MIDSUMMER RITE ~ By Hannah Sanders Livinglore ©2021
Focal Points – Celebration of Solar Zenith
- Illumination of darkness
- Glorification of the beauty of nature-
- Exultation of the victorious sun
- Honour the protection that love offers against misery, malignity, inertia and impotence.
Inspirations
- The Second Coming – W.B. Yeats
- Song of Amergin
- Book of Taliesin
- Battle of the Trees
- A Midsummer Nights Dream
Ritual Movements
1. Descent of the falcon (SUN) to earth. Falconer calls to the falcon – the balance of the world is for a moment uncertain… Light is given to participants.
2. The Hind – Emissary of the land, beautiful and graceful, herself a lunar creature, but also a balance to the Sun’s glory. She tells us we must follow the path upwards to the gathering of the trees to witness the Kings’ meeting.
3. Two Kings stand at the doorway upon a hill. The Oak and The Holly. They greet each other, forehead to forehead, hand to hand. There is an exchange between them, a battle of words, between youth and age, between impetuousness and stolidity. They are part of a dance between light and dark. For a moment all is still and utterly quiet.
4. The Oak relinquishes to the Holly. Not a death but a passing through the doorway. A dance. The king is dead, long live the king.
5. Mother of Flowers (Arianrhod, Blodeuwed) and Holly King
6. The Falconer and the Hind light the fires as the door closes.
7. Feast and close.
THE RITUAL
Tools
Rose and lavender petals in a basket
Small votive candles for all
Oak circlet
Holly circlet
Circlet for Lady of Flowers
Feast
Each to bring a gift for the Lady of Flowers – something perishable; flower, feather, leaf, bud…
Roles
Falconer
Falcon
Hind
Oak King
Holly King
Lady of Flowers
Puck
———
A candle is lit in each quarter, altar candles lit, and candles unlit around the circle. All lie with their heads at the altar, hands outstretched to touch one another, looking up to the sky…
Falconer: gets up and weaves around.
“Listen… it is time, the light ascending has reached its apex. The world, for a moment, stands still in the heavens, ablaze with solar glory, moving so slowly the balance is but a question; will we turn again? Will the sun hold his course or will rhythm be replaced with anarchy, will its rays, pitiless and blank, char the ground?
Ah, see, the falcon, with gold on his wings, calling, turning and turning within an ever-widening spiral. Hear him, he is descending, to join us on this night of magic. And he brings the blessings of light…”
Falcon: rises from his place and takes small candles from the altar, and weaving between all, gifts everyone one unlit candle.
“Here, here… I have traveled from beyond the great celestial door to you. I am the light bringer, spell singer, bell ringer. It will show your path, a drop of the sun’s gold, it is beauty here on earth for it offers light in the darkness… and this is your gift. Light in darkness, darkness in light. Balance keepers, sun dancers, you know this. Doors will open, paths are revealed, purpose made clear. All will revel in my shining.”
All sit up, lifted by the falcon and the falconer, and take their candle. Stand close to the altar facing out as the falcon settles in the South. The hind goes to the falcon and lights a taper/candle.
Hind: Moves around and lights the candles one by one
“Luminous as the moon and graceful as the rose, I arrive on four quiet hooves. … I am the keeper of night’s brightness, and I know the pathway through the darkness. I will take you to the high place where the mighty ones await your audience. Now is the moment for a battle older than time and as mighty as the wind... Two kings stand at the door upon a hill. Journey with me, consider all you must leave behind you now. Follow my silver back as we travel to the house of the sun.
Hind leads a stately snake dance traveling around. “Spiraling into the centre of creation - spiraling into the centre of light.”
Holly King moves to the North, Oak King to the South.
Puck: impish and loud, jumping with joy! Throws petals everywhere
“See, see! We are all gathered, here are the trees, here are the flowers! Raise the banners, open the door, here come the kings, to bless us once more!”
Hind moves to the altar. 6 bells.
The two kings move together, meet across the alter - greet each other as brothers, cross hands above the altar
Oak: “I am the doorway, I am the door, all tremble before my strength. Through me the sun’s purpose is made clear. You find me in the growing things; mine is the wheat rising, mine the rose blooming, mine the kestrel hunting, the quickening in the loins of men and women.
I am the bud and the blossom, the leaf and the flower.
I am as beautiful as I am mighty, Brother.
I brand the darkness with light so that seekers will know their purpose.
(To the witnesses)
When you have fire in the head – there am I
When desire fills your heart – there am I
When you strive – there am I
I will reign forever”
Puck: (interrupting) “All hail the Mighty Oak!” (all cheer!)
Holly: “Bold words - bold shining words, beautiful Brother!
You are but a drop in the air
A bridge for passing over
And now we have reached the other side.
—
6 times the moon has changed her shape
6 times I have lain in dreaming
6 times the sun changed its name
And here I am, risen again
I am he who measures, the ender of things.
We stand for this moment in perfect union and I see you radiant. But this is your longest day Brother – now the door swings closed.
Commence your return and we ensure that anarchy is not loosed upon the world; we will maintain the balance of splendor.
To the witnesses:
When you are fierce as the bear – I am come
When you are the wall standing firm – I am come
When you are the narrow blade of justice – I am come
My moment is now.”
They move around the altar, Holly moving first to embrace the defeated Oak. The Oak moves slowly to the North and the Holly proudly to the South.
Puck: (gleeful) “The King is dead! Long live the King! All Hail the Holly!”
All cheer!
Hind: Hush! Hush! Shhhhh! The Lady of Flowers is amongst us.
Holly: Comes to kneel at her feet. “Lady – grant your blessing upon us at this turning of the great wheel.”
Lady of Flowers: (sprinkling water over the land and the participants!) I am the womb of every hold
I am the blaze on every hill
I am the queen of every hive
I am the shield in every hand
Who but I knows where the sun shall set?
Who but I mourns the glory of battle?
Who foretells the age of moon but I?
Always and forever the kings give of themselves so that the earth moves with grace through the seasons; the falcon can hear the falconer. All will feel the door closing as the sun shifts once more. Yet all cycles are endless. Wheels turn. Innocence is born, love grows and wanes, dies and grows again. But MY love is eternal. And on this magical night when the ancient spirits roam the land, my love is poured out upon the world. I give it to you to remind you that I protect your deepest purpose. For you are my flames within the darkness, you are the guardians of the waters, glorious and powerful, your magic quickens the world.”
(All place a gift at her feet, petals or flowers) Holly goes last – embraces the Lady of Flowers.
Hind: “The doorway closes, the falcon returns, but the light remains to see us through the summer… And before it diminishes, I offer you a glimpse of the season to come. Find a drop of fire from the falcon and look into the heart of the flame. See what appears to you unbidden; a message, an image for your deepest self to carry through the summer…”
All move to find a candle and gaze in quiet.
Falconer: gathers everyone together back round the altar with a chant… each take a line!
Holly: We are the servants of the light,
Puck: We are the witches in the night
Falcon: We are the fire within the head
Hind: We are the spindle, we are the thread
Oak: We are the honey within the hive
Lady Of Flowers: We keep the work of magic alive…
Falconer: “We are the children of the trees, the sun and the seasons, we are the spokes of the burning wheel that rolls across the land. The sun begins its descent, darkness falls. We move with the hidden ones and so we say Blessed Be!”
Feast and Closing.