How to celebrate the summer solstice. How to celebrate the summer solstice

It’s a little sad that after June 21 the days become shorter: it seems like it’s only the first month of summer, but it gets dark earlier. To autumn blues Before it comes too soon, gather your friends and family to celebrate the solstice. Let this be a small reason to see each other, chat and enjoy the summer together.

Midsummer Festival in Sweden

“One of my earliest memories is of dancing around a pole wearing a wreath of wildflowers,” he writes in his book "What is Lagom" Nicky Bruntmark. - Then I was invited to participate in one of the main Swedish holidays of the year - Midsummer Day. Practical Swedes moved the summer solstice to the penultimate Friday of June (between the 19th and 25th). According to tradition, this day was associated with magic, and the collection of wildflowers was supposed to call upon the magical forces of nature to help, ensuring those celebrating health for the rest of the year.”

The holiday is still celebrated today. Install big wooden post, decorated with wildflowers. Girls in wreaths of wildflowers, boys and adults dance around him. They dance to folk melodies, for example the song “Smo grudurna” (“Little frogs”). The holiday is celebrated even in bad weather. After the dances, everyone goes to the festive table, eats herring with potatoes, strawberries and other delicious delicacies.

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How to celebrate the summer solstice at home?

You can celebrate the longest day of the year without a wooden pole. Invite your friends and family members, decorate your hair with flowers, have dinner at fresh air and enjoy the warmth and sun.

How to organize a holiday in Swedish?

If you want to throw a themed party, here is a list of what you need to do to celebrate in the style of the Swedes.

• Invite friends and family over the summer solstice.
• Make a wooden dance pole (YouTube is full of instructions) and decorate it with garlands of leaves and wildflowers.
• Weave flower wreaths
• Turn on some music and dance around the pole (sometimes jumping up and down like frogs).
• Dine al fresco with herring, boiled potatoes, and strawberries for dessert.
• In case of bad weather, prepare a canopy and blankets. According to tradition, there is always bad weather on the summer solstice.
• Compile a selection of funny short songs - a Swedish table songbook - and sing at the holiday table.

How to weave wreaths?

You will need:

• garden wire
• Wire cutters
• Centimeter
• Branches with green leaves
• Fresh wildflowers with stems cut into 8cm pieces.

How to do

1. Take a piece of wire and make a ring out of it without fastening the ends.

2. Measure your head circumference around the top of your head to get an idea of ​​what size wreath you need. Cut off any excess wire.

3. Twist the ends, making sure there are no sharp edges anywhere.

4. Wrap the wire ring with branches with leaves and secure them with wire.

5. Add flowers one at a time, securing the stems with wire.

6. Continue until you have completed the wreath.

Illustration from the book “What is Lagom.”

Summer omen

They say if unmarried girl on the day of the summer solstice, she will collect seven types of wildflowers and put them under her pillow, and she will dream about her betrothed.

How to decorate a table with wildflowers?

Variant with lupine

In summer the hills and fields are covered patchwork quilt colors. Among them you can find lupins - bright flashes of blue, yellow, white and mixed shades. These wildflowers look great as centerpieces in arrangements. Despite the fact that the lupine inflorescences are very large, the flower looks tender and delicate, because it consists of small, similar to sweet pea, flowers. The spreading leaves of lupines are ideal for adding interesting silhouettes to simple compositions.

Flower arrangement recipe

1. Select a suitable kenzan (tattoo holder, you can buy it in flower shop) and secure it to the bottom of the cup.

2. Cut the leaves from the stems and insert them into the kenzan at unnatural angles. Place one of the leaves a few centimeters above the right edge of the glass.

3. Trim the lupine blossoms and place two flowers in the center of the arrangement.

4. Tilt the third flower to the left so that it balances the tall leaf on the opposite side

Illustration from the book "Flower Recipes".

Option with cosmos

Cheerful cosmos flowers surrounded by airy feathery leaves are a true symbol of summer. Luxurious chocolate cosmos is colored in a rich burgundy-brown color and exudes a sweet chocolate aroma. These flowers are ideal when you need to add a few dark spots to your arrangement.

