VARIATIONS
ACT OF POWER '>2
The Pole Dance
Our second Act of Power is the Pole
dance, or May Pole, which may be done following the above or stand separately
on its own.
The May Pole is a very ancient tradition, and is perhaps the most famous of the
many traditions surrounding Bealteine. Although clearly Pagan in symbolism and
meaning, the May Pole was and, in some cases, still is enacted by people of
many religions as a Spring rite.
The Pole for the May Pole represents the God in His form of Lord of Vegetation.
From the most ancient times a tree has often been used to represent the God,
and this is the origin of both the May Pole and the Yule tree.
A May Pole is relatively easy to make: what you need is a tall pole with a
secure base. If you are making an outdoor May Pole, the taller the better –it
should be at least 12 feet. If the May Pole is shorter than this, the ribbons
are likely to come out tangled –of course sometimes this is half the fun, so
don’t let a need for a shorter May Pole discourage you.
In indoor May Pole presents several problems not encountered with an outdoor
Pole, but these don’t make it impossible. The chief problems are that you need
to have it in a room large enough and empty enough to leave room for the dance,
and that the height of the Pole is limited by the ceiling of the room: but if
you have a room big enough and don’t mind a shorter Pole which may tend to
tangle more, there is no reason you can’t do an indoor May Pole.
May Poles are best constructed from wood of course –a 4” x 4” from the local
lumber yard being ideal. However other materials can also be used, such as PVC
piping or used cardboard carpet rollers which can sometimes be obtained from
carpet shops. The base can be made in several ways which we will not enumerate
here, but which must be large enough to hold the pole steady but not so large
as to interfere unduly with the dancing.
A ring must be mounted near the top of the May Pole to which the ribbons may be
attached. Traditionally the ribbons are red (for men) and white (for women),
and ideally, they should be rather wide –say 2 or 3 inches. The length depends
upon the height of the Pole and the desired width of the circle of dancers.
Measure the ribbon by extending it from the top of the Pole to where the
dancers will stand at the start of the dance.
Some people prefer to use many colors of ribbon, in allusion to the many colors
of Spring and Summer –but this makes the moves of the dance a bit harder for
first-timers to understand, as you will see. One can also use narrow ribbons,
but these again are more likely to tangle during the dance.
A Chaplet of flowers represents the Goddess –this is placed over the top of the
Pole, and is raised when the ribbons are outstretched at the start of the
dance. As the dance progresses the Chaplet will be lowered down the Pole as the
circle of dancers narrows, representing the Divine union. This is very poetic
but a bit complicated, so if you choose not to use the Chaplet then the circle
to which the ribbons are mounted can represent the Goddess.
You should lead into the May Pole by explaining its symbolism and relevance.
Then you will invariably have to explain the dance to the people. The dance is
not hard, but if you have never done it before, it may take some getting used
to.
Have everyone take one ribbon and then form a circle around the May Pole. The
ideal situation is to have an equal number of people arranged to be women and
men alternately around the Circle. This is not always possible: sometimes you
will not have an equal number of men and women, in which case simply alternate
the red and white ribbons around the circle independent of gender. Sometimes
too you will not be able to have an equal number of people –in this case you
should consider stepping out yourself, so that the number becomes even again,
since an unequal number makes the dance very much harder.
Have those with red ribbons face deosil and those with white ribbons face
tuathal. This is the direction they will dance in. Now when the signal is
given, the dancers begin moving in their direction –when the dancers meet the
white dancers raise their ribbons and the red dancers pass under. The dancers continue
and the next time they meet the red dancers raise their ribbons and the white
dancers pass under. The dancers continue around the circle in this way,
alternatively raising their ribbon or passing under the other’s ribbon. You
will want to lead the people through a brief practice run of this once or twice
before beginning in earnest, unless everyone present has done it many times.
The last thing to do before the actual dance begins is to place the Chaplet of
flowers on the Pole. The ribbons, held taut by the dancers, will hold the
Chaplet up until the dance begins.
Now give the signal and let the dance begin. As the dance progresses, with
dancers weaving over and under and the ribbons will weave around the Pole and
the Chaplet will slowly descend. It sounds very simple –it rarely is. Sometimes
it comes off well, other times it descends into a happy chaos. People will
enjoy it regardless.
You may want to have a chant while the dance is going on. If so a good chant
might be:
“Oh honor the Mother and Father of us all
For Summer is a come unto day
As we dance in a Circle around our tall May pole
On this merry morning of May!
“Oh the pole is like our Father upright and hard as all
For Summer is a come unto day
And the chaplet’s like our Mother in bridal flowers withal
On this merry morning of May!
“May Lady and Lord bring blessings to us all
For Summer is a come unto day
For as the ribbons wrap around the chaplet comes to fall
On this merry morning of May!”
As the dance progresses the ribbons will wrap tighter and tighter to the Pole,
narrowing the circle of the dance until people are right up to the Pole. At
that point the ends of the ribbon will be tied off around the Pole.
When you have reached this tying off stage, instruct the people to concentrate
on something they wish to manifest. You might do it like this:
“Now as you are tying off your ribbon, think of something you wish to
manifest in your life. Think of it and make it clear in your mind.”
