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Some of us have grown up hearing the word "Midsummer" and may have wondered what it meant. Certain calendar's mark "Midsummer's Eve" as some time in mid-June, and of course there's the Shakespearean play bearing its name, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Midsummer is a celebration that has ancient roots, and is continued today mainly by those who practice pagan and wiccan spiritual paths. How do these modern pagans celebrate and understand the Midsummer holiday?
At Midsummer, we find ourselves on the point in the Wheel of the Year when the Sun is at its zenith, the summer solstice. It is the longest day of the year. Since the summer season traditionally began on Beltane (May 1 in the Northern Hemisphere), this festival is commonly called Midsummer. It is also known as Litha.
In the Northern Hemisphere the summer solstice falls around June 19-22, while it's between December 20-23 in the Southern Hemisphere.
Midsummer is a time when much focus is on the sun, of course. Many ancient temples and sacred places, including Stonehenge, are arranged in such a way as to align with the position of the sun at summer solstice.
Like Yule, its opposite counterpoint on the Wheel of the Year, Midsummer conjures up themes of the symbolic Oak King, representing the light half of the year, battling the Holly King, who represents the dark half of the year, when light is waning. Though the Oak King is at his height, after this day the Holly King will start to have the upper hand. For the next six months, light will decrease.
The overall male aspect, the God, is now celebrated as having fulfilled his purpose. Various cultures of course celebrate the Sun God on summer solstice. He was known to the ancient Celts as Lugh, provider and bringer of the crops. Naturally, by this point in the year, crops are flourishing. The Goddess is giving forth her generous bounty as well, fulfilling her role as Divine Mother Earth.
Both male and female energies, sometimes represented respectively as sun and earth, have bestowed their gifts of creation upon the land. We must remember how the pagan traditions arose out of agrarian cultures, and how closely these cultures paid attention to the timings of the seasons; in ancient Europe, people's lives depended on it.
Creation is alive with abundant diversity and the passion of life at Midsummer. The rose is a potent symbol of the Goddess at this time, as roses abound in many parts of the world at this time of year.
Love and abundance are in the air at this point in the Wheel of the Year. The crops and plant life have grown and are thriving, and all is in bloom. The flirty, purely physical passion of Beltane, the previous sabbat, has now deepened and matured into the whole-being embrace of lovers who now know each other well. Thus, this was traditionally a time of hand-fasting (wedding) ceremonies, which continues to this day with June being the most popular month for nuptials (in the Northern Hemisphere).
If you need ideas for decorating your altar at Midsummer, fruits that are ripe in your area, roses, and any signs of the sun are apropos.
More trappings as we celebrate Midsummer include:
Colors: Green and gold mostly, also red.
Incense: Rose, cedar, fir, violet, tangerine, frangipani and frankincense.
Herbs: St. john's wort, parsley, basil, mint, violet, dragons blood, thyme, fern, lavender and vervain.
Stone: Emerald.
Since so much focus is on the sun, Midsummer's Eve fire rituals are a common practice. Anywhere you can cast a circle (draw energy around a place to make it sacred), safely make a fire, and make a personal offering to the Divine is appropriate. Some Wiccan traditions encourage carrying the ashes of the Midsummer fire for protection. Whatever you do, imbue it with a sense of wonder, thanks, and energy for this vibrant and bountiful time of year.
Dylan Greenley has been studying and practicing pagan spirituality for several years, with an emphasis on Celtic traditions. He wants to disseminate solid information on the subject and hopes you have enjoyed this article and perhaps learned something new!
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