Customer Reviews

Midsummer: Magical Celebrations of the Summer Solstice (Holiday Series)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Midsummer is a magical time of the year for most of us Pagans and this book reflects that magical spirit in its content. Ms. Franklin provides us with some basics and some fun for celebrating the Midsummer Festival or "Summer Solstice" in this book.

The book is divided in to sections covering the various pieces that make up this holiday: origins, customs, themes, magic and divination, herb crafting, recipes and rituals. The book also has several appendices of material to augment the information provided in the book.

Well researched myths, lore and customs cap this piece. The origins of this holiday are explored in history as well as geographically. From Mesopotamia to modern times, from China to the U.S., the various stories are told of celebrations of this holiday. There is even a "technical bit" that explains what a "solstice" is and how it occurs.

From the origins, the customs are then examined. Vigils in England, water and wells and washing in rivers, even the "Morris Men" come into play at Midsummer, and there are short overviews of these and more.

The origins and customs are not limited to pagan traditions. We see the incorporation of the Christian holidays and gain an understanding on why many traditional Christian Saint days and celebrations mirror the pagan. The "themes" section starts with some good explanations of this and goes into the "Wheel of the Year", light and dark times, and the various ways we pagans envision this holiday as part of our calendar. The longest day, oak trees and Druids, the Oak King and the Holly King all come into play as we come into the modern Midsummer traditions.

Midsummer is all about magic. From divination, to fairies, reading tarot cards, rune stones and working with our stones and herbs, all these play an important part on how we work our magic. There is a lot of information here on these practices and more, and while short, there are some very good overviews on divination, stones, and wands. There is an entire chapter dedicated to herb crafts, with an overview on how to harvest and dry herbs as well as their magical properties. This section is well done, with the usual advisories clearly noted for each herb, if needed. There are some small recipes for teas and salves, as well as mixes for some herb spells.

Ms. Franklin has also done a book on incense and she includes some basics on this as well in her book, along with some lovely recipes. Again, a nice addition to this book.

And, what book on a holiday would be complete without a section on recipes. These reflect the time of year, food availability, and accent special herbs that can be included at this time of year to make your dishes "magical". Elderflowers and clary sage are just examples of herbs specific to this time of year, as well as making "strawberry wine" and black mead. The wine and mead recipes are brief overviews but interesting with their associations. Again, if there are herbs that you should check out allergies to, these are clearly noted.

The last chapter covers rituals that you can use as a basis for your own practice. Ms. Franklin provides different themes for these based on traditional practices as well as giving a basic overview of the ritual setup and practice. There is even a small "handfasting" ritual if you are deciding this is the time of year you want to make special in your own life.

The appendices cover animal totems, the "Midsummer Calendar" which covers day by day celebrations of Gods, Goddesses, saints and other festivals of this time of year. This is a very interesting overview.

There is also a appendix of various correspondences, a "God and Goddess" listing for this time of year, sun symbols and a glossary. You may also want to check out the bibliography for further research and there is an index for quick reference.

Ms. Franklin has given us a well written, nicely presented book on celebrating this holiday in the calendar and it is a wonderful addition to the Sabat series by Llewellyn. This is a nice addition to anyone's library. boudica

Midsummer is one of the Pagan festivals which celebrates a positive seasonal change, and this title covers common midsummer seasonal rituals, from the Rite of the Oak King to Drawing Down the Dawn. Recipes for herbs used in ritual celebrations blend with ritual instructions in this excellent guide to creating a midsummer celebration.

This book is a fully rounded examination of the midsummer festival with history and lore, pagan themes and spiritual inspiration. It contains traditional Wiccan and witchcraft rites, along with Saxon and Druidic celebrations for the festival. I know for a fact that the Wiccan rites are authentic and I have never seen them published before. [I do worry that it may be a case of casting pearls before swine in some instances.] Along with stuff for the more serious Wiccan, the ritual suggestions would help beginners and experienced covens alike. There is a wealth of herb craft here, since midsummer is the traditional time for gathering herbs, which again, may appeal to ex[pereinced and beginner alike. I can't recommend this book too highly- the strongest in the series so far.

Anna Franklin has done a fine job of giving information on the deities of Midsummer from around the world, surrounding them with lots of myths and lore and topping it all off with a fantastic collection of herbcrafting for the season. This book is a valuable resource for any Pagan -- solitary or coven member -- looking to celebrate the holy day.

