According to the Gregorian calendar, the Summer Solstice of 1795 occurs on June 21, 2025, at 3:43 AM (GMT).
The Tarot card associated with the Summer Solstice is the Ace of Cups, while the Tarot cards associated with the three summer signs are the Chariot (Cancer), Strength (Leo) and the Priestess (Virgo).
The Summer Solstice occurs between 20th and 22nd June in the Northern Hemisphere. This event has long captivated human imagination and reverence. Its significance transcends the astronomical, resonating through mythology, folklore, and time-honoured traditions.
Astronomically, the Summer Solstice occurs when the Earth’s axial tilt is most inclined towards the Sun, positioning the Sun at its highest point in the sky at noon. This event transpires when the Sun appears to reach its northernmost point in the sky, directly above the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N latitude). Consequently, locations in the Northern Hemisphere enjoy their longest daylight hours of the year.
This phenomenon is attributed to the Earth’s 23.5-degree axial tilt and its elliptical orbit around the Sun. The solstice is not a full day but a precise moment in time when the Sun is directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer. Following the Summer Solstice, daylight hours gradually begin to shorten, leading to the eventual arrival of the Autumnal Equinox.
Throughout history, civilisations have ascribed significant symbolic meanings to the summer solstice. In many cultures, it is regarded as a time of abundance, fertility, and spiritual illumination.
In ancient Egypt, the solstice roughly coincided with the heliacal rising of Sirius, signalling the imminent flooding of the Nile, a vital agricultural event. This celestial alignment was associated with rebirth and prosperity.
The Norse celebrated Midsummer as a time when the forces of light triumphed over darkness. The Sun was revered as a powerful life-giving entity, and bonfires were lit to ward off evil spirits.
Particularly in Sweden and Finland, Midsummer festivals involve raising and dancing around maypoles, wearing flower crowns, and feasting. The event celebrates light, love, and community, core values in these northern cultures.
In pre-Christian Slavic folklore, the solstice was associated with the deity Kupala, the goddess of love and water. Celebrants would leap over fires, engage in fertility rituals, and seek out the mythical fern flower, which was said to bloom only on this enchanting night.
The ancient Celts and Druids recognised the solstice as a spiritual time when the veil between worlds was thin. Stonehenge, an iconic prehistoric monument in England, is aligned with the sunrise at the Summer Solstice, suggesting its use in ceremonial observances tied to the Sun’s movements.
Thousands of people, including modern-day Druids and spiritual seekers, gather at Stonehenge every year to witness the solstice sunrise. The alignment of the stones with the Sun at this time remains one of the world’s most iconic symbols of solstice reverence.
The Inca Empire celebrated Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun, in honour of Inti, their sun god. Although suppressed after the Spanish conquest, this tradition has seen a revival and is now a major cultural event in Cusco, featuring dances, music, and reenactments of Incan rituals.
In the Native American tradition, numerous Indigenous tribes, such as the Lakota and the Hopi, held solstice ceremonies that involved prayer, dance, and fasting, acknowledging the Sun’s vital role in life and growth. The Bighorn Medicine Wheel in Wyoming, a sacred stone structure, aligns with the sunrise of the Summer Solstice and reflects ancient astronomical knowledge.
The Summer Solstice can be associated with the Jewish Shavuot, the Christian Pentecost and rooted in earlier Middle Eastern traditions from Mesopotamia.
As the Sun enters Cancer, and with the trine of Venus and Mars on the 22nd, dialogue and reason create an opportunity for negotiation and diplomacy. While this astral conjunction is favourable for discovering peaceful solutions, it remains our responsibility to listen to one another and be prepared to make compromises.
When embarking on the path of war, there are no winners, but we all lose.
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