Litha-A solar celebration

Litha is considered as an ancient solar celebration and was linked to the summer solstice. People believed that mid-summer plants, especially Calendula, had miraculous healing powers and they, therefore, picked them on this night. Bonfires were lit to protect against evil spirits which were believed to roam freely when the sun was turning southwards again.

In later years, witches were also thought to be on their way to meetings with other powerful beings, though this is not the case today.

The many sacred stone circles found around the globe (e.g. Stonehenge) were believed to have been built to celebrate this time. They were oriented to highlight the rising of the sun on the day of the summer solstice.

On a practical level any agricultural society would hold this time in very high regard. Not only does this longest day of the year offer a welcome break, it also marks the transition from cultivation to harvest. Nearly every agricultural society has marked the high point of summer in some way, shape or form. On this date - usually around June 21st or 22nd - the sun reaches its zenith in the sky and the point at which the sun seems to just hang there without moving.

The significance of this day was not only practical but also held a much deeper, spiritual meaning.

This day has special meaning to all societies.

On Midsummer Night, field and forest elves, sprites, and fairies abound in great numbers - making this a great time to commune with them. For those who follow Faerie Magik, this is an especially meaningful event: An elaborate feast is held with endless goblets of ale, festive music and dancing. If you're familiar with faerie lore, you won't be surprised to learn that these Summer Solstice parties are clothing optional and last until the wee hours of the following morning.

Shakespeare centered his faerie-packed tale of love and trickery, "A Midsummer's Night Dream", around this mystical day.



The Goddess manifests as Mother Earth and the God as the Sun King...Wiccans consider the Goddess to be heavy with pregnancy from the mating at Beltane - honor is given to Her. The Sun God is celebrated as the Sun is at its peak in the sky and we celebrate His approaching fatherhood - honor is also given to Him.

The solstice itself has remained a special moment of the annual cycle of the year since Neolithic times. The concentration of the observance is not on the day as we reckon it, commencing at midnight or at dawn, but the pre-Christian beginning of the day, which falls on the previous eve.

In Sweden, Finland and Estonia, Midsummer's Eve is considered the greatest festival of the year, comparable only with Walpurgis Night, Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve.

In the 7th century, Saint Eligius warned the recently converted inhabitants of Flanders against the age-old pagan solstice celebrations. According to the Vita by his companion Ouen, he'd say:

"No Christian on the feast of Saint John or the solemnity of any other saint performs solestitia (summer solstice rites) or dancing or leaping or diabolical chants."

Indeed, as Saint Eligius demonstrates, Midsummer has been Christianized as the feast of Saint John the Baptist: notably, unlike all other saints' days, this feast is celebrated on his birthday and not on the day of his martyrdom, which is separately observed as the "Decollation of John the Baptist" on August 29. That more conventional day of Saint John the Baptist is not marked by Christian churches with the emphasis one might otherwise expect of such an important saint. As for his solsticial birthday, the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the Nativity of John the Baptist (June 24th) as a Solemnity, which is the highest degree a liturgical feast can have. It is even one of the few saint's feasts that is celebrated even when it falls on a Sunday; typically the feast of a saint is superseded when it falls on a Sunday. There is hardly any way that the feast of St John the Baptist could be given more emphasis in the litugical calendar.

As Christianity entered pagan areas, midsummer celebrations came to be often borrowed and transferred into new Christian holidays, often resulting in celebrations that mixed Christian traditions with traditions derived from pagan Midsummer festivities.

The Holly King and the Oak King are often portrayed in familiar ways: the Holly King frequently appears as a woodsy version of Santa Claus; He dresses in red, wears a sprig of holly in his tangled hair, and is sometimes depicted driving a team of eight stags.

The Oak King is portrayed as a fertility god, and occasionally appears as the Green Man or other lord of the forest.

In many Celtic-based traditions of neopaganism, there is the enduring legend of the battle between the Oak King and the Holly King: These two mighty rulers fight for supremacy as the Wheel of the Year turns each season.

