You need a long and sturdy pole, firmly anchored. I know of some people that had a pipe permanently sunk into a small concrete slab that at other times of the year was covered by a heavy mosaic pentagram. The pipe firmly held a tall 2" thick dowel rod. I have seen tall dead tree trunks still rooted in the ground and kept for Maypole use. Permanent structures are not always possible, though. At one circle I attended, we used a method that should be easily available to anyone. The base was an extra heavy metal one sold for use with outdoor umbrellas. Its clamps hold the pole firmly in place. For the top of our heavy wooden dowel, there's a wooden knob attached with a double-pointed screw. Ribbons are stapled to the top and then capped with the knob. You should have a long ribbon for each participant. The ribbons should be long enough that the end can be held out at a distance at least the length of the pole, as is shown in the Maypole dance pictue below.
When all participants are standing around the pole, each holding the end of a ribbon, count off alternately "one" and "two" around the circle. Then have all the Ones turn to face deocil (clockwise) and all the Twos turn to face widdershins (counter-clockwise), and to proceed in those directions as the dancing begins.
Instruct the Ones to first lift their ribbons and the
Twos to duck under, then alternate.
As the dance continues, the two groups of dancers, moving in opposite directions, alternately pass their ribbons over an approaching dancer and then duck under the ribbon of the next one.
Dancers are to visualize, as they move, what they wish to weave into their lives for the season ahead.
Above them on the pole, the ribbons weave.
In the second photo, you see the pole nearly halfway woven.
Notice that there is something resting atop the extended ribbons. That is the floral wreath that the Maiden wore at the beginning of the ritual.
When all ribbons were held out, and just before the dance began, the Maiden places her head wreath over the top of the pole, where it will gradually descend as the weaving proceeds-yet another act symbolic of the sacred marriage of Maiden and Bright Lord, Earth and Sun, with all the hope and promise for the future that it inspires.
Drumming accompaniment inspires especially good energy for the dancing. Or, the dancers might also chant.
Here's one possibility,
Weave, weave, it is our fate we weave
By choice, not chance
With love and will
It is our fate we weave.
As the weaving progresses down into the bottom half of the pole, the dance becomes progressively more challenging-especially for we Crones and Sages who are less agile than the young-and is usually accompanied by quite a bit of laughter, until finally the High Priestess calls the dance complete.
The ends of the ribbons are tied off in a festoon at the end of the weaving.
The woven ribbons will later slip right off the pole in a pretty cylinder pattern. Like all magickal charms, once their time is ended, they should be ritually released. An appropriate time and method would be in a bonfire for Fall Equinox or Samhain.
Free Forum Hosting
Important Announcement
First 