The Summer Solstice

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The Summer Solstice

Over the years, I have written about individual Satanic holidays in the hopes that the information may help explain the reason for some reactions that seem to come out of the blue. I realized there’s nothing about the Summer Solstice in the blog, so I decided to correct that. I’m glad there’s time to write and publish it before June 20, not at the last minute!

Switching from Google to DuckDuckGo makes for much more interesting results. I could write for pages about this holiday, but I’ll be as concise as possible. 

The solstices occur when we get the most hours of sunlight. To be precise, in the Northern Hemisphere, the Summer Solstice occurs on Thursday, June 20, 2024, at 4:50 PM, and the Winter Solstice, with the least amount of sunlight, on Saturday, December 21, 2024, at 4:19 AM. The number of hours of sunlight depends on how far you are from the equator.

Why does this happen? The earth wobbles as it circles the sun. When it tilts toward the sun, the Northern Hemisphere gets more hours of sunlight, while the Southern Hemisphere gets less. This means that the summer solstice in the North is the winter solstice in the South, and the winter solstice in the North is the Summer Solstice in the South. Since I live in the US, I write from the point of view of the Northern Hemisphere.

The solstice solstice can occur on either June 20 or 21 – in 2024, it is on June 20. Your anniversary reaction may be spread out over both days. Actually, anniversary reactions can start on June 19 because, for Satanists, days traditionally begin at sunset and end at the following sunset. Therefore, you may feel worse on the evening of June 19 and better after sunset on June 21.

It’s easy to overlook the solstices and equinoxes because we don’t make a big deal of them in North America and Europe. Me, I remember, forget, remember again, forget again. I usually get taken by surprise!

Some Background on Satanic Traditions

The Satanic calendar was taken from the Celtic solar calendar, probably either in the Middle Ages or even before the introduction of Christianity to the British Isles. Some Satanic groups still incorporate Celtic traditions into their solstice observances.  

The Celts were a group of tribes that originated in Europe and spread North to the British Isles and Scandinavia, East as far as Turkey, and West as far as Portugal. As they migrated, their language differentiated, first into dialects and then into separate languages. Some are still spoken today, notably in Wales and Ireland.

Traditions, as well as languages, evolved over thousands of years. They were absorbed into the culture of each group that colonized Celtic lands – including the Romans and the Catholic Church. 

The Celts used a solar calendar whose four major holidays were the two solstices and the two equinoxes. In between them, at 6-week intervals, were Samhain (Halloween) on October 31, Imbolc (Candlemas) on February 2, Beltane (May Day) on May 1, and Lughnasadh (Lammas) on August 1. These eight days are celebrated by modern intergenerational Satanists and some neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups, as well as legitimate Pagan groups whose sacred days were stolen by the Satanists.

Some of the Celtic traditions observed in the British Isles are part of rituals performed today by Satanist groups. Not all of the traditions are observed in all Satanic groups. 

Bonfires were lit, often on hilltops. The light from the fires was thought to make the sun’s light more powerful and thus helped the crops grow strong and plentiful. Lovers jumped over the dying embers hand in hand for good luck in general or if they wanted to have a baby. People ate, drank, and danced the night away. 

The veil separating this world from the afterlife was thought to be more permeable than normal. Ghosts and evil spirits could pass through, and the land of the fairies came close. (Fairies were known for being trouble-makers and the cause of chaos.) Flower crowns were made and worn for protection from evil spirits.

The Celts consider the oak tree as the King of the Forest. The Celtic name for oak is duir, meaning door or portal. Thus, the oak is the doorway to the afterlife and also to the darker part of the year, which lasts until the Winter Solstice. Mistletoe, which grows on oak trees, was used for healing and to ensure fertility. It was harvested on the solstice when it was most potent. The beech tree symbolized wisdom and was used to create spells, while the aspen carried messages to and from the afterlife.

Midsummer’s Day once was the popular name for the solstice. When the Julian calendar was replaced by the Gregorian calendar in 1582, Midsummer’s Day was moved to June 24 in the new system. The solstices and equinoxes, fixed by the sun and not by mere mortals, remained the same. Midsummer’s Day became a Catholic Church holiday celebrating St. John the Baptist. Little-known saints’ days fall on June 20 and 21.

Suggestions for Self-Care

The Summer Solstice is only ten days away now. It would be a good idea to mark it on your calendar for June 19, 20, and 21 (Wednesday through Friday) and to make plans for those days. If you worry that you are still being accessed, concentrate on putting safety plans in place. Even if you are sure you are free, it won’t hurt to check your locks and review your support systems. 

You may feel anxious or depressed during these days. Plan ahead – make a list of things that have helped in the past and dedicate some time just for yourself. Maybe free up some time by preparing meals in advance. Plan some simple treats for yourself. They will help you remember that there are lovely things in the world, as well as ritual abuse with its legacy of flashbacks, terror, and struggle.