Flower arrangement recipe

1. Choose a vase of a suitable color for a bright summer composition.

2. Collect all the cosmos, loosely trim lower leaves, trim the stems and place in a vase. The heads of the cosmos will rise to different heights.

3. Renew the sections of the yarrow stems and place them in the center, between the cosmos.

4. Trim tweedias and fill empty spaces in the arrangement with these inflorescences. At the end, complement the composition with scabioses on long stems. Place two flowers on the side, and group the rest in the opposite part of the composition.

Ready! Have a Happy Day solstice.

The Winter Solstice has been celebrated in most countries of the world since Neolithic times (5 thousand years BC), as evidenced by archaeological finds. Find out below what kind of holiday this is, what its traditions are, and how modern people can celebrate it.

Celebration traditions

Date of Winter Solstice - December 21-22. It is considered the astronomical beginning of winter. This is the shortest day of the year, after which the duration of daylight hours increases. In the opposite hemisphere of the Earth, the shortest night of the year and the Summer Solstice will occur at this time.

Thousands of years ago, the day of the Winter Solstice was revered among the pagans of the world. European peoples called the holiday Yule or Juul, the Romans called it Sol Invictus, and in Iran Yalda. In the past, the end of December was marked by the end of preparations for winter, and easier days began in everyday life.

The Romans, Greeks and Egyptians made sacrifices to the gods on December 21 so that they would return the Sun to the sky. In northern Europe they praised Odin, held noisy feasts, and sang songs. Scandinavians and Slavs considered bonfires, symbolizing the Sun, an important part of the celebration. The Mayans performed real performances similar to modern rope jumper performances.

With the advent of Christianity, Catholic Christmas was assigned to the date of Yule. The similarities between Yule and Christmas traditions are not at all accidental. Christian customs were based on pagan ones - the people did not want to part with their usual rituals. Festive spruce, mistletoe, gift-giving and a generous feast - all this existed in the pre-Christian period. The birth of the sun turned into the birthday of Jesus Christ.

The most famous mass modern folk festivals take place near Stonehenge. Thousands of people from all over the world gather every year to celebrate astronomical winter.

Yule cat - patron of the holiday

Yule cat

European pagans believed in the Yule cat - a not very friendly personification of the holiday. He is black, fluffy and huge, the size of a bull. The cat's eyes glow with yellow light, his claws are made of iron. Possibly Russian "Eshkin's cat" has something in common with the patron saint of the winter holiday.

The celebration lasted about two weeks, and all this time the Yule cat was busy hunting for idlers and breakers of traditions. According to legend, he will steal food from the table if the feast is not generous and cheerful enough. The cat also steals gifts intended for children who have behaved badly throughout the year. He is merciless towards those who harm domestic animals, especially cats.

Beliefs say that the Yule cat can steal a child from a family that neglects the traditions of the holiday. The holiday patron does not like those who celebrate Yule alone; he will punish or even kidnap.

New clothes are one of the holiday traditions. To protect themselves from the cat’s tricks, on Yule morning they bought new clothes, often made from red wool. It was supposed to be worn until the celebration was over. About those who celebrated Yule in old clothes, they said: “he put on the Yule cat.”

Winter Solstice Day among the Slavs - the customs of their ancestors

The eve of the winter holiday was named deity of winter and death Karachun. On the eve of the Solstice, winter takes over, and power over the world until spring belongs to the dark pagan gods. After the longest night of the year, a new sun is born in the form Kolyada, one of the forms of Dazhdbog. While he is young, the sun warms weakly, but by spring God will grow up and there will be more sunlight.

The Solstice is followed by Veles days, which last until mid-January. Veles was associated with Santa Claus, his doll certainly decorated the pagan's house in winter period. Most likely, Christmas signs and customs were formed on the basis of the Veles days.

In the old days they believed that dark forces could prevent the solar deity from being reborn, and they helped him in every possible way. Therefore, an important attribute of the Slavic holiday of the Winter Solstice was a large bonfire, as a symbol of the sun. It was bred from oak and pine logs before sunrise. At night they told fortunes and caroled, which later became part of Yuletide Traditions.

