Summer Solstice Traditions4/11/2021
Midsummer or the Summer Solstice is the most powerful day of the year for the Sun God, this Sabbat glorifies the Sun God and the Sun, and fire plays a very prominent role in this festival.Because this Sabbat glorifies the Sun God and the Sun, fire plays a very prominent role in this festival.The element of Fire is the most easily seen and immediately felt element of transformation.It can burn, consume, cook, shed light or purify and balefires still figure prominently at modern Midsummer rites.
At Stonehenge, the heelstone marks the midsummer sunrise as seen from the centre of the stone circle. It was often marked with torchlight processions, by flaming tar barrels or by wheels bound with straw, which were set alight and rolled down steep hillsides. The Norse especially loved lengthy processions and would gather together their animals, families and lighted torches and parade through the countryside to the celebration site. Blazing gorse or furze was carried around cattle to prevent disease and misfortune; while people would dance around the balefires or leap through the flames as a purifying or strengthening rite. The Celts would light balefires all over their lands from sunset the night before Midsummer until sunset the next day. Although the hottest days of the summer still lie ahead, from this point onward we enter the waning year, and each day the Sun will recede from the skies a little earlier, until Yule, when the days begin to become longer again. They are reaching the pinnacles of maturity and coming closer to the harvest time. Most wild herbs are fully mature by Midsummer and this is the traditional time for gathering magickal and medicinal plants to dry and store for winter use. In Wales, Midsummer is called Gathering Day in honour of this practice. The fire represents the sun and is a constant daily reminder of the power of the God. Rituals should be performed at noon, when the sun is highest in the sky. The best rituals to perform on Midsummer are those dealing with masculine issues, masculine energies, or issues dealing with solar influence. Some witches choose to bury their protective amulets each Midsummers eve and construct new ones. Rue, rowan and basil, tied together in a white or gold cloth, is a good protective trio that can be carried in your pocket year round. This Sabbat is also an excellent time to re-new wedding vows. ![]()
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