The Winter Solstice has been celebrated in most countries of the world since the Neolithic (5 thousand years BC), as evidenced by archaeological finds. Find out below what kind of holiday it is, what are its traditions, and how it can be celebrated by a modern person.
Celebration traditions
Winter Solstice Date - December 21-22. It is she who 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 at this time, the shortest night of the year will come and Summer solstice.
Thousands of years ago, the day of the Winter Solstice was revered among the pagans of the world. The European peoples called the holiday Yule or Juul, the Romans - Sol Invictus, and in Iran Yalda. In the past, the end of December was marked with the end of preparations for winter, and easier days in everyday life began.
The Romans, Greeks and Egyptians on December 21 made sacrifices to the gods so that they would return the Sun to the sky. In the north of Europe, they praised Odin, arranged noisy feasts, sang songs. The Scandinavians and Slavs considered bonfires, which symbolized the Sun, to be an important part of the celebration. The Maya Indians played real performances, similar to modern performances by rope jumpers.
With the advent of Christianity, the date of Yule was designated as Catholic Christmas. The similarities between Yule and Christmas traditions are not at all accidental. Christian customs were compiled on the basis of pagan ones - the people did not want to part with their usual rituals. Festive spruce, mistletoe, gift giving and a generous feast - all this was 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. Every year, thousands of people from all over the world gather to meet the astronomical winter.
Yule cat - the patron saint of the holiday
Yule cat
European pagans believed in the Yule cat - not a very benevolent personification of the holiday. It is black, fluffy and huge, the size of a bull. The eyes of the cat burn with yellow light, the claws are made of iron. Possibly Russian "eshkin cat" has something in common with the patron of the winter holiday.
The celebration lasted about two weeks, and all this time the Yule Cat was busy hunting 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 misbehaved throughout the year. He is ruthless to those who offend pets, 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, will punish or even kidnap.
New clothes are one of the holiday traditions. To protect themselves from the antics of the cat, on Yule morning they bought new clothes, often made of red wool. It was supposed to be worn until the end of the celebration. Of those who celebrated Yule in old clothes, they said: "he put on a Yule cat."
Day of the Winter Solstice among the Slavs - the customs of the ancestors
The eve of the winter holiday bore the name deities of winter and death Karachun. From the eve of the Solstice, winter takes over, 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 of Kolyada, one of the incarnations of Dazhdbog. While he is young, the sun warms weakly, but by spring the god will grow up, and there will be more sunlight.
The Solstice is followed Veles days, which last until mid-January. Veles was associated with Santa Claus, his doll certainly adorned the house of a pagan in the winter. 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 Slavic holiday The Winter Solstice had 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 Christmas traditions.
The celebration began at dawn. After greeting the rising Sun, our ancestors arranged noisy feasts with songs and games, led round dances, jumped over fires to cleanse from negative energy. Mandatory elements of the feast were dishes of wild boar, pork and other meats. Uzvara, nuts and pastries were served on the table.
Honoring the Sun, they did not forget about the forest gods. Offerings were left for them - uzvars and ritual pastries of a round shape, which, again, represented the newborn Sun. Treats were also given to deceased relatives.
Signs and Traditions for the Winter Solstice
Fire is one of the most important attributes of Yule. But late December weather is rarely conducive to outdoor picnics. Not bad if you have a stove or fireplace. Otherwise, use candles. They prefer red, orange and other fiery shades. You can symbolically burn a few branches of oak or pine. As you light the fire, say:
The fire burns - it keeps the family from troubles, the flame plays - it drives away evil spirits.
Saluting the Sun with lights is another ancient holiday tradition. There is a lot of room for imagination here. You can leave burning candles near the east window, or go out into the field with sparklers. A prerequisite - do it at dawn.
Pork dishes were indispensable elements of the feast in most countries that celebrate Yule. This is a reflection of the custom to take oaths on this day on a boar's head. Keep this delicious tradition alive and good luck will be on your side for the whole year.
