Reading 3 min. Published on 06/21/2018
Today, June 21, is the summer solstice. The editors will tell you what the Summer Solstice means, why it is significant in our life, culture and traditions.
Summer Solstice 2018: Date and Time
The summer solstice in 2018 falls on today, Thursday, June 21, 13 hours 7 minutes Kyiv time. The longest day of the year is 17 hours and 33 minutes. And the shortest night, respectively, will last less than 6.5 hours, which is almost ¼ of the day. It is noteworthy that in leap years, the summer solstice falls on the 20th of June.
What does the summer solstice mean
- The summer solstice is an astronomical event during which Land, or rather its axis of rotation, is minimally inclined with respect to the main luminary - the Sun. On this day, the slope is 23°26′.
- The name "solstice" this phenomenon was due to the fact that on this day it seems as if the sun froze for a long time at the zenith and stands at one point high overhead.
- The summer solstice is the longest of the year, as opposed to the short winter solstice.
- The height of the sun's rise above the horizon on the summer solstice is the highest of the year.
- The summer solstice marks the beginning of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
- A little about the sad: starting from the day of the summer solstice, the daylight hours will gradually decrease and reach its lowest hourly value per day winter solstice, 21 December.
Summer Solstice Festival: Rituals and Celebrations
The sun on this day gives us the largest charge of light, heat, and also its energy for the whole year. The summer solstice falls at the peak of the summer season, and it is important to spend it in a good mood in order to attract only favorable energy.
In different cultures, the summer solstice was perceived differently, but for most peoples this period was associated with rebirth, the riot of life, the flowering of nature, as well as the special magical power of its main elements - fire, water, plants.
The Slavs celebrated an ancient pagan holiday on the day of the summer solstice. Ivan Kupala, whose events were dedicated to Yarila - the Sun. Pagan traditions are closely intertwined with folklore and rituals and have survived to our time.
People tried to spend this day in nature, celebrate with songs, round dances around the fires, weaving wreaths, fortune-telling and festivities. It was believed that these rituals determine what a person's life will be like for the next year, and therefore they cannot be ignored.
Signs of the summer solstice:
- gloomy weather on this day predicts a poor harvest;
- thunderstorm - to a long bad weather;
- abundant morning dew - to a rich harvest;
- many stars in the sky - a lot of mushrooms in September;
- if a guy pours water on a girl - this is for an imminent wedding;
- people born on the summer solstice are protected by the sun;
- the wish made on this day will come true.
The winter solstice is a long-awaited event that completes a series of gloomy Brrr months (October br, But I br, Deca br). May this day be surrounded by the longest nights of the year, but after it we will see more and more daylight! This is what is remarkable about the Winter Solstice, that there is a turning point to warmth and sunlight.
Different cultures interpreted this event in different ways, but most peoples perceived the winter solstice as revival that marks the beginning of a new one. At this time, festivals, holidays, meetings were held, appropriate rituals were held, mass celebrations were held with songs and dances.
The time of the winter solstice occurs when the axis around which our planet rotates, in the direction from the Sun, takes its maximum mark. Highest value the angle of inclination of the Earth's axis with respect to the Sun is 23° 26'.
On this day, the Sun reaches its lowest position. Further, at the end of December and January, it rises higher above the horizon, making daylight hours longer.
Holiday dates:
- December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere (these are all countries above the equator);
- June 20 or 21 - in the Southern Hemisphere (Australia, most countries of Latin America, etc.).
At this point, the following events will occur:
- Astronomical winter will come;
- The sun will be at its zenith at the latitude of the Tropic of Capricorn;
- According to the zodiac calendar, the Sun will move into the zodiac sign Capricorn;
- The length of the day begins to increase;
- The sun will rise and set below the horizon at the southern points sunrise and sunset;
- The current day will be the shortest day of the year;
- Accordingly, the night coming from December 21 to 22 will be the longest night of 2019.
Winter Solstice Traditions
Of course, no one celebrates this day in the 21st century, but in ancient times it was given great importance. It was celebrated in many cultures and, most importantly, followed traditions. It is possible that and modern man can find something useful among them.
On the day of the winter solstice, the house was decorated with Christmas tree branches. Living trees improve the energy of the house. An orange was always placed in the center of the dwelling. Thus, people celebrated the birth of the Sun and the beginning of a new solar year.
