Fire, rites, and magic under the stars on the beach: Tenerife is the perfect place to enjoy a San Juan holiday. But if you weren’t aware of the pagan origins of this popular celebration, today we offer some insight.
The San Juan Festival is a descendant of ancient traditional festivals celebrated on the Iberian Peninsula and throughout Europe, thanks to the influence of the Mediterraneans and the Celts, as a rite of Sun worship. It was believed that after the summer solstice the astral king needed strength to keep shining, because the days began to get shorter after the 23rd of June, hence the protagonism of fire in the festival. Once assimilated by Christianity, the night of San Juan has always been tied to this element and its magical, purifying effects.
So, many centuries later, the magical night par excellence continues to be filled with bonfires, celebrations and fireworks in a festival that is the starting gun for fun-filled Spanish nights all over the country and, of course, in your lovely luxury property on Tenerife. In the Canary Islands, the rituals and incantations common across the archipelago are repeated over bonfires where the locals perform different rites and burn symbols of the past to free themselves from the ties that bind.
Last year we gave you an idea of some of the most common activities on San Juan, but this year we’re opting to dive head-first into the more ritualistic aspects of the festival. If you want to experience the charms of San Juan by immersing yourself in local culture on the beach, Tenerife has plenty of popular superstitions surrounding the festival. Pop down to the marvelous Abama beach and ask, with the appropriate incantation, that the gods bestow upon you health, wealth, love, fertility, or whatever else you can think of!
Spells for San Juan
- Begin with the simplest: light a white candle at midnight and make a wish. Remember that you have to let the candle burn all the way down to fill your home with positive energy.
- Some say that if you go to your window at midnight on the night of San Juan, you will see the love of your life pass by. Dare to try?
- Head down to the Abama beach, turn your back to the ocean, and throw in a piece of fruit, a coin, and a flower for health, wealth, and love.
- Take a dip in the water and walk in backwards while looking at the moon. You’ll receive blessings all year.
- Now that you’re in the water, jump backwards over nine waves to eliminate all the negative energy from your life.
- Another classic is making a small fire and jumping over it seven times to bring good luck.
- If you decide to make this small fire, take the opportunity to write your desires down on a little piece of paper and burn it. They will come true.
- Mix flowers and aromatic herbs in a container with water and let it sit for the whole of this magical night. The next day, use it to wash your face and attract happiness to your life.
- Finally, at dawn, rub onto your skin the dew that the night of San Juan has left in the gardens of Abama. It will protect you throughout the year.
Now that you know how to ensure your luck, you know that to plan a perfect night filled with magic on the beach, Tenerife will provide all you need. Enjoy it together with your family and friends and make sure you have a wonderful time, because that's the real magic in life. Look for your own coastal property for sale and you can experience these joys forever!
