Happy Summer Solstice 2013

"Do you always watch for the longest day of the year and then miss it? 

I always watch for the longest day in the year and then miss it."
~ Daisy Buchanan (The Great Gatsby)

Well this Friday, June 21st, is the longest day of the year.  It's not only the longest day of the year it is also referred to as Midsummer which is celebrated in Europe much like Christmas and New Years and it is also known as the Summer Solstice.

* Solstice derives from the latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still). As the day progresses the sun rises higher and higher until it seems to stand still in the sky.



IT'S PLANETARY

The summer solstice occurs when the Earth's axis is at its maximum tilt towards the sun and the sun in turn is at its highest point in the sky, the meeting of these two celestial events is the longest day of the year, meaning it is the one day in the whole year with the most daylight. It falls in June on the Northern Hemisphere and in December on the Southern Hemisphere.






TRADITIONS/CELEBRATIONS

Traditions vary but the day is usually marked by cleansing and celebratory rituals with most of them containing the use use of two elements: Fire and Water.

America's Stonehenge:
2000 BC - 173 BC

England's Stonehenge:
3000 BC - 2000 BC

• Both America's Stonehenge (located in Salem, New Hampshire) and England's Stonehenge are accurate, complex, astronomical calendars and line up with each other at the summer solstice. At Stonehenge Pagans would celebrate the summer solstice by performing rituals in attempts to garner the strength and divine powers of the sun.

• The summer solstice was associated with agriculture in past civilizations. It was a reminder of the move from the planting season to harvesting.  

• The Druids' called the day the "wedding of Heaven and Earth", which is why there are so many weddings in June - its still thought to be a "lucky" month. 

• In China a ceremony is held on the summer solstice, in the ceremony Earth, femininity and the "yin" forces are celebrated. 

• In ancient Gaul, the midsummer celebration was called Feast of Epona, named after the mare goddess who personified fertility and protected horses. 

• Many Native American tribes hold ritual dances in honor of the sun. 

"Kupala" (Festivities on Midsummer Night) 1897
Oil on Canvas By: Wojciech Gerson 

• In Central and Eastern Europe it is called Kupala Night, its much like our Valentine's and is held on The Feast of John the Baptist. The rituals include: burning fires at Sunset then running into the ocean singing and dancing until midnight.  Then at midnight unmarried women, wearing wreaths of flowers on their heads and single men run into the woods all in search of the mythic "flower of the fern" - the person who finds it will have all their wishes fulfilled.  There are two parts to this ritual, the men who walk out of the forest with a wreath of flowers on their head emerge engaged. 

• Those girls too young for engagement that year would cast their flowers in the water with the hopes that their soul mate would find it and come for her the next solstice and exchange them for the fresh ring of flowers on her head. 

• The full moon in June is called the "Honey Moon" as it was thought the best time to extract the honey from beehives. This honey was used in ancient solstice rituals. (just fyi - the Honey Moon will be this Sunday, June 23rd) 

• Midsummer was believed by ancients to be a time when evil spirits would appear so they often wore protective garlands of herbs and flowers. One was made from the  'chase devil' plant - today its known as St. John's Wort - which is a mood stabilizer used by modern herbalists. 

SUMMERTIME

If bon fires, ritual dancing and a midnight swim in the ocean are not your thing it may interest you to know that the "summer solstice" also marks the official beginning of Summer. That surely conjures up images of many great traditions like BBQ's, trips to the beach and lounging by the pool... AND everything else Will Smith rap's about in his song "SUMMERTIME"... LOL

So, whether you're planning on attending a ceremonial ritual or packing up your car to soak in the rays on the beach this Friday, for a moment just take time to enjoy all the extra sunshine... cause after all it is the longest day of the year!