Doc Destiny: Decoding the month of May

May is the month of hope, heat and holiday. It is a good month for Venus people (number 6) as Venus rules the zodiac sign, Taurus. May is a spring month in the northern half of the world, and a fall month in the southern half.

What May means

May comes from the Latin Maius, probably referring to the goddess Maia. She embodies growth, both in nature and business. Others connect Maius with Maiores, which means ancestors or “the greater ones”.

In May, the ancient Romans celebrated Floralia, a festival for fertility. Floralia began on April 27 and ended on May 3 and included theatre plays, dancing, and banquets. The Romans sacrificed a pregnant sow to the earth goddess Terra for a fruitful harvest.

Birthstone and birth flowers

According to tradition, the birthstone for May is emerald, representing love and success. The birth flowers are Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) and Common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), also known as Mayflower or Maythorn.

May Day

The beginning of May has been celebrated as the onset of summer—from the Roman Floralia to the Walpurgisnacht (Night of St Walpurga), a Germanic celebration with bonfires on April 30. Many countries in Europe and North America celebrate May Day on May 1 with dances around a maypole, a high wooden pole adorned with colours and flowers.