Litha : Ways To Celebrate
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Lithaย is all about the fiery aspect of the sun, so why not celebrate the fertility of the gods with a blazing, roaring fire in your back yard? It's the longest day ofย the year, so stay up late and host a bonfire for your friends and family.ย
Get sparklers too, and light them after dark. Make anย offering to the godsย of your tradition. Be sure to follow basic Bonfire Safety Rules, so no one gets hurt at your celebration. You can even incorporate your bonfire into a Litha rite, with theย Midsummer Night Fire Ritual.
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Leave An Offering Of Honey Cakes Outside
Preferably somewhere away from your house, as they will attract insects and even wildlife. Litha is said to be one of the two times of year when the โVeil Between Worldsโ is the thinnest (the other being Samhain.) According to legend, the fairies and forest spirits are especially active on the night of the summer solstice, and honey is favorite treat.
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Go for a hike in the woods with your family. Enjoy the sounds and sights of nature. Take lots of pictures, or plan a scavenger huntโhave each of the kids bring a "nature bag" to fill up. Remember, don't pick any live plants, unless you'reย deliberately wildcrafting.
Before you head out, grab a field guide to local plants, and turn it into a teaching exercise, learn to identify what you see out there in the woods. If you take your hike in a public park, bring along aย plastic sack to help pick up garbage on your way. If you get the chance to do this alone, try aย Nature Meditationย in a quiet spot somewhere on your journey.
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If youโre feeling adventurous, but donโt want to leave luxury behind, try glamping and spend a night under the stars in style.
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Litha is a magical, mystical time of year. Why not host a drum circle or spiral dance? You'll need a large group for this, but it's a lot of fun once you get everyone moving.ย In addition to being entertaining (and a great stress reliever), a drum circle or a ritualized dance serves another purposeโthat of raising energy.
The more you build, the more people will feed off of it. Invite a group of friends over, let them know there will be music and dance, and see what happens. Be sure to provide refreshments for afterwardsโdrumming and dancing can be draining for some people.
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Identify and harvest some wildflowers to use in your summer spell work. Press them in your Book of Shadows if you have one.
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Do something forย charity. Organize a yard sale and donate the proceeds to a local homeless shelter. Collect gently used summer clothing and give to a local children's hospital. Host aย dog-wash for your favorite shelter, and ask customers to either donate cash or pet food. Plan a neighborhood cleanup, and trim and weed common areas in your community. If you don't have time to coordinate a big projectโand not everyone doesโdo things on a smaller scale.
Visit an elderly neighbour and help with her housekeeping. Offer to do grocery shopping for an ill relative. If you know a mom with a brand-new baby, help out with childcare so she can get a few hours of rest. There are any number of things you can do to help others, and with the days being longer, there's plenty of time to get things done!
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Summer can be a hectic and chaotic time of year. Maybe you're someone who needs to slow down and take a break. Litha is a good time to rejuvenate, so why not sit out in the sunshine and immerse yourself in a good book.ย Keep reading material handy all the time, so when you need a little down time, you canย work throughย few pages. If your local library has a summer reading program, sign up.
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Litha is the week for pagan festivals. Find one. Attend it. Youโll have a blast, I promise.
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Turn off the phone, step away from the computer and television, and spend time just having fun with the people who love you most. Take the day off work if possibleย and spend it any way you likeโgo to theย zoo, a museum,ย a ball game, etc. Make this a day that you can do anything you want, and put the schedules away just for one day.
If you're worried that money might hold you back, there's plenty of stuff you can do for free: check your local metro parks for activity schedules, go fishing at a nearby lake or river, and watch the local newspaper for free admission deals at nearby attractions. If getting away for a day isn't possible for you, spend the afternoon at homeโplay board games,ย do jigsaw puzzles, and cook a mealย together.
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Make A Batch Of Sun Cakes
If youโre a kitchen witch, celebrate this Sabbat by baking! Sun cakes are perfect for the โcakes and aleโ portion of a Litha ritual if you celebrate with a coven, or you can use them for offering.
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Clean your house. Take advantage of the warm weather to have a garage sale and get rid of all those things you don't want.ย You can also organize a swap with your friends, or donate all your stuff to charities like Goodwill or Salvation Army. You've got plenty of daylight at Litha, so you can accomplish a lot in just a short period of time.
If your house is a bit daunting, select one room to work on at a timeโpreferably the one that needs the most help! Wash windows, wipe down baseboards, get rid of stuff you know you'll never use. Organize as you clean, putting donatable items into one pile, and trash in another, so you don't have to sort it later. Turn the project into a ritual with aย House Cleaning Rite.
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Make Herbal Candle Rings With Herbs
For the green witch : with your herb garden in full swing, itโs time to make some creative use of it.
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Host A Barbeque For Friends And Family
Have a barbecue, and invite all your family and friends over. Decorate with colors of the sunโyellows, reds, and oranges. Feast on lots of summery food, like watermelons, strawberries, and fresh green salads. Add outdoor games like horseshoes, ladder golf, and backyard volleyball.
While you're at it, set up some kind of water activitiesโwater balloons, super soakers, a pool to splash in. All of these are great outside activities in the heat of summer, and help celebrate the balance between fire and water, as well as welcoming friends and family to celebrate the season.
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Find a warm, grassy spot and look up to see what messages the sky might have for you.
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Spend some time on spiritual growth. Use this time of year to learn something new about your tradition, develop a new skill, or take a class inย Tarot,ย Reiki, yoga, or whatever appeals to you. Create aย daily plan of studyย to help you focus on what it is you want to do next. You've got plenty of extra hours of daylight this time of year, so there are no excuses.
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If youโre not allergic to bees (or deathly afraid of them!) this is a nice activity. Be sure to stock up while youโre there.
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Many ancient cultures marked the summer solstice with rites and rituals honoring the sun. Celebrate the significance of Midsummer withย ritual and prayersย that recognize the sun and its magnificent power.ย Set up your Litha altarย with symbols of the seasonโsolar symbols, candles, midsummer fruits and vegetables, and more.
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https://moodymoons.com/2016/06/15/10-ways-to-celebrate-litha-2/ https://www.learnreligions.com/great-ways-to-celebrate-litha-2562249
