~ June 2006 Supplemental Page~

The Green Man

One of the most popular is that the image was placed in the church by craftsmen who still remembered their Pagan roots, in defiance of the Christian Church they were helping to build. Conversely, it has also been suggested that the image was placed there with the full blessing of the church in an attempt to do just the opposite, like the Sheila Na Gig, the image of the Green Man was an attempt to frighten away the devils and demons with its own outlandish appearance. It was a vicar, Reverend Griffiths, who first drew the attention of modern academia to the images. He thought they were supposed to suggest the spirit of inspiration. The folklorist he revealed them to, Lady Raglan, initially thought they were portraits of persons known to the artists, either as benefactors or friends, but was unable to prove it. Eventually she concluded that the images were linked to "the Green Man, Jack-in-the-Green, Robin Hood, the King of the May. . .who is the central figure in the May Day celebrations throughout Northern and Central Europe".

May Day celebrations were prevalent throughout Britain and Europe from the Middle Ages. Commonly referred to as May Day Games or May Day Revels they did not just take place on the first of May but were enjoyed throughout the summer months. All kinds of games and sports featured in the events as well as fairs. The medieval church deplored the Games for their drunkenness, debauchery and, worst of all dancing, which was believed to be an instrument of the devil, leading to illicit sexual liaisons! Interestingly enough, the Morris Dancers, very much a feature of these games, often included a figure of the Green Man in their performance. Called Green Jack or Jack-in-the-Green, the dancer wore a hollow frame of wood or wicker, covered in leaves and flowers so that he was completely concealed by the greenery.

The figure of Robin Hood, still popular today, was predominant in these celebrations. The Robin Hood archetype is very much that of the Green Man. Not only is he clad in Lincoln Green, but his oneness with the forest and the stories of his exile as the rightful ruler of the land suggest his connection with the idea of Sovereignty, that there is a profound interlocking between the people and the land and the ruler or god. The role of Robin Hood in the May Day Revels is further evidence of this, for he is the King of the May, who together with his Queen, Maid Marion, presides over the events. Through Robin Hood we can see another role of the Green Man, not just a folk hero who steals from the rich and gives to the poor, but an archetypal figure who is one with the forest and the land, is of the people and yet separate from them, someone who will bestow much needed wealth, but will not interfere in their daily lives yet is always there, watching over them from the depths of the forest.

John Barleycorn, another figure who appears in the revels is yet another form of the Green Man. Like Jack-in-the-Green, the dancer wore a wicker framework, but this time is covered with corn. The folk song about John Barleycorn clarifies his meaning and suggests that the Jack-in-the-Green has a comparable symbolic meaning.

"There were three men came out of the West
Their fortunes for to try,
And these three men made a solemn vow,
John Barleycorn should die.

They ploughed him in the earth so deep
With clods upon his head,
Then these three men they did conclude
John Barleycorn was dead.

There he lay sleeping in the ground,
Till rain from the sky did fall;
Then Barleycorn sprang a green blade
And proved liars of them all."

John Barleycorn is thus a metaphor for the threshing and planting of the corn and it is not unreasonable to conclude that Jack-in-the-Green was also a representation of the fertility of the land. This echoes themes from vegetation myths and their gods far older than these medieval revels. Although it might be presumptuous to assume that these myths have evolved consciously from the memories of gods such as Dionysus, Osiris, and Tammuz, there can be no doubt that the importance of the themes of, and the innate connection between, the fertility of the land and the death and resurrection of a god or mythic figure.

Therefore it is possible to trace the idea of a Green Man back further than Medieval Europe. Certainly the earliest images carved in churches echo the Greco-Roman artistry found in depicted images of gods such as Dionysus. Indeed, Dionysian aspects are not just the more famous (and popular!) ones of a god of wine, ecstasy, and general debauchery. His roots are as a god of nature and agriculture, complete with an aspect as Lord of Beasts and a journey to the underworld–in fact all the classic marks of the vegetation god that seem to be linked to our understanding of the Green Man. Moreover, the ecstatic Dionysian Rites could be linked to the debauched proceedings that took place as part of the May Day / Beltane celebrations with the trickster figures of Robin Hood and Jack-in-the-Green fulfilling the role of the god in a less primal aspect.

Looking further back, the Egyptian god Osiris is sometimes depicted with a green face and the Pyramid texts refer to him as "the Great Green". Associations with the color were so positive that in Ancient Egypt "to do Green things" meant to do good. The story of Osiris' death, dismemberment, and resurrection is one that resonates in many myths and legends, predating Egyptian history with the Sumerian god Tammuz, right through to medieval Europe and beyond. The song of John Barleycorn echoes the ritual performed at the flooding of the Nile in which mummy cases representing Osiris were sown with grain and left in the rain to sprout.

The Green Man also has the nature of a trickster. The name Robin seems to have a particular connection to this, not just in connection to Robin Hood, but also to Robin Goodfellow, the son of the Faerey King Oberon and a young maiden. A pamphlet published in 1628 described him as "Robin Goodfellow, alias Puck, alias Hob: his mad pranks and merry jests, full of honest mirth. . .a fit medicine for melancholy". Like Robin Hood, Puck helped the poor at the expense of the rich.

The figure of the Green Man is not only that of fertility god or trickster, but there is a darker side connecting him to the idea of a wild man and as someone who tests the worthy. In this guise we find him riding with the wild hunt as a horned figure, and in the legend of Herne the Hunter (most recently connected to the Robin Hood myth in the 1980's TV series "Robin of Sherwood"!).

