival, as she is mistress of both witchcraft and love. Freya and Nerthus are honoured at this time of year.
This festival marks the beginning of summer in Scandinavia. In all the Germanic countries, it is seen as a time when Seers and witches are particularly active, and often gather to celebrate spring , a gathering of skills and crafts, knowledge and wisdom A witch and seer -moot..
Young men would gather flowers and herbs and dress their beloved windows, and for the younger people to collect greens and branches from the woods at twilight, which were used to adorn the houses of the village.
Fires were kindled on grave mounds or other high places on this night; it is traditional for lovers to leap through the flames, to take a oath and bond of marriage , The Month of May was traditionally a month where many Weddings took place.. One of the main traditions is to light large bonfires, feast, and toast bonds, make Oaths and agreements made, share skills , wisdom, knowledge and trade goods..
It is at this time we also honour the Germanic seeress 'Waluburg it is said she was from the tribe of the Semnones. At some point in her life she got abducted by the roman army and brought to Egypt where she most likely served a roman general. A shard in which her name was inscribed was later found in the Nile.
My thoughts as we welcome May Eve Merry Moon
Our path is one of doing. A living tradition practiced and evolved yet rooted in thousands of years of wisdom and direct experience , developed from relationships with the local Spirits of the Land, The Gods and Goddesses that dwell there and our Ancestors, our Bone Kin.
My intention this May Eve and Merry Moon is to "Sit Out" on a local piece of that land that we have been called to hold future rites for community, To seek permission for these rites and bless the boundaries.
For the Land It's full of story myths and folklore of our ancestors, coming from the fabric of the very land we stand on.. For the blood and bone of those very ancestors, become a part of the land ,they become a part of the Story.. The Eddas and the Sagas.
Our Healing Rite and Blōt
Rite, Blot, Offering and Working
Indeed our path is one of doing. A living tradition practiced.. My intention this May Eve and Merry Moon is to "Sit Out" in Utiseta at Sunset on a local piece of that land that we have been called to, that sits alongside ancient hedge and Oak Tree, running along what was The Old County Border.. To hold future rites for community, To seek permission for these rites and bless the boundaries, and perform a Blot for the Landwights, and for the Golden Lady of Vanaheim our Beloved Freya, for it is now its between Springtime and Summer in Vanaheim
Beloved Goddess, Freya, let our prayers come onto you.
The Old Ones are near… I hear an ancient song that's sweet like a lullaby .. I hear it my bones.. I feel my Kin, who once lived and died in this place.. I take my herbs of Mugwort and Linden, a tea is crafted and pitched.. I offer Herbs and Mead up to the sky!! And I journey!!
The song carries through the air and as it does. it carries me also, into the birth of Summer.
Its words are simple yet they carry deep magic.
I met them at this place, I feel so alive within this soft ancient landscape, which rests along the old county border.. Meeting both the seen and unseen . Reviving the ancient Norse tradition of Utiseta "sitting out ". I am here to listen to the spirits of the place, of Grandfather Oak, Utiseta is the practice of song, staff, seat and seidr. Seidr weaves the magic of the process. I "sit at the crossroads": between the worlds. Throughout the sit I will sing and drum to the land and the land will sing itself back to me. That meeting will take place at the point where the paths of teacher and pupil meet and merge: the crossroads." I being the pupil this night and The Land being the kennari the teacher.
The song carries...
"Now we all are brought forth out of darkness and water
Brought into this world through blood and through pain
And deep in our bones, the old songs are wakening
So sing them with voices of thunder and rain."
Reaching for the Runes I speak wild untamed words, a mixture of language and prayers.
In the centre of a circle under a mighty Oak I lay a wooden bur bowl, Runes burned and etched into its rim and in its heart is Vegvisir our Nordic compass, The word vegvisir means 'wayfinder' and 'sign post'.
A Twig tree and flowers is laid and enchanted and mead poured into the bowl and stirred clockwise 3 times, Blessed and raised and offered to the Sun, skywards to our All Father Odin, The Flowers for Freya and Brigid. Oats and Honey for The Landwights, asking humbly for a good and healthy harvest within our lands and lives. Permission seeked to hold open rites and workings for community upon this land as the threads carry forwards. I cast and anchor and bless the bounds...
A Rune is cast in honour of the new Medicine stories that are yet to come, today I stand alone, yet in 3 Moons time under the blessing of Mead Moon at Loaf Feast People will gather here once more. With story, song and heart.
I will share the Rune in the coming days.