Litha | Summer Solstice | 21st June

We have arrived at the longest day and the shortest night of the year - 21st June. This is the peak of the Solar year and the Sun is at the height of its life-giving power. The Earth is awash with fertility and fulfillment and this is a time of joy and celebration, of expansiveness and the celebration of achievements. (Though it’s typically celebrated on June 21st, the exact moment of the Summer Solstice varies from year to year. This is due to a slight misalignment between the Gregorian calendar and the actual rate of the Earth’s rotation around the Sun. The Solstice also occurs at differing local times, so depending on where you live, it may fall the day before or after the date listed on any given calendar. For this reason, a date range of June 20-22 is often cited in sources on the Wheel of the Year). As the Light reaches its peak so this is also the moment when the power of the Sun begins to wane. From now on the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer and we are drawn back into the Dark to complete the Wheel of the Year.

Fire plays a very prominent role in this festival. Traditionally people stayed up all night on Midsummer's Eve to welcome and watch the sunrise. Bonfires were lit on tops of hills, by holy wells, at places held sacred, to honour the fullness of the Sun. At Litha the bonfire really represents a reflection of the Sun at the peak of its strength. The chosen wood would often be Oak and aromatic herbs were scattered into the fire. (If you chose to have a bonfire - please be safe, make sure the bonfire is always supervised – do not leave the bonfire unattended at any time).

Another tradition found among European cultures was centered on the need for balance between the Elements of Fire and Water—large wheels were set on fire and rolled downhill into creeks, rivers or lakes, as a charm against summertime drought!

Litha is also considered a good time to practice love magick or get married. The pagan version of this ceremony is called handfasting, and it includes many of the same practices you might find at a wedding.

The crops are reaching their full maturity and the forests are bursting with lush growth. In just a few short weeks, the harvest season will begin, but for now we pause to celebrate the manifestation of what was planted in the early weeks of Spring. The warm sunlight is a welcome contrast to the cold and dark of Winter, and we bask in its comforts.

This is also the traditional time for foraging and gathering wild herbs for magick, as most are fully grown by Midsummer and the power of this particular day will add to their benefits. For this reason, Litha is known as Gathering Day in Wales.

Our lovely bees are a representation of Litha. The Midsummer full moon is known as the 'Honey Moon' for the mead made from honey now available. This is often part of handfasting ceremony performed at the Summer Solstice. Mead is regarded as the divine solar drink,(or Brew of the Divine) with magickal and life-restoring properties.

Activites/Ways to celebrate

- Go for a walk and enjoy the peak of summer! Collect things from the natural world that you need for your magickal workings and to place at your alter.

- Have a picnic or a barbeque - the heat represents the suns energy

- Have a midsummer bonfire

- Have a feast! - No Pagan celebration is complete without a meal to go along with it! For Litha, celebrate with foods that honor the fire and energy of the sun, and a tasty batch of Midsummer mead

Food and drink examples to have at your Litha feast:

Warm coloured vegetables such as, butternut squash, sweet potato, tomatoes.

Home-grown or locally produced leafy green vegetables, curries, spicy foods, honey (or golden/maple syrup as a vegan alternative) Ice cream - not only is it cooling in the summer months but is also a representation of the cooler months to come.

Crystals:

Emerald - Called the “Stone of Successful Love,” Emerald opens and nurtures the heart and the Heart Chakra. Its soothing energy provides healing to all levels of the being, bringing freshness and vitality to the spirit. A stone of inspiration and infinite patience, it embodies unity, compassion and unconditional love.

Sunstone - Sunstone is linked to luck and good fortune. It clears and energises all the chakras. Sunstone instills good nature, heightens intuition and allows the real self to shine through happily. It dissipates fearfulness, alleviates stress and increases vitality.

Citrine - Citrine promotes motivation, activates creativity and encourages self-expression. Enhances concentration and revitalises the mind. It releases negative traits, depression, fears and phobias. Emotionally balancing.

Yellow Tourmaline - Yellow Tourmaline affects your emotional life by neutralizing anger, resentment, jealousy, insecurity. It promotes altruism and social commitment; generates confidence in one's abilities, brings joy, optimism, enthusiasm for life.

Yellow Topaz - Yellow Topaz is a gemstone that redirects all the powers to bring positivity and the right things in your life. It is also known as luck stone because it brings lucky charm in your life. It reinforces all your good deeds and negates all the negative thoughts. Yellow Topaz strengthens your faith and beliefs

Calcite - Calcite is a spiritual stone that facilitates the opening of higher consciousness and psychic abilities. It helps mind and body to remember soul experiences. It calms the mind, teaches discernment, stimulates insights, and boosts memory

Ideas for Your Altar

- Oak leaves, oak leaves and more oak leaves. All the abundance of all the herbs, flowers and grasses that are so very available at this time.

- Candles in Sun colours and summer scents

- Sunflowers! or other summer flowers such as; Honeysuckle, Carnations, poppies, hydrangeas

- Light green, yellow, green and red candles to represent the sun at it's peak and the green earth at its fullest.

- Gold, yellow and orange ribbons and cloth can be draped at your alter.

I hope you enjoy celebrating Litha how ever you may chose to do so :)

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Any information displayed on our website is not regarded to be authoritative or certified as the best practice and is only considered to be useful supplementary advice to other certified codes of practice. All information on our web site is updated regularly.