THE SUMMER SOLSTICE AND THE DEATH OF BALDUR

The Summer Solstice, a date decided by the movement of our nearest star and not by a fixed artificial calendar, is one of the primary eight festivals observed today by contemporary Pagans. Festivals and rituals are held nationally, the most famous being Stonehenge and Avebury in Wiltshire. However, there are perhaps many more Pagans who rather than travel to a national shrine, will choose to observe the festival locally.

The symbolism of the Solstice as a religious event of deep spiritual significance is almost too personal for many Pagans to express in words. The individual is far more likely to be touched deep inside and will therefore, feel intuitively an inexpressible union with the Divine, in whatever way they may perceive it.

The Summer Solstice marks the point of greatest light, a promise of the warmest months, growth and harvest. Yet by being the Sun’s highest point this also marks the moment when the hours of daylight will no longer be greater than the hours of darkness. Just as night must follow day, darkness must follow light and invariably, winter must follow summer.

This realisation that life is a cycle, that there is a balance of light and dark, that the waxing and waning energies are part of that cycle, lies for some at the heart of Paganism as a spiritual path.

In an earlier published work (Pagan symbolism within the Sherwood Legends, in the Hedgewytch issue 50 May/Beltane 2010 pp20-23), I have sought to explore the symbolism of the Sherwood Tradition and its relationship to the division of the light and dark halves of the year. In doing so, I offered the example of the Sherwood Legends as a valid reason for dividing the year at the equinoxes in comparison to the Arthurian Cycle and the division of the year at the solstices.

The mythological key of the Arthurian Cycle that is comparable to that of the Sherwood Legends previously mentioned is the relationship between Arthur, his sister Morgan of the Fay and their son by an incestuous liaison, Mordred.

In the final battle, Arthur and Mordred meet in combat and although Mordred is slain, he gives his father a mortal wound. Here Arthur is the Sun King representing the light half of the year, while his son Mordred is comparable to Guy of Gisbourne in the Sherwood Legends and a representative of the dark half of the year. Arthur is also the Christ, the Sun King sacrificed for his people and suffering a mortal wound.

The battle between Arthur and Mordred is a representation of the Summer Solstice. Arthur is a king at the height of his powers but he is delivered of a mortal blow, so that although neither dead nor defeated, his powers now begin to wane. So it is at the Summer Solstice; as the Sun reaches the height of power and then begins to slowly diminish in strength. Mordred is defeated but only for a time, for as his father’s strength wanes his will increase until finally, in the Autumn, the hours of darkness are greater than the hours of daylight.

Morgan of the Fay as sister and mother of the two protagonists, here provides a link between the two and is a manifestation of the Goddess of Fate. Her very title “of the Fay” shows here very clearly her true identity as the Queen of Elfland. At the end of the battle, Arthur is taken by ship on a journey to the Otherworld accompanied by three queens, representations of the Fates found in both Classical and Norse Mythology. In some versions of the story, one of these queens is Morgan of the Fay herself. This paradox, that she is in part responsible for his defeat, yet is also his saviour is an illustration of the detached impartiality of Fate.

There is however, a third mythological stream or cycle that is very much worth exploring when discussing the division of the light and dark halves of the year. This third mythological thread lies within Northern Mythology and has as its focus the death of Baldur and his relationship with two of his brothers, Hodur and Vali. Northern Mythology is unfortunately a somewhat lesser known mystical stream with regard the general public but it is certainly no less significant than the Arthurian Cycle.

Woden (better known as Odin) and his wife Frigga (who is perhaps better known as Frig), have had many children. Two of these children are the twins Baldur the Fair and his brother Hodur the Blind, each equally devoted to the other. However, the Northern Gods are subject to fate and it is discovered that Baldur is fated to die. An attempt is therefore made by his mother to avoid fate and an agreement is sought in which all of creation shall swear an oath, not to harm Baldur the Fair God of Light.

One plant, judged too young to swear an oath, is exempt from the agreement and this is mistletoe. It is such a small and insignificant plant, what possible harm could it cause to man, beast or god? However, the identity of this one plant is kept a secret and once the agreement is made and the oaths are sworn, the Gods celebrate by playing a throwing game with Baldur as a willing target.

Baldur is at the height of his powers, truly invincible or at least, believed to be. Ashen spears, oaken staves and granite blocks either veer away when thrown or bounce harmlessly off Baldur causing him no hurt. Here Baldur is an embodiment of the Summer Sun at its height on the day of the Summer Solstice. Historically we are aware that celebrations and the worship of Baldur, took place in Scandinavia on the very day of the Summer Solstice.

