Midsummer Ritual

This Ritual should take place on the seashore.  You will not need robes, an Altar or many tools, but it might be advisable to take a change of clothing.  Find a location when the tide comes in reasonably steadily, and where you will not get cut off by the incoming waters.  Check the tide tables to ensure that you can start your Ritual about one hour before high tide.  Also check the location to ensure that it is reasonably private at the time you intend to use it.  If you can find a very secluded location, there is no reason why you should not work the Ritual during the day.  Alternatively, you might like to time it so that you can be present to mark sunrise prior to starting, although this may mean staying up all night!  If you really cannot arrange to do this on the coast then you will need to give thought as to how to bring a suitable amount of the element of surprise into your Ritual.

Prepare a series of small cards each with a question about, or linked to, the Craft on it.  There should be four or five cards per person.  The questions do not have to directly involve magical knowledge, so you could, for example ask, “How do you spell Myrrh?”  or “Describe the leaves of the plant Rosemary,” and so on.  Questions can be simple or hard; some can even be “trick” questions.  Note that one person, usually the High Priestess, has the final say as to whether an answer is right or wrong, and this person is the arbiter.

Tell everyone who is attending to bring a single yellow or gold flower.  It is worth mentioning here that it is not a good idea to pick wild flowers as these may well be protected or endangered, even if prolific in your area.

You Will Need:

• A bag with several slips of paper, one for each person, with their name on it
• The question cards
• A small prize for the winner.

Before the Ritual actually starts, get everyone to find small stones and other natural beach debris to mark the outline of the Circle, which should be below the high tide mark.  The Circle should be large enough that people will be well spread out.  Also collect some driftwood for a small fire, which will be in the center of the Circle.  Please ensure that it is very small, as you do not need the coastguard alerted!  Once the Circle is marked and the fire started, take the first name slip out of the bag; this person stands to the right of the high tide mark.  Continue pulling slips until everyone has their place, selected at random, in the Circle.  You will probably need to space them out evenly, as there is usually some reluctance to be at the lowest tidal point!  Assign the roles in creating the Sacred Space in such as way that people do not have to move away from their allotted places.

Sabbat Introduction

"Welcome.  This is Litha, the Summer Solstice, the longest day and the height of the Sun’s power.  But herein lies the paradox.  For even as the Sun reaches the height of its power, it begins to decline.  From this point the nights will lengthen and the days shorten.

At this time Lord Holly once again challenges his brother the Oak King, and wins.  From now he will preside over the darkening half of the year

This is also the time of the trickster Gods, the time of Pan, Puck and Loki, and of the Goddesses and Gods of humor and jest.  And in keeping with this we celebrate with mirth and joy, as well as with reverence. Blessed Be."

Sabbat Ritual

The High Priestess says:

“We have gathered to celebrate the Summer Solstice, to mark the height of the Sun even as he starts his decline.  This is the festival of Fire and Water, so it in keeping that we should meet both in our Rites.  Tonight/today we will pit our knowledge of the Craft against the incoming waters, in honor of the Sun King.  Blessed be.”

The High Priest now shuffles the question cards and deals them out evenly amongst everyone, except the arbiter.  Starting to the left of the High Priestess, each person takes it in turn to ask a question of another in the group.  Where it is answered correctly the answerer chooses whether to exchange places, where the answer is incorrect the questioner can choose.

After each answer everyone chants:

“Cernunnos, horned one,
Cernunnos King of the Sun,
Herne the Hunted and Hunter,
Stag Lord of the Earth.”

Everyone then moves one place to his or her left, and the next person asks his or her question.  Anyone moving before the change is completed is “out”.  Where a questioner has moved, it is the person to their left after the move, who asks the next question. The High Priestess can intervene if she feels are becoming unfair.

If the weather is element and the participants are fairly hardy, you might like to denote someone as being “out” only when the water reaches their knees.  Or you may prefer to declare “out” as soon as their feet become wet.  As people fall foul of the waves, they can change into dry clothes or you can set them to preparing the post-Ritual feast, until you reach the second phase.  As you can probably see by now, the people closest to the water will want to get away from it, whilst those further up the beach will want to retain their places.  When there is only one person in the Circle, in addition to the arbiter, that person is the winner.

Everyone should now gather round, above the tide line, with his or her flowers.  The High Priest now stands facing the waves, and raising his arms up to each side of his head, says:

“I call upon the Sun King, in whose honor we have gathered, to witness that… (name of winner) has today met the challenge of the waters and has prevailed.  In recognition of this I present him/her with this.  Blessed be.”

The prize is handed over.  The High Priest continues:

“Mighty Lord of the Sun, who brings heat and light to the land, who causes all things to be fruitful and flourish.  Mighty Lord of the Sea, whose waters pour out upon the land, who causes all things to grow and be fertile.  Great Mother Goddess from whom all life proceeds and to whom all will return.  Accept our offering and our thanks.  Blessed be.”

He casts his flower into the waves.  Everyone else also casts their flowers into the waters and sings the above chant once again.

The Rite of Wine and Cakes can be performed either by the winner and their chosen partner, or by the High Priestess and High Priest.

Sabbat Blessing

This should be given by the winner of the competition:

“I call upon the Old Gods, and the elements of Fire and Water, Earth and Air, which are all around us and within us.  Pour forth your blessings on all here present.  Lord of the Sun whose cycle now turns, be with us each and every one.  Great Mother, watch over us and guide us well.  The lightening days are over, the darkening days are here.  And so the Wheel turns.  Blessed be.”

Release the Quarters

Take Down the Circle

Feasting and Social Hour