There are many different ways to celebrate the sabbats. Some people simply use the holidays as occasions for merriment and feasting, gathering with witchy friends to enjoy the day in an informal fashion. On Midsummer, that usually means picnics, barbecues, camping, or a day out at the beach. Others observe the sabbats with rituals—some as solitaries on their own; others with a coven or with a group of folks who otherwise practice by themselves but like to get together for holidays; or even at a large gathering, if there happens to be such a thing near where they live. There are also people who hold small rituals for their family, sharing their faith with their children as many have throughout the ages.
Some people like to write their own rituals, while others are more comfortable using rites that someone else has devised. Here are three examples of rituals that you can use as is, or adapt as desired to fit your own needs. Keep in mind that you can take elements of the solitary ritual and create a group or family ritual out of them, and that the third ritual—in theory designed for families or children—is perfectly appropriate for fun-loving adults, whether individuals or groups.
You can also take elements from the previous chapter on spells and divination, and use those as the core of a Midsummer ritual, shaping them as desired and then using the ritual basics (quarter calls, god and goddess invocations and dismissals, etc.) listed here for the rest of the ritual. Or even use one or more of the crafts listed in the chapter on recipes and crafts to create a fun and entertaining “crafty” ritual.
It is also possible to make even mundane activities like picnics or barbecues into rituals, if you hold them in sacred space and invite the gods to join you. Or you can incorporate some of the old traditions (as listed in Chapter One) into a modern form that suits your own practice, thus creating your own new traditions, for yourself or for those you share your practice with on this, the day of the Summer Solstice.
The Solitary Midsummer: Drawing Down the Sun
In Wiccan magickal workings, there is a practice known as “Drawing Down the Moon,” in which a witch (usually, but not always, a priestess) channels the Goddess by drawing Her essence into herself. Less common is the practice of “Drawing Down the Sun,” in which a (usually male) witch channels the God. This is not that kind of drawing down the sun.
Purpose:
This ritual’s focus is on pulling in the power of the sun at its zenith and taking that energy inside yourself, where it will charge your own spiritual battery in preparation for the darker months to come. The ritual is fairly simple, with few tools needed, and it is perfect for both the experienced practitioner and one who is new to the path. It can also be converted relatively easily to a group ritual, if desired.
Setting:
This should be done at noon if possible, on the day of Midsummer. If necessary, it can be done at any point during the day as long as the sun is still shining overhead. If it is raining on the actual day, the energy will still be much the same within a couple of days before and after, although not quite as powerful. As with most other Midsummer rituals, this one is best done outside, under the sun, preferably in the middle of an open area like a meadow or a yard. It can also be done on a beach or anyplace where you will be sitting where the sun is shining on you. If you can’t be outside, try to find a spot inside where the sun will fall directly on you while you are doing the ritual, even if that means performing it before or after noon in order to have the sun shining in the right place.
Supplies:
You need god and goddess candles (gold/silver or yellow/white or white/white) in fire-safe holders, four quarter candles (one each green/yellow/red/blue), a pillar candle to represent the sun (yellow or orange or red). You also need a cast iron cauldron or fire-safe container or candle holder, salt and water in small containers, a small bowl to mix them in, incense or a sage smudge stick in a holder or bowl, wide ribbon in a color that matches your sun candle (if your candle is yellow, use a yellow ribbon, etc.) long enough to tie around your waist, matches, sun-shaped or round cookies for cakes and ale (you can make sugar cookies and coat them with yellow frosting if you want), fruit juice or wine or mead or ale in a chalice or fancy cup. Optional—sunflowers or daisies as an offering for the gods, candle snuffer, athame, broom, or wand, decorative altar cloth, table to use as an altar, blanket or cloth to sit on if you are going to be outside.
Notes: While the instructions call for a full ritual set-up, if you don’t have everything listed here, don’t worry. The tools are meant to help you focus, and to heighten the sense of ceremony, and they will probably make your ritual even more powerful. But if you are not in a position to do the entire formal ritual (for instance, if you are not out of the broom closet, and you need something you can do quickly and without being obvious about it), you can do the core section of the ritual on its own.
