Making a Sheela na gig
The Sheela is a powerful icon. She brings protection and purification, as well as acting as a gateway between worlds and states of consciousness.
Crafting one and placing her in your home will bring her powers to bear within your life. You will need:
Air/oven dry modelling clay
Toothpick or skewer
Small pot of water
Crystal to symbolise the purpose of the Sheela
List of ogham or other symbols you might like to include
Find a good picture of a Sheela that you like (use the links provided on the Festivals page).
Start by rolling out a chunk of clay and flattening it out to form a base "stone". Use the toothpick to scratch out a rough shape for your Sheela. Using more clay, shape out a head, torso, and limbs.
Wet the base, scratch it up a bit with the toothpick, and place the torso atop the scratched-out form. Use the toothpick to smooth clay from the torso down over the base, joining the two together. Join the head the same way (remembering to join it to the torso too).
Situate the arms and legs - bending them as per the traditional Sheela shape. Some have the arms go over the thighs, some beneath. Work out which suits you best, and then attach. Don't worry if they don't look perfectly proportioned. That's not an issue - Sheelas were raw and powerful, not graceful and gentle.
Now that the body is constructed, you need to "illustrate" it. Use the toothpick to form facial features - keep them simple. Scratch out some hair, a jaw line and ears. Some Sheelas have breasts. Some have ribs. Some have braids, others just carved waves over the scalp. All have exposed genitals, fingers holding them open - it is important to add this. The vaginal opening is a doorway from life to death to rebirth, and also between the visual world and the unseen. Do not let modern sensibilities destroy the power you can add to your Sheela by crafting her labia.
I have added some additional features to my Sheela - a Tibetan quartz situated at her navel, and a series of Ogham sigils. Do as you are inspired to.
~ submitted by: Anne S.
Beltaine Activities
During the day collect flowers (to symbolise the coming summer, and the earth's fertility) and decorate the feasting area with them and "rowan" branches (if none are available, use fresh cut branches decorated with red ribbons - which are both protective and beloved of the fey folk - to create rowan branches). Also tie lengths of coloured ribbon to places where the breeze will catch them. I like to tie small bells to the ends so that as they blow about, they fill the air with tiny chimes. To honour the sun, hang up small suncatchers and crystals - they will bring his energy into your home.
~ submitted by Catherine M.
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Freyja Blot
This month Frigga is not the only goddess celebrated in the Heathen traditions. Earlier in the month Freyja, goddess of the Spring, sex, love, and lust rules. There are many ways to honour Freyja within your life - send flowers to someone you love. Work specifically with the runes Berkana and Uruz, meditating upon them and seeing how they are active within your life. Make love! Freyja is a goddess of love and sexuality. She is also strong and valourous - a goddess worth knowing.
~ submitted by Anne S.
Otley Maypole Restoration Project
May Poles
The Maypole, a tall pole smoothed of branches and stood upright (its foot buried in the earth), is a primal symbol of fertility. It is connected to the worlds above and below ours. Whether you believe that it represents a penis, or is the fertile tree of life, it is ultimately about sex. Men and women hold the ends of ribbons fastened to the tip and procede to dance around the pole in intricate patterns until the ribbons are wound from top to base. This dance draws down the sun's energy and channels it into the earth, helping to awaken her. The dancers stand as far away from the pole as their ribbons will allow, in an alternating pattern of male-female-male-female. The men face clockwise, the women anticlockwise, and they dance in the direction they are facing, weaving in and out of each other.
Ribbons of colours relevant to the themes of Beltaine are good - the dominant colour is naturally green, and this represents growth, fertility, abundance. White, the colour of May blossoms, is also important for connections with the godhood. From the other spring flowers, we have predominantly shades of pinks (representing birth). Brown is for the earth - her stability and fecundity. Red is from the bael-fires, and is all about energy, strength and protection. Finally, the sun is remembered through yellow - sexuality and joy.
If you are fortunate enough to dance about a full-size May Pole, then have a wonderful time! If, however, you don't have that freedom, why not create a miniature one for your home? Anything from a chopstick through to a broomstick will work. Simply secure it so it stands upright, attach a good number of ribbons to the top (I usually work on a multiple of three. For a chopstick I'd use three or six, for a broomstick, nine or twelve. More would be fun, but unmanageable). Make sure the ribbons are about twice the length of your maypole, have everyone take one and start moving about the pole in an over-under fashion.
Historically, may poles didn't have ribbons - they were tall poles stripped of branches and secured in the earth. A crown or other decoration was fixed to the top of the pole, and often decorations hung from it. People still danced about them, just without the ribbons.
~ submitted by Callum.
Tradition
May Day, Beltaine, whatever you wish to call it, is usually celebrated between the 1st and 6th of May. There are a number of other "Earth" deity festivals throughout the month, however, and missing the day itself doesn't mean you missed a chance to celebrate if you follow the Wheel of the Year. The entire month is ripe with energy. So choose a day that suits, and celebrate with family and loved ones. Should you follow a different path, take a look at the traditions of Belatine - most are suitable for alternate faiths.
~ submitted by Anne S.
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Bael-Fire Fun
At sundown, light the 2 bael-fires, while asking for protection, purification, fertility and good luck and then and walking about them (3 x deosil). Leaping the individual fires increases fertility in your life - physical, spiritual, emotional and mental. Walking between them brings protection about you and circling them three times draws good luck for the coming year. Break the round of Beltaine bread and offer it about the group. The breaking and consuming symbolises the offering and acceptance of hospitality - all are now one family, bound by the sacred ties of hospitality. As you eat the bread, think about how it nourishes you, how it is a product of the union of sun and earth. Pour out a goblet of Beltaine wine and pass it about the group for all to taste. Then dig in and enjoy!
~ submitted by Catherine M.
Morning Dew Spell
A traditional May Day activity is bathing your face in the fresh dew to refresh and beautiful your appearance. To add an extra element to this, lay out a small metal bowl the evening before. Anoint the rim with vanilla and lavendar oil. If your area is very dry add a cup of water to the bowl.
The next morning wash your face in the dew or water, visualising the beauty you wish to bring to the fore - let your inner face be cleansed and freshened too. Use your fingertips to do the washing.
~ submitted by Catherine M.
Simple May Blessing
Mother Earth awaken with the touch of Father Sun
Let his warmth stir your senses
Bringing life to the sleeping seeds
So that your children may eat.
Father Sun glory in your strength
And give us your protection.
Mother Earth revel in your power
Shelter us within your arms.
Nourish us
Cherish us
Sanctify yourself and become fecund once more
Shower upon us your blessings
~ submitted by Axiom.
Offerings to the Spirits and Fey Folk
As with Samhaine, Beltaine (and the three days to either side) is a day of "no time" - the veils between the Earth and the other realms thin to gossamer and the worlds intermingle and unite. Magic flows strongly, unusual events transpire and life gains a certain frisson. Food is especially important - leftovers should not be eaten but rather offered up to the fey folk. After enjoying your Beltaine feast, lay out the leftovers on a plate, pour out a goblet of cider or wine, and leave it out as an offering. Light a small tea light and place it by the food.
~ submitted by Axiom.
Moon Faerie's sunburst is a glorious explosion of the Father Sun rising above the Earth Mother's bounty.
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