In the medieval story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the Green Man appears first as a threatening challenger, then as a death and resurrection figure (he survives decapitation). He is then the harbinger of certain death for the hero and tests him in various disguises before revealing his true purpose to the amazement of all at Arthur's court; that he was sent to test Sir Gawain's courage and chivalry in the face of adversity and certain death.

The Green Man has many guises. Like the forest that is so much a part of his nature he can be understood as a single entity or as a creature of such diverse aspects that each one needs to be understood separately in order to fully comprehend the whole. Above all, he speaks to us of the spirit of the lands, of the cycle of green and growing things and the peace of the deep woods.

This article was written by Amelia at Beltane 2003
Reprinted from www.avalonia.co.uk


Summer Solstice

This is the time to dream your psychic dreams in order to be shown the path you must follow at this time of the year. Dream pillows filled with mugwort, lavender or lemongrass can be slipped beneath your pillow slip so the odor will conjure a special dream. As you relax in bed before falling asleep, recite a verse similar to the following:

Mugwort cross the psychic sea.

Prophetic dreams now come to me.

Chant it over and over until you fall into the arms of Morpheus. It is a good idea to have a paper and pencil handy for jotting down those elusive, but useful dreams.

May we all have the knowledge needed to understand and then weave those psychic dreams into our everyday existence.


Where Are the G-Men?

However, except for my father who unknowingly placed my feet on the Goddess path, and my instructor, there were no G-Men (Goddess-Men) around. I was excited as I joined my first Goddess group. The meetings and their beach rituals were women only. I saw no G-Men and wondered whether any man could honor a female deity the way females had been honoring a male deity for the last 5,000+ years.

Disillusioned with the imbalance, I joined another local group. Lo and behold, men were active participants in planning meetings and rituals. Maybe it was possible for a male to honor and be brave enough to show feminine traits and still feel like a man. Not only did I start seeing men honoring the sacred feminine and all that implies in my immediate circle but now they were appearing in the everyday world around me. Dan Brown is a noteworthy example. His novel, The DaVinci Code, shines a light on the potential power of one woman. His book is based on Holy Blood, Holy Grail by three men (Baigent, Leigh, and Lincoln). The Secret Supper by Javier Sierra is a speculative account (based on research) of DaVinci as he painted his famous Last Supper and talks about Mary Magdalen. Dennis Kucinich a congressman candidate for the presidency in 2004 invoked, “we must begin a search for an alternative way to live. We have to escape this cycle of destruction. It is time for us to reconcile nature.” To the House of Representatives he pledged to, “introduce positive alternatives that bring people together, facilitate healing and create peace.”

There are non-fiction books on the shelves by Joseph Campbell, Erich Neumann, Robert Graves, and Timothy Freke. Books by James Mellaart, David Kinsley, and George T. Meaden. These men, and many more, are helping to bring honor back to the sacred feminine. By bringing various Goddess topics to the general reading public they are helping to reestablish feminine traits which when spread through the majority of western society–men and women–will help restore the balance of male and female power.

As a member of Temple of the Goddess I see many men who play musical instruments during rituals, help with setup or breakdown for seasonal celebrations, photograph rituals, and dance with ecstatic abandon. I see young men smiling at Kwan Yin as they dance by. I see boys growing into men who have compassion and empathy and are building sacred, solid relationships with the men and women in their lives. These men I see at the Temple are in partnership relations with the women around them. These men are able to recognize and show the sacred feminine within themselves.

I honor the sons, the husbands, the lovers, and especially the fathers who are man enough to cry or laugh or pray without fear of being labeled less a man.

                            HAPPY FATHERS DAY


One Of Our Own

According to The Station Design and Art Review committee, the artists’ designs will pose fresh and positive experiences to those who ride the train. The wait at a train station doesn't need to be drudgery. It can be an educational and uplifting experience, whether the passenger is only there for a few moments, or for a slightly longer stay to explore and admire the details of the artwork, landscaping and conceptual lighting that are planned for the new stations.

Ruth Ann Anderson is an accomplished artist based in Southern California. Some of her recent works include a life-size sculpture for the MTA Lincoln Heights/Cypress Park station on the Los Angeles-to-Pasadena Gold Line, and In Living Memory, a public eco-art project using the memories of senior citizens to recall the environment of Los Angeles 50-70 years ago recorded on posters for Los Angeles bus shelters. In 2005 her book, Exploring The Art And Technology Of Web Design was published by Delmar Publications.

Ruth Ann graduated from California State University Long Beach with a Masters of Fine Arts. She is the past recipient of numerous grants and awards including a Metro Transportation Authority Award, City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Grant , and LACE –– an Interdisciplinary Grant through the National Endowment of the Arts. She also currently teaches art classes at California State University, Northridge.

Preliminary Artist Concept. Drawing from the community's history, mythology, and personal stories, the artist will develop these into a public dialog that integrate diverse perspectives with common values. Ruth Ann has a vision for the station that is representative of the area.

Initial concepts for the station include the use of sculptures and orange crates placed along the platform, each incorporating an orange-crate label that tells a unique story of the area. The platform surface will be tiled using varied patterns and symbols based on community input.

Reprinted from http://www.foothillextension.org/art/art_montclair.html