Pre-Ritual Preparations:
Place the god and goddess candles on your altar or in the middle of your circle (depending on whether you are using a formal altar or simply placing things on the ground or floor). Put the pillar candle in its holder between them, toward the front of the space, so you can sit in front of it easily, and tie the ribbon in a loose circle around the base of the holder. Place any offerings or decorations on the altar. Quarter candles can be placed on the altar in their proper directions, or at the edges of the circle, with the candle for earth facing north, air facing east, fire to the south, and water to the west. Cakes and ale can be placed to the side, where you can reach them when the ritual is nearing its end.
The Ritual:
Start by cleansing the space and yourself by smudging it with the sage wand (or incense). Walk around the circle clockwise, moving the smoke through the air, and visualizing your ritual area being washed clear of any negativity. Then do the same thing with yourself, starting at your head and working down to your feet. You can leave the sage/incense smoldering in its holder or put it out.
Pour a little bit of salt into the small bowl, and add a little water. As you mix them together with your finger or an athame, say:
Salt into water, water into salt. Wash away all that is negative
and impure, leaving only that which is positive and beneficial.
Dab the salt and water mixture on your forehead (for thoughts), lips (for speech), and heart (for feelings).
Cast the circle by walking its parameters and pointing toward the ground (you can use your finger, an athame, a broom, or a wand—if using a broom, make sweeping motions but keep the broom slightly above the surface of the ground), saying:
Earth to sky, sky to ground; let sacred space be all around.
Visualize your circle filling with white light, enclosing you in a space that is outside of normal time or place.
Call the quarters, starting with the east. Turn to the east and say:
I call the guardian of the east, the power of air,
to come to this circle bringing refreshing summer breezes
and lightness of spirit.
Light the yellow candle. Turn to the south and say:
I call the guardian of the south, the power of fire,
to come to this circle bringing warm sunlight
and a passion for summer joy.
Light the red candle. Turn to the west and say:
I call the guardian of the west, the power of water,
to come to this circle bringing life-giving rains and a healing flow.
Light the blue candle. Turn to the north and say:
I call the guardian of the north, the power of earth,
to come to this circle bringing energy for growth
and the strength of the ground below.
Light the green candle. Then, invoke the gods, using the words here or any of the alternatives in the previous chapter.
Great goddess, I greet you! You who are known by many names
and many faces, shine your divine blessing down on me on
this Midsummer Day, filling me with light and love.
Great god, I greet you! You who are the lord of the beasts and the fields and the woods, shine your divine blessing down on me this Midsummer Day, filling me with strength and energy.
Light the god and goddess candles.
Stand (or sit, if necessary) in front of your altar and light the candle that represents the sun. Close your eyes and lift your arms up into the air, as if reaching for the sun overhead, palms open and turned up. Feel the warmth of the sun on your face; feel its life-giving energy flowing into you through the crown chakra on the top of your head and down to fill your entire body. See yourself glowing with light and energy. Keep this image in your mind as strongly as you can, taking as long as you need. Then open your eyes and look at the candle. The flame in the candle symbolizes the heat and power of the sun—see that energy moving also into the candle, and from the candle, into the ribbon that is underneath it. Say:
Today is Midsummer and the sun is at its zenith. Its power and energy are all around me. Its power and energy are part of me.
I am the fire of the sun.
Pick up the ribbon, hold it up to the sun, and then tie it around your waist. Feel the strength of the sun inside the ribbon, and say:
Within this token, I store the power and energy of the sun,
that they may carry me through the darker days ahead.
Cakes and ale (optional): Hold up your “cake” and say,
I thank the earth for its harvest
and for the bounty it brings to my life.
Eat the cake. Hold up your cup and say,
I thank the sun for its life-giving rays that help the harvest to grow and bring sweetness to this cup and to my life.
Drink the ale. Thank the god and goddess by saying:
Blessed lady, blessed lord, I thank you for your presence
in my circle here today and in my life always.
Snuff out the god and goddess candles.
Now it is time to dismiss the quarters. Starting at the north and turning counterclockwise (west, south, east), say in each direction:
I thank you (insert name of element in the order of: earth, water, fire, air) for watching over my circle and my magickal work.
Snuff out the candles after thanking each element.
Open the circle by turning counterclockwise and pointing as you turn. Visualize a wall of light dropping down until you are back into your normal life. Take a moment to let it all sink in. You can wear your ribbon all day, or take it off and put it away someplace safe like a box or a bag that can be stored on your altar or in a special drawer. Anytime you feel as though you need an extra boost, you can take it out and either wear it (under your clothes if you choose) or put it in a pocket.
