By Katrina
I am writing this to you just a hair over one hour past the moment of Summer Solstice. We celebrated on Saturday because we’re modernized and all.
It was our first open ritual in around 3 years. Samhain of 2009 I think was our last one, so just under 3. We got several undeniable, delicious nudges that it was time to open up again to the folks out there and we heeded, lest the nudges turn into bludgeoning.
The two weeks before had just been complete bastards. We felt beaten like a pinata and even though we had emerged triumphant from each and every battle, when you fight enough battles, you sure do get wartorn and weary. That being the case, we sort of dragged our battered and broken bodies into the ritual, game for whatever happened.
We had wonderful people show up and it was a great day, despite some readjustments. Since we live Way Far Away From Absolutely Everyone and Everything, you kind of have to allow for that. A lot of people who we thought were going to be able to come couldn’t be here and some of the people who we didn’t think could come were able to be here. As always, Goddess is full of surprises. We missed our Jenn so tremendously.
The weather was positively gorgeous. When everyone arrived, we all settled into being together and then got down to the ritual.
Nathan did the smudging and did a great job. What a little cleaner he is! We are big on group participation and chanting, so we chanting in the elements, welcomed the God and Goddess and then Eric did the discussion of where we are in the cycle of the year. At Summer, we are seeing the crops in the field to show us the results of our hard work since Spring and the hope of harvest in the Fall. Our own garden is in El Dorado this year. We rented a plot from the school of the blind because the grow season is so much longer that far down the mountain. Still, we had some little valiant potatoes pop up from last year (gooo tubers!) and it was nice to have a physical representation of “crops in the field” near our circle.
After that, Eric and Nathan enacted the epic Battle Between Light and Dark while Delena drummed beautifully. Since Nathan is smaller than Eric (for now), it worked because light is so big and strong during the Solstice and dark is just a wee little thing. (Pssst, the battle is rigged) They battled with their light and dark sticks (our same ones from so many battles before) and yayyy! Dark won!! So now dark gets to nibble off a little bit more of each day as time passes.
Prior to the ritual, we wrote on ribbons with sharpies the goals we want to harvest in the Fall. We then tied our ribbons to a wreath and burned it in the raging bonfire, which Eric had lit with a broom at the beginning of the ritual. Inside the ritual fire were lots and lots of new “stone people” heating up for the sweat lodge.
Once our wreath was burned, we had cakes and ale (Sara Lee Pound Cake and Delena’s deeeelicious freshly squoze lemonade!) and dropped the circle. Then it was “sit around and talk and have a BBQ” time. While Eric was manning the grill, Delena and I took a crew to the cemetery that is about a quarter mile down the road, not because it’s Summer timely, but because it’s very cool. We had some adventures there that are best left off the internet.
When we got back, the food was almost done. We had fresh grilled corn on the cob, burgers, hotdogs, dip, nachos, apple pie, raw veggies, deviled eggs and grilled chicken.
The time flew by too quickly and all too soon, our guests had to leave. We missed walking the labyrinth, but it will most certainly be there for next time.
We are out of town for Lammas, but if anyone wants to celebrate a late one, let us know. 🙂
Happy Summer to you all! Pay attention to the crops you see in YOUR field, giving you an indication of what you will harvest in the Fall!
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