LITHA & Summer Solstice
What is Litha?
Litha marks the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, falling on about June 21st! “Litha" is a modern name for the Solstice celebrations, though it originates from an Old English word that means “June & July.” A more general name for this date, often used interchangeably, is Midsummer. Midsummer is a collective term for the ancient festivals that happened around the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Separately, and on their own accord, most of the initial emerging cultures around the world tracked the movement the sun/moon/stars/seasons, recognized the Solstice as the peak of Summer’s abundance, and viewed it as a time to celebrate. The nature of these celebrations varies between cultures and geographic regions, but the overall intention and symbolism remains extremely similar.
Litha Symbolism
Solar Energy
The main aspect connecting ancient festivals around this time is symbolism of the Sun. Solar energy is associated with the divine masculine, success, growth, & abundance. Much of this association comes from the natural cycles of the Earth & seasons- which was very important to our ancestors who relied on it’s regularity to grow, forage, or hunt for all their food and shelter. The peak of Summer quite literally means the peak of abundance when it comes to food sources. Before modern grocery stores, this would have been the first time fresh veggies & fruits are available to eat in plentiful since last year. One get can also get a pretty good measure by this point in the growing season on how the rest of their crops will fare. This sense of security and having everything one needs was cause for giving thanks to the Sun, partying, and relaxing!
Colors like gold, yellow, and green are used in the festivities’ decoration, art, and other color magick, to represent the Sun’s energy. Like many sabbats, fire magick is involved, often in rituals of giving thanks & joining with the community. Because the fire element is associated with solar energy, lighting fires was thought of as a way for us to give back to the Sun’s energy, which has provided so much for us. Offerings may be thrown into the fire, especially any spell work that began mid cycle (i.e. Yule or 6 months ago). So if you wrote any intentions on Yule or made a spell jar, now would be a good time to burn it and release that, or just metaphorically!
Fertility & Marriage
Marriages (called hand-fasting before the church got involved) were very popular at this time of year, partly due to practical reasons: it was warm enough to gather outside, and with the abundance of the first harvest people could offer food & gifts to the newlywed & the celebration of their love. But there is also a strong association with fertility & love around Midsummer. Similarly to the Spring sabbats, the association comes from all the new life growing & blooming at this time! There are many fun hand-fasting rituals I’d recommend looking up for a laugh! Or maybe for wedding inspo 😉
Faeries
Faeries are very closely associated with this time of year, even more so than Beltane. Celtic traditions include the “trooping of the faeries,” which refers to the idea that the fae cross through this realm, physically gathering in woodland areas & various other sacred spots. Even those without the ability to see otherworldly beings may be able to hear them laughing & dancing on a still Summer night around Litha. Offerings are left for the fae as they cross through, traditionally things unique to the season that wont be in abundance later: honey, milk, flowers, fruit. These offerings ensure they reach their destination, & that they need not take anything of yours without asking!
Modern ways to celebrate:
Solar magick: watching the sun rise and set on the day of the sabbat is probably the simplest thing you can do to celebrate! You could also mediate in the sun or at sun rise/set, or place your crystals or other sacred items in the Sun to charge.
Flower & plant magick: get creative & allow nature’s abundance of blooms inspire you… maybe now is a good time to your hand at some herbalism, making a solar extraction or decoction. You could make some crafts or art with plants, perhaps something new for your altar! Or you could simply spend some time tending to your garden.
Bake bread or other baked goods: this is one that’s good to do on almost any sabbat, but especially Litha as its so closely related to the first harvest- which was an excuse to make delicious food that wouldn’t have been available for the entire Winter. Think anything involving oats and flour, fruit, flowers, etc.
Have any sort of ritual or spell work at night: (sunset/ sunrise would be most potent, but go with your intuition/schedule availability). Spells regarding luck, abundance, & love are especially popular.
Have a magickal Midsummer bonfire: whether you gather with community or enjoy the fire magick solo, this is definitely the most traditional way you can celebrate!
