This is the time when celebration takes place, when romance is in the air and when the Summer Solstice takes place. It is a time when the longest day and shortest night occurs and this will change from year to year, Midsummer Eve falls on June 20th and at this time there will be many festivals with the theme of Fire. The Midsummer’s Eve theme is symbolic of the Sun so the festivals are solar related giving thanks to the return of the sun as the earth shifts from winter to summer. The circle of life brings the sun’s rays to potent state where the earth says good-bye to the long cold winter months that held the ground in deep freeze and the beginning of new things to come.
There are colourful festivals symbolic of the sun’s vitality and courage to rise again at this time. To be celebrated with bonfires, fireworks, wreaths made out of flowers and then tossed into the fires, drinking of mead, dancing and merriment. In ancient times it was said that St. John poured water over the heads of people in a form of a blessing. This was a time of renewal and St. John is a patron over sheepherders and beekeepers. So very fitting it is that the Full Moon on this night is called the Mead Moon. Once the gathering of the honey is done it is left to ferment and then turned into a drink called mead.
Along with Midsummer’s Eve, there are known goddesses that are symbolic of water, the ever-flowing changes that occur on earth that of the cycle of the lakes, clouds and back to the oceans. These goddesses are Matuta, Anahita and Kupala who lend their energies to this night of Midsummer’s Eve, as some people will bathe by moonlight as they take a dip in some special lake. This is the night of romance too where a person may dance and become one with nature and share a mystical love with another. The fairies will dance in the moonlight sprinkling silver dust on this mystic night smiling and whispering secrets in ears, as if to say come play now it is a time of celebrations.
The night to gather herbs and plants for this celebration are:
• St. John’s Wort and Marigold - love
• Carnation - that of fire-protection energy
• Chinese parsley or Coriander - for love (in sachets)
• Ivy and Hyacinth - for love
• Rose and Myrtle - that of water energy
• Gardenia good for love you can crush the petals and dust the self for love attraction
• Fern seed and Honeysuckle - prosperity
• Patchouli - that of the earth energy
• Mugwort, Eucalyptus and Lavender - love and protection
• Mistletoe and lemon - for love and protection
• Verbena - that of air energy
May Midsummer's Eve be an enchanting one for you and may your dreams dance in the sliver dust the fairies sprinkle about.
Puck -
"Now the hungry lion roars,
And the wolf behowls the moon;
Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,
All with weary task fordone.
Now the wasted brands do glow,
Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud,
Puts the wretch that lies in woe
In remembrance of a shroud.
Now it is the time of night
That the graves all gaping wide,
Every one lets forth his sprite,
In the church-way paths to glide:
And we fairies, that do run
By the triple Hecate's team,
From the presence of the sun,
Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolic: not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallow'd house:
I am sent with broom before,
To sweep the dust behind the door."
A Midsummer Night's Dream, by William Shakespeare
