19 Jun 2015
Summer Solstice Celebrations
Midsummer is traditionally a time of love rituals and as such is a great time to get married. Of course in the UK many people choose the month of June to tie the knot as the weather is likely to be better, but historically the month was associated with weddings; June was named after Juno who was the Roman Goddess of marriage and motherhood. At that time the sun was strongly associated with the height of summer as a sign of romance and a strong beating heart meaning successful unions.
On a more practical side, the Summer Solstice creates a natural pause for farmers, inbetween planting and harvest and so field work could be left behind creating time to celebrate a wedding and take a honeymoon. Incidentally honeymoon makes reference to the abundance of honey that would have been available Midsummer and that would have been eaten as part of medieval wedding feasts.
Many of you would have heard of the plant St John’s Wort, often used for medicinal purposes to aid depression like symptoms (this makes even more sense when you realise it was sometimes called ‘chase devil’). The plant is supposed to be brimming with the suns healing power, and is so named due to flowering on St John’s Day (24th June). British folklore states that a young girl should pick a sprig of St John’s Wort on the eve of Midsummer and if the sprig remains fresh until the morning, then she soon will marry!
If you are not planning or attending a wedding in June, then you can still celebrate the Midsummer season, as it is a fantastic time to make auspicious decisions! The axis point of the year has the ability to turn things for better or worse – so make your decisions wisely…
Why not take a Midsummer vigil?
Camping at this time of year is a great way to get in touch with the earths energy. Many people go to places like Stonehenge, but you needn’t travel a great distance to get in touch with your inner-self. Carve out some quiet time to contemplate what you want from the next phase of your life. State your intentions out loud before going to sleep.
The next morning, take the power that the sun has to offer, and restate your intentions to firm them in your mind and body.
Take time now and as you move forward to meditate, empty your mind, and then remind yourself why you committed yourself to your specific intentions. This will help you stay focused between now and Midwinter.
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