The celebration began at dawn. After greeting rising sun, our ancestors held noisy feasts with songs and games, danced in circles, and jumped over fires to cleanse themselves of negative energy. Dishes of wild boar, pork and other meats were obligatory elements of the feast. Uzvars, nuts and pastries were served on the table.

While honoring the Sun, they did not forget about the forest gods. Offerings were left for them - uzvars and round-shaped ritual pastries, which, again, represented the newborn Sun. Treats were also given to deceased relatives.

Signs and traditions for the Winter Solstice holiday

Fire is one of the most important attributes Yule. But at the end of December the weather is rarely conducive to outdoor picnics. It's nice if you have a stove or fireplace. Otherwise, use candles. They prefer red, orange and other fiery shades. You can symbolically burn several branches of oak or pine. As you light the fire, say:

The fire burns - it saves the family from harm, the flame plays - it drives away evil spirits.

Greeting the Sun with lights is another ancient holiday tradition. There is plenty of room for imagination here. You can leave burning candles near the east window, or go out into the field with sparklers. Required condition- do it at dawn.

Pork dishes were mandatory elements feasts in most countries celebrating Yule. This is a reflection of the custom of taking oaths on a boar's head on this day. Support this delicious tradition, and luck will be on your side all year long.

Dress up the fir tree, decorate the house with garlands and branches of evergreens. Ancient pagan traditions are not so far from those observed by the majority modern people. Once upon a time christmas tree called the Yule tree. Even making wishes comes from Yule traditions. But on December 21-22 this is done not at midnight, but at dawn, looking at the awakening daylight.

Buying gifts is an important part of any holiday. According to signs, the one who pleases other people's children with toys and sweets will soon have a new addition to the family. New clothes will also be useful for you to protect yourself from the Yule Cat.

There is an ancient tradition of the winter holiday - to plant any indoor flowers. For each flower you can make a wish. If it withers, it won’t come true. Cut cherry branches are placed in vases. Their flowering will decorate and fill the house with a subtle aroma.

In pagan times, it was customary to predict fate on the Winter Solstice. Try to find out what the future holds using maps, water, paper and other tools. Can "overhear" your future. Go outside at night and listen to random passersby. Their words will tell you what to expect from fate. During the day, it’s also worth taking a closer look at passers-by. Often found happy couples- to good luck in love. Have you witnessed a theft or fight? Be vigilant, spirits warn of problems.

A new beginning on the Winter Solstice is a good sign. Any business will be successful. Yule is the right time for serious deals, marriage proposals, and job searches. The proposals voiced on this day can be accepted without doubt. Declarations of love on the Winter Solstice lead to happy marriages.

Dreams seen during the period from the eve of the holiday to the end of the Veles days are prophetic. Before going to bed, you can think about a certain problem, then your dreams will suggest a solution. But remembering and interpreting them will be more difficult than usual.

In Spain, they believe that walking around the house with a suitcase attracts travel opportunities. If you don’t have enough money, free time or energy for your dream tour, try this simple ritual for the Winter Solstice - it works well.

If you believe winter signs, what the weather was like on December 21-22, it will be like this on New Year. Frost foreshadows good harvest grains, wind means - in the summer there will be a lot of pears and apples. Rain - for a warm but rainy spring.

Yule rites and rituals

In the old days, mummers went from house to house and sang hymns dedicated to Kolyada, the god winter sun. They danced around sick people so that healing would come faster. IN modern world The ritual can be carried out only in a circle of like-minded people. But you can sing the hymn to Kolyada at home, alone. Its purpose is to pay homage to the Sun. Read when you light candles in honor of the daylight:

Bose Kolyada!
Glorious and Trislaven be you!
Thank you,
for your gracious help to our Childbirth!
And may You be our intercessor in all our deeds,
now and ever and from Circle to Circle!
So be it, so be it, so be it!

