Greetings on this Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice Greetings

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As the Sun becomes its most powerful, and reaches its zenith in the Northern Hemisphere, we look forward to the time of longest light, and shortest night - a burgeoning natural world full of fruitfulness and pure potential. This is a time for us to show gratitude for the warmth and abundance surrounding us, and to create rituals to entice and welcome in all of the gifts we began to manifest earlier in the year.

The welcoming, and the celebration, of the Summer Solstice has been part of our culture since Neolithic times, and perhaps even earlier than that. Solstice takes its name from the Latin Sol (sun) and sistere (still) and literally translates to ‘still Sun’. This is the time of year when the rising and the setting of the Sun appears to stand still on the horizon for a time, before the days begin to shorten again. This time, one of the Quarter Days of the ancient Celtic calendar, is the mid point of the growing season between planting and harvest. The honouring of this point in the year has its root in ancient agricultural societies. The reliance on an abundant harvest for their communities survival meant they did everything in their power to celebrate, welcome and ensure the strength of the Sun and the long warm days of Summer continued, to ensure a fruitful harvest. This honouring and ritual developed through time into the traditions and tales that we still tell around Mid-Summer today.

This time was so important to ancient communities around the world that they built huge megalithic structures aligned to the position of the rising Sun or setting Sun on Summer Solstice. It is thought these were built specifically to celebrate and honor the Sun’s strength and power. In the UK we think of Stonehenge but many ancient sites and burial chambers around the world align to this solar event - more details can be found here.

In New Mexico at Fajada Butte, a Native American site the Sun on this day bisects and illuminates a spiral carving at noon. Summer Solstice was also a powerful time in Ancient Egypt, where its rich agricultural traditions contributed to it’s wealth, as it marked the rising of the River Nile. The rising river fertilized and watered the land, promising an abundant and rich harvest in the Nile Valley.

Litha

In times past Summer Solstice or Litha was celebrated in a number of ways. Huge wooden Sun wheels were made, set aflame, and rolled down hills to signify the descent of the Sun, the turning of the year, and the Wheel of Life. Ancient people marked the Summer Solstice by lighting bonfires with the intention that they would help to boost the Sun’s strength. People jumped these fires to leave behind the old and to embrace and make space for the new. Traditionally this is a time of handfastings and fruitful unions.

Mid-Summers Eve is a night when the veil between this world and the world of the Fae is at its thinnest. The natural laws are suspended, and the Fair Folk pass through into the human world, bringing blessings or playing tricks!

This too, is the night to go in search of the magical fern flower. Legend tells us that this mystical flower blooms only on this night, and will bring good luck and blessings on they who find it - but beware if you go out to hunt the fern flower, it is said to be guarded by malevolent spirits!

Summer Solstice also marks the end of the Oak King’s reign - he is defeated today by the Holly King, who will reign during the time of the waning Sun, until the Winter Solstice, when the Oak King will again prevail.

In Ireland Mid-Summer is dedicated to Danu, who represents Mother Earth and fruitfulness. Danu is the Universal Mother of the Tuatha De Dannan. The Tuatha De Dannan is an ancient people, rulers of Ireland, who when defeated retreated to the hills and country side, eventually becoming the fairy folk we feel drawing close at this time.

How to honour Solstice tide

When i was researching rituals and tasks for this time, there are so many wonderful ideas that I could not choose just one, so i have chosen a selection of my favourite ideas for you - you can decide which you are drawn to and do one, some, or all of them! - at this time of longest light there is no excuse for not getting out into the daylight, putting our feet on the earth and celebrating and showing gratitude for the abundance surrounding us.

Tis said, that if you pick the blooms of seven different flowers and place them under your pillow on Mid-Summers Eve, you will dream of your future lover.

It is a powerful day to gather herbs to use in the coming year.

You could get your hands into the soil and create a special place in your garden to entice the fairy folk, inviting them to bring their good will and blessings to your home and land.

It is a time for bonfires, for sending your wishes to the universe and if you feel drawn, a night for fashioning wands.

We are lucky in Norfolk being so close to the East coast and the beach, you could rise early, and watch the sunrise at England’s most Easterly spot, whispering your wishes and dreams to the Sun to carry forward and manifest over the coming weeks and months.

Whatever you do on this most magical day, make sure you set your intentions firmly to harness the power of these long, warm summer days.

Tarot for Summer Solstice

I always like to pull an oracle card or lay a tarot spread at Solstice to determine the energy surrounding me at this time and to give me some guidance to steer me through my options and opportunities during the coming days and weeks.

I was guided to develop this spread especially for us at this time.

 Sit quietly for a moment as you shuffle your cards, and bring to mind the guidance you wish to receive from your guides, and ask for answers to the questions below. When you feel ready, lay the cards in this order, 1st in the centre, 2nd above, 3rd to the right, 4th below and the final card to the left.

If you are new to the tarot, it is always helpful to intuitively lean into what the imagery on each card means to you before checking what your book says it means. This way, you will slowly begin to trust your own inner guidance and as you become more familiar with your cards and develop your own interpretations, you will grow more confident in the guidance given to you in each reading.