This ritual will probably look familiar to many people, as it is taken from Scott Cunningham's wonderful bookk Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. I know a lot of pagans who say that his work is too "fluffy" or that he doesn't understand that Craft also has a darkside, but I'm pretty sure he does... and this ritual is beautiful in it's simplicity..
Before the rite, make up a small cloth pouch filled with herbs such as lavender, chamomile, St. John’s Wort, vervain, or any of the Midsummer herbs listed. Mentally pour all your troubles, problems, pains, sorrows and illnesses, if any, into this petition as you construct it. Tie it shut with a red string. Place this on the altar for use during the rite. The cauldron should also be there or nearby. Even if you use candles to mark the quarters, the red candle in the holder should also be on the altar. For outdoor rituals, light a fire - however small - and drop the pouch into this.
Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer, and cast the Circle.
Recite the Blessing chant:
"May the powers of The One,
The source of all Creation;
all- pervasive, omnipotent, eternal;
may the Goddess,
the Lady of the Moon;
and the God,
Horned Hunter of the Sun;
may the powers of the Spirits of the Stones,
rulers of the elemental realms;
may the powers of the stars above and the Earth below,
bless this place, and this time, and I who am with You.
Invoke the Goddess and God.
Stand before the altar and say, with wand upraised and say:
"I celebrate the
noon of summer with mystic rites.
Great Goddess
and God,
all nature vibrates with your energies
and the Earth is
bathed with warmth and life.
Now is the time of forgetting past cares and banes;
Now is the time
for purification.
O fiery Sun,
burn away the
unuseful,
the hurtful,
the bane,
in your omnipotent power.
Purify me!
Purify me!
Purify me!
Lay the wand on the altar. Take up the herbal petition and light it in the red candle on the altar (or, if outdoors, the ritual fire). When it is burning drop it into the cauldron (or some other heat-proof container) and say:
I banish you by
the powers of the Goddess and God!
I banish you by
the powers of the Sun, Moon and Stars!
I banish you by
the powers of Earth, Air, Fire and Water!
Pause, seeing the hurts and pains burning into nothingness. Then say:
O Gracious
Goddess, O Gracious God,
On this night of
Midsummer magic
I pray that you
charge my life with
wonder and you.
Help me in
attuning with
the energies
adrift on the enchanted night air.
I give thanks.
Reflect upon the purification you have underdone. Feel the powers of nature flowing through you, washing you clean with divine energy.Works of magic, if necessary, may follow.
Celebrate the
Simple Feast.
The circle is
released.
Midsummer Lore
Midsummer is practically the classic time to perform magicks of all kinds. Healings, love magic and protection are especially suitable. Hers can be dried over the ritual fire if you’re celebrating out doors. Leap the fire for purification and renewed energy.Fresh fruits are standard fare for Midsummer.