Another God however, Loki has discovered the identity of the one plant that can now cause harm to Baldur and end the merriment of the Gods. He rides to Valhalla where mistletoe grows upon an oak close to the entrance. Here those familiar with the Celtic Tradition will note the symbolism of the mistletoe growing close to a doorway, drawing a link to both the Winter Solstice and the oak itself. However, it is worth considering that the mistletoe motif may be a later addition to this mythological cycle.

Using magic, Loki fashions a full size spear from a piece of mistletoe and returns to the celebrations. Here he finds Hodur, alone and feeling rather left out as being blind, he is unable to participate in the games. Loki kindly offers to help and to provide a missile and leading Hodur into the crowd, assists him in taking aim. Hodur throws the spear but instead of hearing yet more laughter there is a shocked silence, followed by a lament. Loki has made by now a discrete withdrawal, leaving Hodur heart-broken at the tragedy and mourning the loss of the brother, he loved so.

There is much more to this myth; which continues the story with an attempt to persuade Hel to release Baldur from the underworld and it is of great significance to followers and practitioners of the Northern Tradition and Wiccecraeft (Anglo-Saxon Witchcraft). We however, must jump ahead to the birth of the third brother featured here, Vali the Avenger.

Vali is a son of Woden (Odin) but not a son of Frigga (Frig), as his mother is often identified as a giantess called Rind. On the same day of his birth, he grows to full manhood and enters Asgard with a bow and a quiver of arrows. It is with these weapons that he goes on to slay his elder brother Hodur and so avenge the death of Baldur. With this act of revenge, which is in part a requirement of the Norse concept of Fate, the tragedy finally ends.

Vali the Avenger is quite obviously the returning light, the re-born Sun of the Winter Solstice and his arrows represent beams or shafts of light. His part in the cycle brings to a close the darkness of Winter, represented by that tragic figure, the blind god Hodur.

Baldur is here shown as a vegetation God that is cut down or harvested at the peak of his virility and therefore, parallels can be drawn with the symbolism of the sacrificial king. The king that at his height, must step down before his powers and therefore the power he shares with the land and the people will begin to wane.

The mythology of Baldur and his two brothers Hodur and Vali is a beautiful and powerful story and provides perfectly, a valid reasoning for the interpretation of the change at the Solstices. Which mythological cycle one favours Saxon, Arthurian or Northern, is a matter of personal gnosis and mythological interpretation. The death of Baldur and the birth of Vali, like the death of Arthur; presents us with an ideal symbolic representation of the death of the Summer Sun on the Summer Solstice and then the return of the light and the rebirth of the Sun at the Winter Solstice.

Vali as the returning light is both the Green Man and the Hunter. Furthermore, as a Divine Archer he equates symbolically with Robin Hood as a Saxon God of the hunt and in doing so, he brings us back full circle to the Sherwood Legends.

Further and recommended reading

Ellis Davidson H.R. (1964) Gods and Myths of Northern Europe. Pelican Books.

Griffith D.B. (Chattering Magpie) (2010) Pagan symbolism within the Sherwood Legends. The Hedgewytch. Issue 50 May/Beltane 2010 pp20-23.

Griffith D.B. (Chattering Magpie) (2012) Pagan symbolism within the Sherwood Legends. Hearth of the Turning Wheel: Private publication.

Guerber H.A. (1909) The Norsemen. George G. Harrap and Co. London.

Howard M. (1994) Mysteries of the Runes. Capall Bann.

Jennings P. (2007) Heathen Paths: Viking and Anglo Saxon Pagan beliefs. Capall Bann.

Both Sides, Now by Joni Mitchell

Rows and flows of angel hair

And ice cream castles in the air

And feather canyons everywhere

I've looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun

They rain and snow on everyone

So many things I would have done

But clouds got in my way

I've looked at clouds from both sides now

From up and down, and still somehow

It's cloud illusions I recall

I really don't know clouds at all

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels

The dizzy dancing way you feel

As every fairy tale comes real

I've looked at love that way

But now it's just another show

You leave 'em laughing when you go

And if you care, don't let them know

Don't give yourself away

I've looked at love from both sides now

From give and take, and still somehow

It's love's illusions I recall

I really don't know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud

To say "I love you" right out loud

Dreams and schemes and circus crowds

I've looked at life that way

But now old friends are acting strange

They shake their heads, they say I've changed

Well something's lost, but something's gained

In living every day

I've looked at life from both sides now

From win and lose and still somehow

It's life's illusions I recall

I really don't know life at all

I've looked at life from both sides now

From up and down and still somehow

It's life's illusions I recall

I really don't know life at all

© 1967 Gandalf Publishing Co.

