MAY CALENDAR

 

 

1st       Samhain/Day of the Dark Goddess and winter start. (Southern hemisphere) Beltane. May Day, summer start (Northern hemisphere. Sacred to Maia, Roman Goddess of Spring. Festival of Bona Dea, Roman fertility Goddess. Death of Arnold Crowther, Gardnerian Witch, 1974. England releases its first adhesive postage stamp in 1840. Mr Potato Head invented by George Learner in 1949 was introduced by television, on May 1st 1952, USA. 

3rd      National Day of Prayer. Corn Festival, Native American. End of Floralia, Roman. Birthday of D.J.Conway, born 1939, Wiccan author.

4th   Fairy Day, Ireland. St Monica’s Day, Ireland.

5th        Kublai Khan the grandson of Genghis Khan becomes the ruler of the Mongol Empire in 1260.

6th        Festival of Inghean Bhuidhe, Ireland. Eyvind Kelves Day, Norwegian Pagan Martyr.

8th         The “Furry” Dance performed in Helston, Cornwall, England to honour the Horned God.

9th        The first Lemuria, Rite of the Lemures, the spirits of the deceased are said to revisit their homes. This was a ritual performed in Ancient Rome.

11th      The second Lemuria ritual performed in Ancient Rome. Massachusetts Bay Colony Puritans ban Christmas celebrations that they claim they are too Pagan, 1659.

12th      The Cat Parade in Belgium to honour, parade and worship Cats. Festival of Shashti, Indian Forest God. Celtic Tree month of Willow ends. Egyptian Day of Purification of all things. Mother’s Day.

13th     The Third Lemuria ritual performed in Ancient Rome. Our Lady of Fatima, Portuguese. This began in the village of Fatima, Portugal, 1917 when the Virgin Mary appeared to three young children. Celtic tree month of Hawthorn begins.

14th      Sacred to Egyptian Goddess, Isis. Festival of the Midnight Sun, Norway. Apollos Birthday. Goddess Tithe Day, North African. Celtic Tree Month of Hawthorn, May 14th-June 10th. Physician Edward Jenner develops the smallpox vaccine, 1796, England.

15th      Dedicated to Vesta, the Roman Goddess of the Hearth. Festival of Mercury, Roam God/Hermes, Greek God.

16th      Joan of Arc is canonized as a Saint in 1920.

17th      Festival of Dea Dia, Roman Celebration of the Cosmos.

18th      Sacred to Pan, the Greek God of Fertility and the Woodlands.

19th      Bendideia, Greek festival of Bendis, Goddess of the Hunt. Feast of Pudencrona, Mexican.

20th      Plynteria festival, dedicated to Athena, the Greek War Goddess. Olwen’s Day, Celtic.

21st      Day of Tefnut, Egyptian. Plato’s Birthday. International Tea Day. Birthday of Gwydion Pendderwen, born 1946, Pagan Bard.

22nd     Ragnar Lodbrok’s Day, Norse. 1933, the first reported sighting of the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland.

23rd     Dedicated to Venus and Flora, the Roman Goddesses of fertility, flowers and Spring. Benjamin Franklin invents bifocals in 1785.

24th    Birth of Artemis, Greek Goddess of the Moon and Hunting.

26th     Sacred Well Day. Starting of the festival honouring Diana, the Roman Goddess of the Moon, Hunting and Secular Games. World Dracula Day. This is the day that the famous novel Dracula was published by Bram Stoker in 1897. John Dee allegedly begins crystal gazing, 1581 according to accounts.

27th      Isobel Gowdie’s final confession of witchcraft without torture, 1662.  Achsah/Alice Young is the first women to be executed as a witch in Massachusetts, USA in 1647.

28th     National Burger Day.

29th      Ambarvalia Festival, invoking the blessings of Ceres, the Roman Goddess of Corn. Iroquois Strawberry Festival, Native American. Garland King Day, Castleton, Derbyshire, England.

30th      Wiccan Love Feast, English. Frigg’s Day, Norse. Burning Times Remembrance Day. Joan of Arc burnt at the stake for the crimes of Witchcraft.

 

MOON PHASES

1st and 31st - LAST QUARTER MOON. Time to clear out anything that hasn´t worked or isn´t needed. Rising at midnight and setting at noon, this Moon is 90-45 degrees behind the Sun. Time to clear out anything that hasn’t worked or isn’t working.

8th - NEW MOON. Start new projects. A time to plan and prepare especially if it is so cold outdoors and one just wants to curl up in front of the fire or heater. Think about what has been and what you would like to change and do in your future. New job, moving house, new relationship or perhaps a new life is coming into the family be it kith, kin, fur or fin. An ideal time to write up notes, fill in your book of shadows, journals and herbal grimoires as we work under the phase of the moon.