Dress up a spruce, decorate the house with garlands and branches of evergreens. The ancient pagan traditions are not so far from those followed by most modern people. The Christmas tree was once 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 will please other people's children with toys and sweets will soon be replenished in the family. New clothes will come in handy 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 fades, it won't come true. Cut cherry branches are placed in vases. Their flowering will decorate and fill the house with a delicate aroma.
In pagan times, it was customary to predict fate on the Winter Solstice. Try to find out what the future holds with maps, water, paper, and other tools. Can "eavesdrop" your future. Go outside at night and listen to random passers-by. Their words will tell you what to expect from fate. During the day, it is also worth taking a closer look at passers-by. Often there are happy couples - good luck in love. Have you witnessed a theft or a fight? Be vigilant, spirits warn of problems.
A new beginning on the day of the Winter Solstice is a good omen. Any business will be successful. Yule is the right time for serious deals, marriage proposals, job searches. The proposals made on this day can be accepted without hesitation. Declarations of love on the Winter Solstice lead to happy marriages.
Dreams seen in 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 dreams will suggest a solution. But remembering and interpreting them will be more difficult than usual.
In Spain, it is believed that walking around the house with a suitcase attracts travel opportunities. If you do not have enough money, free time or energy for a dream tour, try this simple ritual for the Winter Solstice - it works well.
If you believe the signs of winter, what was the weather like on December 21-22, it will be like this on New Year. Hoarfrost portends a good grain harvest, the wind means there will be a lot of pears and apples in the summer. Rain - to 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 of the winter Sun. They danced around sick people so that healing would come faster. AT modern world to realize the rite will turn out only in a circle of like-minded people. But you can sing the Kolyada hymn at home, alone. Its purpose is to pay homage to the Sun. Read as you light candles in honor of the daylight:
Bose Kolyada!
Glorious and Trislaven wake up!
Thank you,
for the gracious help to our birth!
And may You be an intercessor in all our deeds,
now and ever and from Circle to Circle!
Taco be, taco be, taco be!
On the Winter Solstice revere restless relatives but do so only after sunset. Treats for them are supposed to be left at the place of death. For the missing, offerings are left at the crossroads. Choose the favorite dishes of the deceased or what was cooked on festive table on this day. Leave a candle or lamp near the treat. In your own words, invite the deceased to treat yourself, ask him not to harm you and your family, to help the living as much as possible. After that, go home without looking back.
Conspiracies on the day of 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. Meditations and other spiritual practices will have a greater effect than at other times. Witches, sorcerers, esotericists do not miss such a strong time as the day of the Winter Solstice.
The simplest holiday ritual - writing lists. At dawn, take two sheets of paper. On one write what you would like to get rid of. This list needs to be burned, imagining how 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 implemented, add new ones, and otherwise adjust the list.
Purification of the Sort
mother goddess
Magical work to improve the situation with Rod is best done 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, on a lit candle:
Take off, Mother Goddess, with your own hands, what is tangled on the roots of the family, what is imposed on the roots of the unkind, what is said with unkind lips, that in the ignorance of the unclean it is broken. Truly so!
Extinguish the candle with your fingers. At night, after the shortest day of the year, light it again and say:
The world is getting along well and the fate of my family will be adjusted! May it be so!
This time, the candle must burn to the end. This conspiracy removes negativity from all relatives: evil eye, curses and other unpleasant magical programs.
Wish Fulfillment
In order to fulfill a wish with the help of Yule night magic, 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 for privacy. Yellow, purple, and orange represent creativity and academic success.
Light a white candle. Tie the ribbons into a knot while saying the desire out loud. Weave a pigtail out of ribbons, while holding what you want in your mind's eye and reading the plot:
On the Yule night, by the light of a candle, my fate weaves. I weave ribbons - I call on fate: I even weave - I will bring to life (your desire in one phrase).
Repeat the plot all the time while weaving the braid. At its tip, tie a knot with these words:
May what I say come true! I conjure my destiny!