They Say That Hope Is Happiness - Lord Byron (1788 - 1824)

THEY say that Hope is happiness;

But genuine Love must prize the past,

And Memory wakes the thoughts that bless:

They rose the first - they set the last;

And all that Memory loves the most

Was once our only Hope to be,

And all that Hope adored and lost

Hath melted into Memory.

Alas! it is delusion all;

The future cheats us from afar,

Nor can we be what we recall,

Nor dare we think on what we are.

Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell

They paved paradise

And put up a parking lot

With a pink hotel, a boutique

And a swinging hot spot

Don't it always seem to go

That you don't know what you've got

‘Til it's gone

They paved paradise

And put up a parking lot

They took all the trees

And put them in a tree museum

Then they charged the people

A dollar and a half just to see 'em

Don't it always seem to go,

That you don't know what you've got

‘Til it's gone

They paved paradise

And put up a parking lot

Hey farmer, farmer

Put away that DDT now

Give me spots on my apples

But leave me the birds and the bees

Please!

Don't it always seem to go

That you don't know what you've got

‘Til its gone

They paved paradise

And put up a parking lot

Late last night

I heard the screen door slam

And a big yellow taxi

Took away my old man

Don't it always seem to go

That you don't know what you've got

‘Til it's gone

They paved paradise

And put up a parking lot

They paved paradise

And put up a parking lot

They paved paradise

And put up a parking lot

RITUALS AND RITES - ARTCORE DERBY 2018

In the winter of 2018 I heard news of an event in Derby that potentially would be of interest to me. A friend via Facebook sent me the details and the title of the event certainly got my attention. Making a preliminary enquiry to confirm the date I soon found myself with an invitation to attend the latest free exhibition at ARTCORE.

ARTCORE is a visual arts charity that with a group of professional artists, works within the local communities having extensive links nationally and internationally. They perceive themselves as a cultural hub serving diverse needs and equally diverse communities.

The ARTCORE gallery is housed in a concrete municipal building on the edge of the city centre, situated in one of the less attractive streets in Derby. I used to work near this area and it is not a street that I would normally frequent after dark. So it was something of a surprise to find a culturally positive initiative based here, rather than the more pretentious parts of the city.

The Rituals and Rites exhibition aimed to explore how supernatural powers; their folklore and mythologies, influence and define what we can call 'Human Nature' in an increasingly globalised culture. The key categories or aspects of the diverse worlds of anthropology, witchcraft and shamanism were the basis of this initiative and more than two dozen artists addressed this subject.

Spread across two small galleries, the smaller room also served as a standing dining area, the exhibition had a certain intimate atmosphere. A larger area may have been more appropriate but such a need, would have to be balanced against the potential that some exhibits would have become lost.

As I entered the main gallery, I noted in particular the animal masks displayed upon the walls. They were well made, eye catching and so superbly suggestive of animistic rituals that I returned to them several times. Three mounted heads, a woman, a man and a rather gory skull, stood out in a distinctive and memorable manner.

The remaining exhibits were of an equally high standard and of the same remarkable variety. On display were reimagined tarot cards, poppets and depictions of the Hellenic Pantheon. The robes of the shamanka, with an assortment of related items were placed almost unobtrusively in a corner. Yet placed close enough to the wonderfully sculptured head of a woman already mentioned; so reminiscent of the Baba Yaga, that the potential links with Slavic mythology were unmistakable.

Two live performances took place that evening. The first required a masked singer to perform an evocative African song in front of a projected film. The second recital which took place in the smaller room, was an acoustic guitar  performance by a local musician.

Since I was fortunate to attend on the opening night, I was able to appreciate the level of support shown to this event. I was delighted to observe that the numbers attending were high, even though at times the exhibition was rather congested.

Amongst those supporting ARTCORE and the exhibition was the Right Worshipful, the Mayor of the City of Derby Councillor Mike Carr and Mrs Carr the Madame Mayoress. A charming couple whose presence added weight to a cultural gem that lies hidden in this city.

