by Jackie Bourke

Created on: June 01, 2009   Last Updated: June 03, 2009

Everyone has small rituals, even though they sometimes don't realise it, but traditional, seasonal and nature rituals, have faded into the background in many parts of the modern western world. Perhaps some people associate rituals with a pagan lifestyle, however, rituals can be meaningful, transformative and fun to do with other people and your children. The summer solstice or midsummer's night is a wonderful time to try out a ritual.

The solstices are connected with the seasons and in some languages, they are to separate seasons or start seasons, whereas in others they are a centre point. In English the period of the summer solstice is known as midsummer, however, Midsummer's Day is 24th June, which is three days after the solstice itself. Christians therefore, celebrate the feast of St. John from 23rd to 24th June, whereas neo-pagans observe midsummer.

In Spain the traditional midsummer ritual and celebrations are held in the honour of San Juan (St. John the Baptist). These are absolutely magnificent affairs as they take place on the beaches and also inland. With the weather in Spain and the rituals involved, it makes for a wonderful night. Bonfires are lit on the beaches and firework displays are organised.

When it is relatively safe to jump over the bonfire, people do this, which should be done a minimum of three times, but any odd number over this is also good. This ritual is to ward off witches and bring good luck, and the people shout out "meigas fora", which means, "witches away or out". There is also a drink called Queimada, which is made from Galician grappa, mixed up with coffee beans, pieces of fruit and sugar. While this is being prepared, the people are chanting against the evil spirits.

Another part of the San Juan ritual is to go into the sea afterwards. This tradition is based on another aspect of the ritual, which is about medicinal plants and it used to be that women who wanted to be fertile, went into the sea until they had been washed by nine waves.

Nowadays, lots of people go into the sea and it is considered to be a cleansing of the year and washing away for the coming year.

Traditionally, women collected medicinal plants on the eve of St. Johns. Depending which part of Spain they were in, these would vary, however; the majority would include: fennel, rosemary, lemon verbena, rue, fern, elder flowers, foxgloves and laburnum. These plants would then be arranged in a bunch and hung in the doorways of their homes in some parts of Spain. In many parts of Spain, they were dipped in a water vessel and then left outdoors to be exposed to the night dew, until the following mornings when they would then be used to wash their faces.

Another aspect of this ritual was that it was believed that the properties of the plants were more potent, if they were dipped in water from seven different springs. Even though there are some small differences in rituals, it can be said that many and including these of San Juan, are based on wishes for health, youth and beauty and the importance of medicinal plants, was for protection against evil spirits or bad luck. The protection of fire was to ward off these forces and to feel purified or born afresh or the miraculous effects of water or a modern day.

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