Summer Solstice Family Ritual
Supplies:
- Offerings Ideas (Kids give non-alcohol offerings—I let
them pick the offerings before ritual, be it from a list or their hearts):
- Sunna: Mead, Whisky,
Sunflower Seeds, Flowers
- Hearth Deities: Herbs from
Pantry or Garden, Salted Flour, Cornmeal, Olive Oil, Real Candle Flame
- Earth Mother: Silver Bead,
Water, Birdseed, Local Plant Seeds
- Shining Ones: White Wine,
Food from our feast
- Nature Spirits: Cornmeal,
Birdseeds, Local Plant
Seeds, Milk and Cinnamon
- Ancestors: Rum, Whiskey,
Food from our feast, Milk
- Gatekeeper Bee: Sugar Water
(I’ve read that honey from different bees can make other bees sick)
- Hallows: Yggdrasil, Cup,
Candle
- Lighter
- Sage
- Sunna Carving
- Gatekeeper Bee
- Elen's Blade
- Rune Prayer
Beads
- Drinking Horn
of Water
- Wooden Offering
Bowl for Dry Offerings
- Ceramic Offering
Bowl for Wet Offerings
- Spirit Staff
- Ribbon Rings
- Citrine and Sun
Necklace
- Pendulum
- Elder Futhark
Runes
-------------------
Ritual:
1. "Today marks the First Day of Summer, the Longest Day and the
shortest night of the Year, the Summer Solstice! And boy did the Nature Spirits come with that
heat this year! Although I’m glad that
we got to experience that beautiful cool Spring weather a little longer than
years past. Thank Yall for that!
It's the Summer Solstice, yall! Nature
is in full swing with greenery and life.
Some babes are leaving their homes for lives of their own—human and wildlife. It’s a time for cookouts, vacations, summer
storms, fishing, playing in pools and sprinklers, cicadas and fireflies, and
sharing drinks in the cooling summer evenings with loved ones.
Now that
we are here at the Summer Solstice, slowly the days will grow shorter and the
festive hot summer days will calm and give way to the chilly winds and longer
fall and winter nights. But not quite
yet, as Summer has just begun! May this
season of summer be joyful, gentle, and bright.
Speaking of which, today we honor not just the Numinous Beings of Summer, but one
of many Solar Deities as well; the ever-radiant Norse Goddess Sunna! May Her rays warm our skin, revitalize our
spirits, inspire our words, and illuminate the way."
2. Invite the Hearth Entities: Light the Candle: "Hearth
Deities and Spirits, I light this candle to show my love and gratitude for all
that you've done, do, and continue to do for myself, my family, and community.
Hearth Entities, accept this offering!" Sprinkle Salted Flour into the
flame.
3. Purification:
-
Light the sage. "In the names of my Hearth
Entities, I cleanse this sacred space of all unwanted energies and entities.
May only love, good health, joy, good prosperity, and peace remain."
OR
-
Drum. “In the
name of our Hearth Entities, this drum’s beat will cleanse this space of all
unwanted entities and energies!”
Allow each kid to bang the drum.
4. Earth Mother: "We call to the Earth Mother.
Earth Mother, She from whom we have emerged and to whom we shall return. We ask
that you hold and protect us during this Summer Solstice Rite.
Earth Mother, accept this offering!"
Kids: “Earth
Mother, accept this offering!”
Drop the
silver bead into the Well.
5. Let us connect to the Sacred Center:
Without Kids: "Now I want you all to close your eyes and take three
deep breaths. Imagine that your feet are tree roots. Plunge those roots into
your floor and into the ground. Push them deep into the earth, until they reach
the cool waters below. With each inhale, bring those waters up your roots. Up
your legs. Into your hips--here there is a cauldron. Fill the cauldron with the
waters. Let the cauldron overflow and fill another cauldron in your heart
center. Let the waters rise once more, filling your entire body with this cool,
cleansing sacred water. Rising up to your head, to fill another cauldron. When
you are ready, open your eyes.
With Kids: “I want you to close your eyes and take three deep,
slow breaths, in and out. Imagine that
your feet are tree roots. Grow your
roots into the ground—jump if you want to!
Now raise your hands up and imagine those are the branches and leaves of
the tree. Reach up into the sky. Feel the Sunna’s warmth and see Her rays
flowing into your finger leaves, arm branches, and tree trunk body. Do you feel the sun's energy flowing through
you? Open your eyes.”
The Waters support and surround us,
The Land extends about us,
The Sky stretches above us.
At our center burns a living flame.
May our worship be true.
May our actions be just.
May our love be pure.
Blessings, honor, and worship to the Holy Ones."
6. Open the Gates: "We call now to Gatekeeper
Bee! Guardian between our world and the Other. Bee Accept this offering and be welcomed in
this rite!
Kids: “Bee accept this offering!”
Give
offering.
Gatekeeper Bee, I ask that you guide and protect us, joining your magiks with
ours, and help us open the Gates!
(Touch Elen's blade to the Flame) Sacred Fire of the Heavens and Gods,
You are the spark of inspiration, the flame of transformation, Burning within
us, igniting our spirits with purpose.
May this
candle flame become the cosmic fire.
Sacred
Fire, burn bright within us!