It was customary to kindle bonfires and perform rituals with their help. Thanks to this tradition, people tried to hasten the birth of the Sun and initially support its forces.
How to spend the winter solstice
The end of the solar year and the beginning of a new one is a good time for various practices, ceremonies and rituals. At this time it is recommended:
Conduct meditations
A good effect will be from cleansing meditations that help to get rid of something unnecessary, obsolete. It is also recommended, after cleansing, to switch to the visualization of plans for the new solar year. Prepare yourself a to-do list ahead of time. Before meditation, this list should be read, and closing your eyes, imagine that everything has already happened. If these plans are really worthwhile and at the moment of visualization strong vibrations of the energy plan were sent, everything conceived will be realized in a short time.
Here are some meditations to choose from:
Make a wish
Traditionally, a wish is made on the day of the calendar change. Asking for something cherished and intimate on the day of the winter solstice is akin to making a wish on a shooting star on New Year's Eve.
When your desire is formed into an intention, it will definitely come true!
Desire and Light
Listen to part 1 of the algorithm for making wishes come true on the video.
Do magical work
For these purposes, the following practices are excellent:
get out
For something good to come into life, you need to clear the space for it. You should clean the room, throw away all the old, broken things. All things that were not useful for the year should be collected in boxes and taken to people in need. It will not be superfluous to wash the doorways, the threshold, and most importantly the windows. It is through them that flows of power enter the house. Cluttered space interferes with the implementation of plans and the fulfillment of desires.
Reiki sessions can help you clear your energy.
Let go of the past that has become obsolete
Right at sunset, you should go outside or open the window wide. Take a piece of paper and a pen with you. While the old sun goes below the horizon, you need to try to remember all the bad and all the negative things that happened during the current year. It can be relationships with people, people themselves, illnesses, litigation, job changes, loss of money, unpleasant conflict situations. All this must be written on paper, and then this paper should be burned with fire. Leave to burn out just before the setting sun. All bad things will go away, along with the old sun. And the next morning, along with the new sun, the long-awaited cleansing and relief will come.
Perhaps you understand that you need to let go of your destructive states:
The calendar we are used to says that the year begins on the first of January and is divided into 12 months. But nature has its own laws, which, unfortunately, are poorly coordinated with astronomy. However, our ancestors knew and honored the laws of nature. The most important holiday in the annual cycle was the winter solstice - when will it be in 2018 and what practices are recommended for everyone?
Despite tremendous progress, even modern technologies unable to break the magic of natural cycles: the lunar day will not change places, and summer will not come after autumn. And this is wonderful, because centuries-old traditions of our ancestors are associated with many phenomena, which should not be forgotten.
The frantic rhythm of life may not always help us to have time to do all our business and continue to be in harmony with the Universe, but if we are at least briefly distracted from the hustle and bustle, then we can, as experts say, “know Zen”, and put things in order in our attitude.
Winter Solstice 2018: when will it be
Holiday dates:
- December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere (these are all countries above the equator);
- June 20 or 21 - in the Southern Hemisphere (Australia, most countries of Latin America, etc.).
The exact date depends on the year, it's all about the calendar shift due to leap years.
In 2018, the winter solstice will occur on December 22 at 01:23 am Moscow time. If you live in another region, you can calculate the time yourself, knowing Moscow.
On this day, the Sun reaches its lowest position. Further, at the end of December and January, it rises higher above the horizon, making daylight hours longer.
In astrology, on this day the Sun moves from the zodiac sign Sagittarius to the sign Capricorn, and the astrological winter begins (the period of the signs Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces).
The calendar of important cyclical natural events, which our ancestors guided, includes two solstice days per year - summer and winter. Both of them are very important, because they imply an astronomical event when the daytime celestial body occupies the highest or lowest point above the horizon. It goes without saying that, first of all, the length of the day depends on this: it can be either the longest or the shortest.
The winter solstice, which will take place from the twenty-first to the twenty-second of December, will be marked by a short daylight hours and the longest night of the year. According to GMT, it will happen at 22:23, and if we take Moscow time, it will be 01:23, that is, the difference is two hours.
Winter Solstice: Traditions and Beliefs
The traditions of many peoples implied the celebration of the Winter Solstice, as it marked the birth of the new Sun. Among the ancient Celts, whose traditions echo in many cultures, this event was celebrated along with the Yule holiday.
