Wiccan Style Summer Solstice Rite

Any of the speaking or active parts can be divided up amongst group members, or simply performed by two members of a group acting as high priestess and high priest.

Many parts of this ritual are the same as in the Beltane Rite, also found on this site. To avoid repetition, we've simply indicated where these parts are the same, and can be taken from the previous ritual.

Equipment Required:

Summer Solstice incense
Athame(s)
Pentacle (for cakes)
Chalice for wine
Pentacle dish (for cakes),
herbs and small piece of cloth for each participant.
A feast of appropriate food. Include wine and cakes, but you can make this far bigger if you're going to sit in the circle and chat for a while. Arrange food somewhere in the circle where it won't be in the way.

Arrange all the equipment on the altar.

Cast your circle in your usual way.

Once the sacred space is ready, first invoke the goddess.

Say: 'Let us invite our lady in.'

All say:

'Great one of the Stars
Spinner of Fates
We give honour to you
And call upon you in your ancient names:
Anahita, Aradia, Bastet, Ellen, Diana, Inanna,
Ishtar, Cerridwen, Brigid, Sekhmet, Tefnut, Isis,
We call upon you,
Friend of times far ancient
Evoe Bona Dea! (ev-oh-hay, bo-na, day-a)

Begin a chant, building in power:

'Earth queen, moon mother, shining one, come!'

At the climax, all raise joined hands and cry:
'Eko, eko, arida!'

Say,
'She is with us. Blessed be.'

All say: 'Blessed be.'

The charge of the goddess is the same as that in the Beltane ritual. Copy it from the appropriate page. The rite follows the same pattern as Beltane, up until the invocation of the god.

Man says:
'Let us call to the lord of the forest.'

All:

'Great one of the Forests, Power of the Sun.
We invoke thee in Thine ancient names;
Cernunnos, Bel, Herne, Lugh,
Come again as old into this Thy land.
Lift up Thy shining spear of light to protect us.
Put to flight the powers of darkness.
Give us fair woodlands and green fields,
Blossoming orchards and ripening corn.
Bring us to stand upon Thy hill of vision,
And show us the path to the lovely realms of the Gods.
Evoe Deus!'

All (in chant): 'Earth walker, lord of beasts, horned one, come.'

At climax, raise joined hands and cry,
'Io, evohe!' (yo evo-hay)

Mansays:
'He is here. Blessed be.'

All: 'Blessed be.'

You can now recite the Wiccan poem to the god from the Beltane ritual, or another appropriate piece.

Have your pieces of cloth and herbs ready.

All, chant together:
'Darksome night and shining moon
Hearken to the witch's rune
East then south
West then north
Here, come, I call thee forth.

By all the powers of land and sea
Be obedient unto me.
Wand and pentacle and sword,
Hearken ye unto my word.

Wand and censer, disk and knife
Awaken all ye into life
Powers of the witch's blade
Come ye as the charge is made.

Queen of heaven, queen of hell
Send your aid unto this spell
Horned hunter of the night
Work our will by magic rite.'

Each takes a piece of cloth and wraps herbs in it, saying:

'Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfil:
An it harm none, do what you will.'

Hold the pouches and visualise anything that you wish to be banished going into the herbs.

Say (three times)

'By all the powers of land and sea
As I do say so mote it be
By all the might of moon and sun
As I do will it shall be done.'

Then toss the pouches onto the fire and watch them burn.