Midsummer Healing and Abundance Group Ritual
Midsummer is the perfect time for magickal healing work, as well as work for abundance. This ritual combines them both by using the healing energy of the sun and the fire that is its symbol. The fire will burn away those things that hold you back, so you can then take in the energy for abundance and growth that is the hallmark of this sabbat. This ritual is designed for a group, whether it is a formal coven or simply a gathering of like-minded witches, but you can convert it for solitary use if necessary.
If your group follows a specific pantheon, feel free to substitute a different god and goddess. This ritual is intended to be done around a bonfire or fire pit (you can use a portable fire pit rather than digging one in the ground). If you can’t be outside or can’t have an open fire, you can substitute a fire-safe cauldron or other large round container, and fill it with sand or salt, and then place candles inside to take the place of the fire. As always, please be cautious when using any kind of open flame, especially if wearing flowing garb. Always have a bucket of water or some other way of smothering the fire nearby in case it suddenly gets out of hand. Group rituals are almost always led by a high priest and/or a high priestess, or someone who is taking those roles for the occasion. This ritual is written for one leader, but it can be split between two if you wish, or divided between all the participants, so that each one speaks a different section of the ritual.
Setting:
This ritual can be done at any point on Midsummer Day, although the most powerful time will be dusk, just as the sun is getting ready to go down. Leave enough time to complete the ritual before the sun vanishes entirely, though. It should be held outside, if possible, preferably around a bonfire.
Supplies:
You will need god and goddess candles (gold/silver or yellow/white or white/white) in fire-safe holders. You will also need four quarter candles (one each green/yellow/red/blue). Gather salt and water in small containers, a small bowl to mix them in, a sage smudge stick (you can substitute a stick of incense if you prefer) in a fire safe container, lavender flowers in a basket or bowl, daisies or some other bright flower (one for each participant) in a basket, matches, food and drink for cakes and ale (either a round loaf of bread or some cheerful cookies for cakes, and fruit juice, wine, or mead for ale in a chalice or other nice cup), table to use as an altar. If you like, you can also use a candlesnuffer, a cauldron or a bowl with candles in it if you can’t have a bonfire, cloth for the altar, a feather, and any other seasonal decorations, such as a vase of flowers or sun symbols.
Pre-Ritual Preparations:
Place god and goddess candles on your altar with your baskets of lavender and flowers or herbs nearby. Place any offerings or decorations on the altar. Quarter candles can be placed on the altar in their proper directions, or at the edges of the circle, with the green candle for earth facing north, the yellow air candle facing east, the red fire candle to the south, and the blue water candle to the west. Cakes and ale can be placed to the side, where you can reach them when the ritual is nearing its end. The altar can be placed wherever it fits best in the circle, or you can put it in the east, since that is the direction associated with fire, and therefore the sun. The bonfire should be lit before you start.
The Ritual:
Start by cleansing the space and all the participants by smudging it with the sage wand (or incense). Someone should walk around the circle clockwise, moving the smoke through the air, and visualizing the ritual area being washed clear of any negativity. A feather can be used to waft the smoke inward if desired. Then pass the sage around the circle clockwise so each participant can sage him or herself, starting at the head and working down to the feet. Once the sage/incense returns to the beginning, it can be left smoldering in its holder or put out.
The leader should pour a little bit of salt into the small bowl, and add a little water, mixing them together with a finger or an athame, saying:
Salt into water, water into salt.
Wash away all that is negative and impure,
leaving only that which is positive and beneficial.
Pass the bowl around the circle. Each participant then dabs the salt and water mixture on his/her forehead (for thoughts), lips (for speech), and heart (for feelings).
The leader will cast the circle by walking the circle parameters pointing toward the ground. He/she can use a finger, an athame, a broom, or a wand—if using a broom, make sweeping motions, but keep the broom slightly above the surface of the ground. As he/she walks the circle, say:
I cast the circle round and round, from earth to sky,
from sky to ground. I conjure now this sacred place,
outside of time, outside of space. The circle is cast.
We are between the worlds.
