The word mandala – meaning circle in Sanskrit – is a geometric shape common to many cultures around the world. Its circular design represents wholeness, the universe and the circle of life and concept that all is connected. Used as a spiritual practice, they can help to focus attention and as an aid to meditation.
Solo Summer Solstice Mandala Ritual
The ritual described here is designed as a solo ritual for honouring the Summer Solstice. If you wish to perform this ritual in group, please see read through and follow the group guidance at the bottom of the journal.
Creating a mandala from materials found in nature is a beautiful offering and way to celebrate the bounty of life and power of Sun at this time.
Materials needed:
-
Ceremonial cacao already prepared and kept warm in a thermos + mug
- Things collected from nature for the mandala – these can consist of flowers, leaves, rocks, twigs, shells, feathers, seed pods, berries, grasses or anything you feel drawn to. If you like you could also include things like grains or dried legumes. We love using cacao beans too! Most mandala’s have a unifying centre, so make sure you have something you can use as the central piece to weave the mandala around.
- Summer fruits to feast on at the end of the ritual
Select your location and imbibe your cacao with intention
First decide on a quiet place in nature (if possible – it could be in your backyard or a park) to create your mandala. As the ritual’s intention is to honour Midsummer, we invite you to perhaps do this ritual at sunrise or sunset on the Summer Solstice.
Once you arrive at your location take a moment to find a spot for your mandala offering, place your objects close by and then create sacred space in the way you like.
Pour your ceremonial cacao into your mug, close your eyes, and take a few deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth with a sigh – allowing yourself to arrive more fully into your body and into the moment. Feel your feet grounding you into Mother Earth and the crown of your head reaching up to the sky. Begin to feel into your ritual intention – to celebrate the power of the Sun at its energetic apex and the ripe fertility and abundance of the Earth. Allow space for any other personal intentions to come through at this time.
Begin to sip your cacao, feeling your intention deeply in your heart whilst allowing the cacao elixir to magnify your vision.
Weave your Summer Solstice mandala
When the cacao is finished, bring yourself down on to the earth and begin to weave your mandala. Start by placing the central piece in the middle and then move outwards from here with your objects, letting your intuition guide the way.
With the aid of the cacao, this can be a deeply meditative process so let the mind chatter drop away and anchor into presence and your intention.
Keep weaving until all your offerings have been used and the mandala feels complete. Take some time to enjoy the beauty of your offering and whisper your gratitude for the generosity and bounty of the sun and earth.
To raise the energy and activate the mandala, you may want to chant a medicine song, such as This Little Light of Mine (our fav version is by Elizabeth Mitchell) or do some celebratory dance. Complete your ritual with a Midsummer feast of ripe summer fruits, being sure to leave some as an offering for the Earth (and other creatures!) and close sacred space.
For a Group Ritual
Do the same as the above but after you’ve taken in the cacao, and before you begin to organically weave the mandala together, you may choose to share a little around the meaning of the Summer Solstice and all speak your personal intentions into the space so the group energy can help amplify them.
We hope you treasure the experience of mandala creation as much as we do and would love to see images of your beautiful offerings so please feel free to share them with us.
