Summer Solstice 2023 - horoscope, history, and rituals to celebrate the longest day of the year

Summer Solstice 2023 gives us a chance to take stock. We’ve built ourselves up as much as we could, we’ve invested in our projects, our growth, we’ve pampered those around us, and now we can stand still for a moment and observe. Did we achieve those goals?

The longest day of the year is Midsummer. This is when the year peaks, and the tension of anticipation is palpable, for what comes ahead, as the year starts to wane. Summer Solstice 2023 comes hot on the heels of the New Moon June 2023 and celebrating both events is a must.

Summer Solstice isn’t just an astrological celebration, it is a celebration of nature and impacts everyone and everything. The year's longest day holds meaning for all ancient societies and old religions.

Midsummer was celebrated in many Pagan religions, and nature-based societies would celebrate a bountiful season, good weather, and good food – and some cultures like Swedes and Finns celebrate it still today.

Modern-day Pagans celebrate Midsummer by lighting fires on the hills, dancing all night and jumping the broomstick. It is considered an auspicious time for weddings, as the Summer Solstice represents the time of marriage between the Goddess and the God.

It is a great time for conception magic for those struggling with fertility, as nature is at its most abundant.

WHEN IS SUMMER SOLSTICE 2023?

It is June 21 2023 when the Sun moves from Gemini to Cancer, and the day is the longest, and the night is the shortest.

Chaotic, colorful Gemini season 2023 is over, giving way to peaceful, calm Cancer season 2023.

The sign of Cancer loves family occasions and catching up with old friends. Following the Summer Solstice, a bit of down-time is in order, courtesy of quiet Cancer vibes.

WHAT IS SUMMER SOLSTICE?

The longest day of the year is called the Summer Solstice.

Until now, days have been getting longer and nights, shorter. After today, this will be reversed, and each day will be a little shorter, and each night longer.

This stands exactly opposite to the Winter Solstice, when we experienced the dead of winter.

The Summer Solstice’s influence on us all, is a moment’s stillness before the descent towards winter. It is time to take stock and decide what we leave behind, and what we take with us to the next part of the year.

Sit for a moment and see how each of the past 12 months led you to where you are right now. Experience feelings of gratitude towards the people and places who got you to where you are today.

SUMMER SOLSTICE 2023 RITUAL

Honoring the Sun is a beautiful tradition harking back to ancient societies. Nothing connects us back to the past, like those simple, unchanging things. The Sun, the Moon, the movement of the seasons.

Sunrise might not be feasible for all, so honoring the Sun as it sets on Solstice evening is also a wonderful thing to do.

Create an altar outdoors at sunrise or sunset, and on it:

• A yellow or white cloth
• A yellow candle
• Fresh flowers
• A yellow ribbon

This will be knot magic, and we’re about to capture the strength and heat of the sun.

Light the candle and circle the ribbon around it, tying it in a loose knot. Careful not to touch the flame!

Breathe in the light from the candle, and the heat. Connect your heart to the light and heat all around you and acknowledge the Sun, as giver of life.

Carefully lift the ribbon and as it is clear of the fire, tie it in a powerful knot.

Hold the knot with both your hands and say: ‘in this knot is the heat of Midsummer, in this knot is the light of Midsummer’.

Now the knot contains the energies of the Summer Solstice within it.

Whenever you need to feel the strength of the Sun, undo the knot.

If you need summery blessings to deal with a pesky ex, undo the knot and your summer sass will be back. If you need summery confidence for a job interview, undo the knot and walk into the interview with a glow around you.

Once used, discard the ribbon by burying it in the ground.

Summer Solstice 2023 horoscope

This is the peak, the top, the summit. Summer Solstice 2023 is the time of longest day and shortest night, and from the next day, we start the rollercoaster descent towards Winter Solstice. Now we’ve reached the peak, we can take a good look at our tools – what helped, what hindered, and get rid of those that no longer serve us.

For the most accurate reading, look at your sun sign moon sign, or rising sign according to your astrology birth chart.

Aries

The fieriest of the signs, and a lover of sunshine, this is a comfortable time of year for you, Aries. You like extremes, so the longest day is fun for you – also the hottest day, the brightest day, or the shiniest day, anything that’s big and over the top feels cozy and welcoming to you.

Take advantage of those sunny vibes and commit to some plans for the coming months. Is there a goal you’d like to work towards? Is there a book you wanted to finish? Make a pact with yourself to do it, and give yourself six months till the Winter Solstice to complete it.

