Just wanted to say to those who celebrate it, happy May Day! (or Beltane, as it's also referred to.) This marks the beginning of Fairy Summer in the northern hemisphere, a time when the veil between the worlds wears thin. It's my very favorite holiday of the whole entire year. An auspicious time of celebration, flowers, frolicking in the woods, and, well, having a lot of sex lol

The words "May" and "Maiden" come from the same root word which simply means "young". If you worship the Goddess, today is the day to honor her in her maiden aspect. Actually since it's pouring rain here today I'll probably wait until it clears up for the frolicking in the woods part. But officially, this is Her day. There is lots of information, stories, activities, etc. that can be found online just by Googling "Beltane".

May the fairies bless you on this day, or failing that, may they leave you the hell alone lol

The Fairy Girl 

This day is also celebrated in many countries as the day when the working-class take to the streets and voice their desire for greater fairness and equality amongst men.

working-class take to the streets and voice their desire for greater fairness and equality amongst men.

Then go out and get drunk.

Quote from: tekla on May 01, 2009, 03:51:19 PM
working-class take to the streets and voice their desire for greater fairness and equality amongst men.

Then go out and get drunk.

I'd rather stay home and get drunk. I won't need a cab or designated driver that way. But then again, I probably won't because I don't like the way my head feels when I'm drunk.

Quote from: tekla on May 01, 2009, 03:51:19 PM
working-class take to the streets and voice their desire for greater fairness and equality amongst men.

Then go out and get drunk.

You know, that just makes no sense to me.

Quote from: Shades O'Grey on May 01, 2009, 03:58:22 PM
I'd rather stay home and get drunk. I won't need a cab or designated driver that way. But then again, I probably won't because I don't like the way my head feels when I'm drunk.

lol precisely the reason I quit drinking lo these many moons ago. That, and I thought I might actually need my liver someday.

Quote from: tekla on May 01, 2009, 03:51:19 PM
working-class take to the streets and voice their desire for greater fairness and equality amongst men.

Then go out and get drunk.

Actually in Germany back when I lived there it wasn't at all necessary to wait, the kneipes were open during the parades!!

As for May Day, lets go light the fires and frolic and ... well, I'll letcha use your discretion and imagination on how to celebrate fertility!

N~

Best wishes for International Workers Day to all Comrades

You know, that just makes no sense to me.

But you're not a real 'working class' trade-union type person are you?  I am.  I've yet to see a working class event without beer.  And you're from Iceland?  Same Iceland who's number one health problem is drinking (according to its own Health Department)?  That Iceland?  The one who's own government put alcoholism at somewhere between 3.5 and 6.3 percent of the population, a population where alcohol use for people over 20 is over 90%, where per capita consumption of alcohol for people over 15 is 5.56 liters of pure alcohol.?  That Iceland?

The Iceland of Bjork?


Bjork drinks a litre of straight vodka every Friday.

The Icelandic singer has been enjoying the alcoholic beverage every week since she was 15 and insists it is a tradition in her homeland.

She said: "I come from a country where, from the age of 15, you drink a litre of vodka, every Friday, straight from the bottle."

The eccentric mother-of-two says her drinking habits were inspired by her grandparents and claims it helps her to release her inhibitions.

souce:
http://www.heilbrigdisraduneyti.is/media/Skyrslur/heilbenska5mai.pdf
and
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1384287.php

Quote from: Miniar on May 01, 2009, 03:23:48 PM
This day is also celebrated in many countries as the day when the working-class take to the streets and voice their desire for greater fairness and equality amongst men.

The French got a little rowdy today maybe it was too much wine. 

I thought it had its origins in the American Working-Man's parties of the 1830s, and the American labor movement that began in the 1840s, long before Marx camped out in the library in London (1867), and though I think it was proposed in 1856 in Australia it really kicked into high gear following the Haymarket Riot in 1886 in Chicago.  That was following the calls in the US for a general strike on May 1st for the 8 hour day / 40 hour work week that started in 1884.

if you want to look up "International Workers' Day" on Wikipedia, you'll find more information than you'd ever really care to know about it. Trust me on this.
But it isn't labor day I'm celebrating anyways, its the Maiden's wedding day. Still, I'm quite sure there are copious amounts of drinking involved somewhere lol   

Same with looking up May Day.  Very much tied to Haymarket.

I celebrated by working a little bit myself.  Did a theater set up, and have the show tomorrow and strike (the theater kind, not the labor kind) tomorrow night.

But I'm sure there will be some extra rounds of beer at the Union meeting on Wends.  Solidarity now, solidarity forever.

