Sweetwood Temenos celebrates the Sun’s high point in its solar year with a naked ritual, an expression of being a Sun worshiper. As humans we stand naked in a ritual to witness and honor the goodness of body and spirit in harmony. To witness and honor body and spirit in harmony by being naked we need an adult reflective consciousness that is unashamed. This adult reflective consciousness that is unashamed of its being naked to the world of flesh, spirit and soul is symbolized by the Summer Solstice’s sun light. Think of the tarot card 19, the Sun, the naked child and the unashamed being implied, the Divine Child, the Self of our soul that is being seen.
So on this day, a lovely sunny and warm one, 6 of us gathered in the lush green of the Sweetwood sacred circle in a woodland glade to stand naked and honor and witness this Divine Child. We cast the circle and all are asked to join in being sky clad with the priestess and priest. We all stand around the fire with a goblet of water that is passed from loving hand to loving hand. Each person speaks of hers or his experience in of being in such a circle. Words of being in paradise, being very human, the loveliness of being male or female, trust and honor for one another, eros and spirit beheld harmoniously in the earthen vessel of the body and of the good of women and men being together like this are spoken.
The Priestess pours a libation to the peace and beauty found in this circle and the priest pours a libation to the Sun Goddess and the Moon God. The priestess brings forth a plate of apple slices and reveals the star within and blesses the food. All eat of the goodness of the transcendent expressed in the immanent form of the flesh. The priest offers a goblet of water to be shared with all in the circle. The loving cup is passed from person to person with these words “Water shared is life shared, is love shared. May you never thirst, Thou Art Goddess, Thou Art God” and eventually the goblet returns to the priest. He then pours one more libation to love and the summer. Then the priestess and priest take down the circle and open the sacred space for a summer feast. There are hugs, kisses and laughter and the good folk gather with food and drink around the fire. All feel uplifted by this naked celebration and fellowship. The evening was blessed with fair weather and starry night….all so lovely tonight! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You, I exclaim as I emerge from the woods to the field under the starry sky to Great Mystery.
Never Thirst
Iacchus