By the day of the winter solstice, our ancestors tried to prepare their homes in a special way: a general cleaning was carried out, which meant getting rid of unnecessary rubbish, and the rooms and houses were decorated outside with fir branches. In the center of the main room, they tried to place something that would symbolize the Sun: it can be a craft of yellow or golden color, as well as a simple orange orange.
As during the summer solstice, bonfires were kindled on the Winter Solstice: the larger and brighter they were, the better. Our ancestors believed that in this way they help the new Sun to be reborn, and give it fiery forces to shine brightly and hotly. The day of the winter solstice among the Slavs was considered the New Year, which came immediately after the holiday of the Sun.
The celebration was called in honor of Kolyada, the god of the new Sun. He was also called Kaledi, Kadmus or Kolodiy, and this deity was considered a symbol of the transition of the year. It was celebrated on a large scale: they sang songs, arranged dances and feasts. From there, the tradition began to be sure to give loved ones at least some gifts, since our ancestors believed that stingy people would not find happiness in the new year.
Modern Traditions for Celebrating the Winter Solstice
Contemporaries do not always have the opportunity to go outside and make a big fire: at least in the metropolis, this will become an act of calling the fire department or neighborly anger. But we can celebrate the Winter Solstice, therefore it is better to focus on various practices and rituals. It sounds a little scary, however, do not be afraid: from those who have been involved in them for a long time, you can take only the basics, and draw the rest into your life intuitively.
For example, try meditation. Read about the most simple ways do it and remember: simple does not mean inefficient. On the Winter Solstice, a simple visualization technique can work: write a list of what you want to accomplish, or even better, make yourself a so-called “wish board” where you stick pictures of desired achievements.
Take a close look at everything you have created, or re-read the list you have made, close your eyes and imagine that everything has already come true. Inspire yourself with this thought, and don’t think differently: you already have everything, just you can’t use it yet. As experts say, after such practices, everything comes true in the shortest possible time, but on the condition that you do not sit idly by. And yet - you can tell fortunes using either cards or other materials at hand, or even the most ordinary dream.
Try also to conduct a ritual of "letting go of the past." On December 21, right at sunset, you should go outside or open the window wide. Take a piece of paper and a pen with you. While the old sun goes below the horizon, you need to try to remember all the bad and all the negative things that happened during the current year. It can be relationships with people, people themselves, illnesses, litigation, job changes, loss of money, unpleasant conflict situations. All this must be written on paper, and then this paper should be burned with fire. Leave to burn out just before the setting sun. All bad things will go away, along with the old sun. And the next morning, along with the new sun, the long-awaited cleansing and relief will come.
If you have no time to do this, then just make a wish, but formulate it correctly. Wait for the hour of the winter solstice, and go for it - most likely, your aspiration should be fulfilled soon and well. Specialists also conduct various magical practices on such days aimed at attracting money, good luck and love.
Table of winter solstices until 2025
| Year | Date and time in Moscow |
| 2018 | December 22 01:23 |
| 2019 | December 22 07:19 |
| 2020 | December 21 13:02 |
| 2021 | December 21 18:59 |
| 2022 | 22 December 00:48 |
| 2023 | December 22 06:27 |
| 2024 | December 21 12:20 |
| 2025 | December 21 18:03 |
Video - What are the remarkable days of the solstices and equinoxes:
Winter Solstice Festival in different cultures
Our distant ancestors were guided by natural phenomena and the movement of the Sun when calculating time periods. The winter solstice point was significant for the construction of such historical structures as:
- Stonehenge in the UK;
- Newgrange in Ireland.
Their main axes are oriented to sunrise and sunset on the solstices.
Ancient Roman Saturnalia
V Ancient Rome On the days of the solstice, the festival of Saturnalia was celebrated in honor of the god Saturn. The celebration lasted from 17 to 23 December. By this time, all agricultural efforts were completed. And people could indulge in celebration and fun.
It was customary to temporarily stop public affairs, send schoolchildren on vacation. It was even forbidden to punish criminals.
Slaves sat at the same table with the masters and were freed from daily work. There was a symbolic equalization of rights.
Crowds of celebrating walked in the streets. Everyone praised Saturn. On the days of Saturnalia, a pig was slaughtered as a sacrifice, and then they began to have fun. There was a tradition of gift exchange, which later moved to modern Christmas and New Year.
Yule among the ancient Germans
This is a medieval holiday, one of the main ones of the year. It was celebrated with great pomp. The word "yule" was called the longest night of the year, which fell on the winter solstice.