At the Yule(or Winter Solstice) the Oak King kills the Holly King, and then reigns until Litha (or Midsummer). Once Litha arrives, the Holly King returns to do battle with the old king, and defeats him: he then rules until Yule.

In some Wiccan traditions, the Oak King and the Holly King are seen as dual aspects of the Horned God. Each of these twin aspects rules for half the year, battles for the favor of the Goddess, and then retires to nurse his wounds for the next six months, until it is time for him to reign once more.

Ultimately, while these two beings do battle all year long, they are two essential parts of a whole; despite being enemies, without one, the other would no longer exist.

• Witches gather herbs- still bathed in dew- at the solstice. They, after, bind them in bunches and dry them. These herbs have an immense power as the solstice is their "balsamic period" and it is when their power are concentrated better.


• A small bouquet of herbs consisting of mugwort, sage, rosemary, bay leaf and thym is placed under the pillow to facilitate premonitory dreams.


• The verbena is braided into a crown that is dried to ensure prosperity at home, and St. John's wort is a plant whose power is growing a lot on this season (also called blowing devils) and it serves to protect and remove the hassle and unpleasant presences.


• Where possible, we can gather the mistletoe as it will dry, and then we will use either during rituals or as a talisman. It is now difficult to find mistletoe in its natural state, but there was a time when the Druids went into the forest to cut with a sickle, while singing invocations and benedictions.

Pagans use a pot surrounded by garlands of flowers, filled with water or fresh flowers and we plunge the sword into the cauldron.

We light large bonfires (burn oak), dance and herds of cattle cross between two fires to favorise their fertility. We also can dry the herbs over the fire. These lights represent the sun, love, purification, health and fertility. The festival lasts from sunset to sunrise.

The tradition wants you to jump over the fire alone or hand on hand with the one you love.

In ancient times....

The Druids used to gather Gui and used it as an amulet of protection. This day was also to destroy ancient amulets that had lost their effectiviness by throwing them into the sacred fires. The ashes were then spead on the earth.

Also, in ancient times, women were walking naked in their garden to ensure their fertility.

Litha is the time of year to write down any wishes you have and tossing them, along with a Litha inspired offering into a well, spring, or cauldron.

Litha has long been a time for unadulterated joy and pleasure. Lengthy and detailed scripted rituals seem to contradict the spirit of this season. Rather, we should celebrate with intention but with an open heart. Focus on how grateful one should be that the Sun continues His tireless journey each year providing so much to all of us.

Pick a few themes (below) and simply set out to have a great time. Rise early with the Sun and plan a bonfire for later that night to further lengthen this day. In other words...

Party 'till you drop!

The following themes are utilized in Pagan ceremonies, rituals, and spells:

Herbs- basil, chamomile, daisy, elder, pine, St. John's wort, tyme, yarrow, frankincense, fennel, lavender, and lily

Essential oils and incense - frankincense, lemon, lavender, sandalwood, lotus, jasmine, rose, wisteria, and myrrh

Colors - yellow, white, red, blue, green, tan

Decoration - anything reminiscent of the sun (yellows, reds, oranges), dried herbs, potpourri, fruits, summer flowers

Gemstones - any green stone (e.g. emerald)

Foods - mead, fresh fruits and veggies, lemonade, cookies and cakes decorated to honor the Sun, and of course plenty of ale

Spellwork - Litha is the perfect time for any magick but is especially good for Animal Protection, Marriage and Vow Renewal spells

God/Goddess:- Amaterasu (Shinto), Aten (Egypt), Apollo (Greek), Hestia (Greek), Horus (Egyptian), Huitzilopochtli (Aztec), Juno (Roman) ( also called Juno Luna), Lugh (Celtic), Sulis Minerva (Celtic, Roman), Sunna or Sol (Germanic). We invoke also all deities related to love and beauty; APHRODITE, ASTARTE, FREYA, VENUS