Taurus

You’re a mild and peaceful person, and see no need to celebrate the longest day, or anything very extreme, Taurus. This whole palaver around the longest day isn’t your jam, you prefer to celebrate equality, balance, peace. Your lesson from the Summer Solstice 2023 is, that nothing lasts forever, and you can carry on being mild, and it will be a safe and very secure choice. Venus, your ruling planet, which is also the planet of love, is in the proud sign Leo during Midsummer, which means someone can’t wait to treat you like royalty.

Gemini

The Summer Solstice 2023 is the final fun moment of Gemini Season so you feel like it’s personal. A summer of partying and being awesome is exactly your vibe, and you worry that it is snatched away from you. Fear not, Gemini, because there are many ways to party. (This, by the way, will be the name of your autobiography. “Many ways to party”, by Gemini).

The best thing about summer is how long the nights are, maximizing comfortable festival hours and beer garden evenings. The Sun isn’t going anywhere, and the reduction in daylight is only slow, you’ll survive it for sure.

Cancer

And just like that, Cancer Season is starting. Midsummer is the first day of your season, and you’ve been waiting for your special season all year. Your calm and quiet nature has longed for a few special moments, so you get to shine. You love to care for others, and therefore rarely get to be center stage.

Just before it starts, look back – what have you accomplished in the past 12 months, what worked in your favor, and what worked against you? Let the year start to wane, but know you don’t have to.

Leo

As a child of the Sun, the great solar disk being your planetary ruler, you feel those solar festivals, the Solstices and the Equinoxes, in your very blood and bones, Leo. The Summer Solstice, with its long sunny days, is your fave. Soon it will be Leo season, and the whole summer is really a celebration of you.

Allow yourself to be the shining star of every situation. After all, it’s the very essence of being a proud Leo.

Virgo

The peak of the year is not your moment and the season of sunshine is not your season either, Virgo. You’re a modest and generous sign, so if anyone wants to celebrate the Summer Solstice, you’ll support them. You may even give them a ride to the ritual. However, the way you think about summer is a little unfair. You see it as a season for debauchery, for doing too much, and it’s actually a season of opportunity when you can choose to be whoever you want to be.

Utilize this and knit yourself a new crown – what competition would you like to win? Go and do everything you wanted.

Libra

You’re a fan of perfect balance, that’s why you’re the sign of the Scales, Libra. The Solstice may be too draining for you – too exciting, too warm, too loud. Midsummer parties are not your natural habitat, and you struggle to feel at home when people around you are on edge.

Summer Solstice 2023 is exactly that – on the edge, so you wait for it to pass. As the year wanes, sliding calmly towards Libra season, you’ll feel more secure in taking chances. For now, play it safe, don’t propose to anyone or hand in your resignation until at least July.

Scorpio

You love to keep your secrets to yourself, and so the season of Sun feels a little too exposed to you, Scorpio. At Midsummer, nothing is secret, nothing is hidden and everything is known. Not a state of affairs that you can get on board with.

Turning an astrological corner at Midsummer and beginning the long and steady march towards Midwinter feels a lot more natural to you.

Sagittarius

Six months ago the Sun left your sign, and you’ve been waiting for it to return since Sagittarius. As it happens, you don’t demand the Sun to set up camp in your very sign, you’ll be happy just for the sun to surround you and fill your cup, recharge your energy stores.

Nothing terrible will happen if you just party all summer, you deserve to enjoy and you can safely let your hair down. As winter approaches, you’ll naturally run out of party energy and make a change during the Autumn Equinox

Capricorn

The Winter Solstice started Capricorn season, and right now we are a whole six months away from it, Capricorn. The opposite end of the year. There are many days before your birthday happens and then all eyes are on you. Many days that allow you to take stock, make big decisions, allow for big changes.

This Summer Solstice, know that six months are long enough to do nearly anything. Be exactly who you want to be, when Winter Solstice is here.

Aquarius

One of your many strengths is your creative mind, Aquarius. The Sun is a source of all life, and especially of creativity, and today the Sun is at its absolute max. Take some time alone – you love doing that anyway – and think about your creative journey. Are you still active in your creativity, are you doing enough to honor your creative self, are there any new creative skills you’d like to learn?

Write down how you feel, or sketch your emotions, and this will be your creative to-do list as we approach the season of darkness.

Pisces

As a lover of equality, not extremes, you favor the Equinoxes over the Solstices, Pisces. You feel confident and happy when there’s a perfect balance between light and dark. When there’s a peak, you feel off balance.

Use the longest day to your advantage – let yourself manifest some bright and sunny additions to your life. Be it a new wardrobe, a career shift, or a house – all and any visible changes will be created on the day of light.