sneaky solstice
spanish midsummer magic for chaotic witches, burnt-out babes, & the ritual-curious
The summer solstice is one of those dates I look forward to all year, but nearly always seems to catch me by surprise.
The good news for chaotic ADHD witches like me is that solstice rituals don’t need to be long and complicated—just noticing the turning point can be enough to honour it, whether that means watching the sunrise, charging your crystals at midday, or simply sitting in the sun for ten minutes.
The summer solstice festival of Sant Joan (San Juan) is the biggest party night of the year here in Catalonia, and it has its roots in pagan solstice festivals. Like many pagan—and Catalan—festivals, fire takes centre stage: bonfires and fireworks burn and bang all night. While it’s great for party lovers, it’s less so for pets—especially if, like me, you live with an extremely traumatised cat.
In the original version, ritual bonfires were lit to ask for protection for crops and an abundant harvest, while purifying souls and chasing away bad energies. Nowadays, the Sant Joan tradition is to make a wish and jump over the bonfire three times.
On the other side of the country, in Galicia—the land of meigas, or witches—it’s believed that an interdimensional portal opens on the night of San Juan (June 23rd-24th), allowing demons to come and go as they please, so many of the local rituals focus on protection from these unwanted guests.
One such ritual is to go to the mountains and collect flowers, place them in water before sunset, then wash your face with them the next morning. In Asturias, a similar practice has young women searching the village for “flores de agua” (water flowers)—it’s said that those who find them will marry that year.
Meanwhile, in Teulada, Valencia, a fairy called La Joanaina is believed to appear in a fountain on the night of San Juan. If you find her, she will grant you three wishes—but only if you can guide her to Teulada without turning back…
As diverse as these myths may be (and there are thousands more from all over the world), they offer us a common reflection: a sense of liminality on the shortest night of the year.
Though we might not notice it at first, something shifts on this night, and the sun begins its long, slow slide into the shadows. Soon, we’ll see nature respond as its crescendo peaks—and slowly begins to die back.
Whether it’s demons slipping through portals or fountain-bathing fairies, the solstice seems to ask:
What are you nurturing?
What are you protecting?
What are you ready to release?
What needs to be purified?
lazy-girl rituals for the longest day of the year
Scrambling for last-minute summer solstice ritual ideas? Take some inspo from Spanish pagans and try one of the following:
Make fresh flower water before sunset (it’s okay if they’re from your garden, local park, or market). Set an intention of protection, and wash your face with the water in the morning.
Write about what you want to release and (safely) burn it.
Make a wish. Then, blow on a candle seven times and light the candle (if you’re lucky enough to have the space for a bonfire to jump over, go for it!)
Write a gratitude list and hold it in your hands as you watch the sun rise or set.
As for me, I’ll be burning the intention pine cones my partner and I made at the winter solstice. This will clear away any intentions that are no longer aligned and energise the ones that still feel alive. Plus, it’s time to finally free up some space on my altar!
What have you got planned for this solstice? I’d love to know!
I have been writing about all these summer holidays in Catalonia and wondering why all of them revolve around fire. Only I couldn't find any information, and my Catalan friend didn't seem to know either. Thank you for sharing this!