Gregorian Date: April 18th - May 15th
Season: Spring, 2nd Month
Position: Daughter Half of the Year, End of the Eastre Cycle
Major Festivals: Exaltia (14th Maia / 1st May)
Minor Festivals: Maia's Day (1st Maia / 18th April)
Maia (Roman): uncertain, possibly "Majesty" or "Increase"; goddess of spring and growth; connected with Vulcan as a goddess of destruction and purification; possible namesake for the month of May. May 1st was sacred to Maia, who was given a sacrifice on that day.
Maia (Ancient Greek): "Mother, Nurse, Midwife" ; a Nymph, eldest of the Pleiades, the Mother of Hermes and nurturer of Arcas. Was conflated by the Romans with their own goddess and her myths adopted by them.
Maya (Vedic (Indian) Religions): "illusion, Magic" ; the illusion/s to which we are subject as unenlightened beings. The Illusion that the world is permanent, that individuals beings are separate from one another, etc.
Like many other Filianic month-names, Maia takes its name from a goddess, as described above. Maia is also the name of a Genia, the first of the three Werdes. Maia is an important Genia, the spinner of the world-illusion, in both its negative and positive aspects; she creates both ignorance and wonder.
Maia runs from April 18th - May 15th. Where I live, this is the planting season, the threat of frost is diminishing, the trees are filling out with leaves and everything turns green. Many flowers bloom, insects are flying, and overall there is a feeling of richness and spring bounty.
It is a very rewarding practice to offer seasonal produce and natural things, in order to mark the changing time and cultivate gratitude and peace. Flowers, and the other bounties of Earth, are traditional and lovely offerings for Our Mother's Altar, in recognition of both their innate beauty, and of our gratitude to the Divine Spirit who causes flowers to bloom and spring to come year after year.