Worshiped at the Winter Solstice deceased relatives, but they do this only after sunset. Treats for them should be left at the place of death. Offerings are left at crossroads for the missing. Choose the deceased’s favorite dishes or what was prepared for the festive table that day. Leave a candle or lamp near the treat. In your own words, invite the deceased to have a meal, ask him not to harm you and your family, and to help the living as much as possible. After that, go home without looking back.

Spells for the Winter Solstice

The energy of the birthing Sun contributes to the practice of magic. December 21-22 is a favorable time for any positive witchcraft. Meditation and other spiritual practices will have a greater effect than at other times. Witches, sorcerers, and esotericists do not miss such a powerful time as the day of the Winter Solstice.

The simplest holiday ritual is writing lists. At dawn, take two sheets of paper. On one write down what you would like to get rid of. You need to burn this list, imagining how the negativity leaves your life. On the second sheet, describe what you would like to receive. It must be stored for a year away from prying eyes, and then burned. You can cross out items that have already been accomplished, add new ones, and adjust the list in other ways.

Cleansing the Family

Goddess mother

Magical work to improve the situation with Rod works best during the Winter Solstice. One of these conspiracies is addressed to Mother Goddess- the female archetype, which in one form or another is present in all religions of the world. It is read at home on the eve of the holiday, with a lit candle:

Take off, Mother Goddess, with your own hands, what is tangled on the roots of the ancestral, what is imposed on the roots of evil, what is said with evil lips, what is broken in ignorance of the unclean. Truly so!

Put out the candle with your fingers. At night, after the shortest day of the year, light it again and say:

The world will get along well and the fate of my family will be improved! Let it be so!

This time the candle should burn out completely. This conspiracy removes negativity from all relatives: evil eyes, curses and other unpleasant magical programs.

Wish come true

In order to fulfill a wish with the help of the magic of the Yule night, you will need 6 ribbons 2-3 meters long. Take the colors that suit your desire. For example, gold, silver and green are for money. Pink, red and white - for desires about personal life. Yellow, purple and orange represent creativity and good luck in learning.

Light a white candle. Tie the ribbons into a knot, saying your wish out loud. Weave a braid from ribbons, while simultaneously holding what you want in your mind’s eye and reading the plot:

On Yule night, by candlelight, my destiny trudges along. I weave ribbons - I call on fate: I weave exactly - I will bring you to life (your desire in one phrase).

Repeat the spell all the time while you are braiding your hair. At its tip, tie a knot with the following words:

May what I say come true! I conjure my Fate!

Place a braid of ribbons around the candle, leaving the last one to burn out. When the flame goes out, hide the braid in a secluded place. It must not fall into the wrong hands, otherwise the wish will not come true. When you get what you want, the scythe should be burned with gratitude to the Higher Powers.

How to cast an amulet on Yule

It has long been made for the Winter Solstice protective amulets and talismans. They must be purchased on the same day, better in the morning. You can make a talisman yourself, it can be a pendant or ring, a bag of herbs or a regular pin. Listen to your intuition, it will not let you down. The plot goes like this:

Protect me from the evil eye, so that I do not know refusal, protect me from sidelong glances and from the damage of evil rituals.

After reading it, put on the amulet and keep it with you always. Repeat the spell every year.

Winter Solstice is one of eight pagan days of power a year, when the energy of the Earth and the Sun is especially strong. At this time, one should honor the ancient gods and express respect for the ancestors and their traditions. In the old days, they believed that those who observed holiday traditions were lucky in literally everything.

June 21st will be the summer solstice. This is the beginning of astronomical summer. The longest day and shortest night of the year.

This time marks the flowering of nature. The land is full of beauty and abundance of greenery. The first fruits are ripening.

The summer solstice is the union of the elements of fire, water, earth and sky. This is a celebration of the coming of summer.

How to use this period the best way, read the article.

The Summer Solstice occupies an important place among the key astronomical points of the year.

Spiritual sources about the energies of June and Summer Solstice 2016

Celia Fenn: Integrating Multidimensional Aspects

On June 21st, with the Full Moon in Sagittarius/Gemini and alignment with the Galactic Center, you will celebrate the mid-year solstice.

