The Summer Solstice; the longest day of the year! This pagan holiday, also known as Litha, is all about celebrating the light in our lives the sun! As the days grow longer and the sun shines brighter, the world around us begins to come alive in a vibrant display of color and warmth. As we look around us and see in nature; our gardens are sprouting, flowers blooming, the birds flying around, the bees zooming about pollinating, and the grass coming back from winter; we know we have the warm, bright, and vibrant sun to thank for it. Litha is a time to celebrate the abundance and beauty of the Earth. It’s a time to celebrate the warmth of the sun’s rays on us and its nourishing effect on the Earth. It truly is the celebration of the fullness of nature and the strength and power of the sun. It’s the time the goddess is heavy with child and the god is preparing to help with the birth.
It’s a fire festival where we both, celebrate the Sun while also remembering that darker days are coming. With the realization that the days will steadily begin to grow shorter; and this is a fire festival. It becomes another sabbatt when we get to connect to our passions, desires, and the things that truly bring us joy in life. With the sun also being the planet that is the keeper of our ego, pride, and identity this holiday is a time to allow the sun’s rays to shine a light on who you truly are and allow them reconnect you to that version of yourself. Let’s follow the rays of the sun to have litha illuminated to us in this blogpost.
The History Of Litha
Litha AKA, Midsummers Night is the longest day of the year, now known as the summer solstice and has been celebrated in some fashion since ancient times. Litha is a pagan holiday and also one of Wicca’s eight sabbats that takes place on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. It’s also known as Midsummer and is celebrated around June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere. The word “Litha” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for “midsummer”. It has roots in ancient agricultural societies that relied on the sun for their livelihoods. It’s celebrated by many cultures around the world, including Pagans, Celts, and Norse people, and has its roots in ancient agricultural societies.
Historical evidence shows that Litha celebrations date back thousands of years and as far as the Neolithic period though they may be called by different names and worship different deities in each culture. Many agricultural societies used the period to indicate a time for planting and harvesting. Many ancient monuments like Stonehenge, the Egyptian pyramids, and the Temple of Kukulcan, were built to align with the sun’s position during the Summer solstice and thought to not only be used as a calendar but, places of worship to honor this day as well.
Litha is believed to be an ancient Germanic word for the months of June and July as well. The Anglo-Saxons (germanic)brought Aerra Litha with them to the British Isles when they settled there in the 5th and 6th centuries AD.
In Celtic culture and mythology Litha was a celebration of the Celtic goddess Danu (Anu) who represents earth and fruitfulness. According to Irish mythology Danu was the Universal Mother of Tuatha De Danaan – a tribe of ancient people in Ireland believed to have invaded Ireland and ruled until being defeated in war on midsummer’s day, after which they retreated to the hills and eventually became the Faerie folk.
In ancient Rome, this celebration was known as Vestalia which was the celebration of Vesta, the goddess of virginity, chastity and the sacred flame. Women would visit the temple of Vesta and make offerings to this goddess.
In many Neopaganism and Wiccan traditions, Litha marked the end of the Oak King’s reign and the rise of the Holly King, who oversees the world as the days gradually get shorter as the world descends into the cold dark of winter. The Oak King is associated with strength, growth, and vitality, while the Holly King is associated with rest, reflection, and regeneration. Together, they represent the cyclical nature of the seasons and the constant flow of life, death, and rebirth in the natural world. They are in fact, in many traditions, two faces of the Horned God, representing the polarity that exists in all things. In the Wiccan practice, it’s a bit deeper with an added layer as well. The Oak King(The God) and The Goddess are at the height of their power, and the Goddess is heavily pregnant and it is the oak king who will help her give birth. She is filled with the life of her coming son just as the earth is sown with seeds that will soon come to harvest.
Later in history as Christianity swept across Europe in the early middle ages, Litha / Midsummer Night was adopted by the Catholic church as St. John’s Day, celebrating John the Baptist.
When Is Litha?
Litha, or the Midsummer sabbat, is celebrated as a lesser sabbat in modern paganism and also one of the main fire festivals in the Celtic calendar. Litha happens at the summer solstice, when the day is longest and the night shortest. It is celebrated around June 21st, usually falling on any day from June 20th to June 23rd in the Northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere, it falls around December 21st to December 22nd. The changes in the dates depend on the shifting earth’s rotation around the sun. Litha marks the longest day of the year, the end of spring, and the start of summer astronomically.
