Litha

Celebrating Litha

Also called summer solstice the longest day of the year

Takes place 21st June (Third lesser Sabbat)

The summer solstice is a traditional time for bonfires to celebrate the longest day.

Litha, this summer solstice Sabbat honors the longest day of the year. Take advantage of the extra hours of daylight and spend as much time as you can outdoors.

Litha, Summer Solstice or Midsummer represents the Sun King in all his glory. It is a celebration of passion and of ensuring the success of the crops. The Goddess is heavy with pregnancy as is the earth.

The Oak King, who represents the waxing year and rules from mid winter Solstice (Yule) to Summer Solstice (Litha), is triumphed over by his brother, the Holly King who rules from Litha to Yule, representing the waning year. The defeated Oak King retires to the Underworld to rest and gain strength.

Though Litha marks the zenith of the Sun and the day of the longest light, it is also a day of sadness, because from this day on the light begins to decline, the days shorten, and though this is midsummer, we have begun to move towards Winter.

The power of the Sun at Solstice is protective, healing, empowering, revitalizing and inspiring. It adds a powerful charge to all spells, crystals and herbs. Divination on this night is traditional.

In the Wheel of the year the Goddess and God are King and Queen of the land.

Litha begins with the Oak King in power but ends with the Holly King in power. Place a holly and an oak leaf side by side on your altar. At the end of your ritual place the holly leaf on top of the oak leaf.

Light a bonfire as a tribute to the sun.

Place an offering in a well, stream or spring to encourage continued water supplied to thirsty growing crops.

Decorate an oak tree with ribbons and flowers.

Watch the Litha sunrise and sunset.

Gather herbs for magick and healing.

Cast a midsummer spell and divine your future.

Midsummer is the best time to charge your crystals with the magickal energy of the sun.

Create a magick wand. Go before dawn on midsummer morning to your chosen tree. Cut the wand with a single stroke and leave an offering for the tree.

Leap the bonfire for luck and health in the coming year.

Wear a crown of ivy, oak, holly and flowers on your head.

The Litha Altar

The focus of this sabbat is again on fertility but also on strength and focus. Plans made at Imbolc, put into motion at Ostara, encouraged at Beltane should now be in fruition. It is a time to give thanks for the gifts we've been given and for our health. After this day things will change somewhat, waning again, and this must be prepared for. This is a celebration of work AND of pleasurable activities. It is also a good time for a dedication rite or a re-affirmation spell.

To decorate your Litha altar use bright sunny, fiery colours and add Sun images either made by yourself or a photo or ornament. Some sort of fire on your altar is important, use candles or T light candles if you can't have a small fire in a cauldron. Use fresh summer fruits as a reminder of the earth's bounty and add plenty of flowers and herbs from your garden, sunflowers work well for this Sabbat, if you planted some at Imbolc they'll be ready to cut to use now. Use candles of gold, orange, red and yellow. A symbol or picture of Earth on your altar is a gentle reminder to honour Her.

Food

Summer fruits, Fresh vegetables, Orange slice wheels, Sun-shaped breads, cake or biscuits baking potatoes, green vegetables such as snap peas, green beans, lettuce, broccoli, red yellow & orange vegetables such as summer squash, carrots, tomatoes, and peppers

Drinks

Iced tea, Lemonade, Ale, Mead,

Symbols of Litha

Fire, The Sun, Blades, Mistletoe, Oak Trees, Balefire, Sun Wheels, Dried herbs, Potpourri, Dream pillows, Summer flowers, daisies & fruits, Sun symbols and anything yellow, orange, round and evocative of Summer.

Herbs of Litha

Basil, Chamomile, Cinquefoil, Daisy, Elder, Fennel, Frankincense, Lavender, Lily, Mistletoe, Mugwort, Oak, Pine, Rose, St. John's Wort, Thyme, Vervain, Yarrow.

Flowers of Litha

Daylilies, daisies, gladioli, and yarrow, sunflowers or whatever is in bloom

Incense of Litha

Frankincense, Lemon, Rose, Wisteria, Lavender, Myrrh, Sandalwood, Pine, Jasmine, Lotus, dragons blood,

Colours of Litha

Blue, Green, Gold, Yellow, Red, White, Corn Yellow and Tan

Stones of Litha

Emerald, Jade, Tiger's Eye, Lapis Lazuli, Diamond

Altar candles for Litha

Blue, Green, Gold, Yellow, Red, White, Corn Yellow and Tan

Spells

All kinds of spell workings are appropriate at Litha but especially spells for love, healing and prosperity.

Oils

Heliotrope, Cinnamon, Sandalwood, Lavender, Orange, All Mint Oils, Lemon, Saffron

Ideas for Litha 

Litha is a time for healing of all kinds, and protection rituals. 

Burn a Wreath in the bonfire or try using Wreaths of Vervain and Mugwort which were burned in ancient times at the end of the festivals to burn away bad luck.

Many families placed roses on the tables, as this is the Goddess flower for this time of the year. Try this yourself for a beautiful and fragrant decoration.

Leave out milk and honey as an offering to the Fae folk

Put a ring of flowers around a bowl full of mugwort 

Light a white candle and place it in front of a mirror. Say your own Litha prayer over it, and then let it burn out

Try a fire divination, stare into the coals of your bonfire as it settles or look for forms in the leaping flames. 

Make protection amulets for friends and family dispose of last years amulet in the Litha bonfire

Tie a sprig of rowan, a sprig of rue, and three flowers of St. John's Wort with red thread and hang over the door.