The Rituals and Rites Exhibition ran from Thursday the 13th of December 2018 to Thursday the 17th of January 2019 and the featured the work of the following artists; Abbie Sunter, Antoniett Sacco, Beth Bam, Conor Hurford, Christos Gkenoudis, Elizabeth Blades, Emma Brassington, Farida Makki, Frank Abbott, Ivilina Kouneva, Jenny Bramley, Jon Mayers, Joseph Goddard, Julie Clive, Karen Logan, Olivia Punnett, Tsogt Otgonbayar, Paul Dodgson, Ruth Calland, Sara Jayne Harris, Sarah Thomas, Sarah Victoria Spence, Szilvia Ponyiczki, Tal Regev, Tim Shore and Uriya Jurik.

ARTCORE ON FACEBOOK

https://www.facebook.com/ArtcoreUK/

ARTCORE WEDSITE

http://www.artcoreuk.com/

A response to - 'Spare me this Pagan Revival'

At the end of November 2018 there appeared online and I believe in print, a somewhat controversial article by Julie Burchill. There was to be fair to Burchill, rather a knee jerk reaction to her writing and one can wonder how many read the entire piece. I noted that many allegedly attacking her work were actually attacking her as a person, her life choices and her politics. I have no interest in either. I know her name, I may have read some of her work but I have no interest in her life as such. The article however, is of a different ilk and the content of that needs to be addressed.

Burchill begins by voicing the opinion that 2018 has been quite an eventful year for the Pagan Community, noting that there is a demand by the said community for Prison Chaplains, a slot on 'Thought for the Day' and that a support group has been formed for Pagans in the armed forces. There appears here to be a degree of misinformation or perhaps misunderstanding. Prison Chaplaincy, school liaison services, Hospital chaplaincy and visiting have all been in existence for over a decade. Here Burchill or perhaps her sources, appear to be behind the times; none of this is in any way new.

The issue of the armed forces raises another question, since there is already a support network within the Police Service, why should defence or any other profession be any different? Military service personal put their lives on the line for the good of this country, why should their religious or spiritual needs be neglected? Most Christian denominations are represented by chaplains and so are other faiths such as Judaism. I see no reason why any minority should face discrimination in this matter.

The next few points raised by Burchill are rather less easy to dismiss and it is somewhat unsavoury, as I admit she may have a point. The bigger public festivals do bring out the more publicity seeking wing of the Pagan community and I personally find the velvet cloaks of the Goth Witch brigade, an embarrassment. They do not represent me or my path, so I avoid their YouTube channels deliberately. They lack a knowledge of history, genuinely believe in a lost matriarchal culture despite the lack of archaeological evidence, confuse matrilineal for the previous word and as Burchill points out, attack Christianity and Capitalism.

Both Christianity and Capitalism are justifiable targets for criticism but the manner of criticism I accept is questionable. Not everyone within the Pagan community is a left-wing Labour voting vegan and it is an error to presume so. Politics is obviously a controversial and  contentious area. It may even surprise the reader to learn that due to the more extreme methods of certain elements, not all women now consider themselves to be feminists. As for Pagan attacks upon Christianity, here I can support in principle Burchill's criticism. In our multicultural and post multi-faith society, criticism of a faith for being a faith is not acceptable. Pagans cannot expect equality if the same Pagans withhold equality.

Her claim however, that Pagans are perverts caused justifiable consternation with the Pagan environment. It displayed a misunderstanding of Polymory, skyclad worship and the less shameful approach to the act of generation, than that found in the Abrahamic faiths. It also appears to imply that Polymory and naked rites are the norm for all, they are not. Indeed on this point her argument is quite weak and although I do not wish to fall into the trap of criticising another faith, children are safer at a Pagan festival than a Christian prayer meeting.

The remainder of the article is a rather meandering and chaotic mess, in which Burchill attacks reincarnation, Pagan Festivals and equates Paganism with National Socialism. I am a Pagan, I have been for many years now. Yet I can honestly say that increasingly over recent years, I have found myself asking within the broader context of our community; what does this mean? I have come to realise that although I call myself Pagan, one of the few commonalities I have with others also self identifying as Pagan, is that I also call myself Pagan. My shared spiritual experience with that greater Pagan environment no longer exists and I often wonder if it ever did. Because of this detachment, I am able to regard Burchill with a less biased perspective. It is important to understand that Burchill has a job to do, she is a writer and she is paid to be controversial. Some of her observations are on target but others miss that target wildly.

