Athena Grey

I spent May Eve with my favorite bunch of witches, dancing out the season in Central Park. We met on a particular hilltop deep within the park, a place where the city is a distant memory. This is old land, gently tended and rich with stillness.

Ribbons and hopes fluttered in the wind. The High Priestess and High Priest knelt at the base of the Maypole, embodiement of Goddess and God, and we circled around them, We danced, weaving our magic and creating the fabric of community. Chants rose up spontaneously, acknowledging life, passion and the Divine. Ribbons grew short, and we ran, circling sun-wise around the Maypole. We tumbled into a heap at the base of the pole and set our energy free, watching the sky still spinning above us. Passion and joy are simple. You just live them. There is no breath for asking questions, only for chanting, laughing, and experiencing joy.

How different from last Beltane when I was a sad stranger at an uncomfortably formal ritual.

Beltane day was time for quiet joy. I arose and washed my face in the dew, and then walked the bounds of our land, greeting familiar trees and plants, and picking a few violets from the lawn. Later, at my altar, I thanked Goddess for getting me to a point where I could feel joy and passion again, and reaffirmed my gratitude for all that blooms in spring.

Then, into the city again to meet G. We walked around in SoHo, where they are filming Julie and Julia, with Meryl Streep. Talked about Julia Child, whom I had met in Cambridge some years ago. Drinks in our favorite bar, looking out at the film crew packing up for the evening. Dinner at our favorite restaurant, followed by a walk in the rain. Mmmmm.