Put a braid of ribbons around the candle, leave the last one to burn out. When the flame goes out, hide the scythe in a secluded place. It should not fall into the wrong hands, otherwise the desire will not be fulfilled. When you get what you want, the scythe should be burned with gratitude to the Higher Powers.
How to speak an amulet for Yule
From time immemorial, on the Winter Solstice, they made protective amulets and talismans. They are supposed to be bought on the same day, preferably in the morning. You can make a charm yourself, it can be a pendant or a ring, a bag of herbs or an ordinary 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 damage to evil rites.
After reading it, put on the amulet and keep it with you at all times. Repeat every year.
The Winter Solstice is one of the 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, 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.
Steve Parsons/PA via AP
13 thousand people gathered to meet the dawn at the prehistoric Stonehenge in the English county of Wiltshire on the shortest night of the year: and all because if you stand here in the right place, you can see how the sun rises over one of the hills - and the light falls through one from the arches of a structure built over 4,000 years ago.
Every year more and more people want to see this spectacle.
Actually, for the sake of this, "English Heritage" annually opens Stonehenge. This year, special security measures have been taken here - this is due to the recent terrorist attacks in London and Manchester - armed police patrolled the place, but the situation turned out to be calm. For those who come here to meet the dawn, strict rules of conduct have been established - you can’t bring animals, come with sleeping bags, have barbecues and pitch tents.
The solstice, both summer and winter, is an important moment for pagans. If in summer it turns out to be a time for joy and a sense of grace, then in winter it is perceived as a stage of the rebirth of the sun for the new year.
Latvia
Ints Kalnins/Reuters
By June 23, houses and summer verandas in Latvia are gradually beginning to dress in oak and flower garlands, girls are weaving multi-colored wreaths with might and main. Nowhere else in the world is so much attention paid to the summer solstice: the inhabitants of the country celebrate a special holiday, Ligo, or Janov's Day.
Once upon a time, long before the advent of Christianity, this holiday was celebrated by pagan farmers, and even since then, many traditions have remained unchanged. As before, they are afraid of rain on a sacred night, because signs say that in this way the gods are angry and can deprive a good harvest.
Nettles and thistles are hung on the door to scare away evil spirits.
Traditional cheese with cumin and beer are also considered protection against evil spirits - these are Ligo's main treats.
Everything you need for the celebration, including crowns of fresh flowers, can be purchased at special local fairs. But the main thing in the holiday is night festivities in nature. With the onset of darkness, a large fire is kindled, through which, holding hands, the most daring jump. This age-old tradition involves getting rid of burdens and unnecessary troubles. As the sun rises, Latvians take off their shoes and run barefoot through the dew, a ritual that promises wealth. Girls, in turn, wash themselves with dew to preserve their beauty and youth.
Sweden
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Midsummer is a fun holiday in Sweden, the roots of which go back to the pre-Christian era, when the sun was worshiped in Scandinavia (still, here it is a rare and beloved guest). Here, in the north, at this time of the year, the dark night gives way to quiet twilight, and summer comes here, albeit briefly. On the occasion of the holiday, many take vacations - for as many as five days - and leave the city. There it is somehow more convenient to dance around a pole decorated with flowers, weave wreaths, sing songs and have picnics.
Young potatoes, pickled herring different types, greens, strawberries with whipped cream - we can also arrange holidays with such a menu.
It was also customary to guess at Midsommer - for example, eat salty porridge and wait for the betrothed to appear in a dream and give water to drink, or look at the surface of the water, hoping to distinguish the groom's face.
Austria
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On the night of the summer solstice, lights are lit on the slopes of the Tyrolean Alps. This phenomenon not only looks incredibly beautiful, but also carries a very deep meaning. Preparation for this ritual begins a week or two before the solstice. Often weather make it very difficult to install candle structures, but since people do this voluntarily, the preparation of lights brings people together a lot. This tradition is history. Once upon a time, the pagans used the lights on the hills to communicate with other villages or conduct rituals.
In 1796, the region was threatened by the invasion of Napoleonic troops, and then thousands of volunteers lit fires on the hills.
