midsummer circle ritual
Summer’s Cauldron
At the urging of my local Witch shop, I began teaching Wiccan-Witchcraft publicly in 2017. At the end of our first session of classes, my students and I presented a Summer Solstice ritual for a local open circle. Because many of the participants did not want a speaking part, this particular ritual doesn’t contain a whole lot in terms of speaking roles. When I initially presented it, I ended up in the High Priest role, while one of my coven sisters was the High Priestess. The four quarter callers are active throughout the ritual, with more lines and responsibilities than usual. This ritual is designed to be done outside, preferably while the sun is still in the sky.
In this ritual, everyone in attendance receives four “summer gifts,” each coming from one of the four elements (air, fire, water, and earth). These items are then charged and placed in a fire, the fire activating the magick put into them. (If you’re in a spot where you can build a bonfire, even cooler, and a charcoal grill will work well for this too!) If you don’t have access to fire, that’s okay. The four gifts can be placed in any old container and either burned later or simply placed outside in a secluded spot as an offering.
I added a few twists to this particular ritual, my favorite one being the use of petals to cast the circle. Instead of using an athame or sword, each of the quarter callers sprinkles flower petals while the circle casting is read. If the ritual is done outside, there’s no need to even pick up the petals, as they’ll just eventually blow away. Visually, it’s a fun way to cast the circle too.
The only large prop beyond the usual is a fire pit or cauldron. For our ritual we used a portable fire pit, allowing us to burn our offerings during the course of the ritual. Alternatively, a fire-free cauldron or large bucket will work just as well. We put our fire pit in the center of the circle, but what’s most important is to place it in a safe spot. If you have a permanent fire pit in your backyard, you can build this ritual around that. There’s a small symbolic fire lighting in this rite that can easily be dropped if you’re in a spot where fire is not allowed.
This ritual mentions California’s ongoing drought. That idea can be dropped if it’s not applicable in your neck of the woods, but the factors causing the drought out here are wreaking havoc in other ways around the country and the world. Part of being a Witch is fighting for beneficial change, and that includes protecting our earth and her environment.
The end of the working features music. As is my modus operandi, we used recorded music, mostly Celtic jigs and reels, because they always put me in a summer frame of mind. Pop songs with a summer vibe are also fun at Midsummer, and live drumming is always welcome!
Ritual Roles
• High Priestess
• High Priest
• Four quarter callers/elemental powers
Materials Needed
• Standard altar setup
• Three chalices
• Cauldron/fire pit/large bucket or bowl
• Music (recorded or drummers)
• Four different colors of flower petals, ideally yellow, red, blue, and green
• Sage (representing east/air)
• Rose petals (representing fire/south)
• Dried seaweed (representing water/west)
• Acorns (representing earth/north)
• Champagne (sparkling wine or sparkling grape juice)
• Fruit juice (something seasonal, such as orange, strawberry, watermelon, raspberry, blackberry, etc.)
• Fresh fruit (or cake)
The Ritual: Summer’s Cauldron
The ritual begins with the quarter callers and the High Priestess and High Priest standing in the middle of the circle. Four altars to the individual elements are set up at the perimeter of the circle at each of the cardinal points of the compass. On the top of each altar is the “gift” that will be distributed by the person representing that direction, along with the flower petals corresponding to that element. Candles are also appropriate, though it’s often hard to keep candles lit outdoors, and they aren’t really needed if the ritual is done during the day.
Opening, Cleansing, Statement of Intent
High Priestess: We gather to celebrate the longest day and shortest night. We honor the sun that shines down from on high at the Summer Solstice, bestowing upon us the many gifts of the earth. United with the land and the rain, the sun’s power ripens the grain and brings forth life from the soil. Tonight we honor those blessings while reveling in the mysteries of summer’s cauldron and reaffirming our commitment to this world we live in. Hail Midsummer!
The High Priest picks up a pair of Tibetan cymbals or a bell to help cleanse those gathered.
High Priest: With this instrument I do cleanse and consecrate this space and all those gathered here. As the pure sound of the cymbals (or bell) washes over you, let it take away any negative energy upon you. May its vibration center you and prepare you for tonight’s rite. So mote it be!
The cymbals or bells are rung once at each of the cardinal points of the circle. Let the sound carry outward from the circle and fade away before moving on to the next spot and ringing the chimes a second/third/fourth time. All should be quiet as the tone purifies and cleanses.
