This festival celebrates the longest day of the year. Light and life run full at this time. Be aware of the strength/life within you and celebrate it! Decorate wheels/wreaths of flowers, vines or drawings to offer to the Goddess. The music used for the ritual includes Hovannes's "And God Created Great Whales" and Vaughn Williams, The Lark Ascending". Usually we use "Simple Gifts" by Aaron Copeland for the Blessing of the Cup.
We are met this Night, shortest night of the year, to celebrate the Joys of the Goddess. This is a night of bonfires, and dancing... Dreaming and delight. Come, enter the circle, join in the dream, let your spirit go dancing.
The night is waiting... The Moon is growing full above us. Feel it's light flow over you. From all the many lands the Moon shines upon come the Names of the Lady... Now She is Woman, Full Grown, and Magnificent... Her Strength and beauty are ours this night for Her Face is Our Face... Look into the Mirror and see Her. Smile at Her... Let Her be Friend... Sister ... Self... Let Her take you Dreaming...
From the ancient lands long vanished we hear the voices of our mothers... We see Her images before us... We fill the silver night with the Glory of Her Many Names!
ARIDA, ADITI, ANAHITA, ANDRASTE, ALA, ATHENA, AVERRA, BAST, BRIGID, BLANCHE, CERRIDWEN, CHANGING WOMAN, DEMETER, EVENDA, ELIZABETH, FREYA, GLENMARN, INANNA, ISHTAR, ISIS-ATHENA, LIA, LIRRIEL, LAKSHMI, JUNO, KUAN-YIN, MA'AT, MARI, MORGANNA, MINERVA, PARASHAKTI, SIOBHAN, SOPHIA, TALISAN, TIAMAT, PELE`, URANIA, VESTA, ZU-EN....
This is the time of Joy... "All acts of Love and Joy are My Sacraments!"
Let us cast the circle, we call to the Sun, Moon and Stars... to Air, Fire, Water and Earth... Join with us! May the Lady and Horus-Dylan, The Horned Lover, be with us now!
Hail Guardians of the watchtowers of the East
Powers of the Winds... Blazing Dawn... Exuberance...
Winged Children of the Goddess
Soaring Falcon... Butterfly and Bee...
Warm breath of the morning of delight
Come, Aurora... Bring the Dawn!
Be With Us Now!Hail Guardians of the watchtowers of the South
Powers of the Flames... Dancers... Joy...
Fire Crowned Children of the Goddess
Lightning... Heat of the Volcano's heart... Fire of the noonday sun...
Come, Pele... Brilliant Day...
Be With Us Now!Hail Guardians of the watchtowers of the West
Powers of the Waters... Emotions... Feelings...
Sea-borne Children of the Goddess...
Dolphin and great whale laughing and singing in the depths... Dragon of the Abyss...
Giggling stream... Thunderstorm... Evening Rain...
Come, Tiamat... Evensong...
Be With Us Now!Hail Guardians of the watchtowers of the North
Powers of the Body... The world around us... Strength
Earthborn Children of the Goddess...
She Bear and Wolf, singing to the moon... Cat and silent Owl...
Soul of the Mountain... Valley... Bright Midnight Star...
Come Cerridwen... Darksome Queen...
Be With Us Now!
The Circle is cast... We are between the Worlds!
Wreaths or wheels of wicker and/or grapevines are used as symbols of the changing cycles. Decorate them with representations of the Elements, and things that will help you focus on understanding that harvest is part of the planting.
Place the Wheel you have decorated in front of you so that you can see the fire light through it. Our ancestors created wheels and figures of wicker to offer as sacrifices, feeling that the offering of something they had spent time and energy creating, to their concept of Divinity had more value because it had something of themselves in it. We too put part of ourselves in these wheels may they help us accept and work with the changes, seasons in our lives.
Now you can hear the calling of the seagulls. See them circling us. A hawk rids the winds above us inviting us to join the wind. A hummingbird hovers nearby offering the use of her iridescent wings to us. An owl calls from the trees. She too will share flight with us. Choose the wings you will wear. Feel them extend from your shoulders... they are wondrous, beautiful and strong. Shake them out and feel their power. They can carry you anywhere, anywhen. Let our companion birds and The Unicorn be your guide. Let them carry you away on the winds that blow between the worlds. You will bring back the vision of the Wheel, and the wonders you experience. Let the music carry you along...
Slowly you become aware of your sisters and brothers in the Skies between the Worlds. The Unicorn and the Lady lead in the Circle Dance, wheeling against the starry night... We join them in the Dance of the Cycles... Life and Death and Life again.
The Magical Night is filled with Joy... The Joy of Discovery; the delight of flight! Let the Dance carry you along
Now the Dance slows. The velvet sky becomes vortex of stars. We fly with our companions and The Goddess and Her Consort across the Dark Face of the Moon. We drift back, gently to a safe landing in our circle between the worlds.
We have returned now to our proper time and place... our circle... Our place between the Worlds. We bring with us a new love of ourselves, The Goddess within, and our gifts. We are renewed... revitalized... aware... These are the Powers that are unique to each of us... Our share in the Great Goddess.
Feel the Kiss of the Goddess on your brow... Remember that you are not Earthbound, you are a Child of the Creatures of the Air too...
Gather your Joy and pour it into the Chalice...
Her Names can not be counted
For All our Names are Goddess...
Her Face Is Change, Unchanging
Our Faces in the Mirror...Life is... Change is, Change is... Life is
We Dance the Circle Dance,
The Seasons change around us...
Sowing into Growing
Growing into Harvest...Life is... Change is, Change is... Life is
In The Dance of Seasons
See yourself reflected
Maiden into Mother...
Mother Grown to Wisdom...Life is... Change is, Change is... Life is
Unicorn Within us
Bring Our Will to Action
In Our Hands Our Future
In our Hearts be JoyLife is... Change is, Change is... Life is
*She Charges everything She touches, and
Everything She touches, Changes...
Change is, touch is... Touch is, Change is...
Change us, touch us; Touch us, Change us...Everything lost is found again,
In a New Form, in a New Way
Everything hurt is healed again,
In a New Life, in a New Day...*From "The Spiral Dance" by Starhawk
From Traditions hidden in the mists of time, from tales passed down in precious fragments... from the living moments of our days come our Rituals...
Focus the Joy of this night into the Cup, The Cauldron of Rebirth!
Focus the strength of your will in the Athame, The Strength of the Horned One...
This joining is the Energy of Creation itself... We share it as we share the Cup... See the Lady, Hear Her Voice!
"Mine the Cup, The Wine of Life... Drink deeply, and With Joy!"
We Pass the Cup with a Kiss.
This Sharing sets the seal of The Goddess on Our Gathering.
Guardians of the East... we thank you for Wisdom
Guardians of the South... we thank you for Passion
Guardians of the West... we thank you for Empathy
Guardians of the North... we thank you for StrengthLady, Queen of Air and Darkness...
Lord Consort, Guardian of the Western Gates...We thank you for your presence and protection. As you depart to your ancient realms, remember us... remind us of our strengths...
Let there be Peace and Joy... Love and Trust between us always.
As Our Will, So shall it be!
From Time's beginnings, to Eternity's endings...
Hail and Farewell... Blessed Be!
