Midsummer

Raymond · Midsummer

‘Midsummer’ refers to the period of time centred upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, that take place between 21st – 24th June.

European midsummer-related holidays, traditions and celebrations, many of which are pre-Christian in origin, have been Christianised as celebrating the Nativity of St. John the Baptist as "St. John's Day”.
Midsummer is also sometimes referred to by modern pagans as Litha, (pronounced: LEE-THA).

The festival of Midsummer is a fire festival. It is a time that they believe the Oak King's reign is over and the Holly King takes the throne. The power of the sun is at it's strongest and even though the best of the months are still ahead it is a time to be aware that from Midsummer onwards the days will gradually grow shorter as the festival marks the time when the northern hemisphere enters the ‘dark half’ of the year.

‘Handfasting’ (the pagan marriage ceremony) is usually performed at this time.. Friends and family gather to feast on fruits and vegetables to honour Mother earth's abundant blessings. A fire pit is lit for purification and protection.

In Great Britain from the 13th century Midsummer was celebrated on Midsummer Eve (St. John's Eve, June 23rd ) and St. Peter's Eve (June 28th ) with the lighting of bonfires, feasting and merrymaking.

Traditional Midsummer bonfires are still lit on some high hills in Cornwall). This tradition was revived by the Old Cornwall Society in the mid 20th century. Another Cornish midsummer celebration is Golowan, which takes place at Penzance, which normally starts on the Friday nearest St John's Day. Golowan lasts several days and culminates in Mazey Day. This is a revival of the Feast of St John (Gol-Jowan) with fireworks and bonfires.

In recent years on the Summer Solstice, English Heritage runs a "Managed Open Access" to Stonehenge for the Summer Solstice celebrations.

Modern Pagans and Witches use the time of Midsummer to gather herbs and plants for drying believing that because the sun is at it’s most powerful so the medicinal and magikal properties of the herbs will be at their strongest also.

Many decorate their homes and property with images of the sun shining in it’s full glory.

Rituals and ceremonies are held at Midsummer to give thanks to the God and Goddess for the abundance of flora at this time of year.

HAPPY MIDSUMMER TO ALL!!!

david hobbs

And to you Raymond.

I guess I am a pagan through and through.

It just makes more sense than anything else that I have seen.

Raymond

Be careful Mr. Hobbs. You'll end up like one of us weirdos.....

david hobbs

You don't know the half of it, as they say Raymond.

Raymond

ooooh, do tell........

david hobbs

david hobbs

Perhaps I should add that you are still doing, and I am avoiding doing as much as possible.

mark

so where are u now david?

Raymond

So does that mean you are avoiding me as much as possible?

I don't know too much about your background Mr. Hobbs but if you have had some negative experiences with magick and the craft then I would assume you've probably met some dodgy people along the way.
Involvement with the craft is a rich and rewarding experience if practiced properly.
Dabblers will always come unstuck.
I like to think of it as the Goddess weeding her garden from time to time.

mark

When i asked David where he is i mien as in belief ,as i myself am looking at "medium.""psychics" and there ways ,what i am finding so far is that some who no nowt about what they"should do",say when psychic reading,newbies who don't think they have to get stuff correct,and just say what they get,give some of the best readings i have ever seen,as there are no restrictions,i love to see this,others who say they are this and that ,well many are just psychic,yes i no we all are psychic....they get something correct in a reading and then cold read(some do not all)just to add things on ,then you get the mediums ,psychic who is just amazing ,knows how to deliver a message,gets a lot of correct info etc,so i just wondered where David was at the moment ,as i no he has experienced so much ,i try to word this respectfully ,hope i have ,if i new a quarter of what Dave has experienced,it would be amazing

id be mad....madder by now

Raymond

david hobbs

Just words Raymond, just words.

I say "Pope" sometimes but I am not a Catholic.

I don't like labels or religions or beliefs.

So you have me pegged.

Does that stem from a need for yourself to understand the world around you or from a desire to understand what I do and what I am.

Unfortunatly I still have some of each in my make up (belief that is), and I still enjoy taking part, but I do so knowing that I am playing a game.

When I find myself "believing" it I try to eradicate it, but then I just find another peice of nonsense to play with.

Do we need set ideas, and set traditions. Do we need ritual to make things happen. I would suggest not. Perhaps its time to move on.

Or perhaps time for us to enjoy the only thing that we have.

The moment.

Raymond

I don't get this pre-occupation with the concept of 'belief'.

Have you been following the thread on belief over on SOS? I really don't understand where all this stuff regarding belief comes from.

I will copy and paste what I have said about belief on SOS on here because I would like to hear what you have to say about it so hopefully I can get a better understanding of the point you are trying to make.

Belief comes from one ot three things. We believe something because it's solid fact, we believe it because we were taught to believe it or we believe it because we personally know it to be true so we accept it as fact.

The first one is pretty much speaks for itself. I believe the sky is blue because when the clouds aren't there I look up and I see blue.
Everyone else seems to agree with me so therefore I believe it's blue.

The second one is where religion comes in. We're taught to believe it either from our parents, school, community or society as a whole.
We accept them to be true because we are also taught that to doubt them is wrong and that we are offending some great sky-god if we do, however they are not fact they are only believed to be fact.

The third is based on personal experience and belief systems we form for ourselves. For example, I believe in magick because I have performed it myself many times and I have seen for myself that when practiced correctly it can have incredible effects. This is not a widely held view, in fact most would probably think me a little cuckoo for saying it, however I know it to be true, everybody else hasn't yet experienced the things I have.

So, belief comes from either fact, what is taught or what we experience.

david hobbs

I am thinking what to say here both to Raymond and to Mark. I am going to carry on thinking and then I hope give an answer that makes some kind of sense.

Especially to me.

evergreen

Raymond that belief thread was doing my head in already.. so why not bring it here and really debate it

it is all about nutting out what you think and feel anyway

Raymond

Exactly my point EG. There are too many "luvvies" on SOS to have a proper debate anyway.