It was believed that on this day the King of Oak was reborn, he warmed the frozen earth and gave life to the seeds in the soil, which were stored for a long winter, in order to germinate and give a harvest by spring.
People kindled fires in the fields. It was customary to drink the alcoholic drink cider. Children went from house to house with gifts. Baskets were woven from the branches of evergreens and ears of wheat, and apples and cloves were folded into them, which were sprinkled with flour.
Apples are a symbol of the sun and immortality, and wheat is a symbol of a good harvest. Flour meant light and success.
The houses were also decorated with branches of trees: ivy, holly, mistletoe. It was believed that this helps to call the spirits of nature to join the holiday. Spirits could bestow happy life household members.
On the holiday of Yule, the burning of a ritual log, the decoration of the Yule tree (the prototype of the New Year tree) and the exchange of gifts were carried out. The image of a log has been preserved in many countries to this day.
Holiday in Christianity
In Christianity, Christmas is celebrated these days. In the Catholic tradition, it comes on December 24, when the Sun, after passing its lowest point, is “reborn” again and rises higher.
It is believed that when Christianity replaced paganism, the new Christian holidays merged with pagan ones. This is how Christmas appeared in his modern form with a decorated Christmas tree and gifts for relatives and friends. Indeed, in fact, this is the celebration of the birth of Christ, but it is celebrated very similarly to the medieval Yule.
In Orthodoxy, due to the use of the Julian calendar, the date is 2 weeks behind the solstice, the Orthodox celebrate Christmas on January 7th. However, historically it is the same date. It's just that over the course of two thousand years, the solstice point has shifted by half a month.
Holiday in Slavic culture
The Slavs celebrated the day of Karachun, the harsh deity of winter. They believed that Karachun was catching up on the ground winter cold plunging nature into winter sleep.
Another name for the deity is Korochun, which means "the shortest." The winter solstice preceded the rebirth of the Sun.
Bonfires were burned everywhere, which were designed to help the Sun triumph over death and be reborn. After Karachun, the nights were waning, and the daylight hours were getting longer.
Subsequently, this deity turned into Frost - a gray-haired old man, from whose breath bitter frosts begin, and rivers are covered with ice. The Slavs believed that if Frost hit a hut with a staff, the logs would crack.
Frost does not like those who are afraid of him and hide, complain about the cold and quickly get cold. But for those who are not afraid of him, he gives rosy cheeks, strength of mind and good mood. This is reflected in the fairy tale "Morozko".
Video - winter solstice
There are four moments in the annual cycle that play a significant role in life on Earth.
People have long known about the existence of these transition points, but the physical essence of these phenomena became clear only with the development. It's about two solstices (winter and summer) and two equinoxes (spring and autumn).
What is a solstice?
At the everyday level, we understand that the solstice is the day with the longest (summer solstice) or shortest (winter solstice) daylight hours. Our distant ancestors knew well that the day shortens before the winter solstice, and after it begins to increase. In summer, everything happens the other way around. It has also been observed that on the day of the winter solstice, the sun occupies the lowest position above the horizon, and at the time of the summer solstice it passes the highest point for the whole year.
What is happening with our planet and the Sun from a scientific point of view? Recall some astronomical concepts.
Celestial sphere- an imaginary surface that we look at while on Earth and looking at the sky. For us, earthly observers, it is in the celestial sphere that all celestial objects move, including the Sun.
Ecliptic- a circle located on the celestial sphere, along which the movement of the Sun relative to the Earth occurs.
celestial sphere- a circle located on the celestial sphere perpendicular to coincides with the equator of the Earth.
Due to the fact that the Earth's axis is inclined to the orbit of the planet around our star, the equator of the celestial sphere and the ecliptic do not coincide. Due to this, the seasons change with the moments of transition - the solstices.
On the day of the solstice, the Sun passes through the points of the ecliptic that are farthest from the celestial equator. Otherwise, it can be expressed as follows: the solstices are the moments of the greatest (winter) or least (summer) deviation of the earth's axis from the Sun.
Winter and summer solstice
The winter solstice occurs on December 21 or 22 (the date may vary for different time zones). On this day in the northern hemisphere, the shortest daylight hours and the longest night are observed. The summer solstice falls on June 21 and is distinguished by the fact that this date has the longest daylight hours and the most fleeting night. 