On target is her dismissal of reincarnation, as she points out that everyone who comes forward was famous in a previous life. Certainly a true observation if you read certain newspapers and magazines. Sensationalist TV shows appear to focus on the publicity seekers claiming to be Julius Caesar or Cleopatra. These attention seekers are an embarrassment but it also shows something of a flaw in Burchill's approach. A confusion between serious Paganism, the study of the occult and that shallow pool we call the New Age. Here I perhaps display as much prejudice as Burchill, having coined terms such as New Age Garbage (NAG) and Mindless Bull-Shit (as in MBS fairs), I am obviously not well disposed towards such philosophies.

Although Burchill makes a valid observation in praising Martin Luther-King and his interpretation of an inclusive Christianity, in leading the way in the civil rights movement. Her dismissal of Paganism as having little impact upon Western Culture is a serious error. She fails to appreciate that although the legacy of many pre-Christian cultures may lie hidden in archaeology, it is the influence upon art and education via the cultures of Greece and Rome that are the basis of our Western Civilisation.

The dismissal of her association of Paganism with National Socialism is more difficult to deal with. The perceptions of that movement and its appropriation of pre-Christian symbolism remains to this day, a highly contentious area of study. The matter is also far more complex than Burchill would suggest. The majority of the German population, including members of the Party were Christian. The competition between party and church was based on power and politics, not on belief.

Philosophies like the symbols tainted by the National Socialist movement, remain difficult to integrate within our society but that is no reason to dismiss them. The swastika and the runes, all symbols misused by Hitler, predate his use by thousands of years.  Even that difficult concept of Blood and Soil (dating from the nineteenth century if not before), has some validity within occult thought; representing as it does traditionalist ideas of heritage, ancestors and the land. Concepts that most on the outside of our community cannot begin to grasp.

I do not expect all reading this to agree with me, least of all Burchill herself but for me the significance of her article lies in its prejudice and its ignorance. It shows that after decades of hard work and I write here as a retired Pagan Federation officer, an organisation that she quotes; that there is still much work to be done, much misinformation to be addressed and a great deal of ignorance to be overcome.

Read the original article by Julie Burchill here:

https://www.spiked-online.com/2018/11/30/spare-me-this-pagan-revival/

Au Coeur de la Famill

We of the Hearth of the Turning Wheel are from time to time, approached with deep and searching enquiries, yet some of these enquiries are inappropriate, for we are much misunderstood. People assume we are who we are not, that the Hearth is what it is not and that we can provide that which we cannot. Naturally this leads to a series of questions of who we are, what we are and what if anything, can we provide the genuine seeker?

As we have oft stated, the Hearth of the Turning Wheel is an independent and progressive Pagan coterie, which is itself based within the English Midlands. Our praxis and ethos are inspired by but not necessarily limited to; the traditional custom and belief found within British and European Folklore. Although we meet to celebrate the Eight High Holy Days of the modern Wheel of the Year, we leave Moon observances to our member’s solitary practice and no obligation is placed on our members to do such.

The Hearth is or should be an extended family but this leads us to ask what lies at the heart of that family? Hence the title of this piece. What is our Priceps Virtus? Can we define our Esprit de Corps and is there an active or a sleeping Egregore? Can we even discuss these matters publicly and how much remains Sub Rosa?

Contrary to that above paragraph however, I can assure the reader that the Hearth as a group, are considerably less pretentious than the writer of this piece or as the above wording may even suggest. Equally important is the need to recognise, that we as a group do have our own particular traits and elements that define what and who we are.

Any working group is greater than the sum of its parts and each individual member brings something unique to the Cauldron. The experience, the knowledge and the ability of each individual are combined there, to create the alchemy that is the Coterie.

We do not operate a degree system for we are not a Wiccan coven, although membership does require a rite of admission. We are a private group and membership is by invitation only. However, guests are occasionally permitted to attend and participate in ritual; again this is by invitation. We say of ourselves that we are not elitist, even if some in error may consider us to be so but we are by necessity, deliberately selective.

Like other groups that may be of a traditionalist influence and even those that are not, the Hearth of the Turning Wheel is divided into sections. In some groups these are called the Inner and Outer Circles, Orders, Chapters or sometimes in Traditional Cuveens, the Compasses. We in the Hearth of the Turning Wheel designate our divisions as Courts. The Inner Court consists of admitted members of the Hearth of the Turning Wheel and therefore constitutes the Hearth proper. The Outer Court is a less official division, consisting of those guests who have attended a ritual but have not been admitted to the Inner Court.

Our numbers are small and if each member was asked what the core values of the Hearth are or what the Hearth actually is? Then it is very likely that each individual would give their own definition and opinion, which may differ significantly from another member of the Inner Court.

