In the Northern Hemisphere, on Thursday June 24th (2021) we have the full moon closest to the Summer Solstice and reach the half-way point of our calendar year. This moon goes by many names but regardless what you call it, this a time where the cosmic forces of light and dark from the sun and moon are in harmony and alignment. The sun slowly reaching its apex and where the energy of the moon begins to gain strength and prominence as the days slowly get shorter after the solstice.

For this and other reasons, the full moon leading up to Midsummer is a very magical time to connect with nature spirits, to reconnect with yourself and your intentions for the year, and to take stock of how far you’ve come. If you’re looking for ideas or inspire you, I’ll be diving into all the magical correspondences you can work with to make your magic super juicy for June’s full moon, as well as offer ritual and magical ideas to reconnect you with the spirits of the land and your highest self. But before we get started, let’s take a closer look at this full moon’s history and lore.

History and Lore for June’s Full Moon

For the Algonquin tribes in North America, June’s full moon is called the Strawberry Moon, as this is the time when strawberries are ripening and ready to pick. The roses also bloom at this time of year, which accounts for the name Rose Moon as well. The Lovers Moon speaks to how this is a where lovers get married, and also applies to the god and the goddess, which are in equal alignment at this time. According to English folklore, the time leading up to Midsummer can cause madness.

In the Celtic Pagan tradition, the June full Moon is called the Dyad Moon. The word dyad comes from the root word duo and suggests the duality between light and dark as we reach the summer solstice and the half-way point of the year. The Sun and Moon, god and goddess, spirit and body, these are additional themes that are very much ripe for exploration during the Dyad Moon. The potential directions your magic could take are endless!

CORRESPONDENCES

There are lots of magical correspondences tied into this month that you can incorporate into your magic. Here’s a varied list, but I’ll be focusing on the deity Juno on the later half of the post (as the month of June is named after her).

Astrological Signs: Gemini, Cancer.

Nature Spirits: Sylphs, zephyrs, dryads.

Herbs: Skullcap, meadowsweet, vervain, tansy, dog grass, parsley, mosses, mugwort

Colours: Orange, Golden-Green, Yellow or sunny colours.

Flowers: Lavender, orchid, yarrow.

Scents: Lily of the valley, lavender.

Stones: Topaz, agate, alexandrite, flourite, moonstone, pearl, malachite.

Trees: Oak, Maple, Ash, Hornbeam, Fig, Birch, Apple

Animals: Monkey, butterfly, frog, toad.

Birds: Wren, peacock, dove

Deities: All Gods and Goddesses who preside over love, passion, and beauty, female empowerment and the sacred feminine.

GUSTAVE MOREAU (1826–1898), THE PEACOCK COMPLAINING TO JUNO (1881), WATERCOLOR ON PAPER, 31 × 21 CM, MUSÉE NATIONAL GUSTAVE-MOREAU, PARIS. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS. — *Gustave Moreau (1826–1898), The Peacock Complaining To Juno (1881), Watercolor On Paper, 31 × 21 Cm, Musée National Gustave-moreau, Paris. Wikimedia Commons.*

The Roman Deity Juno

For June, we look to Juno. Juno is the wife of Jupiter, and is related to matters of fertility, childbirth, motherhood, and protection, watching over the women of Rome. She also reigns over typically masculine realms of politics, power, and leadership. Juno is one of the more complex and disputed deities to archaeologists and scholars, as she has many different names and titles and aspects.

Among these varied aspects, Juno represents the Roman ideal of an individual’s highest self. For every woman would have her Juno, and every man would have his Genius. This Roman concept for our higher self can be seen as the modern equivalent to a guardian angel, or the Socratic notion of a daimonion. It represented an inward voice that would provide helpful guidance throughout one’s life. To the Romans, everybody had a Genius/Juno spirit within them, and being in alignment with this higher force would bring you good fortune.

