The summer solstice, also known as Litha, is an important time of year for Wiccans. During this time, there are numerous sacred traditions that take place to honor the changing seasons and celebrate the zenith of the sun's power. These traditions have deep spiritual significance and are observed by Wiccans all around the world. Let's explore some of the 13 sacred traditions of Wicca during the summer solstice. 1. Lighting bonfires: Bonfires are a central part of summer solstice celebrations.
Lighting bonfires: Bonfires are a central part of summer solstice celebrations. These fires symbolize the energy and power of the sun. They are lit to honor the sun and bring light and warmth into the world.
Sacred hares, banished winter witches and pagan worship – the roots of Easter Bunny traditions are ancient
The Easter Bunny typically evokes memories of fun and colorfully painted eggs, but this mythical rabbit has prehistoric origins and is a longstanding cultural symbol that keeps returning each spring.
Tok Thompson April 13, 2022 ShareThe Easter Bunny is a much celebrated character in American Easter celebrations. On Easter Sunday, children look for hidden special treats, often chocolate Easter eggs, that the Easter Bunny might have left behind.
As a folklorist, I’m aware of the origins of the long and interesting journey this mythical figure has taken from European prehistory to today.
Religious role of the hare
Easter is a celebration of spring and new life. Eggs and flowers are rather obvious symbols of female fertility, but in European traditions, the bunny, with its amazing reproduction potential, is not far behind.
In European traditions, the Easter Bunny is known as the Easter Hare. The symbolism of the hare has had many tantalizing ritual and religious roles down through the years.
Hares were given ritual burials alongside humans during the Neolithic age in Europe. Archaeologists have interpreted this as a religious ritual, with hares representing rebirth.
Over a thousand years later, during the Iron Age, ritual burials for hares were common, and in 51 B.C., Julius Caesar mentions that in Britain, hares were not eaten, due to their religious significance.
Caesar would likely have known that in the Classical Greek tradition, hares were sacred to Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Meanwhile, Aphrodite’s son Eros was often depicted carrying a hare, as a symbol of unquenchable desire.
‘The Madonna of the Rabbit,’ a painting from 1530, depicting the Virgin Mary with a hare. (A painting by artist Titian (1490-1576), Louvre Museum, Paris.)
From the Greek world through the Renaissance, hares often appear as symbols of sexuality in literature and art. For example, the Virgin Mary is often shown with a white hare or rabbit, symbolizing that she overcame sexual temptation.
Hare meat and witches’ mischief
But it is in the folk traditions of England and Germany that the figure of the hare is specifically connected to Easter. Accounts from the 1600s in Germany describe children hunting for Easter eggs hidden by the Easter Hare, much as in the contemporary United States today.
Written accounts from England around the same time also mention the Easter Hare, particularly in terms of traditional Easter hare hunts, and the eating of hare meat at Easter.
One tradition, known as the “Hare Pie Scramble,” was held at Hallaton, a village in Leicestershire, England, which involved eating a pie made with hare meat and people “scrambling” for a slice. In 1790, the local parson tried to stop the custom due to its pagan associations, but he was unsuccessful, and the custom continues in that village until this day.
The eating of the hare may have been associated with various longstanding folk traditions of scaring away witches at Easter. Throughout Northern Europe, folk traditions record a strong belief that witches would often take the form of the hare, usually for causing mischief such as stealing milk from neighbors’ cows. Witches in medieval Europe were often believed to be able to suck out the life energy of others, making them ill, and suffer.
The idea that the witches of winter should be banished at Easter is a common European folk motif, appearing in several festivities and rituals. The spring equinox, with its promise of new life, was held symbolically in opposition to the life-draining activities of witches and winter.
This idea provides the underlying rationale behind various festivities and rituals, such as the “Osterfeuer,” or the Easter Fire, a celebration in Germany involving large outdoor bonfires meant to scare away witches. In Sweden, the popular folklore states that at Easter, the witches all fly away on their broomsticks to feast and dance with the Devil on the legendary island of Blåkulla, in the Baltic Sea.
Pagan origins
In 1835, the folklorist Jacob Grimm, one of the famous team of the fairy tale “Brothers Grimm,” argued that the Easter Hare was connected with a goddess, whom he imagined would have been called “Ostara” in ancient German. He derived this name from the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre, that Bede, an Anglo-Saxon monk considered to be the father of English history, mentioned in 731.
‘Ostara’ by Johannes Gehrts, created in 1884. The goddess Ãâostre flies through the heavens surrounded by Roman-inspired putti, beams of light, and animals. (Felix Dahn, Therese Dahn, Therese (von Droste-Hülshoff) Dahn, Frau, Therese von Droste-Hülshoff Dahn (1901) via Wikimedia Commons.)
Bede noted that in eighth-century England the month of April was called Eosturmonath, or Eostre Month, named after the goddess Eostre. He wrote that a pagan festival of spring in the name of the goddess had become assimilated into the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Christ.
It’s interesting that while most European languages refer to the Christian holiday with names that come from the Jewish holiday of Passover, such as Pâques in French, or Påsk in Swedish, German and English languages retain this older, non-biblical word, Easter.