The Fires Of Litha
First and foremost, Litha was and is a fire festival. Fire holds a significant role during Litha, symbolizing purification, transformation, and the height of solar energy. It was common to build bonfires and make wishes on Litha across cultures. Though it is thought this tradition may have originated with Celtic, Slavic, and Germanic people in Neolithic cultures in Northern and Central Europe, who lit bonfires to strengthen the sun’s power for the rest of the growing season. Family, friends, loved ones, and neighbors would gather and sit around the bonfire all night long waiting to greet the sun as it rises on its longest day. Catching the very first glimpse and energies of the first rays of the day. Some believe that fire symbolizes the sun and wards off unwanted entities. Others think that lighting and jumping over bonfires on the solstice brings good luck to lovers and keeps demons away.
A Celebration of The Sun
It is the height of celebration, as the triumphant sun shines bright and majestic, full of passion and success. Litha is a symbol of light, love and happiness, as well as, warmth and the power of the sun. At the heart of Litha celebrations, is the recognition and reverence for the sun’s life-giving energy. We rejoice in the seasons and the source of the light that is the basis of life. The sun is seen as a powerful symbol of vitality, strength, and for many the masculine aspect of divinity.
A Time To Connect To Yourself and Nature Around You
There are many ways to celebrate and connect to Litha. At the heart of these festivities, they are about getting in tune and connecting with the world around you and your place in it. Litha is a time to connect deeply with nature and embrace its abundance. The earth is in full bloom, with vibrant colors, fragrant flowers, and bountiful harvests. Humanity is busy with festivals, bbqs, and family gatherings almost every weekend. It’s a time when fertile energy is at its peak, and all around us, new life is rapidly growing. Litha celebrates the growing crops, the Sun, abundance, and the first day of Summer. Litha is your time to connect to and honor nature’s incredible fertile energy at this time of year, and to connect with our natural world on a deeper, more meaningful level.
Litha And Duality
Since, I am a grey witch I look for the duality in every single energy I work with including sacred days and/or holidays like Litha. We see the duality in Litha in the reason for why we celebrate it; for being the longest day of the year, and preparing us for the days to begin to shorten. We must embrace the good days before the darker days arrive. If we don’t celebrate our abundance, our fertility, and our success, then the darker days become even more bleak and unbearable.
Common Traditions
Since Litha is a fire festival in honor of the sun and it’s power, one of the most common ways to celebrate it was by lighting a bonfire on the top of a hillside. Using the bonfire to connect to the strength of the sun to carry them through the upcoming harvest season and long winter to follow. Another common practice was setting large wheels on fire and rolling them down into bodies of water.
Romans celebrated Juno during this time, which meant this month was often filled with many marriages. Vesta was also another celebrated goddess, and was often given offerings of salted meat for eight days in exchange for blessings upon the home. Along with lighting the fire in your hearths. In Norse traditions, the solstice was celebrated with feasts dedicated to Freyr, the fertility god.
Litha Deities
In many mythologies, and pantheons, gods and goddesses of Litha play a vital role in the seasonal cycle, symbolizing fertility, abundance, the earth, the sun, fire, and our personal power. They remind us to be grateful for all the sun has provided us with this yearly cycle and to begin to prepare for the winter to come. Working with deities is one of my favorite things to do. You can honor them during their festivals for them and by bringing them into any of your prayers, rituals, and spells you want to in order to celebrate and connect to this holiday. Let’s take a look at some of the Deities that can be worshipped during this sacred time and holiday.If you need to learn more about working with deities in your practice you can purchase my ebook on the topic here.
Juno
Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage, the family, and childbirth was a paramount figure embodying the sanctity and power of matrimonial union and the family. The Roman goddess Juno is among the first gods and goddesses of ancient Rome who is in charge of the women’s lives in the state. Juno’s symbol, which is a peacock, represents her watchful vigilance and her role as the protector of the community. It is assumed that the term “Juno” meant “the young one” because of her association as the goddess of the new and waxing moon. This celestial connection perhaps implying the idea of growth and beginnings, aligns with her domains.
Today, it is accepted that the Roman goddess Juno has the title “Regina” meaning Queen which gives her the title of the “Queen of the Gods.” Juno, being a multifaceted deity, was also the wife and sister of Jupiter, the King of all the Roman gods. She was often represented as the female counterpart to Mars the god of war, highlighting her influence in both the domestic and political spheres. Although the Roman goddess Juno had dominion over family, marriage, and childbirth, she is often depicted to be in a warlike stance, an illustration that is often favored upon by Roman soldiers.
