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June Holy Days - Holidays
June
An Meitheamh (Irish), an t-Og-mhios (Scottish), Mean Souree (Manx), Mehefin (Welsh), Metheven (Cornish), Mezheven (Breton)
June is named after the Roman Great Mother goddess Juno, the Greek Hera. The month’s name was originally Junonius. Juno has many attributes the chief of which is as the queen of heaven. As ruler of the high point of the year, the time of the year, the time of the maximum light and minimum darkness, Juno is the light counterpart of Janus, the ruler of the New Year period. Because Juno is the divine watcher over the female sex, the month of June is held to be the most favorable for marrying. As Juno Moneta, guardian of money and wealth, the goddess had a temple dedicated to her on the Capitoline Hill in Rome. This contained the mint where coinage was produced.
The month of June is “the door of the year,” the gateway to inner realms. This is a month of strengthening and consolidation of gains. It can also be said to represent the “door” of the year, opening to let the sun shine in.
On or about 21 June is the summer solstice, the festival of Midsummer, the Anglo Saxon Litha and the Alban Hefin of the Druids. The Irish name for June is Meitheamh, while the Anglo Saxon was Aerra Litha, “before Litha.” The Franks called June Brachmanoth, “break month,” while in modern Asatru it is called Fallow.
The rune Dag that rules the middle of the month, is the rune of opening, representing the door that excludes bad things and admits only that which is beneficial. The runic year begins in June with Fehu. The Celtic tree calendar month of Huath - hawthorn - ends on 9 June to be followed on th 10th by the oak month, Duir. This is a month of strengthening and consolidation of grains. It can also be said to represent the “door” of the year, opening to let the sun shine in.
Cherokee
First signs of the "corn in tassel", and the emerging of the various plants of the fields. People traditionally begin preparations for the upcoming festivals of the ensuing growing season. People of the AniGadugi Society begin repairs needed on town houses, family homes and generally provide for the needy. The AniGadugi Society is a volunteer help group who see to the needs of the less fortunate, the elderly and the infirm of the villages.
Orkney Islands
June is the lightest month in the Orkney calendar. As the sun climbs to its zenith at the summer solstice it barely dips below the western horizon. At this time of the year it is quite possible to read outside at midnight - I can personally vouch for this, having done it a few times myself.
The midsummer festivities are the most prominent in this month
Up until the middle of the 19th century, Midsummer or Johnsmas bonfires were lit on hills across the islands.
The young people from Stromness and Sandwick used to climb to the summit of the hill Kringlafiold for three mornings at midsummer to meet the rising sun with outstretched arms.
One account of this ritual has the young folk kissing the palms of their hands before uplifting them to the newly risen sun.
I wonder whether this tradition may has any connection to the fact that the name Kringlafiold meaning "round hill" could refer to a natural spring found on the hill.
Given the multitude of Celtic traditions surrounding similar sacred springs and wells, was the face washing ritual connected to the hallowed waters of the spring?
According to some, the selkies, who were condemned to wander through the seas until the Day of Judgement, were permitted to shed their sealskins and assume human form on Johnsmas Eve
6/1
Kalends of June – Roman
( Read more... )
An Meitheamh (Irish), an t-Og-mhios (Scottish), Mean Souree (Manx), Mehefin (Welsh), Metheven (Cornish), Mezheven (Breton)
June is named after the Roman Great Mother goddess Juno, the Greek Hera. The month’s name was originally Junonius. Juno has many attributes the chief of which is as the queen of heaven. As ruler of the high point of the year, the time of the year, the time of the maximum light and minimum darkness, Juno is the light counterpart of Janus, the ruler of the New Year period. Because Juno is the divine watcher over the female sex, the month of June is held to be the most favorable for marrying. As Juno Moneta, guardian of money and wealth, the goddess had a temple dedicated to her on the Capitoline Hill in Rome. This contained the mint where coinage was produced.
The month of June is “the door of the year,” the gateway to inner realms. This is a month of strengthening and consolidation of gains. It can also be said to represent the “door” of the year, opening to let the sun shine in.
On or about 21 June is the summer solstice, the festival of Midsummer, the Anglo Saxon Litha and the Alban Hefin of the Druids. The Irish name for June is Meitheamh, while the Anglo Saxon was Aerra Litha, “before Litha.” The Franks called June Brachmanoth, “break month,” while in modern Asatru it is called Fallow.
The rune Dag that rules the middle of the month, is the rune of opening, representing the door that excludes bad things and admits only that which is beneficial. The runic year begins in June with Fehu. The Celtic tree calendar month of Huath - hawthorn - ends on 9 June to be followed on th 10th by the oak month, Duir. This is a month of strengthening and consolidation of grains. It can also be said to represent the “door” of the year, opening to let the sun shine in.
Cherokee
First signs of the "corn in tassel", and the emerging of the various plants of the fields. People traditionally begin preparations for the upcoming festivals of the ensuing growing season. People of the AniGadugi Society begin repairs needed on town houses, family homes and generally provide for the needy. The AniGadugi Society is a volunteer help group who see to the needs of the less fortunate, the elderly and the infirm of the villages.
Orkney Islands
June is the lightest month in the Orkney calendar. As the sun climbs to its zenith at the summer solstice it barely dips below the western horizon. At this time of the year it is quite possible to read outside at midnight - I can personally vouch for this, having done it a few times myself.
The midsummer festivities are the most prominent in this month
Up until the middle of the 19th century, Midsummer or Johnsmas bonfires were lit on hills across the islands.
The young people from Stromness and Sandwick used to climb to the summit of the hill Kringlafiold for three mornings at midsummer to meet the rising sun with outstretched arms.
One account of this ritual has the young folk kissing the palms of their hands before uplifting them to the newly risen sun.
I wonder whether this tradition may has any connection to the fact that the name Kringlafiold meaning "round hill" could refer to a natural spring found on the hill.
Given the multitude of Celtic traditions surrounding similar sacred springs and wells, was the face washing ritual connected to the hallowed waters of the spring?
According to some, the selkies, who were condemned to wander through the seas until the Day of Judgement, were permitted to shed their sealskins and assume human form on Johnsmas Eve
6/1
Kalends of June – Roman
( Read more... )