Solstice Eve

This post contains extracts from the June Raven Newsletter:
     Although the Solstices (Winter and Summer) do fall on precise days of the year, our ancestors were not as obsessed with time as we are, and in general were happy to celebrate around the right time. They recognised that a day or two either way was ok. So it is that although the (Summer) Solstice actually falls on the 20th, 21st or even 22nd of June and does vary a little from year to year, for many centuries in the UK, Midsummer's Day was celebrated on the 24th of June.
     There are many traditional spells associated with Midsummer's Eve or Midsummer's Day, and these can also be worked on the Solstice Eve or Solstice Day, and as there are only a few days between the Solstice and Midsummer's Day, I reckon you could use any of the intervening days too.
     St John's Wort flowers around midsummer and it is picked either on the Solstice or Midsummer's Day. It's Latin name is Hypericum, which means 'Having Power Over Spirits' and this herb is a demonofuge, that is a herb which banishes demons, ghosts and other spirits. It can even be made into a tea to banish demons from the body ie for exorcism.
     There is a legend on the Isle of Man that if you step on a St John's Wort plant after sunset on Midsummer's Eve, a fairy horse will appear from the Underworld and will carry you off for a wonderful, wild night's ride. However as soon as the first rays of the sun light up the eastern sky on Midsummer morning, the fairy steed will vanish and you will be dropped wherever you happen to be at that moment.
     Another plant particularly associated with Midsummer is the Fern which is said to glow on Midsummer's Eve and if you approach it with a pewter plate at midnight, you may be able to catch some of its magical seeds. These seeds confer the power of invisibility on anyone who carries them.
     Fern leaves can also be used in love magic, so make sure to gather some in the afternoon of Midsummer's Day. If you want to keep someone in love with you, put a little of this leaf in your left shoe and speak their name three times.
     Any Ash wood cut on Midsummer's Day, particularly at midday, has strong magical powers and can be used to carve a healing charm. These charms are said to be good for stopping bleeding, especially nose bleeds. This would be a good time to cut an ash branch to make a magic wand too.
     You could also try this special divination: At midday on Midsummer's Day, dig a small hole in the earth, at a place where at least three paths meet (ie a T junction or crossroads). Lie down and put your ear to the hole and listen carefully as you will hear the whisper of a secret which will help you in the future.