The Summer Solstice

The Summer Solstice, or “Midsummer’s Day” has its origins in paganism as a celebration of various Sun Gods. Cultures everywhere still celebrate this day, which marks the middle of summer, not, as with today’s calendar, its beginning.

SOLSTICE – sol stare: “standing still sun”

  • In Spain, the eve of solstice is called “Night of the Verbena”.
  • The solstice is the best time of the year to gather herbs.
  • Five plants have magic properties on this night: rue, roses, St. John’s wort, vervain (verbena) and trefoil.
  • The solstice is a time to leap and dance around fires lit on hilltops, celebrating the sun at the height of its strength and encouraging a big harvest. The higher you jump, the higher your crops will grow.
  • The June full moon is called the “strawberry moon” or “mead moon”.
  • Gathering fern seed and rubbing it over your eyes on the stroke of midnight will help you to see “the little people”: solstice is said to be the best night to see faeries.
  • Pick St. Johns Wort on this night—it will help you discover who your lover will be.
Gayla Trail
Gayla is a writer, photographer, and former graphic designer with a background in the Fine Arts, cultural criticism, and ecology. She is the author, photographer, and designer of best-selling books on gardening, cooking, and preserving.

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