Next the group will call the quarters. This can be done by the leader or four participants can each take a turn. All in the circle will turn in the direction of the quarter being called, the invocation is spoken, and the associated candle is lit. Then, all turn toward the next quarter. Start with east by saying:
I call the guardian of the east, the power of air,
to come to this circle bringing refreshing summer breezes
and clarity of thought.
Light the yellow candle. Turn to the south and say:
I call the guardian of the south, the power of fire,
to come to this circle bringing warm sunlight and the spirit of love.
Light the red candle. Turn to the west and say:
I call the guardian of the west, the power of water,
to come to this circle bringing life-giving rains and healing energy.
Light the blue candle. Turn to the north and say:
I call the guardian of the north, the power of earth,
to come to this circle and ground us for the magickal work ahead.
Light the green candle.
The leader should now invoke the gods using the words here or any of the alternatives in the previous chapter by saying:
I call thee, Brighid, triple goddess who rules over hearth and healing and inspiration. Share your gifts with us on this Summer Solstice day, and guide us with your gentle wisdom.
Let your light warm our hearts and brighten our spirits.
So mote it be.
Light the goddess candle.
I call thee, Belinos, god of the sun,
whose powerful rays bring healing and strength.
Share your gifts with us on this Summer Solstice day,
and empower us with your energy. Let your light warm our hearts and brighten our spirits. So mote it be.
Light the god candle. Then the ritual leader should say:
We gather together to celebrate Midsummer, the Summer Solstice. This is the longest day of the year, with the most light, and the sun is at the height of its power and energy. After today, we move slowly into the dark time, with a little less light and a little more darkness every day. So it always has been, and so it will always be, for this is the Wheel of the Year, always turning, bringing us opportunities for change and growth.
The sun god is a healing god, and the earth goddess heals as well. Today we will tap into that healing power and use it to help us to let go of whatever ails us—physically, mentally, or spiritually—so that we will be free to take in the sun’s energy, and use it to bring abundance into our lives.
The leader holds up bowl of lavender and says:
Lavender is one of the most healing herbs there is, sacred to the Midsummer gods. In some cultures, it is customary to throw lavender into the fire as an offering to the god and goddess. As we go around the circle, each one of us will take a turn to toss in a handful of these fragrant flowers, casting whatever needs to be healed into the cleansing flames of the fire as we do so.
The bowl is passed around, and each participant tosses in some lavender. If doing this without an actual bonfire, you can either sprinkle a tiny amount of lavender carefully around the candles in their bowl, or place a plate underneath the central candles and put the lavender on that. Once everyone has sprinkled lavender, the leader says:
Now we are free to receive the solstice’s blessings of energy, abundance, and joy! Take a flower as a symbol of the abundant Midsummer energy, and feel your spirit filling up with potential as I lead us in a guided meditation.
Pass the basket of flowers around the circle. Each participant will take one. All stand in silence and focus on taking in energy as they listen. The leader continues with:
Close your eyes if you want to, or focus them on the flower in your hands. The summer days are filled with light and beauty, and we can take in that light, take in that beauty, and make it a part of ourselves. Feel the warmth of the sun overhead. The sun’s power is at its peak, and there is more than enough to share with us. Feel the energy of the sun coming in at the top of your head and flowing down through you—over your head, neck, and shoulders. Feel it flowing down over your arms like a caress, down your back like a gentle massage. Feel the power and energy of the sun recharging your own center of energy in your core, filling it with everything you need to live each day of the summer to its fullest. Let it flow down your legs, through your fingers and toes, making them tingle with warmth and light and power. Imagine your body filled with that light so that it spills out into the circle around you, and see the entire circle glowing with light and energy, moving from person to person, picking up love and joy on its journey and passing it around until everyone within this sacred space is filled to overflowing with the power and energy and glory that is the summer sun. Hold your flower to your heart, and then raise it to the sun with a heartfelt “Thank you and huzzah!”
All shout: Thank you and huzzah!
The leader holds up the plate with cakes and says:
We give thanks for these cakes, the gift of the earth,
and share them with each other with open hearts.
The cakes are passed around the circle. The leader holds up the chalice or cup and says:
May our lives be as sweet as the fruit in this cup.
The cup is passed around circle. The leader then thanks the gods by saying:
Let us thank the god and goddess
for their gifts of healing and energy!
