“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”

— F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Although the turning of the wheel of the year is reliable and predictable, the cycles of nature never ceases to amaze. Each season possesses its own magick and brings forth something special to our senses. However, there is something exceptionally bright and inspiring about mother nature’s glory at the time of the summer solstice. In the northern hemisphere, summer solstice (Midsummer or Litha in some cultures) occurs between June 20-22 and is the time when the sun reaches its highest position in the sky. It is the day with the longest period of sunlight. The weather is warm, the creatures are buzzing about, and many plants are in full bloom. Just as the winter solstice (opposite on the wheel of the year) begs us to turn in to rest and reflect, the summer solstice lures us outside to reawaken our senses and find fulfillment.

*Source: https://www.farmersalmanac.com/midsummer-lore-12243*

Historically, the summer solstice was celebrated by many cultures with sun-worshipping festivals and fiery rituals revolving around fertility and bounty. Nature-based celebrations incorporate varied elements but often involve the use of plants. In ancient pagan cultures, healers believed that the magickal and medicinal power of many herbs peaks around the summer solstice and harvested them for year-round use at this time. Depending on availability, classic summer plants like St. John’s Wort, chamomile, calendula, lavender, fennel, mugwort, rosemary, thyme, meadowsweet, verbena, sage, mint, elder and roses were and still are abundant in many traditional Midsummer celebrations .

Summer solstice plants tend to have qualities associated with the warmth of summer, the sun, and the element of fire. They may be boldly flavored or colored (and sometimes resemble the sun!), often thrive in full sunlight, and typically possess a wide variety of healing powers with fascinating, symbolic folk history. It is difficult to choose only a few of these herbs to rely on because they are all so amazing. Appropriately so and according to lore, the ancient Anglo-Saxons selected nine key summer solstice herbs and deemed them the most sacred. And what would an ancient sacred herbal collection be without a delightful narration to go along with it? Well, the Anglo-Saxons came up with the Nine Herbs Charm, which is a poem included as part of the Lacnunga or “Remedies,” (i.e. a medical compilation). The poem details the nine medicinal herbs deemed the most powerful at that time, and even mentions the connection with the Germanic god of knowledge and wisdom, Woden (Odin). As we mentioned previously, fascinating stuff!

Not only are the plants themselves medicinally and magickally important, but the number nine is extremely significant in many mythologies. As three is a number of perfection, nine is three times three, and represents completion. It is the last number of a cycle, with the number ten beginning a new cycle. Additionally, any number multiplied by nine will equate to a number whose digits add up to nine. When we weave all the pieces together, we can see why it was and is a powerful gesture to specifically gather nine herbs to burn on the Midsummer fire!

“These nine have power against nine poisons. A worm came crawling, it killed nothing. For Woden took nine glory-twigs, he smote the adder that it flew apart into nine parts.”

— Excerpt from The Nine Herbs Charm

*Source: https://spitalfieldslife.com/2018/05/15/the-nine-herbs-charm/*

A vast rabbit hole about medicinal healing, magickal properties, and numerology related to this charm and all its translations and interpretations exists, but we’ll get right to the point. Here are the nine herbs, their Old English names, their latin binomial names, a few interesting points involving their history in herbalism, and lastly, the symbolism behind their corresponding number in the charm.

Mugwort (mucgwyrt, Artemisia vulgaris): Mugwort is one of the oldest and most powerful herbs (one of our faves!). A potent herb for intuition, visions, and dreams, it is also antibacterial, a digestive bitter, and a relaxant. You will see it all over the side of the road in summertime. One is the number of unity and a symbol of the sun: a perfect starting point for this midsummer custom.
Plantain (wegbrade, Plantago major): Plantain was called “waybread” in ancient herbal texts for its propensity to grow where the earth was most densely packed: trails and roadways. It’s excellent for bites and stings and known for its superb drawing power. Two is the number of balance and duality and represents the waxing and waning of the moon.
Lamb’s Cress (lombes cærse, Cardamine hirsuta): Also known as Shepherd's Purse, or stune in Old English, and related to the verb stunan ('to combat'), it is another strong antibacterial herb and also a diuretic. Three, as noted above, is poignant in pagan beliefs. It is sacred to the goddess and represents her three phases: maiden, mother, and crone. And you’ve likely heard the phrase “third time’s a charm”... Well, now you know where it came from!
Nettle (stiðe, Urtica dioica): As referenced in our spring column, Nettle is one of our favorite herbs. It is abundant in our region and great for relieving pain and inflammation. Its energetics are cool and dry, which makes it a great restorative spring tonic, but its fiery sting is surely reminiscent of the summertime. Four is a very meaningful number in many mythologies and represents the seasons, the elements, the cardinal directions, the moon phases, and the tarot suits.
Betony (attorlothe, Stachys officinalis): The Romans listed 47 different medicinal uses for Betony and believed that even wild beasts used it as medicine and would seek it out when wounded. In pagan beliefs, five is most prominently represented by the pentacle, a talisman that is directly used in magickal evocations and symbolizes interconnected life and eternity. It is also the number of humankind (five senses, five digits, five appendages, etc.).
Chamomile (mægðe, Anthemis nobilis): Externally, Chamomile can help heal wounds, and internally, when made into a tea, is wonderfully calming. It’s often taken to soothe upset stomachs and menstrual cramps, and helps with insomnia. Its flowers also resemble the sun! Six is three times two, thus having similar attributes to the number three, but intensified.
Crab Apple (wergulu, Pyrus malus): It is believed all apples evolved from the Crab Apple, the original wild apple. With ties to Christian beliefs involving the serpent in the garden of Eden, the Charm also mentions it just before the slaying of the adder. Seven is considered a spiritual number and corresponds to the psychic centers, called chakras. Also, more commonly, the seven days of the week (as well as the length of one moon phase).

The eighth and ninth herbs of the charm, Thyme (fille, Thymus vulgaris) and Fennel (finule, Foeniculum vulgare) are mentioned together. Both are considered digestive herbs, and magickally, both are associated with protection, strength, courage, and the will to live. In some translations, Thyme is replaced with Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) but in either case, they both have a direct correlation to the god Woden and his power. Appropriately, eight is a number of power. It represents the sun and the eight sabbats (seasonal pagan holidays), and of course, the number nine completes the cycle.

And thus, we have come back to where we started: cycles of the natural world. They are ever present. Every moment is a beginning and an ending, a transition, a journey, and an arrival. Take the time to revel on the path of summer with the sun at its zenith. The harvests will come in time, but for now, allow yourself to be amazed with the present splendor.