Message #2214 - PHILOSOPHERS CAVERN  (Private) (Received)
   Date: 30-04-92 20:56
   From: Matt Morris
     To: Dragon
Subject:: beltane
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@PID: RA 1.11
@MSGID: 0:0/0 4f9efc72
@REPLY: 0:0/0 4f9aa4ce
Beltane was/is the spring fertility festival. As the Earth (your mother)
returns to life after winter, so you celebrate this event and try to
influence the coming year to bring bountiful crops and many children. The
first night is the Balefire, which at the ceremony I attended had two 10 foot
straw horns placed around it. We (there were roughly 100 people there) called
the Spirits of the North, South, East and West to bring their wisdom and
power to the proceedings, then the fire (large one) is lit, burning the
horns. Next thing I knew people were leaping the fire, doing cartwheels and
such over it, which I did too and thought was great, then 99% of the
participants removed their clothes and did same. Wild!!! This took place in a
wilderness area high in the mountains of New Mexico. The following day you
plant the Maypole, a direct symbol of sex in that the women dig the hole for
it and the men pick it up and plant it. :) This is seen in modern day Maypole
ceremonies, though not in this context. Needless to say, there was a lot of
sex happening, and lots of neat costumes and things to do.