Wheel of the Year – Litha

Litha is a celebration that marks the peak of summer during the Summer Solstice. It’s one of the eight Sabbats on the Wheel of the Year. It is celebrated on June 21st in the Northern Hemisphere and December 21st in the Southern Hemisphere.

During Litha, there’s a vibrant and joyous atmosphere as nature is at its peak, and the sun is shining at its zenith. This festival is about abundance, vitality, and the sun’s incredible power. It’s a powerful reminder of the sun’s life-giving energy and the importance of celebrating the height of summer. Litha also holds significance in the day’s triumph over the night.

Origins of Litha

Litha, deeply rooted in ancient Pre-Christian traditions, was a time to celebrate the power and light of the sun at its peak. For our ancestors, the Summer Solstice was a sacred occasion to honour the sun gods and goddesses, ensuring the continued fertility of the land and prosperity for the people. The word “Litha” comes from the Old English for ‘mild’ or ‘gentle,’ reflecting the gentle warmth of the season and its life-sustaining properties.

In ancient times, people lit fires on hilltops. They celebrated with feasting and dancing to honour the sun’s energy and encourage its strength. It was also a time to celebrate love, light, and the bounty of the Earth, with the belief that the veil between the human and spirit worlds was thin, allowing for increased communication with the divine and natural spirits.

In Celtic traditions, June was the month of the oak. The year was split between the old and wise Oak King, who rules from the Winter Solstice to the Summer Solstice, and the young, energetic Holly King, who is supreme from Midsummer to Yule. The Druids gathered sacred herbs on this day, and even today, we often harvest plants on Midsummer for use in magick, healing, and food preparation.

As Christianity spread across Europe, it assimilated many pagan festivals into its calendar. Litha, in this process, evolved into Midsummer in various countries, with the tradition of bonfires now symbolising the birth of John the Baptist. Midsummer celebrations continue in many countries, featuring parades, dances, and bonfire lighting to commemorate the peak of summer.

Today, many Neopagan and Wiccan communities celebrate Litha as a historical reenactment and a living tradition that continues to connect us with nature and honour the sun’s power. The festival is often marked by rituals, feasting, and lighting bonfires, focusing on celebrating the natural world and the cycles of life and light, growth, and abundance. Litha is a powerful reminder of the importance of living in harmony with nature and the urgent need to honour and protect the Earth for future generations.

Litha Traditions and Rituals

Next, we’ll explore ways to connect with the sun, faery magic, and the richness of nature during Litha. From holding rituals to incorporating fire and embracing faery folk, there are various ways to celebrate Litha and express gratitude for the Earth’s gifts. Let’s explore ways to fully embrace the sun’s energy and the bountiful gifts of nature.

Celebrate the Sun

One way to honour the sun during this time is to hold a ritual at noon or dawn when the sun’s energy is at its peak. You can incorporate sun representations into your ritual, such as using the colour yellow, sun disks or wheels, and sun-associated flowers. Offering appreciation to a sun god or goddess of your choice is also a meaningful way to celebrate the sun. Greeting the rising sun at dawn and bidding it farewell as it sets in the evening can help you fully embrace the sun’s energy during this time.

It’s best to celebrate outdoors on a day honouring the sun. However, if it’s raining, you may want to focus your attention on the rain/thunder gods associated with the holiday rather than the sun god.

Another traditional way to celebrate the sun during Litha is by incorporating fire into your festivities. Since Litha is a fire festival, having a bonfire is a popular way to celebrate. If bonfires are not feasible, you can substitute candles, fire images or even battery-powered LED lamps. Remember to observe fire safety precautions and be mindful of any fire restrictions in your area, especially during dry periods or fire-prone areas.

Try a Bit of Faery Magic

Litha is an important day for connecting with faery folk. If you plan to celebrate outdoors, you can make offerings or gestures of goodwill to the faeries by placing flowers or a bowl of milk around your ritual circle.

Although faery folk are commonly thought to be found in rural areas and are attracted to flowers, birds, and bees, they can also be encountered in urban settings. You can attract them by putting out a bird feeder, placing colourful flowers in an open window, and leaving out offerings such as mead, honey, small treats, or milk. Interact with the faeries respectfully, as they can be mischievous if provoked.

Celebrate Growth and Abundance

If you want to celebrate Litha by connecting with nature’s abundance, growth, and prosperity, consider adorning your home or sacred space with flowers and oak leaves from your garden or local growers. Enjoy a feast of fresh fruits, vegetables, and freshly baked bread, and savour traditional drinks like mead or fruit juice. You can also perform rituals that focus on appreciating nature’s gifts.

If you can’t be in a meadow or garden, many other ways exist to commune with nature’s richness. Have a picnic in your backyard or a local park with locally grown seasonal produce, decorate your altar or table with beautiful flowers, or take a leisurely walk to admire nature’s peak. Consider planting flowers or herbs in window boxes or containers in urban areas and time their blossoming near the Summer Solstice.

Litha is often regarded as an ideal time to harvest herbs for use in magic and healing. Consider mindfully gathering some plants for your holiday festivities if you have an herb garden. While doing so, focus on the energy of the sun and the power stored within their leaves, and set your intentions for their future use. Remember to express gratitude to the elements that contributed to their growth.

Drawing Down the Sun

This ritual is about tapping into the peak power of the sun and drawing that energy into oneself to enhance spiritual energy as we head into the darker months. It’s straightforward but requires quite many supplies if you do the full ritual. However, it is still accessible for both seasoned practitioners and newcomers, as you can only do it partly.