(Touch Elen's blade to the Well) Sacred Well, cauldron of the Underworld and
the Chthonic Ones, Portal to the Ancestors, deep and ancient, Flowing from the
womb of the Earth Mother.
May this
cup of water become the cosmic well.
Sacred
Well, flow deep within us!
(Touch Elen’s blade to the Wood block) Sacred Tree, Yggdrasil, Portal
to all worlds, you are the embodiment of strength and endurance.
May this
block of wood become Yggdrasil.
Sacred
Tree grow strong within us!
Fire,
Well, and Sacred Tree,
Flame,
flow, and grow in me!
Bee! Let the Gates be Opened!”
Kids: “Let
the Gates be Opened!” Open hands up.
7. Now we welcome the Kindreds Three. Who Calls for the Ancestors?
Kid: “I do! Ancestors
of blood and spirit, culture and place, I invite you to this rite.
Ancestors, accept this offering.”
Everyone: Ancestors, accept this offering!
Who
calls for the Nature Spirits?
Kid: “I do! Nature Spirits of land and air, fire and
water, I invite you to this rite.
Nature Spirits, accept this offering.”
Everyone: Nature
Spirits, accept this offering!
Who calls for the Deities?
Kid: “I do! Gods, Goddesses, Godden, I invite you to this
rite.
Shining Ones, accept this offering.”
Everyone: Shining
Ones, accept this offering!
8. Being of the Occasion: “I invite now Sunna! A Norse
Goddess of the sun. A Timekeeper,
Illuminator, Nurturer, Protector, Keeper of Balance and Order. A Giver of Life and Warmth. A Giver of Death and Heat. A Giver of Healing and Energy. A Giver of Joy and Light!
Sunna, accept this offering!
Everyone: Sunna,
accept this offering!
9. Omens: “We have made our offerings to the Kindreds
and so we shall ask for blessings in return.
Ancestors, what blessings do you offer?
Nature Spirits, what blessings do you offer?
Sunna, what blessings do you offer?
Are the omens good?
Are they accepted?
10. Hallowing the Waters: Hold the Drinking Horn. “We ask the Kindreds to bless these
waters. May they fill our cups with Their healing, protection, guidance, and
compassion.
See the omens fill these waters.
Behold the Waters of Life!
Drink deep and know we are blessed by our Kindreds.”
11. The Working:
- I
am working on a Blanket…I can ask Sunna to bless it or the patches that I’m
working on. Beauty, Richness of Life,
Energy, Joy
- Ribbon Ring Dance and sprinkler fun with the kids to invite more happiness, good wealth, and play into our lives.
Image Credit: Wyrd Designs (9)
12. Thanking the Kindreds: “Sunna, Kindreds and Spirits
All! We thank you for attending this rite and lending us some love, protection,
and guidance. Hail and Farewell!”
13. Closing the Gates: “Gatekeeper Bee! Thank you for
guiding us and mixing your magiks with ours. Help us now to close the gates!
(Touching Elen’s blade to the Flame) May this cosmic fire be but a
candle flame.
(Touching Elen’s blade to the Well) May this cosmic well be but a cup.
(Touching Elen’s blade to Yggdrasil) May Yggdrasil be but a block of
wood.
May the Gates be closed!” Close hands.
14. Thanking the Earth Mother: “Earth Mother we thank
you for your support this day and every day. Our thanks and blessings. Hail and
farewell, Earth Mother.”
15. Thanking the Hearth Entities: “Hearth Entities, We thank you for attending this rite, and helping to
light the way with inspiration, warmth, and love.” Blow out the candle.
16. Closing the Rite: “This Summer Solstice rite has
ended. Go in peace and in fellowship.”
_______________________________________________________
Resources
1. Ar nDraiocht
Fein: Our Own Druidry. 2024. https://ng.adf.org/ (newer
site); https://www.adf.org/about (older
cite)
2. Fieldstones. Hearth and Field Prayers to Heathen Gods: To
Sunna. May 12, 2013. https://heathenprayers.wordpress.com/tag/sunna-2/
3. Laird,
Stephanie. Fineartamerica. A Beautiful pagan summer solstice original
blessing poem with Oak Tree and Sun.
January 13, 2019. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/a-beautiful-pagan-summer-solstice-original-blessings-poem-with-oak-tree-and-sun-stephanie-laird.html
4. Long,
Athena. Legendary Ladies Hub – Sunna:
The Norse Goddess of the Sun and Daylight.
November 17, 2023. https://legendaryladieshub.com/goddess-sunna/
5. Serith,
Ceisiwr.
6. Stone
Creek Grove, ADF. Standard Liturgy. November 22, 2021. https://stonecreed.org/rituals/standard-liturgy/
7. Three
Cranes Grove, ADF. Ritual Scripts. https://threecranes.org/category/ritual-scripts/
8. Whitehurst,
Tess. Live Your Magic: 22 Summer
Solstice Quotes to Inspire You This Midsummer. (I don’t see a publish date on the
post). https://tesswhitehurst.com/22-summer-solstice-quotes-to-inspire-you-this-midsummer/
9. Wyrd Dottir. Wyrd Designs: A Prayer to Sunna – The
Norse Goddess of the Sun. June 19,
2020. https://wyrddesigns.wordpress.com/2020/06/19/a-prayer-to-sunna-the-norse-goddess-of-the-sun/
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