Reset Winter goals: Litha is the perfect time to revise goals & intentions set around Yule or the New Year. Using a bonfire or other fire magick to begin, viewing the smoke as cleansing of your intentions from the past ~6 months, & then allow your renewed sense of clarity to guide you in writing new ones for the coming 6 months. A tarot or oracle card reading with the sunrise could also help guide this reset ritual!
Journal Prompts:
what does the Sun and solar energy represent to me?
how does the Sun bring abundance into my life? how can I thank or honor it in return?
what does the fae represent to me? what significance does their folklore (or any other folklore you feel called to) have on society today?
when I think back to this long, warm, day in the cold of February, what will I regret not doing more of? or what will I be grateful I did?
How I’m celebrating (2024):
Strawberry moon Camping
This year the solstice falls just about on the full Strawberry moon, give or take a day. I’ll be camping in Virginia under the stars, watching the sun rise & set on this longest day.
Firefly magick
Being home for the summer in PA for the first time in many years has been such a treat for several reasons, one being the fireflies’ light show out in my backyard. Every night starting at dusk they flash across the meadows up into the trees for several hours. I had forgotten how magical it was and I learned a little bit more about their traditional associations and folklore.
Gardening
I will be spending some extra time out in my garden around this time, replanting some herbs that are starting to go to seed so I can continue to harvest the summer sun’s abundance as the dark half of the year begins.
How I’m celebrating (2023):
Spell Candle:
This time of year I feel called to (and have the energy to) physically craft up a traditional spell. I make lots of practical nature art, but otherwise my practice is typically less tangible than spellwork- journaling, meditation, visualization, vocalizations. But at Midsummer when the magickal energy is potent in the air, I feel like creating a spell, just because. I’ll be using an anointed candle and of course, some current blooming flora.
Sunrise & Sunset Magick
Since living in Michigan, the weeks right around Litha have come to be associated with late nights spent outside, when skating in to the sunset means not getting back till 10 PM. It’s become a ritual to watch every sunrise and sunset at this time of year, savoring every last minute of the long, warm days.
How I’m celebrating (2022)
Camping:
We’ll be going up north to Lake Michigan & watching the sunrise & set in all it’s glory on these longest Michigan days! The sun rises so bright and big over the Great Lakes, and it’s always magickal experiencing the seemingly endless dusk & dawn hours in June. We’ll make art, crystal grids, and explore all the local plant life blooming at the time! I’ll probably also collect some water from the lake to place on my altar or use in any workings.
Gardening:
As our second Litha in this home, the garden is truly popping off! Which means it needs a lot of tending to around this time, and I do so with the intention of connecting to the essence of Midsummer. Many of the flowers & herbs I harvest at this time of year are used in workings or as decor around the house, bringing some of the solar energy into the home. Many more are dried or frozen to be used throughout the winter in cooking & magick & tea & art!! I believe harvesting an herb in it’s fullest peak of Summer glory is from the Full Moon that approaches Litha till a few weeks after. This year the (magickal) line up includes garden sage, purple sage, peppermint, chocolate mint, lavender, dill, & rosemary!
How I’m celebrating (2021)
Spell Jar:
Its a super magickal time of the year where I feel very connected to the earth and am wanting to work with magick in the most literal sense by doing some traditional witchcraft like making a spell jar. I’ll probably be using some flowers blooming in the yard, cinnamon, & some other herbs!
Plant Magick:
Its an amazing time to work with any plant, and I always say the best ones to work with are the ones near you. My garden is bursting with rosemary, which corresponds with the solar energy, so I think its finally time to make a wreath and do some other spell work with it. I might make some wreaths for friends as gifts to share the abundance too.
Camping:
I’ll just be spending some much needed time disconnecting and reconnecting to nature. When I’m camping or just immersed in nature at any time I love to get to know the nearby foliage, leave faery offerings, make nature art, etc. I’ll definitely be watching the sun rise and set over Lake Michigan, too.