There is also evidence of Roman households giving offerings and prayers to the patriarch’s Genius. These can be found from old household shrines and plaques where dedications have been made to the patriarch’s Genius deity, as well as the Lares, or the land spirits on which their house was built. These land spirits were important spiritual forces the Roman’s acknowledged alongside their patriarch’s Genius, and we’ll be integrating these spiritual concepts in the upcoming ritual.

Midsummer Full Moon Magic – Connecting to Land Spirits and Your Higher Self

CONNECT TO THE SPIRITS OF PLACE

Connecting with the spirits of place close to your home is always a good idea, but during this full moon is an especially good time. Yet since most of us live in cities and don’t have easy access to the outdoors, there can be barriers connecting with land spirits, so you will need to adapt this part of the spell based on your situation to make it work.

If at all possible, get outside to a patch of nature close to your home and get up close to a tree, or a bush, or wherever it’s appropriate to leave an offering (if you’re in your apartment do this on your balcony. If you don’t have a balcony, then simply take your offering outside to the closest spot in nature or tree outside of your home.) For your offering, bring sage, tobacco, or quarts pebbles. Beer, bread, fruit and cheese are excellent offerings as well. Make sure to have a physical offering and get into alignment with your intentions for what you’re looking for out of this contact and relationship (which is to bring in more peace and protection to your home to bring you in closer alignment with your Juno / Genius).

After you’ve centred yourself through some deep breaths and have reached a meditative state, acknowledge the spirits of the land that (naturally) have so much influence over your home and the space you live in. Thank them for their wisdom and protection through this suggested prayer.

“The warm time is here:time to work and time to rest,
time to celebrate outside,
time to prepare for harvest.
All about us, the Land Spirits are singing.
All about us, the deities are speaking.
Help me listen, all you divine beings.
May I hear your voices.
Spirits of the land, thank you for your wisdom and the peace and protection you bring to my home.”

After you’ve given your offering and said your prayer of thanks, come back inside (or stay outside, if you wish).

CONNECT TO THE SPIRIT OF YOUR HIGHER SELF

Once you’ve returned home, prepare your offerings for your Juno or Genius, which will consist of incense, food, and beer or wine. Once you have these items ready, go to your altar and begin to cast a circle around you, clockwise. Then stand at the north point of your circle and say these suggested words (1).

“As I stand within the circle of life at this time,
I gain wisdom of balance between light and shadow.
With the world of man and within the world of the sprit,
I recognize myself as the consciousness within this body
the spirit that controls its own destiny.
I invoke You, O Higher Self.
Juno / Genius, I attune myself to you.
I move through life and the darker half of the year
in harmony with my Higher Self.
I am at one with my Higher Self.
Oh, Juno/Genius, I ask You to help me to see and understand the lessons of my life,
give me clarity and courage to learn them,
and help me to learn them with ease and joy.
I rededicate my self to the purposes for which I entered this life and ask You,
Juno/Genius, to guide me and come back to me.”

Stand here in the north of your circle and feel the charge of your higher self. Grab your offerings nearby. Light the incense and continue:

“Oh Higher Self, I pray that You will enjoy this offering.
Accept my hospitality and be my guest at this feast.
May we renew the ancient bonds,
Continually recreated Between you and I
Dear Juno/Genius.”

Sit in meditation as you make contact. Once you do, this may be a good time to contemplate how far you’ve come along in the year and what you’d like to continue to grow through the summer season and into the winter. Reflect on how being in alignment with your highest self will help you to reach these goals with greater joy and ease.

Sit for as long as you like. Eventually, close the circle and give thanks to all the spirits who came.

Bringing Ourselves Back to Wholeness Through the Second Half of the Year

As is the case with most things in magic, this ritual is merely a suggestion to get your own creative juices flowing. Magic is deeply personal, and there is no wrong or right way to practice. Yet when we tie in the rhythms of nature, cycles of the moon, and magical history, we can tap into powerful forces already available to us. We hope you enjoyed our magical round-up and suggestions on how to make this June full moon a magical one to remember.

(1) Part of this text/prayer is adapted from witchschool.com’s course “Correllian Wicca – First Degree –Lesson One”