Litha, Midsummer and the Summer Solstice.
For every witch, pagan and follower of the passing seasons:
One of the four fire festivals of the year, the Summer Solstice is the counterpart to the Winter Solstice and Yule. At this time of year, the power of the sun is at its height. Summer has reached the peak and this is the time to celebrate all of the light and energy that the sun has brought us this season! Everything has bloomed, there is magic in the air and just like how Samhain or Halloween is when the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnest, this time of year is when the veil between the magic and the ordinary is at it’s thinnest. The fae and other such magical wonders of the world are thriving and if you’re not careful you might just find yourself swept away from them. It’s common, amongst their celebrations and glee, for the fair folk to pull pranks on humans. There is an old myth that during Midsummer Night’s Eve, all creatures of magic ride across the countryside on enchanted beasts and animals.
For you Wiccans, Midsummer is Litha, and essentially the same thing as what has already been mentioned above. You do, however, have some extra lore as God and Goddess worshipers.
The Sun God, Lord of the Forest, or whatever title you give him, has ruled through all of the summer and is now at the height of his power. Your Lady, the Goddess, is now pregnant and beginning her journey in her mother aspect.
The Oak King and the Holly King go to battle in this sabbat, the Holly King eventually coming out as the victor. As well as being the height of Summer, Litha is also the start of the decline of life. Be mindful of this and appreciate all that surrounds you as it begins to fade. Soon the God will be getting weaker.
Yes, you! I have some good news for you! You can also celebrate the Solstice. I have included a link below pertaining to this. You can either celebrate it purely as a summer solstice or through St John’s Day or combine the two! I heavily implore you to research the history of St John if you are not already aware of it, as he was quite the important figure in early Christianity. It is said that St John was born in preparation for the coming of Jesus. I also think it’s really important for you Christian witches out there to know that you aren’t ‘stealing’ anything by celebrating along with the rest of us. There is no central pagan belief system that the Summer Solstice belongs to. All we are doing is celebrating the summer.
A great example of doing just this can be found in Scandinavia. In Sweden, Midsummer is celebrated by Pagans, Christians and Atheists alike and is second in importance only to Christmas. While having a few pagan origins in Sweden too, the modern incarnation is open for all and celebrated by almost every Swede. I heavily suggest that your research Sweden’s celebrations of Midsummer to gather inspiration. Retreat to nature. Go camping with your loved ones, have a picnic, wear a flower crown and enjoy some drinks in the lovely summer night. Figure out ways of worship you can show that give thanks to God for all of the love and light he has gifted the season. Show appreciation for all that you have and be humble, enjoy the simple pleasures of life!
My main recommendation on Midsummer is to embrace the enchantment that magic brings! Harvest your herbs and flowers and put them to good use. This could be a great time to connect with any magical guardians you have. Additionally, if you want to start working with the fae, now is the time to introduce yourself to them. This is also a wonderful time to incorporate singing, dancing, music and poetry into your practice. Many practitioners sing songs to encourage the sun to rise, to give thanks for the season, to feel the magic around them and to weave enchantments into the air. I would suggest doing most of your active magical celebration on Midsummer’s Eve Night (rituals, spells, offerings, etc) and your passive celebration on Midsummer (feasting, taking naps in the sun, reading, etc) but it’s entirely up to you!
I’ve added a list of stuff you can get up to below this. Keep in mind you may need a few days prior to Midsummer to gather some of these ingredients!
Stones: Amethyst, Flourite, Sunstone, Citrine, lapis lazuli, Opal, clear quartz
Herbs/Flowers/Trees: Saint john’s wort, sunflower, rose, rue, vervain, holly, mugwort, chamomile
Other: Blue, yellow, red, height of summer, full energy of the fae and other mystical energies, bells, wind chimes, glass
BBC Religions - Summer Solstice
Staying awake through the entire night the night before the solstice to fully engage in the celebration and will the sun to rise the next day is a Midsummer tradition.
Another Midsummer tradition is the rolling of the wheels. People rolled wheels of straw and hay that were on fire down hills to symbolise the turning of the season from waxing fire energy to waning fire energy. Of course, be careful if you try doing this!
Fruit And Herb-Infused Water
Feasts And Treats for Midsummer
Litha/Fae Interaction Masterpost
Ways To Celebrate Midsummer
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