Although this photograph was taken in January, when I hear the words “summer solstice” it reminds me of Stonehenge. Although we are scientifically celebrating the tilt of the Earth’s semi-axis, the summer solstice is so much more than that. From the Latin sol sistere (the sun stands still), the summer solstice has been celebrated for thousands of years for countless reasons. For Eastern Orthodox Christians, the summer solstice marks the feast of St. John the Baptist. In many countries today, midsummer is a public holiday. In the United States, the significance of today is barely acknowledged, but midsummer around the world is a time of feasts, celebrations, and parades. Until I can return to Stonehenge to celebrate a summer or winter solstice, a symbolic acknowledgement and celebration of today will have to do. Today I will wear a bracelet carved from bluestone (dolerite), the same stone from the same place that ancient builders carved Stonehenge. How will you celebrate midsummer today?
Jaunting Jen 
Don’t forget summer solstice was celebrated long before the Christian Era. Pagans of old and new celebrate this sacred time of growth and renewal.
Thanks gor the post
Thanks for your comment. I certainly didn’t mean to imply that solstice was celebrated only by Christians even though that is the example that I chose to highlight. I thought that using an image of Stonehenge and stating that it has been celebrated for “thousands of years for countless reasons,” would cover just about everything. I included a link in the post above if you are interested in more information on all of the cultures that celebrate the summer/winter solstice.
I must have missed the link, thanks so much
Thanks for the share Sean!
Reblogged this on http://www.seanmunger.com and commented:
It’s June 21, the solstice, and first day of summer…and Jaunting Jen is thinking of Stonehenge! Highly appropriate. Have a great day and hope your start to the summer is a good one!