Midsummer Ritual Part 1: Summer Simmer Pot
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MIDSUMMER RITUAL PART 2: WITCH'S LADDER
MIDSUMMER RITUAL PART 3: MOON WATER COOKIES
I’m so excited to share this ritual, inspired by the celebration of Litha and June’s strawberry moon (also known as the honey moon and rose moon). The foundation is built on water and cord that was charged under Thursday’s full moon. In parts two and three, I’ll share other ways they were incorporated at home over the course of a weekend.
The overall ritual is a combination of smaller ceremonies, starting on the morning of June 24th (since the full moon occurred at 2:40 PM EST, I made sure to start early in the day). I set up a small garden table (a gift from our neighbor when we first moved in) and arranged the items I wanted to charge. This practice is meant to use the energy of the moon to cleanse and re-energize your items (the full moon does a good job of releasing bad vibes).
The July moon is especially great for protection and maintaining spells (which is perfect for the cords and charms I use in part two).
I left everything on our porch overnight until the following morning. If you’re concerned about leaving your things outside, a windowsill works great.
Aside from the cords and charms, I also set out a new tarot deck, a handful of crystals, and two jars of water. I’ll save the smaller one for later, but used the rosemary water the following day.
I used five or six stems and it was very rosemary-heavy. I’ll probably use one or two less in the future.
In addition to the rosemary moon water, I gathered three lemons and vanilla and made a summer simmer pot. Aside from smelling awesome together, the lemon corresponds to longevity and works well at cleansing negative energy, with the added protective and healing benefits of the rosemary.
I started by scrubbing the shit out of my stove. A lot of witches recommend cleaning down the entire house, especially doorways, before performing any sort of ritual, but there’s no time for that in this cottage. I did make sure that any of the surfaces touching the ingredients (namely the stove and countertops) were clean, however, to bring out as much calming energy as possible.
The combination of rosemary, lemon, and vanilla is super-basic for a simmer pot, but it has an incredibly fresh, woodsy scent that’s perfect for summer. Depending on preference, you can use a fourth lemon or a little more vanilla (I started with half a teaspoon). You could also switch it up with your favorite scents. Try lime, mint, and ginger for protection and success, or lemon, lavender, and thyme for peace, happiness, and courage.
Combine everything in a pot (or cauldron!). I like a shallow saute pan, but use whatever you have. There should be enough water in the pot for the lemons and rosemary to float (if you don’t have enough moon water, just add a bit more, no big deal!).
Bring to a simmer until the scent fills the room. I let this one go for about an hour (always take care to add water as it goes down). When you’re finished, the whole pot can be poured back into the mason jar and stored in the fridge to use a few more times. The house smelled amazing, and it made working on the next step of the ritual even more special (this type of combo really strengthens good intention).
As part of this particular ritual, I made sure to strain and reserve about a cup of water after everything had been simmering for a while. This will also go in the fridge to be used later for baking (part three!).
Afterthoughts
Getting back into witchcraft (in addition to the help I’ve received from amazing doctors) has really helped to pull me out of the cycle of anxiety I’ve experienced over the last two years of raising triplets, especially during 2020. Making a point to prepare for the full moon and watch it rise on Thursday night, and then carrying those good vibes back into our home, is a good example of how being more in tune with the moon (and the seasons) can have a positive effect on our house and my mental health. (Magic!)
I’ll end part one with a customary quote from Arin Murphy-Hiscock. I’m looking forward to sharing my cord magic!
The word ritual doesn’t mean something full-blown and complicated; instead, it means an intuitive ceremony or something set apart from everyday action by mindfulness and conscious intent. Also, the word magic means the conscious and directed attempt to effect change by combining and directing energy toward a positive goal.
Murphy-Hiscock, Arin. The House Witch: Your Complete Guide to Creating a Magical Space with Rituals and Spells for Hearth and Home (p. 13)
🌿 Rachel