Date: June 21
Other Names: Summer Solstice, Midsummer, St. John’s Eve
Goddesses: Aphrodite, Astarte, Freya, Hathor, Ishtar, Venus
Gods: Puck, Pan
Colours: Blue, Green, Yellow, Gold
Foods: Fresh vegetables, Summer fruits, Ale
Herbs: Basil, Clove, Camphor, Yarrow
Incense: Frankincense, Lemon, Myrrh, Pine, Rose, Wisteria
Oils: Basil, Clove, Camphor, Yarrow, Ylang Ylang
Stones: Emerald, Jade
Animals: Robin, Wren, Horses, Cattle, Faerie, Satyr, Nymph
At midsummer the powers of nature and life reach their peak. The Sun God is at his strongest and the suns rays shine their brightest. The plentiful plants and animals are a sign of the fertility of the God and Goddess. Traditionally bonfires (symbolic of the Sun God) were leapt to promote health, love, fertility and for purification.
Midsummer is one of the most celebratory Sabbats as Pagans rejoice in the fullness of the year’s wealth and abundance. This is both a fire and a water festival as fire represents the God, and water the Goddess.