Casting the Circle
As the circle casting is being read, the quarter callers should all begin walking around the entire perimeter of the circle scattering their flower petals. As they scatter their petals, they should be consciously casting the circle and visualizing its construction. The High Priestess reading the circle casting is not casting the circle; she is just verbalizing intentions.
High Priestess: On this the longest day of the year, we create our magick circle, a place of love and joy and truth. With flower petals of red, we create a place where mortals may tread. With flower petals of blue, we open the entryway into the realm of spirit. With flower petals of yellow, we open the doorway to the realm of the Mighty Ones. With flower petals of green, we welcome those unseen who come to us in good faith. In the names of the sun and sky and the earth and moon, we bless and consecrate this space. The circle is cast. So mote it be!
Calling the Elements
East Quarter Caller: I call to the spirits of the east, spirits of air. Bring to us your powers of wisdom and knowledge this night as we conjure the summer in. Hail and welcome!
South Quarter Caller: I call to the spirits of the south, spirits of fire. Bring to us your powers of light and desire this night as we conjure the summer in. Hail and welcome!
West Quarter Caller: I call to the spirits of the west, spirits of water. Bring to us your powers of mystery and initiation as we conjure the summer in. Hail and welcome!
North Quarter Caller: I call to the spirits of the north, spirits of earth. Bring to us your powers of place and abundance as we conjure the summer in. Hail and welcome!
Candles may be lit at each of the quarters if desired.
Calling to Deity
High Priestess: We call to the Great God this night of the longest day. Join us as the sun, fiery Lord of the Heavens, blesses our land with the sunshine that makes our world grow! Join us as the Creator joins with the Great Mother to bring forth new life! May your purifying light and fire bless us this night as we celebrate your mysteries and what we can give back to your world. Be a part of our rites as you are a part of our lives! Hail and welcome!
High Priest: We call to the Great Goddess this day of the shortest night. Join us as the moon, cool orb of the nighttime sky, lights our way and adds to our magicks! Join us as the Great Mother brings forth new life from the eternal womb! It’s your touch that makes the blossoms bloom and the crops ripen with grain! May that same touch reach us this night to inspire us in our rites and in our lives! Be a part of our ritual as we celebrate your gifts of love and the joys of the summer! Hail and welcome!
The Working: Summer’s Cauldron
High Priestess: The Lord and Lady and all that lies between weave their spell together in summer’s cauldron. With athame and wand, they mix the elements of earth, air, fire, water with the power of the sun, binding them all together to produce the joys of summer. Within the cauldron, days are long and warm, fruit ripens, magick happens, love grows, and leisure finds a place to dwell. We are given so much by the gods and the earth at this time of year, but can we give them something in return?
High Priest: We are not apart from the earth but a part of the earth. The earth is a gift, and a gift that often feels more joyous at Midsummer, but we also have a responsibility to the earth. The Witches of old were the healers, the wise folk, the ones who helped turn the seasons and bring about the fertility of the earth. Today our charge is similar, we must be wise Witches and work to ensure the well-being of the land we walk upon.
High Priestess: Tonight we add our own ingredients to summer’s cauldron. We add powers and promises to what the Lord and Lady have given us this summer night. What shall be the first ingredient we add to our cauldron?
East Quarter Caller: I come from the east bearing the gift of sage. Sage is an herb of healing and cleansing, and tonight we add it to our cauldron as a reminder of our duty to keep the land beneath our feet healthy and happy.
Everyone is given a small piece of sage. The High Priest should continue to speak while the sage is being shared.
High Priest: Place the sage you are about to receive in your dominant hand and take a moment to notice how it feels. Bring it up to your nose and breathe in its scent. As you smell the sage, visualize what it can do. Imagine the smoke of the sage going out from our cauldron and cleansing the world around us.
Now stop and think about the air that we breathe and what you can do to make it better. Picture yourself doing just one small thing that might make the air around us sweeter. Now take that idea and place it into your sage. Charge the sage in your hand with the picture in your mind, and when you are done, let out a mighty “So mote it be!” and place the sage in your non-dominant hand.
South Quarter Caller: I come from the south, and I too have a gift for our cauldron this night. I bring this gathering the petals of the rose, red like fire and containing the scents of love and desire. Tonight we will add these rose petals to our cauldron as a reminder of our love for the earth.