Pan
Part man and part goat, Pan was the Greek god who was patron of shepherds and hunters, who watched their flocks. Pan was the Greek god of nature and the untamed wilderness. PAN was the god of the meadows and forests of the mountain wilds. His unseen presence aroused panic in those who traversed his realm. He was even thought to be the cause of the musical sound of the wind through the trees. He was Associated with music, fertility, and spring. In ancient Greek art, he was often depicted as a horned man with the legs of a goat; he was the chief of the satyrs, who were similar in appearance and character to Pan.
Pan, ruled over nature and pasturelands. Pan is essentially the father of the wild things. He is frequently depicted in literature and artworks. Although he is not one of the major gods of Ancient Greece, he is one of most often referenced figures in Greek mythology. Pan has come to represent the unstoppable power of nature throughout the ages and still today. To learn more about pan and how to connect to him you can do so in my previous blog post here.
Lugh
The Irish god of the sun, Lugh is a powerful deity associated with Litha. He is often invoked for protection and blessings of abundance. Lugh is a powerful deity said to have brought learning and knowledge to man. He is an Irish God of the Tuatha De Dannan, associated with Litha and the summer season. As the Celtic solar deity, Lugh has hegemony over life, light and law. His traditional symbols represent energy and creativity, from a shining sun held aloft in his hands to fiery arrows that stand for passion and lust.
Hathor
Of the many different gods and goddesses that were worshipped in ancient Egypt, Hathor is considered one of the most important. Hathor is the Egyptian goddess of love and beauty and her history is quite intriguing among the many that are around in the Egyptian pantheon. The Egyptian goddess of beauty and love is the daughter of the sky goddess Nut and the god of the sun and creation, Ra. Hathor is not only the daughter of Egypt’s main deities for she is also the ‘eye of Ra,’ the most powerful force in the world. This makes her one of the most significant deities in Egyptian mythology. The Egyptian goddess of love and beauty is also the goddess of the underworld. She welcomes the dead as they reach the underworld and serves them food and drinks. She is thought to be later connected with the Greek goddess Aphrodite this is why she is a great deity to work with this month to help you with self love, nourishment, and fertility workings.
Danu
Danu a celtic goddess, also known as Anu or Dana, she represents the divine maternal figure and her influence spread throughout Eastern Europe to Ireland. Danu was worshipped as a goddess of fertility, wisdom, and the wind. She nurtured the gods and she adopted became known as; the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Irish pantheon associated with the fairy folk.
Danu played a vital role in Celtic cosmology, embodying the nurturing and fertile aspects of femininity. As a goddess of fertility, she was associated with the abundance of the land and the growth of crops. Danu was also revered for her wisdom and connection to the wind. It was believed that she possessed profound knowledge, acting as a guide for the gods and the mortal inhabitants of the Celtic world. According to ancient Celtic beliefs, Danu not only nurtured the gods but also served as a protector and sustainer of life.
Ra
The sun god Ra was ancient Egypt’s most revered and sacred deity, who they worshipped as king of the gods and father of creation. King of the deities and father of creation, he was the most sacred of all the gods, a solar deity who embodied the sheer power of the sun and gave life to the universe. As such, he symbolized the great reverence ancient Egyptians had for the sun as an agricultural society in the desert whose lives revolved around growth and regeneration. According to many Egyptian myths, sun god Ra was responsible for the creation of all life. Out of eternal darkness, an entity called Atum called forth the beginning of creation. An island slowly emerged out of the Primeval Ocean, which turned into Ra, the sun god and than Ra spawned the first gods. As creator of the universe, Ra became father and king to all gods, humans and living creatures. Egyptians believed that it was Ra’s duty to travel across the sky every day, bringing light and life to the world. As the sun set, Ra would descend into the underworld, where he battled against forces of darkness, including the evil serpent Apopis, in order to ensure the sun could rise again in the morning. Egyptians likened this daily pattern of light and darkness to the entire cycle of life, in which humans live, die and rise again in the afterlife.