“It wasn't a deal with God, but they hoped it would help. People back then were religious fundamentalists,” says Carl Berger, head of the Tyrolean Museum of Folk Art in Innsbruck.
Although Tyrol's independence did not last long afterwards, the invasion was thwarted. And now, after more than 200 years, the Tyroleans continue to honor the traditions of their ancestors and remember the liberation of the people from the French army.
Croatia
Observatory in Vishnyan community
ShutterstockThe holiday on the day of the summer solstice in Istria, in the west of Croatia, in the community of Vishnjan, has nothing to do with pagan culture. But it has to do with astronomy - there is a large observatory here: built in 1992, it was intended to observe asteroids, but due to light pollution, it stopped its work in 2001.
Later, here, in this area, another observatory was built - in the town of Tichan, 2.5 km from the old observation station.
For the municipality of Vishnana, the presence of an old observatory here is a good reason to invite tourists here for the summer solstice, so that they get acquainted with local wine products, gastronomic traditions, culture and scientific achievements, so on days when the nights are short and the days are long, the Astrofest festival is held here .
June 21 is the summer solstice. This is the beginning of astronomical summer. The longest day and shortest night of the year.
This time marks the heyday of nature. The earth is full of beauty and abundance of greenery. The first fruits ripen.
The summer solstice is a 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 on the Energies of June and Summer Solstice 2016
Celia Fenn: Integration of 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 the magnetic lunar energies, will bring all deep personal and collective shadow energy to the surface for transformation as you prepare for the 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
Much of our energy has been spent deep in the cellars of our bodies anchoring ourselves/our cells in the new reality and in the process of digging up and pulling out the deep-rooted and firmly seated roots of the old and obsolete reality.
After such devastation, which really started in earnest with the March Equinox and eclipses, we moved into the new season and the second half of the year, receiving/filling and recovering.
With the beginning of June, our focus shifts to alchemization, to giving meaning to everything that we have just gone through.
It's time to "turn it into gold," to use your new inner truth to bring about lasting change on the outside.
Time to transmute the mundane into MAGIC!
Emmanuelle Daguerre: Total freedom
The old, deeply 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 carefully consider them and decide:
- Do we want to keep repeating them
- Or 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've been doing inner work for the past few months, feeling all the changes going on around us, you may have noticed lately that you want to laugh, play, and just feel like a kid 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 guardian and allowed themselves to play? Joyfully accept all the gifts that life gives him?
Believe it or not, this is the reality we are heading towards. And it starts with each of us.
It begins with the fact that each of us accepts that we have come here to enjoy life. Have fun and play again.
This is complete freedom.
Summer solstice:
- It symbolizes the highest point, maximum peak, rise, rise, both in nature and in human life.
- It is a transition point and lays the groundwork for what will unfold in your life for the next 6 months.
- It is an energy portal that allows you to connect with the divine plan of life and experience the deepest connection with all forms of life and the world.
- The opportunity to fulfill true 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 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 after waking up on the day of the solstice, even before you get out of bed, focus on the flow of Light that flows through you, radiating joy and love.
Remember all that you are grateful for in life, imagining / feeling how the energy of Light fills you and the space around you.
Say hello to your guides, Divine Light, your multidimensional selves, the energy and vibration of Love.
Be filled with divine light, love and positive energy.
Feel the Unity and Interconnection with the spiritual world and all things.
And when you feel ready, direct a powerful stream of Light from within you into the outer world.
How to remember your multidimensional nature, activate your Multidimensional Self...
2. Get solar powered
On this day, the energy of the Sun is enhanced. Let her in.
Let it wash away energy blocks from you, the remnants of outdated negative thought forms, heal from emotional trauma and fill your body with vitality.
Ignite your own sun within you in the Inner Sun Sound Meditation.
3. Express gratitude to Gaia
For thousands of years, the summer solstice was of great importance for our ancestors, who lived in harmony with Mother Earth, obeyed the cycles of nature.
