3 Druid Summer Solstice Rituals

The summer solstice in the druidic Wheel of the Year is the time of greatest light, greatest energy, and greatest joy. The days are long, the weather is warm, and the sun seems to never leave the sky. This is a time when we honor the sun and all the blessings and warmth it provides. Let’s explore three druid summer solstice rituals that you can use to celebrate the time of greatest light.

Summer Sunrise Ritual

There is power and beauty in witnessing the sunrise at the summer solstice, and some form of this ritual is always part of my personal spiritual practice. You can do this ritual on or around the summer solstice; for druids, summer solstice energy typically exists for the three days before and after the true solstice. Thus, if you need to wait until the nearest weekend, that is perfectly fine.

The first step in this ritual is to research when the actual moment of sunrise is in your area, as you will want to get up and be in your sunrise spot an hour before dawn to experience the fullness of this ritual. Where I live, that’s around 4:30 am! This ritual is made so much more meaningful when you can witness the full transition from night to day.

The next thing you will want to do is to pick a spot where you will be able to clearly see the sunrise. I live in the Allegheny Mountains, so I either trek to a high spot (like a lookout in the mountains), or travel to one of the local lakes and take my kayak out for the best view. Pick this spot in advance, doing whatever scouting or hiking is necessary to find the right spot. In order to address the fact that you have to wake up so early, sometimes this might mean camping near where you want to observe the sunrise. Make it a whole weekend affair and invite some friends!

The final thing you will want to do is to think about what other things you may want to do as the sun rises. The primary ritual act is to observe, but this can be supplemented by additional activities. Here are some ideas:

• Playing an instrument: drumming, flute, etc.

• Singing or chanting to bring in the energy of the sun (see below)

• Drinking a special tea (see below)

• Prayers or poetry

• Offerings to the sun (wine, bread, song, etc.)

The ritual itself is simple. Go to where you will observe the sunrise and find a comfortable place to sit. Say any prayers or open up a sacred space in whatever way works best for you. Then sit and take in the beautiful solstice sunrise. Each sunrise is unique and offers the opportunity for a new experience. As you sit, you may choose to play music, sing, dance, drink your tea, or do something else. Be present and observant until the sun raises into the sky and the day begins. As the sun rises, offer gratitude to the sun.

Consider also observing and honoring the setting sun. Thus, you will have spent a full cycle with the sun on the day when the sun holds the most power.

Magical Summer Solstice Tea Ritual

A healing, energizing, magical solstice tea is another simple yet meaningful way you can celebrate the summer solstice like a druid. The powerful energy of the solstice sun makes it a powerful time to bring solar energy into your body.

For this tea, you will want to choose healing herbs. If you have access to an herb garden, take a walk and use your intuition to select healing herbs that would be best for you at that moment. If you are harvesting herbs fresh, always ask for permission from the plants themselves either verbally or mentally, and always offer gratitude for the harvest. If you don’t have a garden accessible to you, you might enjoy your favorite tea or go to a local health food store and look at what organic teas are available that resonate with you for this ritual.

To make your solstice tea, place your hands over the jar and say a few words of gratitude. Then, place the herbs in a large jar (I like to use a half-gallon mason jar), fill with hot water, and then leave your tea in the sun. You can place additional herbs, flowers, stones, crystals, and other items of power around your tea jar to energize it further. Ideally, you should leave your tea in the sun for the hottest part of the day during the solstice for several hours. Drink your tea in the evening and feel the energy of the sun warming, energizing, and bringing you joy.

Solstice Sun Chanting and Movement Ritual

A final druid summer solstice ritual is to celebrate with chanting and movement. You can do this chant and movement combined with the sunrise ritual, or simply go out anytime when the solstice sun’s rays can shine upon you.

Allow your body to flow freely, soaking up the rays of the sun, dancing and laughing. You can also chant, using any chant you may know or choose to make up in that moment. Or you can use this chant:

Rays of the sun flow into me!
Rays of the sun burn brilliantly!
Rays of the sun bring mastery!
Rays of the sun make me so free!

Excited about these rituals? Check out our guide to druidry for beginners.