MIDSUMMER

This ritual was inspired by a recent New York Times article that described the first archeological evidence that the High Priestesses of the Temple of Delphi really existed.

We gave coven guest Kalamir the honor of posessing Delphine, and it worked beautifully!

PRE-RITUAL

Using Playdough or a playdough-type material, the Coveners make little sculptures, or "sun tokens," to creatively symbolize the season. At this ritual the coveners made a blue fish, a sun face, a flower, a campfire and a triangular goddess symbol.

1) ASSEMBLY

People stand indoors at the "Gate" (porch door). Sun Attendant annoints each person with sun oil (or olive oil) and gold foil on the forehead and asks "Do You Come in Perfect Trust?" (Everybody better say Yes)

2) ENTER SPACE

Coverners enter the yard carrying their musical instruments/noise makers. Priest carries the tray with the sun mask and tokens. Everybody makes noise to drive away negativity. Circle thrice, then assume positions.

3) CHARGE CIRCLE

with Solstice Incense and Salt Water

4) CALLING THE QUARTERS

May the spirits of the East
bring Knowledge and Enlightenment
into this circle.
Hail and Welcome!

May the spirits of the South
bring Passion and Zest
into this circle.
Hail and Welcome!

May the spirits of the West
bring Love and Purity
into this circle.
Hail and Welcome!

May the spirits of the North
bring Growth and Fertility
into this circle.
Hail and Welcome!

5) MEDITATION

Coveners close eyes, OM and meditate while Priest begins:

Here in the center of the world we stand. Earth is before us. Air is on our right side. Fire is behind us. On our left water lies. As we stand between the earth and the skies. We are holding this ritual to honor the God of many names: Faunus. Anubis, Ganesha, Cernunnos, Apollo, Woden, Nuada. We are here to acknowledge the time of Summer Solstice which is the height of his power in his aspect as the Sun.

But first, we must give just praise to the Goddess
But for whose love,
he the Sun would not be.

6) CREATION STORY:

(This text was written by Starhawk and hoisted from her landmark book The Spiral Dance)

Alone, awesome, complete within Herself, the Goddess, She whose name cannot be spoken, floated in the abyss of the outer darkness, before the beginning of all things. And as She looked into the curved mirror of black space, She saw by her own light her radiant reflection, and fell in love with it. She drew it forth by the power that was in Her and made lover to Herself, and called Her"Miria, the Wonderful." Their ecstasy burst forth in the single song of all that is, was, or ever shall be, and with the song came motion, waves that poured outward and became all the spheres and circles of the worlds. The Goddess became filled with love, swollen with love, and She gave birth to a rain of bright spirits that filled the worlds and became ail beings. But in that great movement, Miria was swept away, and as She moved out from the Goddess She became more masculine. First She became the Blue God, the gentle laughing God of love. Then She became the Green One, vine-covered, rooted in the earth, the spirit of all growing things. At last She became the Horned God. the Hunter whose face is the ruddy sun and yet dark as Death. But always desire draws Him back toward the Goddess, so that He circles her eternally, seeking to return in love. All began in love; All seeks to return in love. Love is the law. the teacher of wisdom, and the great revealer of mysteries.

7) PRAYER TO THE GODDESS

Our Mother who lives within our breasts,
Sacred is your wisdom
Thy spark within us
Thy soul runs through us
As above, so below.
Give us our sustenance
As we give unselfishly to others
Let us forgive ourselves
As we forgive
For our peace resides in our knowledge
Of your ever present love.

8) INVOCATION OF THE GODDESS

Priestess reads the invocation below while Dumuzzi plays the Evohe melody on the pennywhistle:

Holy Mother of Earth,
Anima Mundi, Mother of Death Kali-Ma, Vesta, Hestia, Diana
Divine Material Manifestation of all that is, all that ever was,
and all that ever will be.
Holy Mother of Love, Flower of Perfection;
friend of women and children, and men dedicated to the
righteous cause of peace.
Holy Mother of Death, Refuge of the ill, the exhausted, the dying;
thou the Beginning and the End, the Compassionate;
Bearer of peace in times of sorrow, refuge of the abandoned, the betrayed-
all your children taken to your breast.

