SPIRIT
Begin by discussing the nature of the
Bealteine festival. Like all Sabbats Bealteine has many aspects one can talk
about. In discussing the nature of Bealteine you might say something like:
"We come together this night to celebrate the feast of Bealteine. Now
begins the Light Half of the Year. The light has been returning since Yule,
beginning as a spark in the dark of night and growing stronger and brighter
through the months. Now the Goddess, Lady of Life, unites with the Lord of the
Sun, Who has come into His glory. Their loving union will lead us on to the
fruitful months of summer. If Samhain is the feast of death and the Spirits,
Bealteine is the feast of life and the living. It is a time for joy and love.
Let us therefore have love in our hearts as we celebrate this most sacred
ceremony!"
ACT OF POWER '>1
May Queen and May King
Our first Act of Power for Bealteine involves the May Queen and May King. The
May Queen and May King symbolically represent the Goddess and the God during
the Bealteine rites.
The May Queen and May King should be selected prior to the beginning of the
ritual.
The May Queen and May King may be selected in any of a number of ways. One way
is to draw lots, with all the women present drawing lots for May Queen and all
the men drawing lots for May King. Another way to select a May Queen and May
King is to assemble all of the women and toss a flower wreath or bouquet
–whoever catches it becoming the May Queen: then assemble the men and toss a
ceremonial wand in the same way, whoever catches it becoming the May King.
Still another way is to choose the first woman to arrive as May Queen and the
first man to arrive as May King.
All these ways choose the May Queen and May King at random, and the person
selected is considered to have been chosen by Spirit and to receive a special
blessing for the year. The downside to all of these methods of selection is
that there is no time for advance preparation, and anything the May Queen and
May King need to do they must be coached to on short notice, and they will
probably need note cards for any speaking roles in the ritual.
These drawbacks can be avoided by simply appointing someone to the role ahead
of time, though this removes the aspect of special blessing.
Costuming the May Queen and King can be a lot of fun if you are into that sort
of thing. Special robes, tabards, or masks may be used. Floral wreaths are nice
for a headdress: red for him, white for her. But of course no special costume
is necessary.
Open your ritual as usual: cast the Circle, invoke, speak about the holiday.
Then let the May King step forward. He should already have with him an Athame
or ritual Sword, or else take it from the altar at the appropriate moment. Let
the May King say something like this:
“I am the Lord of Life. The Sun is My body, no less than the greening trees
and fields, or the blue sky with its passing clouds. The Sun is My body, and
His rays are My passion, His light My joy and inspiration. In Midwinter I am
reborn, and in the season of the Ram I arise and unfold in the sprouting seeds
and growing plants. I call to My Sister the Maiden: ‘Come and play with Me!’ I
warm Her cold Earth with My rays and melt the ice which had held Her. I touch
Her with My light and awaken Her loving heart. She turns to me and Her Heart is
open. Now I come for Her, to join with Her and stand with Her in this season of
Life.”
Let the May King now hold up the Athame, as he continues to speak:
“My Blade is the Phallus of Light: The Staff of Secullos: The Great
Lightning Bolt which defines the borders of all things: the Horizon of Space
and Time, of Night and Day, of Life and Death. Only through Light is one thing
distinct from another, for all is as one in the darkness. Light makes us
individual and specific. Light is as the Blade which separates. Be this Blade
now Blessed in the name of the Lord of Life, and may it be a source of
never-ending Blessing!”
The May King now Blesses the Athame, calling down upon it a column of light
from the Heavens and filling the Athame with strong, vital celestial energy
until it is full and shining forth with light in all directions. If the man
enacting the role of May King is not experienced enough in energy working to do
this, a more experienced Priest may help him.
Now may the May Queen come forward and speak. She should already be carrying
the Chalice, or else take it from the altar at the appropriate point. The
Chalice should be full of water, juice, or wine –preferably something red like
cranberry juice or a red wine. The May Queen might say something like this:
“I am the Lady of Life. The Earth is My body, no less than the Moon and
stars or the vastness of space. The Earth is My body and the plants and animals
which live upon Her are My children. Through the cold of Winter I have lain
sleeping, protecting the roots and seeds beneath My blanket of white. The
groundhog called My name and I awoke as the Maiden: the ice cracked, and the
first buds appeared. The singing of birds filled the mornings. Feeling the
warmth of the waxing Sun I arose. I guided the tender shoots and painted the
newborn flowers with the colors of dawn. I hear My Brother’s voice and I am
filled with love –the fields flower and Summer comes!”
Let the May Queen now hold up the Chalice, as she continues along these lines:
“My Chalice is the Womb of Creation: The Cauldron of Plenty which can never
be emptied: The White Hole which gives rebirth to the matter which the Black
Hole has swallowed. It is the dark cave from which all things come and to which
all things in time return. In the Darkness, which is our origin, all is One,
undifferentiated and in Union. I am One, and in Me you are One –Hear My voice,
for I dwell within your Heart. Be this Chalice then Blessed in the name of the
Lady of Life, and may it be a source of union and of love!”
The May Queen now Blesses the Chalice, calling up a column of energy from the
Earth and filling the Chalice with strong, peaceful Earth energy until it is
glowing with light and power. If the woman enacting the role of May Queen is
not experienced enough in energy working to do this, a more experienced
Priestess may help her.
The May Queen and May King now come together. The May Queen holds out the
Chalice: The May King holds aloft the Athame. They speak the charm:
May King
“The God is not greater than the Goddess.”
May Queen
“Nor is the Goddess greater than the God”
May King
“But both are equal”
May Queen
“And neither is complete without the other.”
The May King now plunges the Athame into the Chalice
All
“So Mote It Be”
The Chalice is placed upon the altar with the Athame still in it. It can be
used later for the toast as it is now Blessed.
The May King and May Queen now join hands and dance in a deosil circle three
times around. If there is a May Pole, they should dance around it, if not they
should simply dance in the center of the Circle.
This is a good prelude to the May Pole dance. If you do not wish to follow with
a May Pole dance, you might follow it with dancing and chanting, and a simple
manifestation, or perhaps a fire jumping like that we discussed under Ostara
–or whatever else you wish. It can also stand alone, as shown here.