New Moon in Taurus.

15th - FIRST QUARTER MOON. Rising at Noon and setting at Midnight, the Moon is 90-135 degrees ahead of the Sun. Light and dark are in equal balance. Consolidate and give form to projects. Be creative and deal with any challenges that may arise.

24th - FULL MOON. The Earth is between the Sun and Moon. The Moon, rising at sunset and setting at dawn, is 180-135 degrees behind the Sun. The Full Moon is the time to celebrate the complete.

Full Moon in Sagittarius.

THE SNOW MOON

As we have come into the winter season, this Moon symbolizes the lands and the icy grip that starts upon us all and when the first flakes of snow were said to fall. Whether or not we have snow, it is certainly a cold time. This is when we begin to hibernate, reflect on the past and draw from old experiences. Also called the hunger Moon.

APOGEE AND PERIGEE  From timeanddate.com The Moon's orbit around Earth is not a perfect circle, but elliptical, with one side closer to Earth than the other. As a result, the distance between the Moon and Earth varies throughout the month and the year. On average, the distance is about 382,900 kilometers (238,000 miles). The point on the Moon's orbit closest to Earth is called the Perigee and the point farthest away is the Apogee. 

Apogee (Furthest away from the Earth) 18th

Perigee (Closest to the Earth) - 6th

The Meteor shower Eta Aquarids will peak between the 5th and 6th. This meteor shower was created by debris from Comet Halley.

 

 

THE MAY STAR SIGNS 

 

TAURUS April 21st - May 21st. Symbol – The Bull, Element – Earth, Planet – Venus, Quality – Fixed, Personal Creed- I have, Negative/Feminine sign. An ancient symbol of strength and fertility within nature, Taureans are known as being loving and gentle.

Some of the Taurean people. Hank Azaria, Glen Campbell, John Cena, Giancarlo Esposito, Ella Fitzgerald, Kevin James, Dwayne Johnson, Casey Kasem, Jet Li, Lee Majors, James McAvoy, Jack Nicholson, Queen Elizabeth II, Roy Orbinson, Iggy Pop, Shirley MacLaine, Willy Nelson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Shirley Temple, Uma Thurman, William Shakespeare, Barbra Streisand, Channing Tatum, Leonardo da Vinci, Renee Zellweger.

 

GEMINI - May 22nd – June 22nd. Symbol – The Twins, Element – Air, Planet – Mercury, Quality – Mutable, Personal Creed- I think, Positive/Masculine Sign. Seekers of knowledge, these star signs can communicate with all if they choose to.

Some of the Geminis are Tim Allen, Helena Bonham Carter, Johnny Depp, Peter Dinklage, Clint Eastwood, Colin Farrell, Michael.J.Fox, Morgan Freeman, Judy Garland, Paul Giamatti, Bear Grylls, John.F.Kennedy, Nicole Kidman, Paul McCartney, Ian McKellen, Marilyn Munroe, Liam Neeson, Stevie Nicks, Natalie Portman, Chris Pratt, Queen Victoria, Mark Wahlberg, John Wayne, Walt Whitman.

CELTIC LUNAR TREE

The Celtic Tree calendar is based on thirteen lunar divisions. Each division has a sacred tree assigned to it that were said to have been chosen by ancient Druids. The trees rich in history and folk lore have many magickal energies associated to them. Please note that the Celtic Tree calendar was written from the Northern Hemisphere.   

 

WILLOW – Saille - April 15th – May 12th

Willow people are ruled by the Moon and the water element and can be highly creative, intuitive, intelligent and are usually very psychic and literally bursting with potential. They have also be known to observe well and sit back to see what unravels before them, said to be more patient than many of the other tree signs.

The Willow is the tree that sits by the water and helps ease us into the Summerland. Tree of enchantment, healing, immortality and its branches are used to bind the brushes of the Witches besom. 

HAWTHORN – Uath - May 13th– June 9th

Hawthorn people tend to blend into any environment and adapt well however not is all that it seems with them. They hate simple routine and become very bored, freedom and independence is a must for these people. The Hawthorn, once known simply as ‘May’ was a traditional tree honoured throughout the British isles and of course due to the flowering of its striking blossoms and the large hidden thorns it has which make it ideal as a protective tree and one for hedgerows to keep animals within their boundaries. A tree of the Fae and protection it was considered a bad omen to bring it indoors however some believe that Beltane is a fine time to decorate with it around the home, in baskets and as a talisman. Keeping in mind our Beltane is not until October when the hawthorn will be blossoming.