WHAT IS LITHA?
The Summer Solstice, also known as Litha (Litha is an Anglo-Saxon word meaning “midsummer”), is celebrated when the Sun ingresses into Cancer, around June 21st, though the date fluctuates a bit from year to year so check with an ephemeris or trusted source to find out the exact day.
Litha is the festival of the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. We gather to honor the power of the Sun to burn away all suffering and negativity, to purify our bodies, minds and spirits. At this time we banish all that is harmful and we kindle and invoke all that is healing and life giving. On this day of longest Light, we honor the passing of the God as He begins His long journey into the darkness on His way to rebirth. May He grant us the courage to face our own darkness and give us the power to release what needs to be released in our lives.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LITHA FOR WITCHES AND PAGANS
The longest day in the year marks the high point for Light…it’s a paradoxical fact that it is at this high point that the Light of the Sun begins to wane. For people who live in alignment with Nature and the cycles of the Sun and Moon…we recognize that this is true of all living things. When we attune to these days of power we begin, over time, to sense the rhythm that is created by beginning, waxing, climax, waning, end. By observing these, we also experience that no end is truly final…and no beginning comes about without letting go of what went before it. The Seasons emanate from these cycles like waves…and we begin to experience that we are a part of these cycles…and that deep within us there is a connection to Source that is reached by becoming aware of these cycles in the greater world and within our own lives.
The mythology of the Sun God is parallel to cycles of the plants and crops in Nature and also parallel to the stages in the life of all beings…when viewed in the broader context, this is the promise of the Spiral…the ancient symbol of our ancestors that is a seed of hope that the Circle indeed has no end…and neither does Life.
It is at this time of the year, that we can powerfully surrender the things in our lives that have reached the height of their usefulness and purpose and now begin to decline. Consciously releasing the things we are finished with creates space for new things to come into being for us…holding on to the things that no longer serve only brings us pain. This is an opportunity in the Year to cooperate with the Powers of Life…and allow Them to flow thru us like a wave that will bring us to new and more useful places. The old chant by Starhawk and Lauren Liebling “She changes everything She touches and everything She touches changes” is indeed truth and our shared reality with the Earth.
LITHA CELEBRATIONS
Some Pagans and Witches will hold drumming circles and have large bonfires to celebrate the fire of the Sun at Litha…and some who celebrate in houses or in the city will light a special candle in the cauldron…both reaching out and connecting to the Life forces at this time. We often write the things we want to release and burn them (safely) in our rituals.
I created a few of these Litha Sabbat Kits…please check these out on the website under Featured Products if you’re interested.
This is also a good time to plan a cookout and get together with friends and loved ones to celebrate…Picnics are also popular.
Here is one of Summer Pasta salads I like to make.
However we celebrate…we know that we are joining with others around the world to mark the Seasonal change that occurs at this time.
It should be noted at this point that it is Litha in the Northern Hemisphere on our planet and it is Yule (Winter Solstice) in the Global South or Southern Hemisphere. One of the great joys of modern Practices is being able to see the interconnection of the changing tides and seasons…as these occur on our beautiful and sacred Earth.
CREATING A LITHA ALTAR
It’s generally typical that we set up a Solstice altar, celebrating the longest day. We often use gold tones and yellows…the colors ascribed to Sunlight…and we adorn the altar with flowers of the season. Lots of practitioners honor the Gods and Goddesses of the Sun at this time. There is no right or wrong way to create an altar or shrine…get creative and make it your own.
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One of my favorite chants for this holy day is the following.