All shout: Thank you, Belinos! Thank you, Brighid! This can be repeated a number of times, all participants following the leader. When done, snuff out the god and goddess candles.
Next, the leader dismisses the quarters. This is done in the reverse of how the quarters were called, starting with north, then turning counterclockwise to west, south, and finally east. The leader or participants say for each quarter:
I thank you (insert name of element in order of: earth, water,
fire, air) for guarding our circle. Stay if you will, go if you must,
in perfect love and perfect trust. So mote it be.
Snuff out the candles after thanking each element.
Once the quarters are dismissed, open the circle. The leader can walk counterclockwise and draw the energy back in, or all can join hands and throw them up into the sky, saying:
The circle is open but never broken. Merry meet, merry part,
and merry meet again!
A Small Group Ritual for Playing with the Faeries
This is a fun, playful ritual, perfect for doing with small children. It can also be done by a couple, or with any small group. If you are doing it with young children, keep things as simple as possible, and let them be a part of the ritual. Feel free to be informal and silly!
The faeries should always be treated with respect, but they are also known for their mischievous nature. If you do this ritual just right, perhaps they will come and play along with you. Even if you don’t sense any mystical presences, it is nice to take some time to focus on the lighthearted aspects of Midsummer. If you are doing this ritual with children, depending on their ages and level of experience with magickal work (some people raise their children as Pagan from a very early age and others don’t), you may want to skip the formal circle casting. If so, you will still want to do some protective work first, just to be on the safe side. For instance, you could smudge the area where you will be working and draw a circle in salt or chalk. This ritual is designed to have one person lead it, but the tasks can be shared by two or more if you wish.
Setting:
This ritual should be done at noon, dawn, or dusk as the faeries are most likely to come out at one of these “between” times. But anytime on Midsummer Day is fine, or even on Midsummer Eve. It should be done outside, in a space with greenery and flowers. If there are no flowers, you can provide your own, but this ritual really should be done outdoors. Although if you are doing it with kids, their imaginations are so wonderful, you can probably create a make-believe faery grove inside, if you absolutely have to.
Supplies:
You will need god and goddess candles (gold/silver or yellow/white or white/white) in fire-safe holders. You will also need four quarter candles (one each green/yellow/red/blue), a sage smudge stick (you can substitute a stick of incense if you prefer), bottles of bubbles, matches, food and drink for cakes and ale (some cheerful cookies for cakes, and fruit juice for ale, unless there are only adults, in which case mead is appropriate). You should have a table to use as an altar, plus a small table or a cloth to put in the middle of the circle to receive the gifts for the faeries. Provide music to dance to as well. If you like, you can also gather a candlesnuffer, cloth for the altar, and any other seasonal decorations.
You will also need gifts for the faeries—enough for each person to give one. These can be natural objects like pretty little stones, a small bowl of honey, rose petals in a bowl, or some flowers such as daisies, marigolds, or carnations. But you may also opt to throw in a craft project and make fun paper flowers or glittery stars. These can be made ahead of time or during the ritual (instructions below) for kids with longer attention spans. If you opt to do this, you’ll need the following supplies: tissue paper and/or colored paper in bright flowery colors, pipe cleaners, scissors, tape or thread, white glue, a small brush, glitter or glitter glue. Place all of the supplies on a cloth or do this outside, since it will be a little messy (especially the glitter). If making this craft during ritual, have all supplies within the circle ahead of time.
Pre-Ritual Preparations:
Place the god and goddess candles on the altar table along with any other decorations. If there is room on the table, you can put all the other supplies there too, otherwise you can stow some underneath where you can get at them easily. The quarter candles can be placed around the circle in their proper spots (yellow air candle to the east, red fire candle to the south, blue water candle to the west, and green earth candle to the north) unless you are worried about small children getting at them, in which case you can either put them on the altar table or dispense with their use altogether. Make sure that every participant has a bottle of bubbles. If there are kids who are young enough to want to get into the bubbles before you are ready, you can hand them out when it is time. The table or cloth for the faerie gifts should go as close to the middle of the circle as possible.
The Ritual:
Start by cleansing the space and all the participants by smudging it with the sage wand (or incense). Someone should walk around the circle clockwise, moving the smoke through the air, and visualizing the ritual area being washed clear of any negativity. Then pass the sage around the circle clockwise so each participant can sage him or herself, starting at the head and working down to the feet. Or one person can walk around the outside of the circle and smudge all those within, if there are kids too young to handle the sage themselves.