Yours for the Union, tekla

"The Second International (1889–1916) was an organization of socialist and labour parties formed in Paris on July 14, 1889. At the Paris meeting delegations from 20 countries participated.[1] It continued the work of the dissolved First International, though excluding the still-powerful anarcho-syndicalist movement and unions, and was in existence until 1916.

Among the Second International's most famous actions were its (1889) declaration of May 1 as International Workers' Day and its (1910) declaration of March 8 as International Women's Day. It initiated the international campaign for the 8-hour working day.[2]"

Attended by Lenin, Trotsky and Rosa Luxemburg among others...

To All

Hi Tekla, the Finns, Swedes and the Russians pack the stuff away pretty good as well.

Cindy

And the Norwegians too.

I spent a total of five months (3 months, and then 8 months later, 2 months - it only seemed a hell of a lot longer) in ever scenic Thule Greenland on a construction project. We could be in what amounted to a virtural lockdown for days because of what they called 'phase winds.'  The crew was a mix of people from the US and Canada, and a bunch of Danes, Norwegians and guys from Iceland, and you could tell who was who just by what was in front of them, beer (US and Canada, Molson eh?) or vodka.  And those boys could drink vodka and match us ounce for ounce on our beer consumption - and not just for an evening - well yes, one very long evening. 

We have a very large Russian population in SF too.  Don't ever get into a drinking match with a Russian grandmother at a wedding.  You'll lose.

Quote from: tekla on May 02, 2009, 11:51:41 AM
Don't ever get into a drinking match with a Russian grandmother at a wedding.  You'll lose.

Thanks for the tip; I'll keep that in mind.

And why is this in a spirituality section when its all about workers and labor, for years the Catholics celebrated May Day as a fest for Mary, you know the virgin mother.

Well if all in creation is spirit, then my not the Virgin Mary, Jesus, us other living beings on other planets and what ever other conscious living entities  that transit in between, such as enchanted worlds, gods, and godesses, princes and princesses, dragons, and old bats like me, fairies, and elves, etc, etc. Better check under your bed before you go to sleep tonight. 

Spirit Universe

According to Native tradition all things, both animate and inanimate have spirit energy. Universe is living spirit. The stars are Spirit Elders.  The moon is Spirit Grandmother and the Earth is Spirit Mother. All upon the Mother is of the living spirit, the rocks, the soil, the plants, the animals as it the water and all that resides within it. The air and all that resides within it, too..

This was why in the old days when one had used what they needed from the land it was returned to the land from where all is born. An offering of tobacco and prayer in thanksgiving was offered to the Spirit who had provided for them. It was believed that all that was provided to the people should be returned to replenish the Earth Mother's living spirit.

Then there is the moon cycle ceremony of Grandmother moon who comes to visit every month to cleans and prepare the girl child for womanhood or to cleans the mother to be in the sacred moon lodge.

Father sun gives sustenance to Mother Earth and her children. The children of the grandfather stars from whence they came so shall they return.

In the old days the people celebrated  pot-loch twice per year, spring and fall. This is the ancient celebration that is basis of the modern day pow wow. A  sacred celebration in thanksgiving to the sun god and the spirit mother for providing them with the abundant seasons of trading, hunting, fishing and harvesting that they have been blessed to have to sustain them through the long
sleeping time.

Today physicists have begun to become aware of the various frequencies of energies coming from everywhere, the Earth, plants, air and water as well as from Universe itself.  If you can be at peace with yourself and become harmonious with the universal energies certain channels will open for you.  This is where your awakening consciousness can be gained through harmony with the environment around you, with unwavering attention. The last requirement is *believing* in your ability to do so.

You need to be in harmony with the Earth elements to manifest what you need or want. Do not forget that these energies do not discriminate negative from positive, that is left for you to make the right choice.

You can place your request or prayer to the elements in the Native traditional way, by sprinkling sweet grass or tobacco offering on an open flame. The fragrant smoke lifts your prayer or petition up to the heavens to the Great Spirit.  But then you still need to do the footwork involved to bring this magic into being in this reality. If you have gone this far you will know the right steps to take.  You will be led.

Cindy ©

Putting all Native American tribes under the same vague umbrella is like saying "all African tribes" or "everyone in Asia" - it does not wash.  The NA tribes were diverse, ranging from fully developed civilizations with law and written languages to conditions that were barely above a stone age level of survival.  Moreover, all did not revere or subscribe to the same religious visions or social structures, or moral codes.  Some even managed to go extinct long before the arrival of Columbus.

You can't paint that entire tradition with a single broad brush.