Midsummer Ritual (Submitted by Alastar)

Preparation: For decorating the altar use marigolds and yellow, green, and blue ribbons or streamers. Prepare the altar with the God and Goddess candles and the supplies for casting the circle. Include a cauldron prepared for use as a portable fireplace, the maturing herb that was planted in the circle on Ostara, a small shovel, 2 quartz crystals, a larger pot, a candle lighting stick, an herb sacred to the God, an herb sacred to the Goddess, a Corn Dolly, a Grape Doll, and an incense for abundance. The Corn Dolly should be dressed in red to look pregnant. The Grape Dolly should be dressed in yellow. You should also bring a quartz crystal and a mojo bag of black and white material hand sewn by you. Begin by casting the circle.

Here I am on this day, Midsummer, All Couple's Day, Litha, St. John's Day, the Summer Solstice, and the time of the longest day. I am here to understand life, death, and rebirth, and to give reverence to those who have endured each.

Bow your head to think about how Midsummer fits in one of the three groups above and how it fits in the Wheel of the Year.

I stand at the gate between the living and the dead on this day when the dark is at its least and the light is at its most. I am here to witness the power of my God, Father Sky, the waxing Lord of the Sun and his wife, my Goddess, Mother Earth, the waxing Lady of the Moon. Excellence. . . a necessary transition on the Wheel of the Year.

Retrieve the potted herb, a larger pot, a shovel, the crystal, and the cauldron.

Now is the time of the greatest power of the beloved Sun King, one of the three faces of my God, and of the beloved Mother, one of the three faces of my Goddess. I watch as the Lord and Lady demonstrate their power and excellence.

You should re-plant the herb in the larger pot and bury a crystal at the roots with it. Pour a bit of the water from the water chalice on the soil. Then use the lighting stick to transfer a bit of the flame from the God candle to the cauldron to start the fire. Then take some incense from the altar to burn in the fire. Take some ashes from the incense burner and sprinkles this onto the soil of the plant. Take some salt and sprinkle this in the fire. Say:

The Elder Gods wish to bestow upon us the gift of knowledge. Thus they shall speak.

Hold the Grape Dolly and Corn Dolly up high, one in each hand. Say:

These wise words are their gifts. "As easily as this power is given, this power can also be taken away just as our power will be taken as the Wheel turns into darkness. This burst of power is necessary to ripen the crops and turn the Wheel. It is what constitutes action, this surge of glory and confidence." So mote it be.

Set the Dollies up against something to admire their divine accomplishments.

The Gods have shown me the way. Now, on this day of Midsummer, this time of power and possibilities, I shall act upon my goals and wishes.

Place in the mojo bag a little of both herbs and the quartz crystal. This should be tied and then dedicated to the Elder Gods. This can now be used as a power talisman. You can now conclude the ritual.

Powerful are the Elder Gods, and as I follow my True Will with the action energies of this season, I shall gain such power.

Close the circle. Serve yourself summer fruits, lemonade, and mead. You can leave the plant on the altar until Lammas to remind you of the magick and power of the Elder Gods.

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