The rose petals are handed out while the High Priestess speaks.
High Priestess: Hold your rose petals in your dominant hand and think about what it means to be a Pagan and to love the earth. Is that love a piece of lip service or is it something that you are passionate about? What do you love most about the earth? What draws you closer to her?
Think of the things that you love in the natural world and what you can do to make sure they are available for future generations. Charge those petals, adding your energy to the love contained within them. Picture the places that you love and see them being here in 100, 200, 500 years and push that love and energy into your rose petals, and when you are finished, let out a big “So mote it be!”
West Quarter Caller: From the west I come with another present for our cauldron. This one comes from the sea and is one of the most important threads in the web of life. To all of you I pass out seaweed, one of the waters’ great gifts. It is a symbol not just of the sea but of all the waters—rain, river, and ocean.
The High Priest speaks while the seaweed is handed out.
High Priest: Much of the world is green at Midsummer, though the rains that blessed us this spring and winter are long gone, but their power lives on. We can see it in the trees around us and in the bounty that appears on our kitchen tables.
Though the earth is recently abundant, we know that there are things wrong with it that make the life-giving waters from the sky more and more rare, especially here where we live. With no water, there is no life, so we must always be vigilant and respectful of how we use this precious resource. Think of what you can do in your own life to preserve the waters that sustain us. Charge your seaweed and place your promise within it, and we will make it a gift for the cauldron and the earth. When done, of course, say, “So mote it be!”
North Quarter Caller: Lastly I come from the north with a gift to place in our cauldron. The acorn is a symbol of the wild earth, and from it forests and wilderness are born. Though small, it gives birth to the mighty oak that towers above us, with its roots deep in the earth. The acorn symbolizes that from the tiniest of seeds the largest of promises can grow.
I’m guessing you know how this works by now.
High Priestess: And lastly, tonight we ask that you make a promise here in this sacred space. It’s not a promise that must be spoken aloud, just one that is felt within your heart and goes out to the earth and the goddesses and gods that you serve and honor. Here in this place, near summer’s cauldron at this time of great abundance, make a promise to be the best Witch you can be, the most honorable Pagan, or the most reverent of stewards. Make a promise detailing how you will serve the earth in the coming months and years ahead.
When you have thought of your promise, take your acorn up to your lips and whisper or blow that promise into your acorn. So mote it be!
Pause for a second here and make sure everyone has ample time to think of their promise and put it into their acorn.
High Priest: And now the time has come for us to add our ingredients to summer’s cauldron. Feel the powers of earth, air, fire, and water in your hand. Feel the promises and energies you’ve put into those tokens and add even more energy to them as we dance and chant. When you feel your power at its height, come forward and place your ingredients in our cauldron. After you’re done, return to the circle and we will all end our dance together with a mighty “Blessed be for our earth and for those of us here tonight!”
Because everyone has stuff in their hands, certain types of circle dances are not very practical here. When we did this ritual, we had everyone dance around the circle a few times, with the High Priestess or High Priest shouting instructions and intentions: “Think about what you can do for the earth! Charge the items in your hands! Work your magick!” etc. When the energy started to peak, the High Priestess began leading people inward toward the cauldron and then back out to the perimeter of the circle.
If you’re lucky enough to have live drummers, this is a great place for chanting. Chants to prerecorded music can be done, but they can be far more difficult. As for chants, you’ll want something simple that expresses the intention of the ritual:
Solstice bright, solstice light,
Lord and Lady, bless our rite!
The one above is so simple that we even use it with recorded music.
If people say “Blessed be!” or “So mote it be!” as they throw their gifts in the fire/cauldron, it’s likely that everyone in the circle will begin repeating those phrases. Encourage that, since people love having their intentions affirmed by their friends. Once everyone has thrown their gifts in the fire, lead everyone in one “BLESSED BE!” to finish the rite.
Cakes and Ale
The High Priestess and High Priest each pick up a chalice. One chalice contains fruit juice and the other champagne or some other sparkling liquid. A third, larger chalice either sits on the altar or is held between the High Priestess and High Priest by an assistant.
High Priest: The gifts of the gods are best when shared. And of all the gifts given to us, it is the magick of joining that might be most sacred. For whenever two forces combine, something greater is created.