For best results, perform this ritual at noon on Litha. It’s also suitable to do it when the sun shines directly overhead. If it happens to rain on that day, carrying out the ritual a few days before or after is still effective, albeit slightly less potent. Like most Litha rituals, it’s ideal to conduct this one outdoors under the sun, in an open space. If you must be indoors, find a place where the sun can shine on you during the ritual.

Supplies

• God and goddess candles (gold/silver or yellow/white or white/white) in fire-safe holders
• Four candles to present the elements (green for Earth, blue for water, red for fire, yellow for air)
• A pillar candle to represent the sun (yellow, orange or red)
• Cast iron cauldron, fire-safe container or candle holder
• Salt and water in small containers
• Small bowl for mixing salt and water
• Incense
• Wide ribbon in a colour that matches your sun candle
• Matches or a lighter
• Offerings to the God and Goddess
• Candle snuffer
• Athame, broom, or wand
• Decorative altar cloth
• Table to use as an altar
• Blanket or cloth to sit on if you are going to be outside

Notes and Pre-Ritual Preparations

It’s important to create a sacred space when preparing for a ritual, whether it’s a formal ceremony or a casual gathering. The tools and items you choose can help you focus and enhance the sense of ceremony, making your ritual more powerful. If you’re short on time or need to keep your ritual discreet, you can focus on the essential elements of the ritual.

Start by setting up your altar and placing the god and goddess candles at the centre. Position the pillar candle between them and closer to the front for easy access. Secure the candle in place with a ribbon wrapped around its holder. You can also add any offerings or decorations to the altar to create a sacred space.

If you’re using candles to represent elements, arrange them on the altar according to their respective directions or at the edges of the circle to honour them (north for Earth, east for air, south for fire, and west for water).

The Ritual

Before beginning any ritual, it’s important to cleanse the space. Start by smudging the area and yourself with sage or incense to cleanse the energy. Walk clockwise around the space, allowing the smoke to wash away any negativity. Visualise the space being filled with positive energy.

Next, take a small bowl and mix salt and water together. As you mix, say, “salt into water, water into salt. Wash away all that is negative and impure, leaving only that which is positive and beneficial.” Dab the mixture on your forehead, lips, and heart to cleanse your thoughts, speech, and feelings.

After that, walk around the ritual space, pointing toward the ground, and cast a circle around it. You can use your finger, an athame, a broom, or a wand. As you cast the circle, say, “Earth to the sky, sky to the ground; let sacred space be all around.” Visualise the circle filling with white light, creating a sacred space outside of normal time or place.

To properly call the elements, start with the east. Turn to the east and say:

I call the guardian of the east, the power of the air, to come to this circle, bringing refreshing summer breezes and a lightness of spirit.

Light the yellow candle.

Turn to the south and say:

I call the guardian of the south, the power of fire, to come to this circle, bringing warm sunlight and a passion for summer joy.

Light the red candle.

Turn to the west and say:

I call the guardian of the west, the power of water, to come to this circle, bringing life-giving rains and a healing flow.

Light the blue candle.

Turn to the north and say:

I call the guardian of the north, the power of earth, to come to this circle, bringing energy for growth and the strength of the ground below.

Light the green candle.

Invoke the gods using the following words:

Great goddess, I greet you! You, known by many names and faces, shine your divine blessing down on me this Midsummer Day, filling me with light and love.

Great God, I greet you! You, the lord of the beasts, fields, and woods, shine your divine blessing down on me this Midsummer Day, filling me with strength and energy.

Light the god and goddess candles.

When you’re ready, stand or sit before your altar and light the sun candle, symbolising the sun’s energy. Close your eyes, raise your arms toward the sky, and feel the sun’s warmth on your face. Visualise yourself radiating with light and strength while focusing on this image for as long as needed. Then open your eyes and look at the candle. The candle’s flame symbolises the sun’s heat and power — see that energy moving also into the candle, and from the candle, into the ribbon underneath it.

Pick up the ribbon, hold it to the sun, and tie it around your waist. Feel the sun’s strength inside the ribbon, and say:

Within this token, I store the power and energy of the sun, that they may carry me through the darker days ahead.

Thank the God and goddess by saying

Blessed lady, blessed lord, I thank you for your presence in my circle here today and in my life always.

Snuff out the god and goddess candles.

Now is the time to release the energies. Begin from the north and move counterclockwise (to the west, south, and east). Express gratitude to each direction by saying, “I thank you, guardian of (earth, water, fire, air), for protecting my circle and empowering my magical work.” Gradually extinguish the candles after acknowledging each element.

To close the circle, turn counterclockwise while visualising a shimmering wall of light descending until you re-enter your everyday life. Take a moment to absorb the experience. You may wear the ribbon throughout the day or store it in a safe place such as a box, bag, altar, or a special drawer. When you need extra energy, retrieve the ribbon and either wear it discreetly or keep it in your pocket.

Conclusion

Litha is a festival that celebrates the summer solstice, marking the longest day of the year. It is a time to honour the sun and the abundance of nature and to show gratitude for the warmth and light it brings. The festival encourages us to recognise the interconnectedness of all things and celebrate life’s cycles. With roots in ancient pagan traditions, Litha is a time for communities to come together and rejoice in the beauty of the season. By observing and respecting the energy of the sun and nature during this time, we can find inspiration to work towards a more vibrant and plentiful world.