Summer Solstice is just around the corner here for us Northern Hemisphere witches. It’s a beautiful way to celebrate the change of seasons from spring to summer. The solstice marks the first day of summer. Many folks might be confused because it’s also known as Midsummer-even though it is the beginning of summer for us in the US. You would think it would be in the middle of summer- Right?

Well, it was. As many folks know, our calendar has changed over the years and in the past certain regions such as with the Old Norse, seasons were broken down into two, A winter half and a summer half. Basically, Summer solstice would have fallen in the middle half of summer. We can even see how things change by looking at how the exact date of the solstice shifts every year due to the leap in our calendar.

In the US, we celebrate the Solstice on June 20th this year. It can occur anywhere from the the 20th through the 22nd, depending on the year. It is celebrated by many different cultures as a holiday, and known by many different names. Those of Celtic traditions will know the solstice as Litha. Druid’s know it as Alban Hefin. In Latvia it is known as Jani, and Denmark celebrates St. Han’s day. The Christians adopted the holiday- now known as St. John’s Day-in the 4th century as a way to encourage Pagan worshipers to comply with new beliefs. It was seen as a mirror to the birth of Jesus, which is also celebrated around the Winter Solstice aka: Yule.

In Wiccan tradition, it follows the mythology of the battle between the Oak and Holly King. The Oak king representing the light and the Holly King representing the dark. During this time of transition, we see the fall of the Oak king to give way to the darker days of the Holly king. This struggle is often depicted dramatically during rituals, with folks portraying the struggle of power between the two.

With everything going on in our country right now, I can’t help but draw some parallels between our struggles for racial equality. It is clear that the tide is changing. The celebration of Junteenth, falls so close to the Solstice, on June 19th. This is the date when the last slave state- Texas - freed all previously enslaved people. If you do nothing else, take a few moments of your time to address how you navigate this world and how you can help those struggling right now. If you are unsure of where to start, check out our links page for a list of resources.

There are some really great ways to celebrate the solstice, and some fun lore surrounding it. Basically this midsummer is the longest day of the year, so there are lots of similarities between this celebration and Yule. It is customary to have a bonfire to ward off bad luck and negative spirits. Jumping the fire is said to bring good luck in the coming year. If you don’t have the option to have an outdoor fire, you can have a small one in a fireproof bowl or cauldron. Another option is using a candle to represent your fire.

This day is a great day to celebrate the sun and anything relating to summer, such as growth, relationships, fertility, abundance, etc… We’ll dive a little bit into correspondences that can be used along with the summer solstice. Once of the most obvious is the Sun, since this is the day of the year with with most sunlight. Also the element of fire is most commonly celebrated, as mentioned above. Great colors to include on your altar are Blue, Gold, Green, and Red. If you use crystals, things like jade, emerald, diamond, lapis lazuli, and tigers eye are appropriate, as well as citrine and sunstone. The rune Dagaz is also one represented during this solstice.

It is customary by Druids to harvest Mistletoe on the morning of the solstice with a golden sickle, catching it with a white cloth before it hits the ground to preserve the magickal power. Vervain is also harvested on this day to use for blessing and protection charms. It’s folklore to collect it with your left hand while the morning dew still remains.

Mugwort is used to make a wash for scrying mirrors and crystal balls to help recharge and replenish their latent magickal energy. You can make a strong tea (using moon water if you have it) with a pinch of salt to use for this purpose. This is a time when the veil between worlds is thin, so communication with spirits and fae is easier to do. However it’s important to protect yourself from being tricked. This is one of the reasons folks wear flower crowns and oak wreaths. An oil infused with Thyme is said to help increase communication with faeries and give you “the sight”.

Rowan is made into amulets worn to protect against harm. It is also pinned to doorways and above animal houses. It’s also believed that ferns gathered on Midsummer with the spores attached can aid in invisibility spells. You would wear the fern in your shoe along with an incantation.

Now is also a great time to make a protection charm card called a Witch’s Ladder. In order to do so, collect 9 feathers (or whatever amount resonates with you) and three lengths of cord. If you have any other protection trinkets you’ve gathered like hag stones, or bones, these are fun to include as well. Begin by knotting the three cords together and braiding them while focusing on your intentions of protection. As you include each feather, tie it in a knot with a specific focus- such as protect my love, or whatever is appropriate for you. Continue until your cord is finished and hang this in your doorway. It should be noted that a Witch’s Ladder can also be used to curse.

The Summer Solstice is a time of fertility, and like Beltane it is very common for marriages and conception to happen. In parts of Sweden, a Maypole is put up and danced around because its often too cold to celebrate on May 1st. This is also a time when crops are beginning to bear fruit- so when fertility is talked about it doesn’t always relate to becoming pregnant. You can use this energy to manifest abundance and prosperity in many ways.

Here is a couple of personal recipes and ritual practices that I plan to do this Solstice, and I invite you to join me!

First I like to prepare my wine and loaf ahead of time. One of the things I associate most with summer time is limeade. Here I’m incorporating chamomile, which represents the sun, along with the citrus, and some lavender which is also harvested during this time. Honey will be used as a sweetener because the Fae love it, and it makes a great offering.

Basically you will make a tea with your chamomile and lavender. Use an equal amount of dried herbs, just a few teaspoons will do (depending on your amount of water) Allow this to steep for about 5 mins- its important to not boil this. Go ahead and strain this, then add your honey to taste. Now you will add your lime, I like one lime to one cup of water- but its up to you! Pop this potion in the fridge or pour it directly over a full glass of ice. I’ll be using this as an offering and to replenish my energy during my ritual.

Along with this, I’m planning on baking some Salted Honey Butter Parker House Rolls with this recipe from Tegan over at Half-baked Harvest. (https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/salted-honey-butter-parker-house-rolls/) She rolls them like cinnamon rolls, which is the perfect way to include a bit of kitchen witchery. Any food the is spiraled you can use the shape to bring things into your life. While you roll the dough, focus on the abundance, fertility and prosperity you want to bring into your life. Then you will ingest this magick during ritual, having it literally become a part of you! Talk about powerful! Ha!!

For the ritual part, I plan of having some type of fire, depending on the weather. Its traditional to burn 9 herbs on Summer Solstice. I think this is based off of an old English poem for the sacred herbs of healing- Mugwort, Betony, Lamb’s Cress, Plantain, Mayweed, Nettle, Crabapple, Thyme, and Fennel. However, I don’t have access to all of these, so I’ll be substituting based on the intentions I’m wishing to draw energy into. I suggest that you do the same if you’re in a similar situation.

I also plan on having some abundance and prosperity intentions set by burning Bay leaves. Hopefully the weather cooperates and I will be able to spend some time in front of the bon fire!