This will be a powerful time for you to fully integrate all the energies of your new timelines and balance your multidimensional aspects in the Heart.

A powerful influx of energies, enhanced by magnetic lunar energies, will bring all deep personal and collective shadow energy to the surface for transformation as you prepare for a planetary New Year in which you will have the opportunity to raise your frequency and begin a new cycle of Time and Events for yourself and the Earth .

Lauren Gorgo: Magic in Action

Most of our energy has been spent deep in the basements of our bodies, anchoring ourselves/our cells in new reality and in the process of digging and pulling out the deep-rooted and firmly seated roots of an old and outdated reality.

After such devastation, which really began in earnest with the March Equinox and eclipses, we moved into a new season and second half of the year, receiving/filling and restoring.

As June begins, our focus shifts to alchemization, to making sense of everything we have just experienced.

Time to “turn it into gold,” to harness your new inner truth to create lasting outer change.

Time to transmute the mundane into MAGIC!

Emmanuel Daguerre: Complete freedom

Old, deep-rooted survival patterns that we identify with have already begun to surface in the last few weeks.

This is because we are now required to take a good look at them and decide:

1. Do we want to keep repeating them?
2. Or are we ready to move towards complete freedom from the past, freedom from the illusion of limitations and fear that we once created for ourselves.

If you have been studying internal work over the past few months, feeling all the changes happening around us, you may have noticed in yourself Lately the desire to laugh, play and just feel like a child again.

This is confirmation that you have entered the next stage of your journey, which should lead to enlightenment.

Can you imagine what our world would be like if everyone let go of their inner guard and allowed themselves to play? Joyfully accept all the gifts that life gives him?

Whether you believe it or not, this is the reality we are heading towards. And it starts with each of us.

It begins with each of us accepting that we came here to enjoy life. Have fun and play again.

This is complete freedom.

Summer solstice:

• Symbolizes the highest point, maximum peak, rise, takeoff, both in nature and in human life.
• It is a transition point and lays the foundation for what will unfold in your life over the next 6 months.
• It is an energetic portal that allows you to connect with the divine plan of life and experience the deepest connection with all life forms and the world.
• The opportunity to fulfill genuine desires, both for yourself and for the world around you.

Practices and rituals for the Summer Solstice

Celebrate the summer solstice by remembering your unique spiritual journey that has led you to where you are today, and with gratitude for what you have in life at this moment in time.

1. Be filled with Light upon awakening

Immediately upon awakening on the day of the solstice, before you even get out of bed, focus on the flow of Light that flows through you, radiating joy and love.

Remember everything you are grateful for in life, imagining/feeling the energy of Light filling you and the space around you.

Welcome your guides, the Divine Light, your multidimensional selves, the energy and vibration of Love.

Be filled with divine light, love and positive energy.

Feel the Unity and Interconnectedness with the spiritual world and all things.

And when you feel that you are ready, direct a powerful flow of Light from within you to the outside world.

How to remember your multidimensional nature, activate your Multidimensional Self...

2. Recharge with solar energy

On this day, the energy of the Sun intensifies. Let her in.

Let it wash away energy blocks, remnants of outdated negative thought forms, heal emotional trauma and fill your body with vitality.

Light up your own sun within yourself in the sound meditation “Inner Sun”.

3. Express gratitude to Gaia

For thousands of years, the summer solstice has been great value for our ancestors, who lived in harmony with Mother Earth, obeying natural cycles.

On this day, remember the gifts you receive from Gaia:

• food on your table,
• the housing you live in,
• material goods that you use
• the beauty of nature around you.

The most valuable gift you have received from Mother Earth is your physical body.

Take special care of him on this day.

Send Gaia your love. Thank her for her help and care and feel her love for you in return.

On this day it is especially strong.

Feel that you are one, that you are one organism. Take a meditation with Gaia.

4. Feel the Oneness with Mother Earth

Go outside, take off your shoes and stand with your bare feet on the ground.

Feel your energy anchored in the center of the Earth in a pillar of light.

