PAN Full Moon - Midsummer 2006
by Blayze. Midsummer Song by Jo Dunster

Nine women with chalices / Eight men with candles / Eight  ribbon dancers / Eight cord dancers

Three moon priestesses / HPS / HP / 4 Quarters

Moon Goddess

Spear / Brass Cauldron / Brass jug

Silver bowl / 9 silver chalices / 8 moon cords

8 orange / yellow  candle holders + tee lights

8 ribbons yellow x 2 / orange x 2 / gold x 2 / red x 2 

All to start at the bottom of the hill. Women carry chalices and cord / ribbon dancers have cords tied around their waists. Eight men carry lit tee lights. Quarters carry water / salt / fire lantern / censer

At the entrance to the circle are two censers with smoking incense. Everyone to walk between them.

Circle cast

Quarters

Invokations

Chalice bearers come forth and libate to the Moon saying:

"Lady of the Silver Night, we pour forth our love for Thee!"

They do this with reverance and then take the empty chalices to the table.

3 priestesses take up their positions around the bowl, holding mirrors. HP and Goddess-to-be stand on either side of the bowl.

"Mirror dance and mirror gleam
we call thee forth by shining stream
Mirror full and mirror bright
we call thee forth by silver light"

Everyone to begin intoning and howl led by HPS.

HP draws down the moon at the conclusion of the Howl. Goddess is crowned.

At the end of the drawing down the moon the Goddess speaks

"I am She who Rides the Night Skies
I am She who sings in the Tides
I am She who bathes the Hills
In silver, shining bright.

Hold up a mirror to see my face
Gaze upon still waters
Chant my names
And I will heed your call

I am the Maiden of the Stolen Glance
I am the Mother of the Sacred Dance
I am the Crone who knows the secrets you hide in the dark.

I am the giver of blessings to those who look beyond my bright face
For I am the Moon, and I am always with thee.

Full and ripe is the magic within me and your gifts bring joy to my heart.

But Midsummer approaches, the eve of the great battle is near. When the Sun reaches its zenith a shadow will enter the land, a shadow to steal the light of the Sun.

Who but I know the way of the shadow cast by night?
Who but I know the cold that light can bring?

And so my children I ask another gift from you.

Make magic with me to give strength to the Sun when he reaches his peak at Midsummer.

Bring forth the Cauldron!"

Cauldron bearer brings the Cauldron to the Goddess. She instructs the priestesses to pour the waters from the bowl into the cauldron.

She kisses each of the the Maidens then sends them back to the circle. They place their mirrors and the silver bowl on the table with the chalices.

"As you sang for me, now dance for the Sun..."

Cord and ribbon dancers come forth.

HPS sings, everyone to clap and stamp, or sing if they know the song.

"Midsummer's day and we have come
to dance for joy and for the sun
our King is high our King is tall 
our King strong but he must fall
but we have come to dance today
and not to cry for Sun's decay
and we will keep on dancing till we cannot dance no more.

Chorus x 2
we're dancing for the sun
we're dancing for the sun
and we will keep on dancing till the light is overcome."

When peak is reached dancers lay cords and ribbons across the cauldron.

Goddess: "The power of  Midsummer-to-come is here, illumine the world, illumine the land." She picks up the ribbons. HPS takes them and places them on the table.

Candle bearers come forth and place the eight candles around the cauldron saying:

"Candle flame shining bright
We call the sun from the depths of night
Our strength we give to the Mother's call
Light to Light and Shadow's fall."

HP brings forth the Spear and plunges it into the cauldron.

"Spear to cauldron, lance to grail, seed to womb, spirit to flesh, God to Goddess, Sun to Earth and Moon to Sun. So mote it be!"

Goddess: "It is done....  My power is in the tides of life and so it is the tides that carry our magic tonight."

Open circle and process down to the lake. Water from cauldron is poured into the lake. Goddess removes her flower crown and sets it on the waters of the lake.

"From the Moon to the Sun, Queen to King, may we dance upon the tides once more."

All process back to the top of the hill.

Cakes and Ale

Farewell quarters

Dryghton

Close circle.