Men of the Solstice, Arise!

I served as the godsman for the Men’s Rite at Pagan Spirit Gathering this year.  I decided to reprise the very successful God Pole Rite from last year, designed by my friend and teacher, Bruner Soderberg. The men who attended gathered at the top of the hill, in front of the Temple of the Sun God.  We passed around a few drinks, and chatted jovially while waiting for other men to arrive.  Then the horn blew, and the men shouldered the god pole (an eight foot tall, six-inch thick carved wooden phallus) and processed down the hill, singing that wonderful song from last year’s rite:

Giver of pleasure and life,
giver of pleasure and life,
we praise thee,
Giver of pleasure and life,
giver of pleasure and life,
we praise thee
Father, brother, friend and lover,
father, brother, friend and lover…

As we sang and walked, men took turns holding the God Pole during the procession.  As we entered the area that was to be blessed as a shrine for men, we crowded around the hole that awaited the planting of the God Pole.  The God Pole was carried in the last stretch and planted by the new men as part of their man-making rite.  The shouts and cheers and embraces of love and support given to those young men was a moment I will always hold dear.  The horn blew, milk was poured, words of praise were sung to Horn, the red god, the lord of all beasts (us included).  The men mobbed around the pole, laying hands on the pole or on the shoulder of a brother as we shouted “Io Phalle, Io Phalle, Io Phalle, Evoe!”  We pelted the pole with seeds (seed-bearers that we are) as a final blessing.  The rite ended with every man laying blessings and advice upon the new men, who finished their vigil that night at the God Pole Shrine.
My thanks to Steven Posch and Bruner Soderberg for teaching me rite craft.  Thanks to all those men who attended the rite.  Thanks and praise to the Giver of Pleasure and Life. 

Author: Midwife Melanie

Melanie Elizabeth Hexen is a midwife, regionally famous bellydancer, homeschooling mother and matriarch of the Many Hands House. View all posts by Midwife Melanie