Imagine how everything that is obsolete in your life descends down this channel of light into the center of the Earth, transforming into light.

Feel like sunlight passes through your crown, warming you, filling you with the divine light of the Sun.

Open your arms to the sides in acceptance... Give thanks for everything in your life.

And if you want, tune in to the intentions, desires or goals that you want to achieve in the next 6 months.

Enjoy your deep connection with the Earth, the Light, and everything that surrounds you.

5. Meditate with a candle

Choose a moment when no one will distract you, light a candle and direct your attention inward.

Look at the candle light, breathe deeply, relaxing.

Try to tune into the flame of the candle, as well as the Light within you.

When you are ready, close your eyes and imagine your inner light becoming brighter and brighter.

Your inner Light pours out around you, surrounding your apartment, city, country in which you live with the radiance of divine light.

6. Take stock and set new intentions

Half of the calendar year is over.

Look back, remember what intentions you launched on New Year's Eve, which of these came to life, and what else requires your attention and energy.

Summer solstice - perfect time to expand and connect with your soul's divine plan.

Think about what area of ​​your life needs expansion... what you don’t enjoy and would like to experience/live more often.

Set intentions for 6 months:

• Walk through the fiery spiral,
• Use a stone spiral when setting an intention,
• Find an old tree and connect with it. Ask him for energy to make your intention come true,
• Place your intention in a crystal at the Master Class.

For thousands of years it has been of great importance to people. June 20-21 is considered the middle of natural summer. In addition, this is the longest day of daylight of the year.

The summer solstice has been celebrated by different nationalities since ancient times. The largest festivals in Europe (Kupala, Lita) were timed to coincide with the longest day of daylight. Afterwards, the celebration of Christmas (June 24) was introduced.

The pagans gave divine power to the Sun. They believed that the luminary had power over all living beings. The summer solstice for pagans meant the flowering of nature. But at the same time, the longest daylight hours also indicated the inevitable approach of autumn, and then winter.

The Celts celebrated the summer solstice with the festival of Litha. During the celebration, people worked and rested, communicated with spirits and held weddings, rituals, had fun, cast spells, and told fortunes.

Dwellings were decorated with wreaths of flowers. White lilies, fennel, birch, and St. John's wort were always used. The summer solstice was celebrated magnificently. People came out to dance, sing, dance in circles, and participate in ritual ceremonies. In the evening, people went to the grove, where they left gifts, fragrant herbs, and food for them. It was believed that plants collected on the night of Lithuania possessed magical power. When it got dark, bonfires were lit and processions with torches were held. According to the beliefs of the ancients, jumping over a fire ensured family protection and prosperity at home. To ensure a happy, large and rich marriage, lovers, holding each other’s hands, jumped over the fire three times. The coals left over from the fires were subsequently used to heal wounds. It was also believed that coals could ward off bad weather during the harvest.

The first honey was collected in June. Therefore, the full moon at this time was called At the end of June, it occurred a large number of pagan weddings. Even now, June is considered the most popular month for marriages in many countries.

The peoples of Scandinavia, the Baltic states, and Germany celebrated magnificently summer equinox. The meaning of the rituals was similar to the ceremonies on Litu. People welcomed the union of the Earth and the Sun, called for harvest and prosperity to their homes, and drove away evil spirits. Holidays in different countries were called Midsummer's Night (or Midsummer's Day). The lighting of fires was ritual. It was believed that the higher the flame, the more terrible it should be evil spirits. People, just like on Lita, worshiped the water, lowered flowers onto it, and burned old boats (in Scandinavia). Now almost all rituals are a thing of the past. On Midsummer night there were mass celebrations, no one went to bed. People had fun, had fun, celebrated until dawn. Today in the Baltics and Scandinavia, festivals are held in June, between the 19th and 25th.

Before the summer solstice, Rusal Week was celebrated in Rus'. In this way, river and lake spirits - mermaids - were honored. It should be noted that many rituals during this week were closely associated with the remembrance of ancestors due to the ancient custom of floating the ashes of warriors down the river in boats. In Rus', on the very day of the solstice, Kupala was celebrated. The month of Kresen (the first month of summer) began. The rituals for Kupala are very similar to the ceremonies for Lita and Midsummer. People wove wreaths, also jumped over fires, performed rituals, bathed in streams, lakes, rivers, cleansing the soul and body, and drank surya (a drink made from honey).

