May Spells and Rituals

The month May was named for the Greek goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman goddess of fertility, Bona Dea, whose festival was held in May. In Slovenian, the best-established traditional name for May is veliki traven, the month "of big grass".

This page serves as a jumping off point for May holy days, spells, magicks, lore, rituals, superstitions and  more.

General information on the month of May:

• May - A Magickal History
• May Magick
• May Moon Names
• It's a Hare's Moon
• Correspondences for May

Astrology and birth signs for May:

(note: some of the dates will overlap with April and June)

• Sun in Taurus (April 20 - May 19)
• Sign of the Poppy (April 20 -  May 19)
• Sun in Gemini  (May 20 - June 20)
• Sign of the Lavender Flower (May 20 - June 20)

Celtic and Nordic Tree astrology and signs for May:

(note: some of the dates will overlap with April and June)

• Willow   (April 15 - May 12)
• Poplar (May 1 - May 14)
• Hawthorn  (May 13 - June 9)
• Chestnut (May 15 - May 24)
• Ash (May 25 - Jun 3)

Holidays, Feast Days and Holy Days in May:

• 1: Beltane - Mayday
• 1: Festival of Belenus, the Celtic god of fire and the sun.
• 1: Samhain (Southern Hemisphere)
• 1: Bona Dea
• 5: Humane Day - United States - 1st Sunday in May
• 5: Cinco de Mayo
• 6: Durdevan - Feast of St. George
• 8: The festival of Mens, the Roman goddess of mind and consciousness.
• 8: Helston Furry Dance 
• 9: New Moon
• 9, 11, 13: Roman festival - Feast of the Lemures  - in honor of the Lemures, the spirits of dead family members who wander the earth on these three spring nights.
• 10: Solar Eclipse
• 12: Mother's Day
• 13: Hawthorn Moon begins - 6th month of the Celtic Calendar
• 13: Festival of Cats
• 15: Festival of Mercury, the Roman god of merchants and travellers.
• 20: Sun enters Gemini
• 23: The Tubilustrium
• 24: The Thargalia
• 25: Full moon -- Hare's Moon - Lunar Eclipse
• 25: Festival of the Holy Marys - Gypsy festival and pilgrimage
• 27: Frigga Blot
• 30: Memorial Day - Einherjar Day
• 31: Flores de Mayo

Additional Spells, Magicks, and Lore for the May:

• Celebrating the Tubilustrium
• Day of Bona Dea
• Day of Mercury
• Day of the Hawthorn Tree Ritual
• Feast of the Fallen Warriors
• About Frigga
• Have Your Own Furry Dance
• Lily of the Valley Magick
• Ritual for Lemuria
• Romany Spell to Avoid Bad Luck
• Thargalia - A Modern Approach
• The Lemuria

Spells, Magicks, Rituals, and Lore for Beltane and Mayday:

(note: All the Beltane links are here even though in some traditions Beltane is celebrated on May Eve - April 31)

• About Beltane
• A Fairy Spell for Beltane
• Beltane
• Beltane Cake Ritual
• Beltane Fire Festival
• Faery Herbs and Their Charms
• Faery Summoning Spell
• For A Year of Harmony
• Hawthorn Tree Lore
• Huron Beltane Fire Dance
• It's May Eve
• Magic is Afoot
• Make a Maypole for Beltane
• Mayday Beauty Spell
• The Beltane Blessing
• To Honor the May Queen
• Walpurgis Night
• Witch's Night Traditions and Celebrations
• Your Fairy Name

Recipes for food, incense, potpourri, and more:

• Be Sweet Honey Cakes
• Elderflower Fritters for Beltane
• Farls
• May Day Maple Hearth Bread
• May Serpent Cake
• May Wine
• Sweet Wine Lavender Cookies
• Taurus Oil
• Vareneky

For anything newly posted on this subject and not on this list see: May Spells and Rituals