The Month of May —by Míchealín Daugherty May is named after the head of the Greek Seven Sisters (the Pleiades) and the mother of Hermes. According to legend, it was Hermes himself who bestowed the name upon her — Maia Majestas, Goddess of Spring. The Irish Celtic queen, Medb or Maeve, is believed to be an incarnation of Maia. Later she became the faerie queen of Shakespeare, Mab. Willow and Hawthorn Maia's sacred plant is the hawthorn. Her full moon is the Flower Moon. And her most popular holiday, is Beltane. The emerald is the birthstone for the month of May. On the Celtic calendar, the Willow Month of  Saille ends on May 12, followed by the Hawthorn Month, which ends on June 9. [See Celtic Tree Calendar] The hawthorn brings protection of the inner and outer realms and is sacred to the Norwegian hammer gods of thunder —  Taranis, Thuno and Thor. Wish Trees Hawthorn trees are sometimes made into "Wish Trees." The traditional way to make a wish tree is to leave a strip of cloth symbolising your wish in the tree. This should be done at the time of May's full moon with colour-appropriate strips of cloth placed gently on branches of the tree. Use blue cloth for protection, green cloth for prosperity, pink cloth for love and purple cloth for psychic enhancement. Make as many wishes as you like, but be certain to use separate pieces of cloth for each wish and say different words for each wish. A rhyming couplet is usually appropriate. For example, if it is love you desire, you might say something, such as: "Cloth of rose on this hawthorn tree, Please bring my true love to me." When you have finished, leave an offering for the tree spirits. Examples of offerings include strips of bark, moss, ferns or eggshells. In other words, do not pollute the environment, but give a gift the earth can absorb. The Goddess calendar for Maia fills the first half of May, ending on the 15th. It is followed by Hera. The Anglo-Saxon name for May is Thrimilcmonath, which means "thrice-milk month" because cows gave mile three times daily in the month of May. An Olde English name for May is Sproutkale, because this is the month when plants begin to growth to luxurious stages. The Maypole The Maypole tradition, which is often part of Celtic Beltane celebrations, also exists in Germany, where May represents the traditional appearance of Mother Earth, Lady Earth, Mother Wicca or Mother Mary — depending upon what tradition one follows. One famous Maypole, phallic symbol in Germany is the beautiful, Maypole at Winterbach, near Esslingen, Baden-Württemberg; another famous German Maypole is in Over-Marsberg, Westphalia, Germany — it is sacred to the smith god, Irminsul. Maypole traditions also can be found in Austria, Czechoslovakia and other parts of Eastern Europe. Faeries May is thought to be the month when you will most likely see a faerie. To increase your chances of seeing one, be sure to use nine different kinds of wood on your Beltane fire. The wood should be gathered in March and allowed to dry, so it will be ready. Adorn the wood with white flowers or fruits blossoms, and tie it together with a white ribbon. As you place your bundle on the fire, say: Bundle of wood with ribbons bound, With flowers of white the Lady's crowned. Bundle of wood for the Beltane Fire, Blaze and burn and fulfill my desire. Rain Rain in May is very lucky. It is thought to assist the full growth of crops. This is recorded in ancient adages, such as: Mist in May, heat in June,  Make the Harvest come right soon, or Water in May, Bread all Year. 1 May  — Beltane. 2 May — A Sacred day to the Goddess Elena. As Helen, she is the goddess of the holy road; in Britain, the goddess of the "four royal roads of Britain." In Wales, the causeways and roads are called Sarn Helen; she is also the Elaine in Arthurian romance. 4 May — Bona Dea / Veneration of the Thorn. The hawthorn tree, sacred to the Good Goddess, is celebrated on this day. Hawthorn bushes and Holly bushes are known to mark sacred places and wells. 11-15 May —  Lemuria. These days are the celebration of the German Eisheilige (ice gods/goddesses). This is a time when the Strong Lords bring unseasonable cold or wet weather, represented by the five Eisheilige: Mamertius, Pancratius, Servatius, Bonbifatius and Cold Sophie. The Eisheilige were, as most gods and goddesses, later stolen by Christianity and made into Christian saints. 15 May — Ides of May. On the Ides of May, the Vestal Virgins — the ancient Roman priestesses of Vesta, performed a rite intended to regulate the water supply for the coming summer. Specifically, on the full moon at the beginning of May, the Vestals would throw 24 manikins (replacing human sacrifice) into the Tiber to ensure water supply. In southern Germany, this is the day of Cold Sophie, when extra-cold weather is expected and needs to be counteracted by appeals to goddesses of fire and warmth. 16 May — On the Goddess calendar, the Month of Hera begins today. It is also the name day of the Celtic Irish "St Brendan," whom many believe was really the first European to set foot in the Americas. 17 May — This is a day to think about Dea Dia, or the Goddess in her aspect as the Cosmos. It is a good day to reflect on the mothering instincts in all of us. See Creatrix and The Mother Goddess. 18 May — Apollon Day. This is the day sacred to Apollo, the Greco-Roman God of Music, Poetry, Divination and Sunlight. 20 May — Mjollnir. This is the Germanic festival of Mjollnir, which celebrated the hammer of Thor. In Medieval times, this day was considered to be a good day for the ritual combat contests, or contests of strength or endurance. 22 May — Ragnar Lodbrok. Ragnar Lodbrok was a Viking leader captured by the Northumbrians, then tortured and killed. As he was dying, he purportedly sang a Death Song expressing his unwavering faith in an afterlife: The Disir calle me back home: Those whom Odin had for me, From the halls of the Lord of Hosts. Gladly will I sup up ale In the high seat with the Gods The days of my life are finished Yet I laugh as I die! Sources: Jones, P. and Pennick, N. A History of Pagan Europe. Routledge: 1995. Pennick, N. The Pagan Book of Days. Destiny Books: 2001. Campanelli, P. Wheel of the Year — Living the Magical Life. Llewellyn Publications: 2000. Campanelli, P. Ancient Ways — Reclaiming the Pagan Tradition. Llewellyn Publications: 1998 Personal traditions. Page last updated: 22 May 2006 Background and Myths & Magic logo by Míchealín Daugherty Copyright © 2006 Ireland's OWN. All Rights Reserved