When the last person has tied off their ribbon have everyone join hands around
the Pole. You might continue:
“Now let us become aware of our Heart Chakra –imagine a ball of clear white
light in the Heart Chakra –see it glowing, shining strongly within you. And
from your Heart Chakra now send your energy into the May Pole, and as you do so
focus on that which you wish to manifest. See the energy entering the Pole –see
the Pole glowing with energy. Let the light fill the Pole –let the light shine
out from the Pole in all directions. See it become a column of white light
filling and surrounding the Pole –and focus upon what you wish to create:
“Holy Mother Goddess, Holy father God, we ask you to join us –to lend Your
strength to ours. May Your strength support us as we send forth our will to
create our wishes in the world. Behold, by our will, with harm toward none –So
Mote It Be!
“Now imagine the light moving upward and into manifestation –see it rising up,
up –we release it into being so that it may take shape in the material world!”
Imagine the light rising upward, and all raise hands as it does so. Now
continue with the rest of your ritual.
It should be noted that a May Pole is only a May Pole on Beltane, otherwise it
is a Ring Dance. The Ring Dance is strongly associated with Beltane but is also
appropriate at either Ostara or Midsummer. Not only is the Ring dance
appropriate for any of these Sabbats, but some Temples enjoy its much that they
may do more than once in a year.
ACT OF POWER '>3
Axis Blessing
This Act of Power can be done using the May Pole if you have one, or a
ceremonial staff or wand if you do not have a May Pole. It is a Blessing
delivered using a vertical axis, and can make a good ending to the May Pole
dance, or be done on its own.
To do this Act of Power, have everyone focus on the May Pole or, in lieu of a
May Pole, stand in the center of the Circle and hold up your staff or wand and
have people focus on that. This will be the basis of your axis. Lead everyone
in sending energy into the axis. You might say something like:
"At this time of year we are particularly aware of the loving union of
Goddess and God. It is this union of Yin and Yang, Spirit and Matter, Essence
and Motion, which creates and sustains our world. From Them and from Their
union come all things: the food we eat, the air we breathe, the bodies through which
we experience this world, this world itself.
"Now, when new life is blooming all around us, it is easy to forget that
the world is weary and in need of our love and healing energies. With all we
are given, let us not forget to give back also. Goddess and God are in all
things. But we honor Them often as Earth and Sky. Let us use this form to pay
back a little to Them: to show our appreciation and our love for Them.
"The healing of Earth and Sky is an ongoing process. No one ritual will
ever be enough, in itself, to accomplish this. But every ritual aimed toward
healing helps. We are Witches: we are healers. Let us then not forget to help
heal what is so important to us. Let us send healing energy to the Earth and to
the Sky that it may add to their regeneration and renewal, that the next
generation may have them still and better than we had them.
“Become aware of your Heart Chakra. See it as a glowing ball of light within
your chest –clear, beautiful white light, shining like a Sun within you. And in
that ball of light feel the love and strength and power of your Heart. Feel the
energy within you, and when you feel it strongly, send forth a beam of light to
this axis.
“And through that beam of light send love and healing energy into the axis
–healing energy for the Earth and all Her creatures. Healing energy which the
Earth may use as She sees fit, for She knows, better than we, where the energy
is needed.
“See the axis fill with energy –glowing with light all along its length.
Imagine the energy growing stronger, brighter: beginning to expand beyond the
physical form of the axis. See the light spread out from the axis, expanding
around it and moving upward into the sky and downward into the earth. See the
axis become a column of light.
"A column of light rising up, up, into the sky and out among the stars. A
column of light going down, down into the Earth. Rising higher than we can see
-extending deeper than we can see.
"Now from your Heart send forth green healing light into the column. See
the column filling with green light -calm, gentle, green light. And in that
green light place love and healing for the earth and for the Universe. See the
column fill with green light, and in that green light imagine tiny, glittering
golden stars. Dozens of tiny golden stars dancing within the green light, and
as they dance, they multiply, becoming hundreds of golden stars, then
thousands. See the green light alive with scintillating golden stars, more and
more of them until there is more gold than green.
"Now see that green light with its thousands of golden stars shoot upward
into the skies -and at the same time see it shoot downward into the Earth.
Imagine the green and golden light filling the sky above us and the land
beneath us. Imagine the healing green light with its golden stars going to
everyplace on Earth and in the skies where it is needed, expanding and
multiplying as it does so.
"O Mother Earth! Father Sky! We offer You this healing energy! Use it we
pray for whatever it is needed for, for You know, better than we, where and how
to direct it. Accept and use it we pray, and may it aid in Your healing and
regeneration!"
Now offer an appropriate chant such as:
“We are One in the Circle united in love!
With the Earth below us and the Sky above!
“Together we have one will! One mind! One heart!
And we focus them all toward our healing art!
“Our magic we send forth in peace and love!
To the Earth below us and the Sky above!
"Now let us send out the last of the energy -see it shooting up and down
from the axis until it is all gong. Now let the image fade."
Now clear and release all excess energy and continue with the ritual.