Feel free to skip this circle casting section if you have small children or wish to do something more casual. To cast the circle, take a flower from the altar and pass it from person to person, starting with whoever is leading the ritual, saying:
With this flower, we cast the circle.
Next, call the quarters. If possible, have the kids help call the quarters. If they are very young, they can simply call, “East, east, please come here!” Turn in the direction of the quarter you are calling, starting with east, and say:
I call the guardian of the east, the power of air,
upon which the faeries fly.
Light the yellow candle. Then turn to the south and say:
I call the guardian of the south, the power of fire,
which lights the faeries’ way.
Light the red candle. Turn to the west and say:
I call the guardian of the west, the power of water,
like the magickal Midsummer dew where the fairies like to bathe.
Light the blue candle, then turn to the north and say:
I call the guardian of the north, the power of earth,
where the faeries love to play.
Light the green candle. Next, the leader should invoke the gods using the words here or any of the alternatives in the previous chapter by saying:
Lovely Aine, goddess of the faeries, come and join our circle today!
Light the goddess candle. Then say:
Handsome Belinos, who causes the flowers to grow,
come and join our circle today!
Light the god candle. The leader then says:
Today is Midsummer, the day the faeries come out to play.
Shall we welcome them? HAIL FAERIES, AND WELCOME!
All repeat, loudly and with enthusiasm. If you have brought gifts to the circle, continue with:
We have brought you gifts, O faerie folk, in the hopes that you will smile upon us and send us your blessings.
Each person walks up to the altar and takes a “gift” and puts in on the table/cloth in the middle of the circle, saying:
Here is a gift for you, faeries!
If you instead are opting to incorporate a fun craft into the ritual, then say:
We are making you gifts, O faerie folk, in the hopes that you will smile upon us and send us your blessings.
Proceed to where you’ve stashed your craft supplies. To create pretty flowers for the faeries, you can form the tissue paper into a flower by cutting it into square pieces and then crimping the bottom closed with one hand while spreading out the “petals” with another. To make a fancier flower, layer a couple of different colors, or cut the edges into particular flower shapes. Then, tie a bit of thread around the bottom third of the flower to keep its form. Use a pipe cleaner for the stem by poking it up through the very bottom of the flower and securing it with glue or tape.
Alternately, you can cut flower shapes out of your colored paper and tape or glue a stem onto the bottom. Use the brush to put a light coating of glue around the top edges or outside of the flower and sprinkle with glitter. If using glitter glue sticks, apply where desired. Add any other decorations if using. Once the glue has dried, put the flowers on your altar or outside for the faeries.
Using the same supplies, you could make an alternate craft. Cut out stars from brightly colored construction paper and decorate with glitter, bells, markers, etc. Then, punch a hole in each one and string them up on thread or ribbons to make a garland to adorn your faery altar and give as a gift to the fair folk. Hang up finished strands where the sun can catch the glitter and make it shine.
Whether made ahead of time or during the ritual itself, when all the gifts are in the middle of the circle, the leader can say things like:
Oh, how beautiful those gifts are!
I’m sure the faerie folk will love them!
Then, pass out the bubbles if you haven’t done it already. When everyone has bubbles, the leader says:
We can make magick, too, with water and light and air!
Come join us, faeries, and let us dance together!
All blow bubbles and dance around the circle with as much merriment as possible. When you are done, everyone says:
Thank you, faeries, for joining us today!
Huzzah for the faeries of Midsummer Day!
Next, pass cakes and ale if you are having them, making sure to put a little bit aside for the faeries. If you want, the leader can say:
Faerie folk, please join us for some treats.
Thank you lord and lady for your presence here today.
Thank you lord and lady for helping us to play.
Snuff out the god and goddess candles. Next, dismiss the quarters by having everyone say:
Thank you, north! Thank you, west! Thank you, south!
Thank you, east! Goodbye! Goodbye!
Snuff out the quarter candles. Once the quarters are dismissed, open the circle if you cast one by having the leader say:
The circle is open, but never broken. Merry meet, merry part,
and merry meet again!
Or, if there are very young children, you can just say:
We’re done! That was fun!