V southern hemisphere opposite processes take place: the summer solstice occurs there in December, and the winter solstice occurs in June.
What is an equinox?
There are two more in the annual cycle important points are the days of the spring and autumn equinoxes. These days the Sun passes the intersection points of the celestial equator and the ecliptic. The days of the equinoxes fall in the middle of the period from one solstice to another (although due to the fact that the earth moves around the Sun not in a circle, but in an ellipse, the dates shift slightly).
The spring equinox falls on March 20 or 21, and the autumn equinox on September 22 or 23. As the name implies, the equinoxes are the moments when the day is equal in length to the night.
How do the solstices and equinoxes affect life on Earth?
People have always known that critical points in the movement of our luminary in the celestial sphere they influence nature. This is especially true for residents of northern latitudes, where the change of seasons is more pronounced. For example, from the day of the March equinox, real spring comes to us: it becomes warmer, the soil warms up, plants come to life. This is of great importance for agriculture.
It is no coincidence that the agricultural calendar has always been associated with the days of the solstices and equinoxes. These dates included important pagan holidays, some of which were adopted by Christianity. Here are the holidays:
Winter Solstice - Catholic Christmas and Kolyada;
Spring equinox - Maslenitsa;
Summer solstice - the feast of Ivan Kupala;
The autumn equinox is a harvest festival. 
As you can see, in the technocratic 21st century, we celebrate these events without even thinking that they are connected with the annual solar cycle and how dependent our ancestors were on natural phenomena.
The longest day of the year, also called the Summer Solstice, marks the transition of the planet into the phase of astronomical summer - in other words, real summer from the point of view of astronomy. The date of the summer solstice changes every year, and in 2018 it will come on June 21 at 13.07 Moscow time.
The summer solstice will last as long as 17 hours and 33 minutes. At this time, the Sun will reach its farthest position from the equator, and the Northern Hemisphere will experience the longest daylight hours and the shortest night.
What is the summer solstice
After the Sun rises to its peak, it will continue to stay at this height for some more time - this is why this phenomenon is called the solstice. After that, the position of the Sun will begin to sink to the south, and the daylight hours will gradually decrease.
The summer solstice is always accompanied by beautiful natural effects. So, in St. Petersburg on this day, white nights come, and north of 66 latitude, a polar day sets in. Residents of Murmansk have the hardest time: there the sun does not set below the horizon for about two months in a row, from May 22 to July 22.
© Sputnik / Vladimir Astapkovich
History of the Summer Solstice
The day of the summer solstice has been shrouded in secrets and folk legends since ancient times. Our ancestors attributed to this day a deep mystical meaning, as evidenced by countless legends and signs that have survived to this day.
The ancient Slavs on the Day of the summer solstice celebrated the holiday of summer - Kupala. The celebration was accompanied by rituals and magical rituals in which people praised higher powers and nature. It was believed that special rituals for the Summer Solstice had supernatural power: they determined a person's life for the next year, his health and good luck. Of course, ignoring them was considered a bad sign, and rarely anyone could dare to do so.
Signs for the Summer Solstice
Many signs on the Summer Solstice are related to the weather, which is not surprising: the harvest depended on it, and hence the life of the family for the whole next year.
For example, bad, rainy weather on the Midsummer Day predicted a crop failure. Moreover, even a couple of clouds in the summer sky were considered bad weather.
A lot of dew on the leaves, on the contrary, spoke of a bountiful harvest. Dew was collected by hand in small vessels and attributed to her magical healing power.
There are many stars in the sky on the night of the summer solstice - there will be many mushrooms in the fall.
If a guy pours water on a girl on the Summer Solstice, they will soon get married. On the other hand, in order to attract female happiness, the girls danced all night around the fire with songs.
© Sputnik / Egor Eremov
Do's and Don'ts on the Summer Solstice
As with any holiday, the Midsummer Day is best avoided. negative emotions, do not quarrel and do not shout, do not indulge in despondency.
The summer solstice is considered by many cultures to be a successful time for entering into any alliances and agreements, including marriage. As our ancestors believed, on this day the Sun splashed out a lot of positive energy, which provided protection and prosperity to all people.
Girls on the Day of the summer solstice wove wreaths of flowers, along the way making wishes. If you wear such a wreath on your head, your wishes will surely come true, our ancestors believed.
To attract money and success to your family, put coins under the door. And very soon you will notice how money will begin to appear on your own and in sufficient quantities.