High Priestess: To our chalice I add this gift of earth and water. From soil tended with loving care and with the blessings of the rain, this gift of fresh (insert the name of the type of fruit juice you’re using, such as orange, strawberry, etc.) juice has come to us.
High Priest: To our chalice I add this gift of air and fire. From sun-soaked vines and now carried to us on joyous bubbles of air, this gift of effervescent champagne has come to us.
High Priestess: And now united, air, water, fire, and earth create the joy and blessings of summer!
High Priest: Blessed be!
Both drink from the chalice. The High Priest then picks up a platter of fresh fruit (or cake) and holds it out toward the High Priestess. She picks up her athame and lightly touches the plate with her blade and says:
High Priestess: We thank the sun in the sky and the ground beneath our feet for these gifts. Long may the world be abundant! Long may we feel the love of our Lady and Lord!
High Priest: Blessed be!
The High Priestess and High Priest each take a piece of fruit (or cake) and eat it. The quarter callers then all step forward and pass out the cakes and ale. As is the case with most large rituals, my suggestion is to have everything pre-measured and ready to go on a few trays that can be easily carried around by the quarter callers.
Goodbyes to the Gods
High Priestess: We thank the Great Goddess for being with us for our Midsummer rite. You are the Mother of us all, and as your children, we honor you on this the shortest of nights with promises that we shall keep. May the blessings we have received tonight be a continual reminder of your love, care, and concern for all of us. Our solstice celebration is near its end, but you walk with us both within and without the circle. Hail the Lady! Hail the moon! Hail the summer! Blessed be!
High Priest: We thank the Great God for being with us this night. As you sink now beneath the trees and hills, we thank you for your presence in our lives. Your presence in the sky will be a daily reminder of our promises and love for the earth. Our solstice celebration is near its end, but you walk with us both within and without the circle. Hail the God! Hail the sun! Hail the summer! Blessed be!
Dismissing the Quarters
North Quarter Caller: Spirits of the north, spirits of earth, thank you for your presence in our ritual tonight. We give thanks for your many gifts this time of year. Blessed be!
West Quarter Caller: Spirits of the west, spirits of water, thank you for your presence in our ritual tonight. We give thanks for your many gifts this time of year. Blessed be!
South Quarter Caller: Spirits of the south, spirits of fire, thank you for your presence in our ritual tonight. We give thanks for your many gifts this time of year. Blessed be!
East Quarter Caller: Spirits of the east, spirits of air, thank you for your presence in our ritual tonight. We give thanks for your many gifts this time of year. Blessed be!
Candles are blown out at each of the quarters if necessary.
Taking Down the Circle
High Priest: This circle has served as a meeting place for those with love and joy in their hearts and as a place to celebrate the sun and the summer. We now pick up a green flower petal and say goodbye to those unseen who have visited us in good faith. We now pick up this flower petal of yellow and thereby close the doorway to the realms of the Mighty Ones. By picking up a petal of blue, we seal the entryway from spirit. Finally, we pick up a petal of red to bring us back from between the realms. All will now be as it once was, and what was once here has been dismissed in the names of the Lord and the Lady. So mote it be!
The High Priest releases the circle by picking up at least one of every color of flower petal dropped earlier. As he picks up the petals, he is consciously undoing the circle. The quarter callers who originally cast the circle should each pick up one of the flower petals they originally dropped and also consciously release the energy of the circle.
Closing
High Priestess: With gifts given and blessings received, I proclaim this rite to be at an end. Blessed be the summer, blessed be the gods, and merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again!
Extra Optional Piece
This extra bit is designed to be used when a real fire can be kindled, and can be inserted in several different places. It can be done after the calling of the quarters or immediately after the calls to the Goddess and the God. Sometimes doing it early is helpful so there are no large flames during the working.
Lighting Summer’s Fire
The High Priest stands before the fire pit, which has been previously prepared. Ideally some sort of accelerant has been added so the fire will start quickly.
High Priest: Tonight we call to the power of the sun to be with us in our ritual. Help power our cauldron so that we might share our gifts with you and this world. Let us feel your power on this your longest day! Goddesses and gods of the sun, bless our rites and share with us your light! (Lights the fire.) The sun is above and below and summer’s cauldron has come to this place! Blessed be!
FIN