Amaterasu
Amaterasu is the primary deity of the Shinto religion in Japanese mythology, revered as the goddess of the sun, universe, and creation itself, and considered the highest manifestation of the spirit of the universe. Amaterasu was born from the left eye of her father, Izanagi, when he purified himself after visiting the underworld. Her birth gave her the unique status of being the only deity born from Izanagi alone. As the source of all light, life, and creation, the sun goddess sustains heaven and earth with a light so compelling that her father appointed her ruler of the universe when he first laid eyes on her. Amaterasu is also known for her role as the ruler of the Higher Celestial Plane. In this realm, she was responsible for bringing light to the world through the sun that she embodied. Amaterasu is the rising and setting sun: without her, all forms of life would cease to exist. As ruler of the heavens, she governs over all spirits (kami), and her divine powers brought about the cultivation of rice and wheat: she is also credited with first using silkworms and looms for weaving. Amaterasu’s role as the ruler of heaven is to ensure the continuity of life by maintaining order. As the embodiment of the sun, she assimilates all of its qualities and provides comfort and assurance to all those who look to her for guidance and protection. Having served as the mother of the imperial family she is revered as the goddess of the state, and is both nurturing and maternal. To learn more about her you can both read my blogpost about her here and watch my class with Divination here.
Magical Themes Of Litha
Every season and every pagan holiday has certain concepts and magical themes. Which means, depending on your tradition and needs, you can weave one or more of these themes into your personal celebrations. Litha is a great time for empowering spell work. Spells for healing, self-growth, self-love, love, and protection are all great choices. On Litha, we see the following magical rituals and spells below as well. Remember these are just some of the themes and energies you can connect to and work with on Litha.
- abundance
- cleansing
- creativity
- divination
- fertility
- fire
- growth
- healing
- inspiration
- love
- motherhood
- opportunity
- power
- success
- sun god
- warmth
- empowerment
- energy
- fertility
- growth
- health
- increase light (longest day of the year)
Correspondences To Connect To Litha
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for A holiday or sacred time like Litha, I will list below for you to use.Remember this is not an all encompassing list and there may be other correspondences to use. Just follow your intuition and use what calls to you.
- Planet-The sun
- Animal-bees, butterflies, cattle, horses, wren, robin, sea creatures, snake
- Element-Fire
- colors-gold, green , yellow, orange, sky blue, red
- Herbs/flowers- sunflower, chamomile, lavender, daisy, peonies, yarrow, elder flowers, ivy, marigolds, honeysuckle, frankincense, myrrh, sage, oak, st.johns wort, calendula, lemon, orange, cloves
- Stones/ crystals- Carnelian, Yellow Topaz, Tigers Eye, Citrine, Sunstone, Green Aventurine, Emerald, Jade, Peridot, Rose Quartz, fire agate,
- Deities- juno, brigid, ra, Hestia, vesta, Amaterasu, sol, lugh. sulis minerva, surya, apollo, helios, freyja, hathor, bast, Sekhmet, the oak king, pan, cernunnos, bel, the green man, holly king, astarte, aphrodite, llew,Danu (Anu)
- Symbols- sunwheel, bonfires, the sun, bees, flowers, seashells, the fae, oak leaves, dragonflies, butterflies
Ways To Celebrate Litha
We have talked about many different themes, and energies you can connect to during this time from fertility, abundance, joy, passion, connecting to nature, empowerment, transformation, and more. Let’s talk about how we can connect to and celebrate those themes and energies now. First, you can participate and honor any of the deities listed above or that are associated with Summer or the sun. You can work with any affirmations, mantras, and visualization work for manifestation, passion, abundance, fertility, joy, empowerment, and transformation. Check out below more ways to work with and celebrate this holiday and time of year.
Have a bonfire
As we talked about above, first and foremost beltane was celebrated as fire festival and the ancient celts used to pass their cattle through two of them to purify and cleanse them. So, what better way to connect to Litha and celebrate it than to build, lit, and enjoy a bonfire of your own! It’s common to do this with others, have some drinks, and leap over the flames for good luck and prosperity. Just be safe!
Perform a burning release
You already have the fire burning so why not use it for some release magic? One of my favorite ways to release unwanted habits, energies, people, and things from my life is to burn it away with fire. Take a piece of paper, focus on what it is you want to release from your life, write it on that piece of paper than walk up to your bonfire and as you let the paper fall and be burned in the flames visualize what you wrote being burned to ashes in your life as well.
Perform Solar magic
At the heart of Litha celebrations is the recognition and reverence for the sun’s life-giving energy. Which makes it one or if not the most potent day to perform solar magic. There are so many different ways to work with solar magic and the sun from meditating under its bright rays, making sun water, drawing down the sun and more. To learn all about solar magic and connecting to the sun and how to do so you can read about it here in my previous blog post.
Dance
Litha is a very fertile time full of energy, passion, and abundance, so what better way to connect to that energy than to move with it. We can do this by moving our hips, our womb spaces and moving our body through dance. Dancing allows us to move energy around, connect to the movements of energy around us in a dynamic way, and opens up our womb space to connect to sexual energy. So, get up move your body through dance and maybe even do so around a bonfire!
