The Summer Solstice is an important event in the pagan calendar. It marks the longest day of the year and the official start of the summer season. Pagans celebrate this day with various rituals and festivities, honoring the power and energy of the sun. In paganism, the Summer Solstice is seen as a time of abundance, growth, and vitality. It is a time to connect with nature and celebrate the Earth's fertility. Many pagans gather at sacred sites or in natural surroundings to perform rituals and ceremonies.
English Heritage, a charity that manages hundreds of historic sites, notes several explanations — from Stonehenge being a coronation place for Danish kings, a druid temple, a cult center for healing, or an astronomical computer for predicting eclipses and solar events.
Some of the stones, the so-called bluestones, are known to have come from the Preseli Hills in southwest Wales, nearly 150 miles 240 kilometers away, but the origins of others remain a mystery. Stonehenge, one of the world s most famous prehistoric monuments and a World Heritage Site, was built on the flat lands of Salisbury Plain in stages starting 5,000 years ago, with the unique stone circle erected in the late Neolithic period about 2,500 B.
Many pagans gather at sacred sites or in natural surroundings to perform rituals and ceremonies. One common practice during the Summer Solstice is the lighting of bonfires. These bonfires are believed to symbolize the sun's power and its ability to provide light and warmth.
Why do we celebrate the Summer Solstice?
First things first! The term ‘solstice’ can be traced back to the Latin word ‘solstitium’, combining the words ‘sol’, meaning sun, and ‘-stit’ or ‘-stes’, meaning standing or still. The name derives from the Romans’ observation that during a solstice, the sun’s position in the sky at noon didn’t seem to change much throughout the day, but instead appeared motionless.
Astronomically speaking…
The Summer Solstice marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the end of spring and the start of the astronomical summer. It takes place between 20 th and 22 nd June each year, the reason for the shift in date boiling down to the fact that our calendar doesn’t precisely reflect the Earth’s rotation, and so we have to allow some wiggle room!
Both the summer and winter solstices form part of a wider astronomical calendar, flanked by two equinoxes in the spring and the autumn, and other daily and monthly cycles throughout the year. Incidentally, ‘equinox’ comes from the Latin ‘equi’ meaning equal, and ‘nox’ meaning night. On these two dates, day and night are of equal length before the days begin to get either lighter in the spring, or darker in the autumn.
During the solstices, the Earth’s axis tilts us at either our closest or farthest point from the sun. The hemisphere tilted most towards the sun sees its longest day and shortest night (the Summer Solstice), whilst the hemisphere tilted away from the sun sees its shortest day and longest night (the Winter Solstice.)
Prehistoric significance
Now that’s the science of a solstice explained (phew!), but just why do we humans place so much significance on the solstices and the days surrounding them? We know that the solstices certainly held importance for Neolithic humans, who may initially have started to observe the Summer Solstice as a marker for planting and harvesting crops. Stonehenge, our most famous Neolithic monument, was certainly built to reflect the solstices, and it has long been debated whether one of its functions was to act as ancient solar calendar. The site’s megaliths are aligned with the direction of the sunrise on the Summer Solstice, with the sarsen stones lined up to trace the movements of the sun. It’s likely that on the solstices people gathered at the monument to celebrate, though little archaeological evidence remains of the ceremonies that may have taken place there.
Interestingly, Archaeoastronomers (yes that’s an actual job, amazing!) think that the midwinter solstice may actually have been the more important focus for the builders of Stonehenge, due to the entire monument’s alignment facing toward the setting midwinter sun. As you enter the site along the main avenue and walk towards the standing stones, the position of the Winter Solstice’s sunset is the main focus directly ahead, perhaps in the same way that the most important parts of a church are located ahead of you as you enter. There’s a WEALTH of information on Stonehenge’s association with the solstices on the English Heritage website, and we fully encourage you to fall down that rabbit hole and check it out!
The Summer Solstice throughout history
Our fascination with the solstices didn’t end with our Neolithic ancestors. According to some ancient Greek calendars, the Summer Solstice marked the start of the New Year, and began the one-month countdown to the opening of the famous Olympic games. In the days leading up to the Summer Solstice, the Romans celebrated the Vestalia, a religious festival to honour Vesta, goddess of the home and hearth. Before the rise of Christianity, Slavic, Germanic and Celtic tribes celebrated the midsummer with bonfires, believing that they would boost the sun’s energy and guarantee a good harvest. It was believed that bonfires could also help banish demons and evil spirits. Following the establishment of the Christian church, solstice celebrations were often combined with St John the Baptist’s Day on the 24 th June, the date of Midsummer’s Day.
N.B. The Summer Solstice and Midsummer’s Day are actually separate dates, with the later falling on the 24 th June. Midsummer is often now referred to as the period of time commencing with the Summer Solstice and leading up to Midsummer’s Day.