Holy Mother, Queen of Heaven, Mistress of the Moon, of childbirth-
thou Staff of Life, healer, nurse; Inspiration of poets, and 1 lovers, and prophets of truth:
Gracious Goddess, Light of the World, Mistress of Constellations,
upon your head a crown of stars forever shines...

9) DRAWING DOWN THE DUN

Goddess draws down the sun into the Sun God.

INVOCATION OF THE SUN GOD:

Blazing Lord of the forest,
Lord of the Sun, Lord of the Air,
Lord of youth, Lord of the seed,
Lord of ancient wisdom,
You who are the King of the Witches
Lord of the Sun, Master of all that is wild and free;
Father of woman and man
Lover of the Moon Goddess and protector of all that is Wicca
Faunus, Anubis, Ganesha, Cernunnos, Apollo, Woden,
Nuada. Dianus, Poseidon, Helios
Descend I pray with your Solar ray of power
Upon my circle here!

10) CHARGE OF THE SUN GOD

In this case, it is Gwydion Pendderwen's version of the song:

LORD OF THE DANCE

She danced on the water, and the wind was Her horn
The Lady laughed, and everything was born
When She lit the sun and its' light gave Him birth
The Lord of the Dance first appeared on the Earth.
(Chorus): Dance, then, wherever you may be
For I am the Lord of the Dance, said Hel
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the Dance, said Hel
I danced in the morning when the World was begun
I danced in the Moon and the Stars and the Sun
I was called from the darkness by the song of the Earth
I joined in the song, and She gave me Birth!
They cut me down but I leap up high
I am light that will never ever die
I live in you if you live in me
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He.
I dance at the Sabbat when you chant the Spell
I dance and sing that everyone be well
When the dance is over do not think I'm gone
I live in the music, so I still dance on!

11) LIGHTING THE PYRE

Sun God draws down fire into the center pyre with a magnification glass.
(If overcast, use conventional means).

12) CHANT

Once the fire is ignited, everybody joins in singing the EVOHE song.

Evohe
Summer Ray
Come and Charge
This Solstice Day.

13) RAISE POWER

WITCHES' SONG

We circle 'round the fire
To raise the cone of power
To bring what we desire
So mote it be.
Raise the magic
by the Sunlight
Dance the circle all day long
Rise the magic
by the Sunlight
Dance and sing the witches' song.
and dance around the fire.

14) HEALING

15) DELPHINE SPEAKS

With the energy raised - the Sun God and Goddess call down DELPHINE into Kalamir.

Delphine speaks, then answers the questions that the coverners may have for her.

16) DISMISS DELPHINE

17) CAKES AND ALE

CAKES AND ALE BLESSING:

Priest :(holding cookies): Behold, the God has gone into the grain!
All: He will fed us!
Priestess: (holding wine): The Sun is on the water!
All: He will quench our thirst!
Priest: The God is in the corn!
All: it will grow high!
Priestess: The God is on the tree and vine!
All: He will ripen in season!
Priest: The Sun is not lost!
All: It will rise again!
Priestess: The Sun is within us!
All: See how we shine!
Pass Cakes and Wine.

As we pass the Wine, we'll talk about the solar tokens we made earlier and what they mean. (i.e. Show & Tell).

As we pass the bread, we'll mention our positive aspirations for Summer in general.

(Optional - maybe this will happen simultaneously - everybody sings, or mentions, their favorite Summer Song. Hokey Pokey is acceptable.)

18) CLOSING

Final energy raising to seal all of our wishes and desires.

Make joyful noise.

Final dancing around teh fire.

Ground.

Dismiss God and Goddess.

Dismiss directions.

Open Circle.