Recent archaeological research appears to confirm the worship of Eostre in parts of England and in Germany, with the hare as her main symbol. The Easter Bunny therefore seems to recall these pre-Christian celebrations of spring, heralded by the vernal equinox and personified by the Goddess Eostre.
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After a long, cold, northern winter, it seems natural enough for people to celebrate themes of resurrection and rebirth. The flowers are blooming, birds are laying eggs, and baby bunnies are hopping about.
As new life emerges in spring, the Easter Bunny hops back once again, providing a longstanding cultural symbol to remind us of the cycles and stages of our own lives.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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This idea provides the underlying rationale behind various festivities and rituals, such as the “Osterfeuer,” or the Easter Fire, a celebration in Germany involving large outdoor bonfires meant to scare away witches. In Sweden, the popular folklore states that at Easter, the witches all fly away on their broomsticks to feast and dance with the Devil on the legendary island of Blåkulla, in the Baltic Sea.
2. Dancing around the maypole: Dancing around the maypole is a traditional activity during Litha. The maypole represents the sacred union of the goddess and the god. As Wiccans dance around the maypole, they invoke the fertility and abundance of the season. 3. Offering fruits and flowers: Summer solstice is a time when the earth is teeming with life and abundance. Wiccans offer fruits and flowers as a way to express gratitude for the bountiful harvest and to honor the fertility of the land. 4. Creating flower crowns: Flower crowns are a popular accessory during summer solstice celebrations. Wiccans create these crowns using flowers and herbs that are associated with the season, such as sunflowers and lavender. They wear these crowns to connect with the energy of the sun and nature. 5. Creating sun-themed crafts: Wiccans often engage in crafting activities during the summer solstice. They create sun-themed crafts like sun catchers or sun disks to symbolize the power and warmth of the sun. 6. Divination rituals: The summer solstice is considered a powerful time for divination. Wiccans may perform divination rituals using tarot cards, runes, or other divination tools to gain insight and guidance for the coming season. 7. Sun meditation: Many Wiccans practice sun meditation during the summer solstice. They sit outside in the sunlight and meditate, allowing the sun's energy to fill them with warmth and vitality. 8. Outdoor rituals: The summer solstice is a time to connect with nature and the outdoors. Wiccans often perform their rituals outside, in sacred spaces like gardens, forests, or near bodies of water, to align themselves with the energy of the earth. 9. Chanting and singing: Chanting and singing are common during summer solstice celebrations. Wiccans use their voices to raise energy and create a joyful and harmonious atmosphere, invoking the spirit of the sun and the season. 10. Making offerings to the land spirits: Wiccans believe in the presence of land spirits, who are responsible for the fertility and abundance of the earth. During the summer solstice, they make offerings to these spirits as a sign of respect and gratitude. 11. Making solar water: Solar water is created by placing clean water in a vessel and leaving it in the sun to absorb the sun's energy. Wiccans use this solar water for rituals and spellwork during the summer solstice. 12. Celebrating the maturing of crops: The summer solstice is a time to celebrate the maturing of crops and the abundance of the earth. Wiccans may organize feasts or potluck gatherings to share and enjoy the fruits of the season. 13. Reflecting on personal growth: Wiccans see the summer solstice as a time to reflect on personal growth and transformation. They may perform rituals or engage in introspective activities to assess their progress and set intentions for the future. Overall, the sacred traditions of Wicca during the summer solstice revolve around honoring the sun, connecting with nature, and celebrating the abundance of the season. These traditions provide Wiccans with an opportunity to deepen their spiritual connection and align themselves with the rhythms of the earth..
Reviews for "Honoring the Elements: 13 Sacred Traditions of Wicca during the Summer Solstice"
- Susan Thompson - 2 stars - I was really looking forward to learning about the sacred traditions of Wicca during the summer solstice, but this book was a major letdown. The content was extremely superficial and lacked any depth or insight into the practices. It felt more like a brief introduction rather than a comprehensive guide. Additionally, the book was poorly organized and difficult to navigate. Overall, I felt really disappointed and didn't gain any new knowledge or understanding from reading this.
- John Anderson - 1 star - This book was a complete waste of my time and money. The author seemed to have no real understanding of Wicca or the summer solstice traditions. The information provided was vague, confusing, and contradictory. I found myself questioning the accuracy of the content throughout the entire book. It's clear that the author rushed through writing this without doing proper research. I would not recommend this book to anyone who is serious about learning about Wicca or the summer solstice.
- Emma Roberts - 2 stars - I had high hopes for this book, but it fell short of my expectations. The material covered in this book was very basic and lacked any originality or depth. It felt like a recycled version of information that can easily be found online or in other Wicca books. The writing style was also quite dry and monotonous, making it difficult to stay engaged. I was hoping to delve deeper into the sacred traditions of Wicca during the summer solstice, but unfortunately, this book did not provide that experience. Overall, I would not recommend this book to someone seeking a comprehensive understanding of Wicca traditions.