Friday, May 30, 2008

Friday Form A Circle - Solitary Midsummer Ritual

Midsummer Ritual
by Boudica

The Wheel of the year turns again and we arrive at Summer Solstice. This is a magical time of the year, with long, hot days and warm, short nights. Midsummer is the perfect time to hold ritual out of doors. I would like to offer you a ritual that can be done by a single person (or maybe two), out of doors in a public place. Often Solitaries would like to perform ritual out of doors but feel embarrassed or are afraid of what others might think. If we perform our ritual in its purest form, with our minds and by pure thought, no one will need know or think anything.
I am not including any of the tools or trappings, making this a portable ritual. However, if you happen to be doing this in your backyard or some other private place, then by all means include your candles, altar or whatever you wish. Sitting in the grass would be perfect, or a park bench will do. Close your eyes. Don't worry if you think someone's watching. They will probably think you are catching some sun. Ground and center yourself, meditate for a short bit, concentrate on clearing your mind, releasing the mundane world and all of it's problems and cares. Find within yourself that still point where you are yourself and no one else.
In your mind, cast your circle around yourself. Make the circle glow in your mind and cast it three times round. If you have a casting spell you usually use, say it to yourself. With your voice from within, call your quarters, watchtowers, directions, elements or whatever you call to your circle. You know the words, but let them mean something. Feel them. One of the benefits of not having the trappings, I think, is that we are not distracted by them. We can concentrate on the meaning of the words, giving them power and deepening their meaning.
Call the God and Goddess to your circle, welcome them and all your visitors to your circle. You have now created the Sacred Space in which you are going to work. If you are seated alone in a tranquil setting, don't worry about people walking by. Your space is around you, they will not cross into it.There are many things you can do now that you are within your Sacred Space. You can enjoy that moment between the worlds with your Spiritual thoughts. You can contemplate the God and Goddess, focusing on the meaning of Midsummer. This is a time when the earth ripens, as does the mother with her child. She gives us an image of a healthy woman caring for herself and her unborn baby. We can carry this imagery into our own lives; in caring for the Earth, or caring for ourselves and each other. It is respect for life, a duty we should all pursue actively.
There is the enjoyment of the season, as the Mother enjoys the blossoming of her belly, full with child. She is aware of the joys she will have. We should always be aware of the joys of family, friends, good health, clean air, and a healthy planet. We can contemplate the relationship between our God and Goddess. In my own belief system, I seek balance, equality, pulling together and equal bonding. Your path may be different. It is an individual thing, but whatever Their relationship in your path, it is one of love and respect for one another.
Finally, we examine how our path reflects our beliefs. How do we reflect our beliefs? Do we reflect our spiritual life into our mundane world? How do we, each day, incorporate our spiritual beliefs into our daily life? Do we seek to improve our mundane world by incorporating our spiritual paths? Do we walk the walk as well as talk the talk? How can we do better? These may seem like big questions and high goals, but if we stretch our minds just a little bit every day, we can get a good start on it.
Once your meditations are over, you can do a small spell of positive affirmation if you want. If not, you can take out the "cakes and ale". Don't worry, it will look like you are having lunch or a snack. When you are done, dismiss the elementals, directions or whatever you called to join your circle. Send them on their way, ask them to bless all they pass.
Thank the God and the Goddess for joining your circle, and ask them to return again.
Before you get up, ground yourself to the earth. Allow any extra energies you have to be returned to the Earth. Clear your mind, and allow yourself to return to the mundane world. Take a deep breath, focus on those things going on around you and return to the world you had left behind for a while.
Stand up, stretch and give thanks again for a pleasant Midsummer Circle.
This ritual was found on
The Goddess Within

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

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