Summer Solstice - Super Moon June 2013

Summer Solstice - Super Moon June 2013
The Summer Solstice, is the longest day of the year, the shortest night and a tipping point from

here on out, that the days get shorter and the nights get longer.
The Solstice is also sometimes called midnight summer Solstice too, because by now all farmers have long done their planting which is technically the first day of summer.
Both of these meanings remind us all that the season is getting shorter, slipping away day by day into the warmest season of the year.
There are many ways in which people celebrate the Summer Solstice.
Some may revere out into nature, by an bonfire and staying up all night to greet the dawn for Summer Solstice.
Another Celebration maybe a small private event or larger communal ones, such as the Pagan Spirit   Gathering held on beautiful rural land in Missouri- They will have ritual praying, altars and sacred chatting.
There have been Celebrations with as much broader spectrum with the Summer Solstice,

such as the 35,000 who gathered at Stonehenge last  year. This year there were 21,000 who gathered at Stonehenge. And this year was a special Summer Solstice because it had the Super Moon on June starting on June 20th that lasted for about 5-days all around the world.
I myself was only able to see pictures because of the area of which I live. I will be posting photo's throughout this post so you can see the pic's.
There are those who practice this special time of the year as a religious time and have varieties rituals and traditions. There are also those who practice the Magick of the Summer Solstice too. Some will burn a Yule wreath in bonfires, others will dance, using special drums or horns, singing, praying and chatting.
There are many different variations of the Summer  Solstice at this time of the year:
Here are a few of them-
Different types of Rituals-

All kinds of Ceremonials-
Many are Spontaneous - All witnessing the turning of the wheel of the year-
Others feel attune to the rhythms of the nature of the world and feel a need to invite the season of waxing and waning of birth, growth, death and renewal.
There are others that feel the need to renewal and reverberate more consciously into their daily live by the Celebration of the Summer Solstice - And even some that are able to go to the main place for the Summer Solstice STONEHENGE-
These Rituals have been going on for centuries-
The most famous site is Stonehenge in England which dates back to 3000 - 1500 B.C.E. It is the

main Axis to the Summer Solstice Sunrise. This is probably why so many people gather there every year. Last year there were 35,000 people who came to Stonehenge in England which was solid-out.  This year it was 21,000 people and it too was solid-out to the first Super Moon of the century for the Summer Solstice.
A Poem-
"This is the time of the Rose, blossom and thorn, fragrance and blood. Now on this longest day, light triumphs, Yet begins the decline into the dark. The Sun King grown embraces the Queen of Summer in the love that is death because it is so complete that all dissolves into the single song of ecstasy that moves the worlds. So the Lord of light dies to Himself and set sail across the dark seas of time, searching for the isle of light that is rebirth. We turn the wheel and share his faith, for we have planted the seeds of our own changes and to grow we must accept even the passing of the sun." by Starhawk
Honoring the Summer Solstice & the Special Super Moon of June 20 - 25 of 2013-
By honoring the Summer Solstice Every June - 20 [And this year having a special Super Moon for

our Summer Solstice ] it can remind us all, just how precious each day is and the seasons are to all! Because the truth of its passing always is acknowledged every year! Gifts need to be appreciated, not taken for granted. A Gift can be many things, it doesn't necessarily have to be a object. A Gift could be life on our planet. Another gift could be, a happy full harvest of the turning of the wheel of the full year. There is the gift of plenty world wide for the season of the Summer Solstice too.
In the age of Global Warming we should all Celebrate Summer Solstice and acknowledgment
that our Earth is in Global trouble. And we should be thankful that we have such a beautiful planet in which to live on.
Honoring Summer Solstice as a  Religious ritual to raise energy for Healing- 
There are Many folks that honor the Summer Solstice as a Religious ritual to raise energy for

 Group of Druids

Healing, redressing the environmental wrongs, strengthening the sense of being part of Nature.
This includes the past, present and future. Such is the power of the participating in the turning of the wheel of the year - The Summer Solstice...
There are Some Religious groups such as Pagan-

A bonfire in Celebration  

Druid in Pray

In these Religious groups, they are very serious in their ritual ceremonies. And with the special super moon of this years turning of the year wheel I am sure there was much celebration both in religious groups, communities groups, private groups and large pubic groups such as at the Stonehenge in England this year with the super moon.

 Ceremonial  horn

Dressed for the Summer Solstice 2013

 Drummer

Super Moon at Stonehenge 

Young boy with father

Sunrise at Stonehenge  

Seattle Washington.. [ My home]

Druid at Stonehenge