Remember this day about the gifts you receive from Gaia:
- food on your table
- housing where you live
- 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 care of him on this day with special love.
Send Gaia your love. Thank her for her help and care and feel love in return for you.
On this day, she is especially strong.
Feel that you are one, that you are one organism. Do a meditation with Gaia.
4. Feel Oneness with Mother Earth
Go outside, take off your shoes and stand barefoot on the ground.
Feel how your energy is anchored in the center of the Earth in a column of light.
Imagine how everything that is outdated in your life descends down this channel of light to the center of the Earth, being transformed into light.
Feel like sunlight passes through your crown, warming you, filling you with the divine light of the Sun.
Spread your arms out to the sides in acceptance…Give thanks for everything you have in your life.
And if you like, tune in to the intentions, desires, or goals you want to achieve in the next 6 months.
Enjoy your deep connection with the Earth, Light, 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 light of the candle, breathe deeply, relaxing.
Try to attune with the flame of the candle and also with the Light within you.
When you're ready, close your eyes and imagine your inner light getting brighter and brighter.
Your inner Light is pouring around you, surrounding your apartment, city, country in which you live with the radiance of divine light.
6. Summarize subtotals and set new intentions
Half of the calendar year behind.
Look back, remember what intentions you launched on New Year's Eve, what came true from this, and what else requires your attention and energy.
The summer solstice is the perfect time to expand and connect with your soul's divine plan.
Think about what area of your life needs to be expanded… what do you miss and would like to experience/live more often.
Set your intentions for 6 months:
- Go through the fiery spiral,
- Use the stone spiral when laying the intent,
- Find an old tree and connect with it. Ask him for the energy to bring the intention to life,
- Put the intention into the crystal at the Master Class.
There are four moments in the annual cycle that play a significant role in life on Earth.
People have long known about the existence of these transition points, but the physical essence of these phenomena became clear only with the development. We are talking about two solstices (winter and summer) and two equinoxes (spring and autumn).
What is a solstice?
At the everyday level, we understand that the solstice is the day with the longest (summer solstice) or shortest (winter solstice) daylight hours. Our distant ancestors knew well that the day shortens before the winter solstice, and after it begins to increase. In summer, everything happens the other way around. It has also been observed that on the day of the winter solstice, the sun occupies the lowest position above the horizon, and at the time of the summer solstice it passes the highest point for the whole year.
What is happening with our planet and the Sun from a scientific point of view? Recall some astronomical concepts.
Celestial sphere- an imaginary surface that we look at while on Earth and looking at the sky. For us, earthly observers, it is in the celestial sphere that all celestial objects move, including the Sun.
Ecliptic- a circle located on the celestial sphere, along which the movement of the Sun relative to the Earth occurs.
celestial sphere- a circle located on the celestial sphere perpendicular to coincides with the equator of the Earth.
Due to the fact that the Earth's axis is inclined to the orbit of the planet around our star, the equator of the celestial sphere and the ecliptic do not coincide. Due to this, the seasons change with the moments of transition - the solstices.
On the day of the solstice, the Sun passes through the points of the ecliptic that are farthest from the celestial equator. Otherwise, it can be expressed as follows: the solstices are the moments of the greatest (winter) or least (summer) deviation of the earth's axis from the Sun.
Winter and summer solstice
The winter solstice occurs on December 21 or 22 (the date may vary for different time zones). On this day in the northern hemisphere, the shortest daylight hours and the longest night are observed. The summer solstice falls on June 21 and is distinguished by the fact that this date has the longest daylight hours and the most fleeting night. 
In the southern hemisphere, opposite processes take place: there is a summer solstice in December, and a winter solstice in June.
What is an equinox?
There are two more important points in the annual cycle - the days of the spring and autumn equinoxes. These days the Sun passes the intersection points of the celestial equator and the ecliptic. The days of the equinoxes fall in the middle of the period from one solstice to another (although due to the fact that the earth moves around the Sun not in a circle, but in an ellipse, the dates shift slightly).
