Solstice Trivia:
Solstice [Fr. from L. solstitium; sol, the sun, and sto, to stand;] The time of year when the sun is at it's greatest distance from the celestial equator. - Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary. The summer solstice occurs on June 21st.
It is a time distinctive on an astrological level and also a time of year celebrated by ancient civilizations with their unique traditions to mark the summer season.
The summer solstice was celebrated when the sun reached it's most northerly position. It is regarded as occurring in Cancer (the Crab). It is evident that the constellation of the Crab is represented by this particular creature because the sun, after passing through this house, precedes to work backwards, or descend the zodiacal arc.
The Natchez Indians in the southern part of the U.S. worshipped the sun and believed their ruler was descended from him. Every summer they held a first fruits ceremony. No one was allowed to touch the ripe ears of corn in his own field until the ceremony was finished. The Hopi Indians of Arizona would have masked men wearing bright paint and feathers who danced their special rituals. They represented the dancing spirits of rain and fertility called Kachinas. The Kachinas were messengers between man and the gods. At Midsummer the Kachinas leave the Hopi villages to return to their homes in the mountains. While they are there, for half the year, they are believed to visit the dead underground and hold cermonies for them.
In Swaziland the ceremony of Incwala was the king ship ceremony, performed at the beginning of the year. It was held at the summer solstice (December). It was focused on strengthening and demonstrating the king's energy. The full or waxing moon was believed to bring strength and health, the waning moon bringing weakness. The ceremony needed to coincide with the summer solstice and a full moon. Otherwise the king would not be strong enough for the duties of the new year. At the waning moon the king was a t his weakest and was kept separate from society. This symbolizes making separations from the old year. He received strengthening tonics and was treated as powerless. At the full moon the king would symbolically be reborn and renewed. "Pure unmarried youths" were chosen to bring back branches from a magic tree. The next day they were used to enclose the king's sanctuary. The next day the king struck a special black bull with a rod containing the elements of fertility and awakening. The same youths would catch and sacrifice the bull. The following day the king would eat green foods symbolizing the new year. There is dancing and singing. The king leaves at sunset, but then returns dressed like an animal. He hurls a specially treated gourd (symbolizing the past year) at his warriors. He is led away and the costume removed. The following day his cheeks are painted white symbolizing the full moon in which he received vitality for the new year. On the final day all things used in the ritual are burned. The king is bathed. The water falling from his body symbolizes the coming rains.
In ancient Rome there was a special ceremony at the Grove of Diana. The rule of the shrine was that any man could be its priest, and take the title of king of the Wood, if he first plucked a branch (the Golden Bough) from a sacred tree in the temple grove and killed the current priest. This was the succession to this priesthood. It was thorough death of a god that new life came to the world. Both the gods death and rituals celebrating it were usually associated with the solstices. The story of the god's bi rth, death and resurrection closely followed the pattern of the sun's yearly course.
Midsummer Day- Europe
The summer solstice long ago was incorporated into the Christian calendar as the feast day of St. John the Baptist. Just as John was the forerunner to Jesus, midsummer forecasts the eventual arrival of the seasonal turn of midwinter. Hundreds of years ago throughout Europe, most healers were women who used herbs. In the twelfth century, Hildegard of Bingen wrote a book of natural healing and herbal methods. It became the basis of modern western herbalism ands medicine. Not long after publication, the Inquisition began and nine million women were executed for witchcraft. Witchcraft could be defined as "The knowledge and practice or the traditional ways of healing."
The summer solstice is the time of year when the feminine earth energies are at their height, this day being the optimum for gathering herbs and for healing. Some of the herbs gathered on the solstice where mugwort (the herb of St. John), chamomile, geranium, thyme, and penny royal. These herbs exuded a wonderful aroma when thrown on bonfires during midsummer festivals. Summer solstice bonfires were burnt throughout Europe. It was supposed to banish sickness from livestock and bad luck.
Midsummer Bride
The summer solstice is intuitively linked with fertility and sexuality by people everywhere. June is the most popular wedding month. There used to be ceremonies symbolic of marriage at midsummer. In Sardenis, solstice couples were known as sweethearts of St. John and their ritual featured pots of sprouting grain emphasizing the connection between sexuality in humans and fertility in nature. In March, the young man of the village would present himself to a girl requesting she be his sweetheart. After acceptance, a few weeks later the girl would make a pot out of cork and plant barley and wheat seeds. By midsummer the plants had matured. The couple dressed up accompanied by adults and children came to the church. They then brought the pot of grain against the door. They sat in a circle picnicking on eggs, herbs and wine. Afterward they sang and danced in circles until evening. They were actually performing a magical rite designed to make woods grow green, flowers bloom, etc. The sexual unions during these ceremonies were more an essential part of the rites. The people believed that the marriage of trees and plants could not be fertile without the real union of human beings joining in a sexual union.
The above was garnered from assorted places and posted here for your amusement!