… to all of our Wiccan and Witchcraft believing Pagans. I hope your May Pole was blessed with joy, music and dance. For those that don’t know what Beltane is I will give a run down provided by Wicca.com:
April 30th / May 1 – Beltane
Also known as Roodmas or May Day
Many Wiccans and Pagans celebrate Beltane. It is one of eight solar Sabbats. This holiday incorporates traditions from the Gaelic Bealtaine, such as the bonfire, but it bears more relation to the Germanic May Day festival, both in its significance (focusing on fertility) and its rituals (such as May pole dancing). Some traditions celebrate this holiday on May 1 or May day, whiles others begin their celebration the eve before or April 30th.Beltane has long been celebrated with feasts and rituals. The name means fire of Bel; Belinos being one name for the Sun God, whose coronation feast we now celebrate. As summer begins, weather becomes warmer, and the plant world blossoms, an exuberant mood prevails. In old Celtic traditions it was a time of unabashed sexuality and promiscuity where marriages of a year and a day could be undertaken but it is rarely observed in that manner in modern times.
In the old Celtic times, young people would spend the entire night in the woods “A-Maying,” and then dance around the phallic Maypole the next morning. Older married couples were allowed to remove their wedding rings (and the restrictions they imply) for this one night. May morning is a magickal time for wild water (dew, flowing streams, and springs) which is collected and used to bathe in for beauty, or to drink for health.
The Christian religion had only a poor substitute for the life-affirming Maypole — namely, the death-affirming cross. Hence, in the Christian calendar, this was celebrated as ‘Roodmas’. In Germany, it was the feast of Saint Walpurga, or ‘Walpurgisnacht’. An alternative date around May 5 (Old Beltane), when the sun reaches 15 degrees Taurus, is sometimes employed by Covens. (Both ‘Lady Day’ and ‘Ostara’ are names incorrectly assigned to this holiday by some modern traditions of Wicca.)
The May pole was a focal point of the old English village rituals. Many people would rise at the first light of dawn to go outdoors and gather flowers and branches to decorate their homes. Women traditionally would braid flowers into their hair. Men and women alike would decorate their bodies. Beltane marks the return of vitality, of passion. Ancient Pagan traditions say that Beltane marks the emergence of the young God into manhood. Stirred by the energies at work in nature, he desires the Goddess. They fall in love, lie among the grasses and blossoms, and unite. The Goddess becomes pregnant of the God. To celebrate, a wedding feast, for the God and Goddess must be prepared. Let Them guide you! Breads and cereals are popular. Try oatmeal cakes or cookies sweetened with a dab of honey. Dairy foods are again appropriate…just make a lovely wedding feast and you are sure to enjoy yourself! An early morning walk through a local park or forest could be fun for everyone. Gather up some plants or flowers to display in your home. Mom and daughter could braid their hair, and weave in a few tender blossoms.
Blessed Be!
Evolution of Skepticism 
#1 by rustyjustin on May 1, 2012 - 12:10 am
Given the up coming debate and your interest in Wiccan you should watch the movie The Wickerman, and not the crappy new one with Nick Cage, the old 1973 british film, think you will like it
#2 by Derik on May 1, 2012 - 12:20 am
you know I didn’t even realize it was a remake, the one with Nick Cage was great cause he burned at the end. But if there’s a better version I will have to try to get my hands on it for sure, I wonder if Netflix or Hulu has it.
#3 by rustyjustin on May 1, 2012 - 12:32 pm
Ah, I have the original in my collection, want to FTP it from my system?
#4 by Derik on May 1, 2012 - 1:36 pm
Sure, that might be interesting.
#5 by rustyjustin on May 1, 2012 - 1:36 pm
have you seen Nide’s reply to your last post over on his blog, it is priceless:)
#6 by Derik on May 1, 2012 - 1:39 pm
no just got home, will check it now.
#7 by Derik on May 1, 2012 - 1:42 pm
am I missing something? I don’t see anything different from yesterday… whole blog roll seems stagnant from like 7 PDT last night.
#8 by Derik on May 1, 2012 - 2:15 pm
So I finally was able to wipe my eyes from laughing about that… glad Steve was able to use it.
#9 by rustyjustin on May 1, 2012 - 1:52 pm
here you go http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5891695301028606857&postID=3861152882723808512
“You gotta get rid of logic…..it’s sickening”
#10 by rustyjustin on May 1, 2012 - 1:53 pm
ah, I see this is old, back on Apr 24th, still the statement by him is simply dumbfounding