Significance of the solstice in Paganism
Today, the celebration of the solstices is mostly strongly associated with Paganism. The Pagan festival of Litha is one of the most important in the Pagan religion, commencing on the eve of the Summer Solstice it celebrates the midsummer and the power of the sun god. Magic is thought to be strongest during the Summer Solstice, and it’s also the time when the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest, eep! According to Pagan folklore, evil spirits in particular may walk the earth more freely at this time, and in order to ward them off, people wear protective garlands of herbs and flowers. One of the most powerful of these is the ‘chase devil’, also known as St. John’s Wort, because of its association with St. John’s Day.
Other Summer Solstice traditions surround the ashes from a midsummer bonfire, which can be used as a protection against misfortune by being formed into an amulet, or spread across a garden to ensure a good harvest. ‘Sunwheels’ were also used to celebrate midsummer in some Pagan communities. A wheel or ball of straw was lit on fire and rolled down a hill into a river. It was believed that if the fire went out before hitting the water then a good harvest was guaranteed.
Maypole in Eaton Socon c.1914 – picture credit: Cambridgeshire Community Archive Network
Local traditions
Over the centuries, the June solstice has inspired many midsummer celebrations involving bonfires, singing, and Maypole dancing. Many towns and villages across Britain still mark the day with fairs and festivals, like the one that takes place on Midsummer Common in Cambridge.
Local historian C.F. Tebbutt records in his writings a few other local traditions that took place in Huntingdonshire. In Bluntisham in the late 19th century, a midsummer feast was once held, with stalls selling sweets and gingerbread, and a garlanded hoop hung over the street. Records from Waresely in 1679 record the firing of blanks from guns at a midsummer festival, intended to scare away fairies and evil spirits. Finally, court records from Stilton in 1830 tell of one Thomas Wade, who was brought before a court for “walking up and down disguised by having a pair of painted ram’s horns on his head and a green veil over his face… at the same time also making strange and frightful noises…” Though whether this was actually to do with midsummer celebrations is anyone’s guess!
And there we have it! It can’t be denied that the Summer Solstice is a significant occasion astronomically, spiritually and historically. However you choose to mark the day (though we’d recommend not taking inspiration from Mr Wade), be sure to enjoy the longest day to its fullest!
https://www.stneotsmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Capture1.png 548 794 Kelly Garner https://www.stneotsmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/st-neots-museum-logo.svg Kelly Garner 2020-06-19 10:38:30 2020-06-19 10:40:32 Why do we celebrate the Summer Solstice?
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LONDON — All hail the rising sun.
Pagans dance and jump over the flames, seeking blessings and protection for the coming months. Another popular tradition is the making of flower crowns. The solstice is a time when flowers are in full bloom, and pagans adorn themselves with these floral wreaths. The crowns are believed to represent the Earth's abundance and the beauty of nature. Feasting is also a significant part of Summer Solstice celebrations in paganism. Pagans gather for communal meals, sharing food and drink in honor of the sun. Fresh fruits and vegetables are often included in these feasts, reflecting the season's harvest. Some pagan groups also perform rituals to honor specific deities associated with the sun or summertime. For example, in Norse paganism, the sun goddess Sol is revered during this time. Other pagans may focus on deities of the harvest or nature, depending on their specific spiritual beliefs. Overall, the Summer Solstice in paganism is a time of celebration and connection with the natural world. It is a time to acknowledge and appreciate the sun's power, as well as the abundance and beauty of the Earth. Through rituals, feasting, and communal gatherings, pagans seek to honor and align themselves with the energy of this important day..
Reviews for "Tapping into the Energies of the Summer Solstice in Pagan Spirituality"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Summer solstice paganism". The author seemed to have a very limited understanding of paganism and the summer solstice. Instead of providing meaningful insights or exploring the rich history and traditions of this celebration, the book was filled with superficial and repetitive information. I felt like I wasted my time and money on a book that offered nothing of value.
2. Mary - 1 star - I found "Summer solstice paganism" to be extremely poorly written and lacking in substance. The author seemed more interested in promoting their own personal beliefs rather than providing objective and well-researched information on the topic. The book was filled with vague and generalized statements, making it difficult to derive any meaningful knowledge from it. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a comprehensive and informative resource on paganism or the summer solstice.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - As someone who has been practicing paganism for several years, I found "Summer solstice paganism" to be a disappointing read. The book failed to provide any new or insightful information about the summer solstice or paganism in general. It felt like a collection of recycled ideas and concepts that I had already encountered in other, much better books. I was hoping to gain a deeper understanding of the summer solstice and its significance in paganism, but unfortunately, this book did not deliver.
4. Michael - 1 star - "Summer solstice paganism" left me feeling underwhelmed and frustrated. The author's writing style was convoluted and hard to follow, making it difficult to grasp the concepts being discussed. Moreover, the book lacked a coherent structure, jumping from one topic to another without proper explanation or transition. I found it hard to stay engaged and ended up skimming through most of it. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone interested in exploring paganism and the summer solstice.