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Amethyst Rose
June 21st, 2001, 01:47 PM
This is a ritual I wrote last summer, for a very special midsummer spent with close friends.

I'm sharing it with you because it represents memories dear to my heart and I wish that every one of you have a truely memorable and magickal midsummer.

P.S. If you want to use this ritual, please change it to fit your needs.... in my eclectic learnings, the God dies at midsummer.... so some people may find that a little weird....

Midsummer Ritual

Altar components:

Altar cloth, (yellow, orange, gold, white, black), cauldron, athame, chalice, pentacle, incense, god & goddess symbols, bowl of salt, altar candle, potted flower.

Cast Circle:

Starting at the North, with athame walk the circle clockwise building a bubble of energy. Also do this with water, salt and incense to seal the circle.

Calling Elements:

Starting in the North, with wand or athame held over head, say "Spirit of the North, element of Earth, I ask you to attend this circle and charge it with your powers." Do this with each direction and element, moving clockwise. At each direction, light the element candle. When finished, move to the alter. Point athame/wand at the sky and say "By all above" (point athame at ground) "and all below. The circle is cast.
The ritual has begun."

God Invocation:
Blazing God.
King of the Gods
Lord of the Sun
Father of woman and man,
Descend, I pray and add your power to our circle here.
Sleep well in the mother’s womb awaiting your rebirth,
For the wheel turns, and the heat of summer is upon us!

All: Sleep well, Blazing King.

Goddess Invocation:
Gracious Goddess.
Queen of the Gods,
Creator of all things
Mother of man and woman,
Descend, I pray and add your power to our circle here.
Join us as we celebrate the longest day,
For your reign is at its peak and the heat of summer is upon us!

All: Join us Gracious Mother!

Evocation:

I am she who turns the wheel
Bringing life into the world,
My heart is the rushing of the wind.
When you thirst
Let my tears fall upon you like gentle rain
When you tire,
Pause to rest upon the earth that is my breast.

A joyous celebration you have laid before me
In honor of the longest day;
In honor of the sun.
I am proud to join you, my children.
I am with you.
I am in your hearts and all around you.
Join with me now, and let us celebrate together.

The Ritual:

Leader: We are here today to celebrate the longest day, the shortest night and the turning of the wheel. The wheel continues to turn, and with it our lives. We continue to grow, to learn, to feel pain and joy. Friends come into our lives, while others, sadly, must move on. We bear witness today to our dreams and wishes as they bloom, just as the earth does. But we must understand that as the wheel turns, these dreams will change, and some will wither…. As will this flower, when the time is right. I invite everyone now, to turn your faces to the sun… bask in its warmth and love… draw any energy you may need – whether it’s to heal, or just to feel loved – and let it spread throughout your body…. let it seep into your soul. (pause)
You are the divine….you are one with the universe. Open your hearts and your minds, and send your pain and your desires to it now. (pause)
Now….take any excess energy and give it to the earth… (pause)
Blessed Be.

All: Blessed Be!

Cakes And Ale:

With wine/juice etc. in chalice, leader says "Gracious goddess, bless this wine and infuse it with your love. Drink this with thanks. I am thankful for...." Drink wine, and pass to other people all stating what they are thankful for before they drink. With cake/bread etc. Leader says "Powerful God, bless these cakes and infuse them with your love. Eat this in honor of friendship." Eat cake, and pass on to other people.

Close Circle:

Starting in the north, blow out candle and say "Farewell spirit of the north. I give thanks for your presence here. Go in power." Move counter clockwise and do the same for each direction. Then with the athame, starting at the north, move clockwise and suck all the energy from the circle into the athame

Leader: “The Circle is open, but never unbroken. Go in Peace”

Myst
July 9th, 2001, 12:23 PM
Lovely ritual.

I was under the understanding that the oak king died and the holly king took over at midsummer according to some beliefs anyway. Others suggest he doesn't die until Lammas. Anyone else know anything about this?

Amethyst Rose
July 9th, 2001, 12:40 PM
Sorry, can't help you here.... my "tradition" doesn't do the whole Oak King/Holy King thing..... just the God and Goddess.

Myst
July 9th, 2001, 12:49 PM
Well the oak king and holly king ARE the God :)

There's also a belief that this is where the God is getting old and about to sacrifice himself for the harvest at Lammas. This was symbolized by a May Queen and her King being chosen earlier in the year (beltaine I think) and the chosen King willingly sacrificing himself at Lammas for the harvest for the village. Interesting, no?

Amethyst Rose
July 9th, 2001, 12:57 PM
Yes, very interesting.... but my beliefs are as thus:

The God is born at Yule, when the sun returns to the land, he grows stronger and older as the sun grows. At summer solstice the sun is at it's peak and begins to fade from the land after that, hence the god dies.
In between there, the god and goddess get married and the goddess gets preganant at beltaine.

That's a very, very condensed version... The God rules the winter and Goddess rules the summer, is an even shorter way of putting it....

But we all have different beliefs....that's what makes life interesting. :D

Myst
July 9th, 2001, 01:40 PM
Yup I've heard that one too.

Another slightly different one exists wherein the Goddess and God are both around all year. She gives birth to a son at Yule, he grows through Ostara, by Beltaine she becomes his mate, by Midsummer she becomes pregnant, she becomes full and fertile through Lammas and so on until Samhain wherein the God is old and frail and then Yule again where he dies and her new baby is born again.

Silver Venus
July 10th, 2001, 05:34 AM
Originally posted by WillowRaven
Another slightly different one exists wherein the Goddess and God are both around all year. She gives birth to a son at Yule, he grows through Ostara, by Beltaine she becomes his mate, by Midsummer she becomes pregnant, she becomes full and fertile through Lammas and so on until Samhain wherein the God is old and frail and then Yule again where he dies and her new baby is born again.

Thats what I believe :) But I also see Winter as the God as he is born and growing and Summer as the goddess because she is fertile and with child.

Thanks Amethyst Rose that was a beautiful Midsummer :)

Myst
July 11th, 2001, 12:16 AM
Absolutely LOVELY to be able to share and discuss such topics with other Pagans WITHOUT causing arguments or misunderstandings. This is EXACTLY why I love this community.
Thank you both for your posts!

Silver Venus
July 11th, 2001, 06:52 AM
Meeee toooo Willow! I love it here :D

Mairwen
July 11th, 2001, 10:36 AM
Originally posted by WillowRaven
Well the oak king and holly king ARE the God :) There's also a belief that this is where the God is getting old and about to sacrifice himself for the harvest at Lammas. This was symbolized by a May Queen and her King being chosen earlier in the year (beltaine I think) and the chosen King willingly sacrificing himself at Lammas for the harvest for the village. Interesting, no?

In Gwyddon Tradition, Tarvos is born at Yule, and dies sometime around Samhain, at one of the Moons. Midsummer is the beginning of the "Dark Half" of the year, as the energy of the Sun (Tarvos the Bull, the Golden One) is waning/dying. Thus, Yule is the beginning of the "Bright Half" of the year, as the energy of the Sun (again, Tarvos the Bull, the Golden One) is waxing/living/growing.

I guess it just depends on the Myths of your particular Path. FWIW, our New Year begins at Yule, not Samhain.