Information to the Fire Festival 2013

Some people have grown up reading the word 'Midsummer' and might have wondered what it meant. Particular calendar's mark 'Midsummer's Eve' as some time in mid-June, and naturally there's the Shakespearean play bearing its title, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Midsummer is just a party that has ancient origins, and is continued to-day primarily by people who practice Pagan and Wicca spiritual paths. How do these modern pagans understand and celebrate the midsummer holiday?

At Midsummer, we discover ourselves on the level in the Wheel of the Year when the Sun is at its peak, the summer solstice. It is the longest time of the year. Since the summer time traditionally started on Beltane (May 1 in the Northern Hemisphere), this festival is commonly called Midsummer. It's also known as Litha.

In the Northern Hemisphere the summer solstice falls around June 19-22, while it is between December 20-23 in the Southern Hemisphere.

Midsummer is a time when much focus is on the sun, of course. Several old temples and sacred places, including Stonehenge, are arranged in such a way as to arrange with the situation of the sun at summer solstice.

Like Yule, its reverse counterpoint on the Wheel of the Year, Midsummer brings up designs of the symbolic Oak King, representing the light half of the year, combating the Holly King, who shows the dark half of the year, when light is waning. Although the Oak King is at his peak, after this time the Holly King will start to have the upper hand. For the next half a year, light may decrease.

The total male element, the God, is currently recognized as having fulfilled his goal. Numerous cultures obviously celebrate the Sun God on summer solstice. He was proven to the historical Celts as provider, Lugh and bringer of the crops. Normally, by this point in the year, crops are thriving. The Goddess is giving forth her nice bounty as well, as Divine Mother Earth. fulfilling her role

Both male and female powers, often represented respectively as earth and sun, have bestowed their gift suggestions of creation upon the land. We ought to recall how the pagan traditions arose out of agrarian cultures, and how closely these cultures paid attention to the timings of the seasons; in old Europe, people's lives depended on it.

Design is alive with plentiful selection and the interest of life at Midsummer. The flower is a effective image of the Goddess at this time, as flowers abound in many parts of the earth at this time of year.

Love and variety come in the air now in the Wheel of the Year. The herbs and plant life have become and are growing, and all is in bloom. The sexy, purely physical passion of Beltane, the prior sabbat, has now deepened and matured in to the embrace of lovers who now know one another well. Ergo, this was usually a time of hand-fasting (wedding) ceremonies, which remains to this time with June being the hottest month for nuptials (in the Northern Hemisphere ).

If you want suggestions for decorating your ceremony at midsummer, fruits that are ripe locally, roses, and any symptoms of the sun are apropos.

More details is available on this website.

More trappings even as we enjoy Midsummer include:

Gold mostly, also and colors: Green red.

Incense: Rose, violet, fir, forest, tangerine, frangipani and frankincense.

Herbs: E. john's wort, parsley, basil, mint, violet, dragons body, thyme, fern, jasmine and vervain.

Stone: Emerald.

Because therefore much emphasis is on the sunlight, Midsummer's Eve fire customs really are a common practice. Everywhere 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 cultures encourage carrying the ashes of the fire for safety. What you may do, imbue it with a feeling of surprise, thanks, and power for this energetic and bountiful time of year.