• also called Midsummer, Litha, etc.
  • date varies from year to year, typically on or near June 21st; calculated as the sun at 0 degrees Cancer.
  • the longest day of the year, the point from which the days grow shorter and darker
  • the second Sabbat in the season of Fire
  • the height of the Sun, the point of the God's peak
  • the Goddess is now carrying the Gods' child; the crowning of the Sun King.
  • themes include honouring the Sun and its' strength, celebrating the many herbs and plants that are ready for harvest at this time, encouraging the crops to grow high and strong with sympathetic magic, lighting of bonfires to celebrate the longest day of the year, divination, protective magics, and healing, betrothals, and weddings.

    Symbols

  • the Sun
  • sun wheels
  • oak trees
  • summer fruits and flowers
  • swords
  • witches' ladders
  • fire
  • colours include yellow, orange, red, white, green, and gold

    Activities

  • picking cultivated herbs and plants
  • wildcrafting herbs and wood for magical use
  • creating divining rods or other wooden tools
  • make a sun wheel
  • create a door wreath
  • lighting needfires
  • lighting bonfires; burning herbs in these fires as appropriate
  • berry picking and fruit harvesting
  • magic for prosperity
  • magic for healing
  • magic for protection
  • creating garlands of St. John's Wort for home protection
  • enjoying the weather at the beach

    Food

  • sangria
  • fruit wines
  • grilled meats
  • fresh summer vegetables
  • lemons and oranges
  • peaches, nectarines, and plums
  • fresh summer berries

    Gemstones and Minerals

  • Amber
  • Citrine
  • Carnelian
  • Garnet (red and green)
  • Herkimer diamonds
  • Jade
  • Ruby
  • Sunstone
  • Topaz

    Herbs, Oils, and Resins

  • Calendula - clairvoyance, divination, dreams, happiness, luck, lifts spirits, love, prosperity, protection, renewal, sleep, success, wealth.
  • Chamomile - beauty, calming, dreams, gentleness, luck, meditation, prosperity, sleep, wealth.
  • Cinquefoil - clairvoyance, divination, inspiration, knowledge, money, prosperity, physical wealth, protection, spell-breaking, wisdom.
  • Heather flowers - beauty, contacting otherworlds, protection, weather magic.
  • Heliotrope - Cleansing, exorcism, prophetic dreams, healing, wealth.
  • Hyssop - cleansing, protection, purification
  • Lavender - rest, calm, consecration, keeping secrets, love, peace, tranquility. (*Warning* - can cause minor photosensitive irritation.)
  • Mugwort - clairvoyance, consecration, dreams, magic, protection, psychic awareness, sleep, strength. (*Warning* - oil is toxic; do not ingest.)
  • Oak - commanding, confidence, courage, fertility, longevity, magic, prosperity, protection, retention, strength, success, virility, wealth.
  • Rosemary - confidence, consecration, courage, fidelity, love, magic, memory. (*Warning* - this oil can be toxic if taken internally.)
  • St. John's Wort - boosts spells, commanding, confidence, courage, exorcism, good luck, magic, overcoming opposition, protection, spell-breaking, strength, success.
  • Thyme - clairvoyance, consecration, courage, divination, love, meditation, protection, prevents nightmares. (*Warning* - oil can cause minor skin irritation.)
  • Vervain - aphrodisiac, consecration, creativity, knowledge, love, magic, prevents nightmares, prosperity, protection, success, transformation.

    Incense Recipe

    This is my own recipe for a Summer Solstice incense; it is loose, and meant to be burnt on charcoal. A part is simply whatever you choose to use as a measure. A 'few drops' is to your taste, but typically less than ten drops per ounce of incense.

    Equal Parts:

  • Chamomile
  • Lavender
  • Oak
  • Rose
  • Rosemary
  • St. John's Wort
  • Vervain
  • A few drops of patchouli oil