This summer solstice, the bulk of our ritual was sung. It was a very fun experience, and I think the Gods enjoyed it. I know I did. More than that, I think that music has a way of touching us in ways that simple words cannot; it’s the same way with poetry, and I think this is the reason that the ancient Celts and Norse put so much of their lore into poems. In many instances, poetry was also used to curse or bless, and this, too, showed its power. Lyrics are a type of poetry, adding in music to an already powerful arrangement; we have some evidence that a number of the poems we have now were originally intended to be sung; other cultures definitely did this, such as the Greeks and the Jews.

Writing a ritual to music, however, has shown me one detriment to a Very Musical Midsummer. Music and poetry are not very descriptive; they do not often tell you why you are doing something, and it is hard to write poetry and music that tells you how to do something. Interspersed with the music, our Grove Organizer described our next course of action in prose to the gathered assembly. It certainly helped them follow the ritual, but took away somewhat from the power of the music. This is alright, of course, but it was certainly a learning experience for me. Something to keep in mind when writing poems for future rites.

The reason we put these rites on is for community and fellowship, in the presence of the Gods. Power is part of that, and so is understanding. One should not be without the other; we as Americans have a harder time, though, because we lack the cultural experience that the ancient Indo-Europeans had with their Gods and Goddesses. So prose becomes a bigger part of our rites, because that speaks more to our current culture. Not a bad thing, but it can be frustrating.

This rite was to Njord, the keeper of bounty, the God of the Seas and Rivers and what fruits come from them, from travel to fish to trade. We have already had an amazing summer so far, and our lot was increased greatly at Bealtainne. Now, our blessing comes in the form of the Seed, the Sun, and the Tree, a grand omen for the hot days ahead. The solstice marks the longest day of the year, which is a bounty in and of itself, with long days and happy evenings. When I was a child, I looked forward to June, because my bed-time was at sunset, so in May and June I was looking forward to the latest bed-times of my young life. In some ways, it’s still the case, being a school bus driver.

Music was a bounty given at Midsummer, though. Without Njord’s help, and Bragi’s, too, I think it would not have come off so well. Having a good community of attendees was also awesome, a gift given for the work we have put in to have these rites. I hope this is a blessing we see for years to come.

Our next rite is Lughnasadh, on July 31st. It should be a lot of fun; we’re planning some games and sparring matches, and we’re also going to be celebrating the Grove Organizer’s patron, which is always a plus. It will be in the Celtic style, so I think this will be a lot of fun, and very fulfilling.

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