Lots of great ideas and history on midsummer customs - drawing from ancient times. There's a whole chapter on divination (tarrot, runes etc) - fairy contact too. Crystals and their properties are discussed as is making a wand, and working with herbs to make special oils and teas etc. There are a number of recipes. There's a section on animal totems for midsummer but I've found better books on totems (check out Jamie Sams). Of the differnt Sabbat books, this one seems to have more spells, potions, divination and magic. It a really fun book and I'm glad I bought it - I'll certainly be doing some crafting from it but I'm only giving it 4 stars because I think the whole relationship/connection to mother earth is too light.

Like the other reviewers, I throw in my support of this excellent book. It is, indeed, the best of this series.

I think this book is great. Thoroughly focusing on all aspects of Midsummer, or summer solstice. It reviews the holidays history and has wonderful ideas for how to celebrate. Definately a worthy buy.

This book is a great collection of everything under the sun for solstice. The author really threw in a little bit of everything - ancient holiday customs, spellwork, recipes, and suggested rituals for the holiday. The sections are well marked, and well layed-out, so it's easy to flip through and find something quickly.

The only downside to the material is that in covering such a mix of topics, the information is very surface, and only a smattering of sun deities and cultures get touched on. Of course this is not meant to be a dry scholarly tome, but a fun book to flip through and use. I recommend it to anyone wanting to celebrate their own SS or just read more about it.

Midsummer is my favorite time of celebration. The longest day of the year is recognized by numerous cultures and embraced by people all over the world. What is it all about, really? It is a magickal time with many traditions and customs to honor it. Anna Franklin explains them all and invites you to embrace the holiday.

Franklin begins with the origins of the Summer Solstice. Technically, the word Solstice means "sun stands still" and the sun may appear to do just that on the longest day. But there is much more to it than that. Midsummer is one of four solar festivals that mark the wheel of the year. It is likely a time that has been noted since people started taking notice of such things, thousands of years ago. The Celts and Druids, the Saxons, Finnish, Romans, Greeks, Islams, Russians, Europeans, Spanish, Americans, and many others, all have some part in the history and traditions known as Summer Solstice.

So what ARE the customs? They are as varied and many as there are those who honor the day. Some more notable customs include bonfires, torchlight processions, circle dancing, and divination. Then there are the very simplest of customs, such as my children staying up late to fill a jar with fireflies and letting them go again with a wish before bed. Franklin explains them all, very well, and goes on to explain the details of the customs and what brought them about. She even explains the conflict of the actual date of the day, the eve and the confusion of the name MID summer, when in many areas, Summer has just begun at the time of celebration.

Being a magickal time, optimum for fairy spotting, and other mystical adventures, "Midsummer" includes a few tips on divination, including Tarot card directions, the use of Runes, playing cards, and Oghams. The use of crystals and gems is something that many cultural traditions adhere to; the inclusion of a list of properties and descriptions is a useful portion of the book. Since Midsummer is the best time to make a magickal wand, Franklin offers instructions, advice and a list of wood properties for your information and a little story of how she followed the teachings in her own quest for a branch. And what book on Midsummer would be complete without a few spells for the beginner to work?

Herb craft is something easily worked on at this time of year, as the herbs have been growing nicely and can even benefit from your taking a sprig or two to dry. "Midsummer" offers plenty of recipes for the herbalist to enjoy, from a simple tea for the nerves to detailed guides to making incense. More substantial recipes for traditional Midsummer foods are also included.

Detailed directions for Rites and Rituals, including handfasting, fill a complete chapter. What follows are several useful appendixes of such things as animal totem descriptions, a calendar of festivals, and Gods and Goddesses. You could not find a more complete guide to the Summer Solstice, and what's more is the tone in which Anna Franklin offers this information is embracing and encouraging. For anyone wanting to celebrate the Summertime, from the simple joy of catching fireflies to the student of cultural traditions, and the experienced circle dancer, "Midsummer" is a must have for your collection. (Review originally written on 6/17/03)

I have not fully read this one yet, but when looking up certain things, I find it has the same layout as my books on the first three holidays. Full of old traditions, lore, which I LOVE, recipes, and positive spells and rituals to make everyday life just a little happier. I would recommend these and any of the holiday books to anyone who really wants to learn about the old ways and incorporate them into their lives.