Wild Flower Crafting
Wild flowers have always been a big part of the Litha celebrations. In ancient times, it was common to pick flowers like sunflowers and create crown wreaths out of them to wear or place on an altar. Or to take them and create a beautiful handfasting basket for a couple whose getting married.So go and pick wildflowers, Litha is the perfect day for it! Then return home and make a bouquet. Or if you’re feeling really crafty, make flower wreaths, crowns or garland to decorate yourself, your home, to place on your altar, or gift to a couple.
Refresh Your Altar
Another way to connect to a holiday and/or sacred day I always recommend is to cleanse and refresh your altar and/or sacred space. Use water or fire to cleanse, then decorate with wildflowers, images of the fae, Litha deities, and any of the litha correspondences we talked about earlier.
Simmer pot for beltane
Whether you consider yourself a Kitchen Witch, are vaguely interested in Kitchen Magic or just want to bring some good vibes and good smells into your home, simmer pots are an easy, accessible and fun ritual for any time of year! Simmer pots are easy to create and customize to your liking, so you can make your kitchen a sacred space whenever you want! So, why not make one specifically to call in and honor the energy of Litha.
What are simmer pots? Simmer pots are basically potpourri in a pot! You choose your ingredients, put them in a pot with water, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and let it do its thing. They couldn’t be any easier, just be sure you don’t let your pot boil dry! If you want to keep the pot going simply add more water when it gets low. And obviously never leave it going when you are not home. To learn more about how about this magical practice you can check out my previous blogpost on the topic here.
Perform Fae Magic
In ancient times, and up to the modern era, the Celtic people believed strongly in the Fae, also called the faery folk. Litha, the Summer Solstice, is one of the three annual Feasts of Faeries, the Fae. The day of the Summer Solstice is when access to their realm is the easiest and the Faes’ powers, strongest. They frolic about bonfires, joyously singing and dancing. This makes it a great day and time to connect to the fae by performing fae magic.To learn more about the fae you can check out Divination’s class series on it here
Five Senses Nature Walk
Litha is all about the cycle and movement of nature and marking the most fertile time of the year. Connecting to the blooming and buzzing of nature all around us. So why not take the time to connect to nature itself? Soak in all the fertility and abundance in nature right now. You can do this by going on a five sense nature walk. After you have engaged all your senses, walk back to your home. Reflect on your experience by writing it down in a journal
Make a Litha Spell Jar
Spell Jars are one of my most favorite spells to create and tools to use in my magical practice and life. Spell jars are great to create a container of energy for you to harness and come back to over and over again when you need it! A quick run down on how to create a spell jar. Pick your items, and add them to your jar after you wash, cleanse and charger your jar. As you add your items focus on visualizing the energy of abundance and what it is you very specifically want to call into your life with that energy. Once you feel the intention and energy is set inside the jar you can take your lid and seal it shut. To add more power to your jar you can add sigils to the outside or seal the lid with wax even. Place the jar on your altar or anywhere in your home, office, or car where you can see it and come back to it when you need to call on the energy and spell again. You can shake the jar to activate the magic whenever you come back to it as well. Keep an eye out for more spell jars on my Pinterest or Facebook page and to learn more about all about them purchase my ebook here.
Other Ways to celebrate Litha
- Wear the colors
- Watch the sunrise and/or sunset
- Feast with friends and family
- Have a garden party or BBQ
- Meditate outside
- Sun bathe (safely!)
- Express gratitude for the light
- Perform Abundance spells
- Practice sun salutations
- Celebrate abundance
- Take action on goals
- Make a flower crown
- Ground your energy / connect with the earth
- Solar charge your crystals (know which ones you won’t destroy doing this)
- Connect with your solar plexus chakra
- Have a bonfire
- Burn any charms from Yule to release the energy
- Burn wishes
- Create charms for the next half of the year
- Cleanse your home
- shadow work based on duality, empowerment, true joy.If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here. And don’t forget to register for new 6 week workshop series Embracing your shadow here!
Wrap Up
Litha invites us to immerse ourselves in the radiant energy of the sun and the abundance of nature. As the Wheel of the Year turns, Litha stands as a reminder of the interconnectedness between humanity and the natural world. By coming together in celebration, gratitude, and reflection, we honor the sun’s life-giving energy and reaffirm our commitment to living in harmony with the cycles of nature. Recognize that that the power of Summer is the gift of attaining all that you want to manifest, through the grace of the Divine, and it is yours to bring into fruition now.