Existing separately and apart from the two courts is a third informal grouping, consisting of our supporters, contacts within other groups and those with an interest in our philosophy but who have not attended a ritual. This separate group is the Friends of the Hearth of the Turning Wheel and there is a Facebook group of that name.

The Hearth takes its name from the declared aim of observing the Eight ‘Sabbats’ of the Wheel of the Year. On our foundation and being aware that members came from differing Traditions, that not every member was a Witch, a Druid or a Heathen, we then chose to avoid the weighted terms of coven or grove. Admittedly as we have developed and grown, we have taken on attributes often associated with the word coven and we may at times, even describe ourselves as such. However, our name should be enough to suggest where our focus lies. It is the celebration and observance of the ‘Wheel’ and the associated esoteric meanings within, that lie at the heart of this our family.

There is a general perception that the Eight High Holy Days of contemporary Paganism, are entirely Solar in their symbolism and their meaning. This is incorrect, the Wheel of Eight Festivals as we perceive them, consists of four ‘Lights’ and four ‘Darks’ that spin in perfect unity.

The Four Lights are:

·       The Spring Equinox that will fall between the 21^st and the 23^rd of March and marks the beginning of Aries.

·       The Summer Solstice that will fall between the 21^st and the 23^rd of June and marks the beginning of Cancer.

·       The Autumn Equinox that will fall between the 21^st and the 23^rd of September and marks the beginning of Libra.

·       The Winter Solstice that will fall between the 21^st and the 23^rd of December and marks the beginning of Capricorn.

The Four Darks are:

·       Lambtide or Imbolc that will fall on or near the 1^st of February or at 15 degrees Aquarius and represents the New or Waxing Moon.

·       Maytide or Beltaine that will fall on or near the 1^st of May or at 15 degrees Taurus and represents the Full Moon.

·       Lammastide or Lughnassadh that will fall on or near the 1^st of August or at 15 degrees Leo and represents the Old or Waning Moon.

·       Hallowtide or Samhain that will fall on or near the 1^st of November or at 15 degrees Scorpio and represents the Dark Moon.

Our calendar follows the progression of the four tides of the year, with Lambtide or Candlemas as our starting point, it is the tide of Lustration or sowing. Maytide or Roodmas is the tide of Activation or growth. Lammastide is the tide of Consolidation or reaping and Hallowtide is the tide of Recession or death, thus leading to new growth and the start of the cycle once more.

For clarification:

1.    Lambtide: the visible New or Waxing Moon.

2.    The Spring Equinox: the Sunrise.

3.    Maytide: the Full Moon.

4.    The Summer Solstice: the Sun at Zenith.

5.    Lammastide: the Old or Waning Moon.

6.    The Autumn Equinox: the Sunset.

7.    Hallowtide: the Dark Moon.

8.    The Winter Solstice: the Sun at Nadir.

There are symbols which we use that many whose practice is influenced by a more generalised Pagan path, may not be familiar with. These include the Sixways, some runic combinations and totemic symbols. Further explanation here is perhaps unnecessary or even inappropriate. It is important to recognise that each working group develops its own language over time.

The concept of Sovereignty runs through British and Irish mythology like a thread of precious virtue. In the Irish cycle it is the Morrígan who may represent the sovereignty of the land. In the British Isles and the Arthurian Cycle, that archetypal representation is Guinevere. In the English Midlands it is the Maid Marion that other Queen of the May, who holds that same sacred position and by whose marriage Robin Hood reigns as consort.

Marion is a maid but not a maiden. Her relationship with Robin Hood and her activities within the legends, transcend the social mores of the period. She is mistress of her own fate. Her Maytide marriage to Robin Hood bestows upon him the right to rule. Maid Marion is the Sovereignty of the Greenwood and Robin Hood as her consort, reigns by right of the Sacred Union. The Merry Men, the word Merry is derived from the Saxon meaning retinue or retainer, serve as their household. The model presented in the Sherwood Cycle is therefore; comparable to Arthur, Guinevere and the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian.

Our interpretation of the Sacred Wheel is therefore influenced by a localised folklore and practice, incorporating legends of the English Midlands, Greater Britain and the cultures of the Brythonic, the Saxon and the Norse peoples. How each individual perceives this model or concept at the deeper spiritual level; is so personal and so unique that one can barely express in mere words the true meaning of this our ways. We do not have a name for what we do, for our tradition is without a name but it is our tradition and that is enough.