After the solstice, the solstice began. It lasted three days. During the solstice, people celebrated events from the life of the god Perun - one of the greatest and most powerful Slavic gods, the patron saint of warriors, who was in charge of heavenly fire and natural forces.

The summer solstice or summer equinox is the day of the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere of the Earth and the beginning of winter in the southern hemisphere. The summer solstice occurs when the Earth's rotation axis tilts towards the Sun. smallest value. The day of the solstice is also called the solstice.

Depending on the calendar shift, the summer solstice occurs on June 20 or 21 in the Northern Hemisphere and December 21 or 22 in the Southern Hemisphere (winter solstice). In 2018 in Ukraine it will take place on June 21 at 13.07 Kyiv time. The longest day is 17 hours and 33 minutes long.

This holiday has many names among the people: Ivan Kupala, Ivan the Herbalist, Yarilin's Day, Sontsekres, Spirits Day, Dew Festival - these are all the names of the summer solstice day in different times at different nations. And in some countries, for example in Finland and Sweden, the summer solstice is even a day off and a national holiday.

With the adoption of Christianity, the pagan holiday of Kupala did not disappear from Slavic culture, but was transformed on the day of John the Baptist, which according to the old style fell on June 24. But after switching to Gregorian calendar, the day of John the Baptist has moved to July 7th. In Ukraine, the celebration of Ivan Kupala does not coincide with the summer solstice.

Summer Solstice Day: holiday traditions

The Summer Solstice is a pagan and Zoroastrian holiday, the shortest night of the year. Scientists still cannot come to a common opinion when the pagans began to celebrate the solstice. We only know that it was long before our era. Many years ago, the summer solstice was of great importance for our ancestors, who obeyed natural cycles. In the times of the pagans, the sun had divine power over all living things, and the summer solstice meant the highest flowering of all the forces of nature.

There are many beliefs associated with the summer solstice that are still rightfully worthy of our attention, because on the day of the summer solstice there is a powerful surge of energies of goodness, love and prosperity. It is believed that on the day of the summer solstice everything magical rituals, rituals and conspiracies have special power.

On the day of the summer solstice, a midsummer festival was celebrated, which was called Lethe. On this day they jumped over the fire, sang songs and just had fun.

In ancient times, rituals involving fire and water were performed on this day. For example, it was believed that swimming in ponds cleanses the soul. The flame also had purifying properties: mothers burned the shirts of sick children. According to legend, the disease burned along with the clothes.

Ancestors had a tradition of watching the sunrise on the day of the summer solstice; their ancestors were convinced that this gave strength and health for the whole year and protected from troubles.

The summer solstice was considered a good day for a wedding. However, now weddings are not celebrated on this week, because June 21 falls during Lent.

Signs for the summer solstice

On this day they found out what the harvest and weather would be like in the summer.

If there is thunder on this day, then expect prolonged bad weather.

It's good if you take a steam bath on this day. Collect the broom on this day. This way you can “knock out” all bad thoughts and illnesses from yourself. The body and mind will be cleansed.

The morning sunrise you meet alone or with loved ones will help give you strength for the whole year, as well as get a strong amulet.

Make your deepest wish and on this day climb over any twelve fences.

If the sky is starry, then this summer expect big harvest mushrooms

All misfortunes and troubles will bypass the house if you hang a bouquet of Ivan da Marya flowers on the threshold.

The water collected on the morning of June 21 is considered healing. They collected water from wells and springs, washed themselves with it that same day and drank it.

But the rain that day did not bode well. In the evening everyone went to jump over the fire, which promised a rich harvest and prosperity for the family. Rain and wet grass made it difficult to light fires and perform all rituals.

And to prevent evil spirits from entering the house, it was necessary to place a burning or prickly plant, nettle or rose hips in the openings of windows and doors.