The spring equinox falls on March 20 or 21, and the autumn equinox on September 22 or 23. As the name implies, the equinoxes are the moments when the day is equal in length to the night.
How do the solstices and equinoxes affect life on Earth?
People have always known that critical points in the movement of our luminary across the celestial sphere affect nature. This is especially true for residents of northern latitudes, where the change of seasons is more pronounced. For example, from the day of the March equinox, real spring comes to us: it becomes warmer, the soil warms up, plants come to life. This is of great importance for agriculture.
It is no coincidence that the agricultural calendar has always been associated with the days of the solstices and equinoxes. These dates included important pagan holidays, some of which were adopted by Christianity. Here are the holidays:
Winter Solstice - Catholic Christmas and Kolyada;
Spring equinox - Maslenitsa;
Summer solstice - the feast of Ivan Kupala;
The autumn equinox is a harvest festival. 
As you can see, in the technocratic 21st century, we celebrate these events without even thinking that they are connected with the annual solar cycle and how dependent our ancestors were on natural phenomena.
The longest day of the year, also called the Summer Solstice, marks the transition of the planet into the phase of astronomical summer - in other words, real summer from the point of view of astronomy. The date of the summer solstice changes every year, and in 2018 it will come on June 21 at 13.07 Moscow time.
The summer solstice will last as long as 17 hours and 33 minutes. At this time, the Sun will reach its farthest position from the equator, and the Northern Hemisphere will experience the longest daylight hours and the shortest night.
What is the summer solstice
After the Sun rises to its peak, it will continue to stay at this height for some more time - this is why this phenomenon is called the solstice. After that, the position of the Sun will begin to sink to the south, and the daylight hours will gradually decrease.
The summer solstice is always accompanied by beautiful natural effects. So, in St. Petersburg on this day, white nights come, and north of 66 latitude, a polar day sets in. The residents of Murmansk have the hardest time: there the sun does not set below the horizon for about two months in a row, from May 22 to July 22.
© Sputnik / Vladimir Astapkovich
History of the Summer Solstice
The day of the summer solstice has been shrouded in secrets and folk legends since ancient times. Our ancestors attributed a deep mystical meaning to this day, as evidenced by countless legends and signs that have survived to this day.
The ancient Slavs on the Day of the summer solstice celebrated the holiday of summer - Kupala. The celebration was accompanied by rituals and magic rituals in which people praised higher powers and nature. It was believed that special rituals for the Summer Solstice had supernatural power: they determined a person's life for the next year, his health and good luck. Of course, they were supposed to be ignored. bad sign, and rarely anyone could dare to do so.
Signs for the Summer Solstice
Many signs on the Summer Solstice are related to the weather, which is not surprising: the harvest depended on it, and hence the life of the family for the whole next year.
For example, bad, rainy weather on the Midsummer Day predicted a crop failure. Moreover, even a couple of clouds in the summer sky were considered bad weather.
A lot of dew on the leaves, on the contrary, spoke of a bountiful harvest. Dew was collected by hand in small vessels and attributed to her magical healing power.
There are many stars in the sky on the night of the summer solstice - there will be many mushrooms in the fall.
If a guy pours water on a girl on the Summer Solstice, they will soon get married. On the other hand, in order to attract female happiness, the girls danced all night around the fire with songs.
© Sputnik / Egor Eremov
Do's and Don'ts on the Summer Solstice
As with any holiday, on the Summer Solstice it is better to avoid negative emotions, not to quarrel and not to shout, not to be discouraged.
The summer solstice is considered by many cultures to be a successful time for entering into any alliances and agreements, including marriage. As our ancestors believed, on this day the Sun splashed out a lot of positive energy, which provided protection and prosperity to all people.
Girls on the Day of the summer solstice wove wreaths of flowers, along the way making wishes. If you wear such a wreath on your head, your wishes will surely come true, our ancestors believed.
To attract money and success to your family, put coins under the door. And very soon you will notice how money will begin to appear on your own and in sufficient quantities.
